This years Epic Summer trip

[barryd]

In the summer there is a little train and a boat to take you across to the island. but its all packed up now. France's summer season seems so much shorter than the UK. Bizarre.

 

[alcam]

Moved on again after a very late Breakfast to the bridge over to the island. Michelle has set off to walk around it and supposedly find the mystery Boulangerie hidden on the island which is important as I have no bread for my Morbier cheese.

Bike is still on the back. I am quite enjoying this new game where you actually use the van to see stuff. Makes a change. There is a very laid back and relaxed vibe about this place out of season. Blimey! The suns coming out as I type. Its just so quiet here. Day and night now. To be honest if I thought the weather would be ok I might be tempted to stay longer. Supposedly protests going on across France on Wednesday which would be our moving day so maybe we should.

Protests any connection with you being there ?

 

[barryd]

Protests any connection with you being there ?

Possibly. They are annoyed about some Rosbif scoffing all their cheese and beer, the latter of which come from Belgium anyway so I dunno what they are so annoyed about. French are a bit weird though.

 

[Robmac]

Possibly. They are annoyed about some Rosbif scoffing all their cheese and beer, the latter of which come from Belgium anyway so I dunno what they are so annoyed about. French are a bit weird though.

They would probably be more annoyed about you eating Belgian Cheese in France Barry.

 

[mark61]

Love a good French protest, from upside down town names, yellow jackets and few years ago witnessed a great protest in Metz, these boys and girls know how to make a proper racket.

 

[Robmac]

They would probably be more annoyed about you eating Belgian Cheese in France Barry.

Just noticed you said the latter Barry ie. beer - so that would have been ok.

 

[barryd]

So Michelle found the mystery Boulangerie on the island and brought back some fabulous bread. We drove to the Aire further round the lake to empty the loo and then ended up back at our original spot we were on for the past two nights. I may as well have left the bloody bike there!

This time however Michelle decided she wanted a better view from the front lounge of the horses and lake so we have gone the other way round (Exciting isn't it! ). However this is a risky strategy in France under normal circumstances rather than parking long ways on as its like a magnet for Johnny foreigner to come and park two feet from your window and start a bloody row. This is where the bike comes in useful as a kind of motorhome "Cock blocker". I think they will be too scared to come down the rickety path here though and there are literally more places to free park round this lake than you can shake a stick at but old habits die hard.

 

[alcam]

So Michelle found the mystery Boulangerie on the island and brought back some fabulous bread. We drove to the Aire further round the lake to empty the loo and then ended up back at our original spot we were on for the past two nights. I may as well have left the bloody bike there!

This time however Michelle decided she wanted a better view from the front lounge of the horses and lake so we have gone the other way round (Exciting isn't it! ). However this is a risky strategy in France under normal circumstances rather than parking long ways on as its like a magnet for Johnny foreigner to come and park two feet from your window and start a bloody row. This is where the bike comes in useful as a kind of motorhome "Cock blocker". I think they will be too scared to come down the rickety path here though and there are literally more places to free park round this lake than you can shake a stick at but old habits die hard.

Yes I've had 3 major incidents with Johnny Foreigner's parking a few feet from my windows .
They came from Hart Le pool , La ncaster and Chester le street

 

[barryd]

Yes I've had 3 major incidents with Johnny Foreigner's parking a few feet from my windows .
They came from Hart Le pool , La ncaster and Chester le street

Oh well that certainly doesn't surprise me. Definitely as weird as the French from those places.

 

[runnach]

Barry, is the French chateau on lac de vassivierre island still serving great food?

 

[barryd]

Barry, is the French chateau on lac de vassivierre island still serving great food?

They were on Sunday but not yesterday apparently according to Michelle. I never got across there. Seems to be the case with the beach side eateries as well. They were open over the weekend but not now.

 

[YeoBlade]

It takes a while to get used to the french eateries open hrs, then the season ends and they all close. They have some sort of six month reduced taxable year system. So they close.

 

[alcam]

It takes a while to get used to the french eateries open hrs, then the season ends and they all close. They have some sort of six month reduced taxable year system. So they close.

Wasn't aware of that . I do travel well off season a fair bit . In France plenty of lunch options always available, dinner not so much .
Not sure where French people go in the evening

 

[barryd]

I never knew that. Certainly I Can see why the are closed here during the week at least, Hardly anyone here.

 

[YeoBlade]

///
Not sure where French people go in the evening

If you find out let me know, we've had a house there for 3 yrs and are still looking! I always thought the French must have been the most pleased of all countries in the world when' tinternet was invented, something other than TV to do in the evenings . (We have internet!)

 

[barryd]

Our last day yesterday at the lake and it has been fabulous here. So peaceful. However yesterday was kind of ruined as I ended up having to do some emergency work for some old clients which is still not resolved. Michelle enjoyed some walking though. Had to put the heating on this morning!

On the plus side I've ordered a brand new scooter from Honda and will pick it up soon after we hit Dover on the 21st so we can continue into Dorset and Devon.

Off to the Indre / Loire shortly.

 

[barryd]

Seemed to take forever to get here this morning (Well early afternoon by the time we got here). Small village called Villeloin Coulange just a couple of miles from the Beaux Village Montresor. Weather has been a bit naff but dry most of the afternoon. The little Aire here which I think is new is delightful though. Very well thought out, nice spaced out pitches. Token for water or 12 hours EHU but parking is free. Its a lot better than than the Camping Car Park aire round the corner at Montresor though.

Still being plagued with IT stuff from back home and an now another old client wanting a shed load of kit.

The most exciting thing about today was discovering the Zip slide in the adventure park behind the Aire. Of course I got carried away and fell off the bloody thing.

Loches tomorrow and Amboise.

 

[Jo001]

I didn't know Camping Car Park had taken over the aire at Montresor

About the zip slide - did you know they are building a massive one at the slate quarry at Honister in the Lakes?

 

[barryd]

I didn't know Camping Car Park had taken over the aire at Montresor

About the zip slide - did you know they are building a massive one at the slate quarry at Honister in the Lakes?

Yeah. The feckers are everywhere now. Some of them are ok, some are bloody awful.

No, I didn't know that. Will have to have a go.

 

[Jo001]

Will have to have a go.

Two things - first I don't think it's finished yet. Second, don't even think of taking the motorhome up there (and I'm not just saying that because I'm a wuss). There's a fabulous little bus route that goes round there via Whinlatter and Buttermere, the 77 or 77a depending on whether you go clockwise or anticlockwise . But they only use a little bus and they only do it in summer. So if they don't do it in anything big or in bad weather, I respect their judgement.

Edited to add - I'm planning to do it next July, for a milestone birthday!