Early spring holiday 2024; 25 February

Saint-Pierre-le-Moûtier

It was much milder this morning. At least, I don't think it was very much milder, but the wind had dropped so it felt warmer. 

After breakfast we went for a walk round Troyes, basically up to the Cathedral and back.

(I do not know why this photo insists on being on its side - sorry about that!) 
We did have a brief look inside, but Mass was about to start, and the Swan Whisperer's French isn't really good enough to enable him to enjoy hearing Mass in it, although, as I said, it was really only the sermon, as if we had service books, the services are so alike across the denominations that it is easy enough to follow.

Anyway, we left it, and went back to the WoMo. I called in at the Intermarché because the SW had run out of kitchen paper, which he uses to wipe everything down before washing up, to avoid bits going down into the grey tank and making it smell even worse than it already does. So I got that and some spring onions and walnuts for our salad this evening - I had already bought filled crepes that just needed reheating, and thought they would be nice with salad (which they were!).

We set off for Saint-Pierre-le-Moûtier, about a 3-4 hour run cross country; again a lovely drive. We stopped in a lay by to listen to our church service on Zoom, only when the intercessions came on, F either hadn't turned the microphone on or failed to use it, so we couldn't hear, but we had had most of the service by then.

We stopped again in a place called Pontigny to have lunch, and then set off again. The last bit was on motorway, but it was a free one; it was also raining, which was nasty, and when we arrived here (a Camping-Car Park) it was too nasty to want to go out again.

However, the SW did go into the town as it looked as though one could not drive through it, but we had been directed on a horribly narrow road with ditches on either side, and worrying all the time lest we met someone (we didn't, not until the road widened out). However, the Satnav seems to have misunderstood a notice that says there are height and width restrictions in the town centre, because the roads we will actually need to drive on are fine. So that's okay.

We will need to get diesel and gas tomorrow, and I will need to shop (I could feed us with what we already have, but would prefer fresh pasta to dried, and I expect the SW will need milk). I expect we will find a supermarket somewhere en route to the top of the A75, which is where we are headed tomorrow! 

Early Spring Holiday 2024; 24 February

Troyes, Champagne

Didn't sleep terribly well, as first of all I woke up and remembered I hadn't taken my evening medications, so had to get up and do that, and then started worrying that the would-be migrant who had taken refuge in our loo (but who left gracefully when we said we were going the other way) had found my handbag and removed our passports, which of course he hadn't, but I had to check!

Anyway, it was about 7:00 when the lights came on in the swimming pool next door to the aire, and I decided to call it a night. The Swan Whisperer went for a run before breakfast, and after it we left most of the clearing up and went for a walk up to the Basilica of Saint-Quentin.

I was very sad to find that the bout of flu I had two weeks ago has left me incredibly unfit, and as it was slightly uphill all the way, I was very slow and felt sorry for the poor SW! I will get fitter again, of course, but was very unimpressed with myself! However, we got there in the end, and I took some photos,

and then we walked back to the WoMo via Monoprix and the river or canal (not sure which it is). There are photos on Facebook.

Then we finished sorting ourselves out, emptied the loo and the grey, and headed on down to Troyes. It was a lovely drive - we didn't go on the motorway, but the N and D roads were mostly very straight, well-paved and dual carriageway. And because it is Saturday, fairly quiet.

We are parked up by the Seine, in the same car-park we used last September. What we didn't find last time, though, was the Intermarché a very few yards away, just across the river. Almost nearer than Lidl is from home. I needed one or two things, so popped in there, and now the Swan Whisperer has gone for a walk. In the morning, I expect we will walk up into the town before heading further south. It is still bitterly cold, but we seem to have missed the rain today. 

Early spring holiday 2024, 22-23 February

Saint-Quentin

Our holiday actually started yesterday, when we packed, loaded up the car and drove to Sussex in the pouring rain. We then unloaded the car (well, the Swan Whisperer did; I was watching my sister beat my mother at Scrabble), unpacked everything into the motor home, and got everything ready except the beds were only half made. Then we gathered up overnight things and went back into No 6 to have a delicious supper of trout and vegetables, and to spend the night

We went to bed early as we needed o get up at 6:00 - of course, I didn't sleep that well during the latter part of the night, and was reading from about 05:30. We dressed, stripped our beds, filled a thermos, grabbed a banana each to keep us going, and were away just after 7 - my mother and sister still fast asleep

We should have arrived at Folkestone just after 9, and perhaps got on an earlier train, but there was an accident which closed the motorway, so we had to go all round the houses and only just arrived in time to check in for our booked crossing. However, we did have time to grab a breakfast roll and a coffee at the terminal before heading through passport control, etc, and so to France. 

It had been horrendously wet yesterday - a really nasty drive! This morning was much brighter; I could even hear the dawn chorus while we were getting ready to leave (I know it's about sex and turf wars, but still lovely), and the sun was out; but when we got to Calais we could see it was raining very heavily. And not just rain - sleety snow! So much for the spring! 

We went to Auchan where I shopped (stupidly forgetting that I didn't need a trolley when it was scan'n'shop!) and the SW got diesel. We then drove to the local motorhome place as we need a new bin, but it was closed until two, so we had lunch (including first-day patisseries, which had been reduced for quick sale, so rude not to, really!) and then had a look, but they didn't have the kind of bin we needed. 

So we set off, and drove to Saint-Quentin through very variable weather. I slept a lot of the way - I seem to be carrying a great deal of tension in my shoulders, and they are very achey. It is a very nice aire, only €8.80 including electricity and tourist tax, by the river. The Swan Whisperer went for a walk, and I hope to in the morning if the weather is not too ghastly.