4000 miles from home

   

We keep finding delightful areas of France that we've visited, but not fully explored.  Like the Ardeche, where we had a famous family holiday and canoed down the river as many holiday makers do each year.  When I recall that I nearly drowned when I capsized, the family just laugh and say it's me being a drama queen.  So much for sentiment!

Making our way generally westward we drove across the Plateau Ardechois into the Auvergne and spent the night on the Col de la Croix Morand at 1400 m where we had a 360 degree view for miles. A quick walk up the Puy de la Tache at over 1600 m was followed by supper and a glass of wine watching the most amazing sunset.  The striking red, burgundy and orange striations continued long after the sun had disappeared.

We've just enjoyed 3 days near Aubusson, on a small quiet campsite where, treat of treats, we could watch the last few stages of the Tour de France on their TV, and have another pool to ourselves.

Aubusson is famous for its handwoven flat weaved carpets and tapestries in a landscape design begun it is thought by Flemish weavers in the 14th century.  We took a tour around the now rather sad looking factory but from which it was clear how important a place of carpet production it once was, with commissions from many a chateau, stately home, and even the White House and the Kremlin. Nowadays Aubusson type carpets are made in China, with mainly restoration of old carpets still done at the old factory.  

On our way now to meet up with Vicky, Toby and Margot near Saumur, who we've not seen for 3 months.  Can't wait to see Margot's face!

Le Tour - stages 12 and 14

 

We made it!  Was it worth it?  Finding a parking place the day before, a disturbed night by the the roadside and grabbing our spot 7 hours in advance?  Yes, every bit and I saw Chris Froome in the yellow jersey.

We watched literally hundreds of cyclists and walkers, grandparents and children heading for the summit of Mont Ventoux.  There were the thin and lean, the very keen, tandems, solos with baby carriers, and even two prone cyclist, one only using his legs, the other his arms.  What a tremendous effort!  And Mike had a go too, cycling to the first major marker saying 9.8 km to the summit.

We saw the 'caravane' of sponsor vehicles honking and tooting whilst dispensing goodies, and plenty of support, press and security vehicles.  Then came the riders!

After they'd all gone through we returned to Gladys and made a quick getaway for the nearest available campsite where we heard about the incident that had occurred in the last kilometre.

As we move westwards we managed to catch another stage today, over completely different terrain and it was more difficult to identify the riders as they were still in one big group, but still great to be among such enthusiastic supporters.

Allez les Bleus

On a charming campsite in the Aveyron we had the chance to watch the Euro 2016 final last Sunday.  Armed with a pichet of rose and a plate of saucisson (only Mike) and frites we were all geared up for an exciting evening (not).   I didn't publicise the fact I was supporting Portugal as the mood became subdued enough and especially the following morning which was damp and overcast.

After finding new parts of France we are now heading for Nyons in the Drome Provencale to meet up with the Famille Jeannot.  It feels like our second home as we've visited many times and returning there always feels right.

'Twisted waters'

 
We climbed up to a lake in the Aigues-Tortes or 'twisted waters' National Park in the foothills of the Spanish Pyrenees last week, and true to its name we came upon an area of 'alp' that was almost completely crisscrossed with streams, and branches of streams. Gorgeous scenery and plenty of wild flowers, most memorably marsh orchids and pink azaleas around the lake and dotted up the mountain sides.  An interesting area with restricted public vehicular access that meant we had to queue for an hour to secure a place on an 8 person public taxi to drive us to the start of our walk.  

We found a quiet campsite and once again had the pool to ourselves - that was the fourth time - and again today in Villefranche in the Aveyron - but probably not again as French schools have broken up and the holiday season will soon be in full swing.

We've been thinking it might be time to wend our way home, but have discovered another part of France we didn't know about and the adventuring spirit has returned.  We spent the day yesterday in the Lot Valley, visiting St Cirq Lapopie and in Cajarc came upon an original French market full of local producers and where we met a wine producer related to the Suggs (thatchers in our area at home) who until then had never met someone from her home area in the 20+ years she had been living in France!  The two of bottles of her wine we bought are now safely stored away in Gladys for bringing home.  And we're not doing that with all the wine we've liked because it's a question of one in, one out and it's going to be an item of clothing next time!

We're still hoping to catch a stage of the Tour de France before it finishes, so my next post is likely to have something to do with that.

A surprising menu del dia

On the road from Zaragoza

It proved to be not such a good idea to go off piste meal-wise since our Spanish is abysmal and being on the late side for lunch when we called into La Oficina in Albacete on recommendation the other week. After Signora offered us an alternative menu del dia because she had run out of some items I managed to establish I didn't eat meat and that 'baccalau' or salt cod would be fine.  And so we started with a cold 'cervesa with Fanta limon' followed by a delicious Russian salad.  All good so far till the mains arrived. Mike's leathery flash fried steak, with egg and chips was just about identifiable, but what was this huge white fried object with an egg and French fries.  It tasted like very chewy squid but looked for all the world like two breast enlargements!  We laughed and laughed, but I'm afraid couldn't eat it.  It turned out to be cuttlefish.

Food hasn't been the most important part of our trip, but we have had some memorable meals - in Miranda do Douro, Frigiliana, a little cafe in Zaragoza, and lastly with friends in their lively Pyrenean town, Aspet.  It was great to see you again, Ian and Val and we hope to watch the Tour de France with you when it comes through Aspet next time.

Fistful of dollars

   

Tino, the delightful manager of a campsite in Las Alpujarras told us about an unspoilt area of southern Spain apparently known only to locals where the film A Fistful of Dollars and other spaghetti westerns were filmed.

So we backtracked to the Med to have a look, and it didn't disappoint - an unusual mixture of mainly arid desert, volcanic rock formations dropping into the sea, salt pans, old mining villages, dilapidated habitation, small upmarket holiday towns with accessible beaches, and some that need a boat to get to, and even a flamingo colony - this was Cabo da Gata, just east of Almeria.  We parked up on a beach road 20m from the Med, had an obligatory swim which was delightfully refreshing, and went to sleep listening to the waves.

Walking over lemons

  

It does my head in to see ripe lemons on the road and all over the pavement, squashed and marked, and obviously unwanted.  This happened in El Bosque, one of four main 'pueblo blancos' in the Grazelema Nature Park east of Seville, and famous for its cheeses.  Their goats cheese was delicious.

We'd hoped to locate the Griffon Educational Observatory set up by the chair of our Wiltshire Astronomical Society.  No luck, but we found the ideal wild camp on a mirador at over 3,000'.  Our cup of tea did taste good the following morning as we looked out over the park. And then on our way down to the picturesque village of Grazelema we saw some griffon vultures flying around a rock above us - three landed and kept a watch out.

We went back to El Bosque to celebrate being away for 8 weeks, (and surviving) at a delightful 'rural' hotel where we were practically the only guests.  The pool and a cool room with balcony had nothing to do with it!  In fact it prepared us wonderfully for the next two days spent with friends Alan and Liz at their 5* villa in Frigiliana.  Thank you both, it was so good to see you there with James and Esther.