Mick Paskins Blog

France 2022 – Part 6

France 2022 – Part 6

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  • Sun 13th Feb
    Not the day we had planned. Early this morning, another cold cloudless start to the day, the heating stopped working. When I checked the gas, the gauge read red, empty. I have been turning one gas cylinder off after refilling, so I turned it on – still red. I knew this would cause difficulty, because, being Sunday, most garages are self service only, and Italy is peculiar about autogas. A few years ago, driving across northern Italy, we had to go to three garages, before the third would fill us up, apparently not allowed to fill gas bottles, only gas tanks. When we had the cylinders transferred to our new MH, we had the filler fixed externally, in the hope of foxing this. Has worked so far, but it is illegal for the driver to operate the pump, has to be done by a garage attendant. Don’t ask me…….So, unattended garages have the autogas unavailable.
    The first garage we went to was unattended.
    Put another garage coordinates into the SatNav, took us down an appallingly potholed road, clearly seldom used, and at the end of it, wanted us to turn down a narrow country lane, again badly potholed. Gave up on that, and went to another garage in Sassari.
    Again unattended.
    So, put a third garage in, this one was attended. Relief was short lived. The bloke in the garage said that today was a holiday, could not serve me. What! Why! I do wonder why he was there, what he planned on doing all day.
    The fridge was still working, so had another look at the cylinders, and they were reading green. I can only assume that the gas in the full cylinder was too cold to gassify, and had now warmed up. Decided this meant we were OK till tomorrow.
    To celebrate, we found a launderette, and did the washing.
    Drove the short way to Porto Torres, where we catch the ferry to Toulon tomorrow. Leaves at 4.00pm, arrives Toulon at 7.00am. 15 hours to be endured. Still, at least we will be able to get decent soft cheese, and nice bread, two things we have failed on here. The downside is language will be more of a problem, as English is quite widely spoken here.
  • Mon 15th Feb
    Today catching the ferry from Porto Torres back to Toulon. Leaves at 4.00 pm, arrives in Toulon at 7.00am. As on our outward journey, we hope to have a lunchtime meal before catching the ferry. Unlike Toulon, Porto Torres does not have a nice harbour frontage lined with restaurants. In fact, I would describe it as a rather unpleasant place with very little of interest. Although, we did chance upon some Roman tombs in an underground, uninviting, bar.
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    Some half a mile or so along the front from where we were parked was a nice looking restaurant (The only nice looking restaurant), proudly displaying no opening hours, no menu. A chap in the adjoining bar told us it was opening shortly, and at half twelve it did in fact open. We went in, the only ones there, staff or customers, and after a while someone appeared. We asked to see the menu, and after some cufuffling, we were presented with a large pebble, upon which was glued a card with a QR code on it. Totally thrown! Eventually, the waiter produced his own phone, photographed the QR code, and showed us a menu, difficult to read, and kept losing it as tried to scroll. However, menu looked fine, as far as I could see, so we hijacked his phone and sat down. Promptly lost the menu…..anyway, with difficulty ( and cynical comments from Sue), we decided upon a starter and a seafood paella. The starter got lost in the translation to the waiter, but the (very small) paella did arrive. Somewhat disgruntled at the difficulties, although I think it was, in fact, a very nice restaurant, judging by what we saw of other customers meals as we left. As it turned out, the inadequate meal was, in fact, just as well.
    Boarded the ferry, and it left on time. It was a different ferry from the Toulon Ajaccio one (same company, Corsica Ferries), and instead of almost completely no other passengers, we now were with a few passengers, but a much bigger and faster ship. This one had a restaurant, which opened at 7.30 (although we only found that out by waiting, it would be foolish in the extreme to expect a restaurant to display opening times, why would anyone want to know that for goodness sake), and this seemed an excellent way to pass the time. Both our iPads had run out of charge, and unlike the first ferry, this one didn’t have charging points. So a fine bucolic evening, and a very nice meal, followed by a good nights sleep, and a bleary start to Tuesday. Woken around 6.00 am by an announcement, down to the vehicle, and very swiftly out. Drove to a Bio Coop just out of Toulon, parked in their car park, and had a very necessary and welcome cup of tea waiting for them to open. Or two. And an equally necessary Beckie walk. And then the shop opened, ah, French squaggy cheese, nice bread.
    Thence, via autogas garage, to Aix-en-Provence. Park4Night had given us a large car park within walking distance of the town centre, but when we arrived, it had been taken over by a very large fairground. We managed to park just round the corner, and walked to the TIC, where a very helpful man gave us much useful information, and sent us off walking to the cathedral via the Hotel de Ville, and the corn exchange. Enjoyed the walk through Aix, a large town centre area is pedestrianised, although a lot of vehicle seemed to have access. (That is probably a coloured view, a refuse truck made its way at the same speed and in the same direction as us).
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    Hotel de Ville clock tower.
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    Two views inside the cathedral.
    The walk through Aix confirmed we are back in the land of pizza restaurants. There are an astonishing number in France, far more than we saw in Sardinia.
    We had also been told of a wine tasting cooperative, set up by that areas wine growers, not far away, so off we set, to Saint-Antonin-Sur-Bayon, where one night is allowed in the adjoining car park. Great, uninhibited inbibation! Sadly not to be. Confronted by around 25 bottles of wine, all steadfastly refusing to open, and dropping several dozen bricks the size of small mountains, the girl behind the bottles failed to rise to the occasion. Our first experience of a “degustation”. Disgusting, I call it.
    And now a confession…..whilst walking through Aix, we happened, quite by chance, upon a Bio shop selling………well, quiches (small ones)……..and pizza slices. Just slices, I reiterate…so we bought one of each, half a pizza slice and half a quiche each with some veg made a very nice meal.

  • Wed 16th Feb
    Amongst all the bumpf we received from the TIC yesterday was a leaflet of villages in Provence, and in one a few miles from where we were staying was Puyloubier, with a wine growers co operative, and they had devised a Winegrower’s Path. Sounded a nice walk, but we could not make anyone understand we wanted to know where the walk started….several people tried to be very helpful. We think we found the correct path, but there was a chain across it, with a no entry sign, and what appeared to be dire warnings in French. Gave up at that point, and went to a car park at the start of a walk to a cliff where a great number of dinosaur eggs have been found.
    Unfortunately, the weather is declining, we have grown very used to unbroken sunshine for a good number of weeks. We were walking, very up, on a dirt road, no vehicles, but obviously very used, in a light drizzle. Although it didn’t get any worse, at the time we didn’t know this, and clouds were starting to obscure distant peaks, so we turned back after an hour or so. Rather disappointing, especially as we didn’t find any dinosaurs, or their eggs.
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    Clouds rolling in. Spectacular countryside though.
    Beckie is eating like a horse, and losing weight, so we thought it would be a good idea to deworm her, so off we went to a pet shop. Got horribly tangled up in some very confusing motorway and dual carriageway junctions, despite having a very patient SatNav.
    Pet shop cannot sell worm pills, has to be by a vet. So, off to a vet. Further tangles with those blasted motorway junctions, they really are awful. Vet needs to do a full consultation, and then issue a prescription. Gave up, went back to my motorway tangle to find a place for the night. Ended up in the dinosaur egg car park, very quiet, and a really nice place to be.

  • Thu 17th Feb

    Went via Bio Coop to a MH service point – a rare beast anywhere. After some difficulty, found it, emptied the grey water and the loo, and tried to work the auto machine to fill with water, cost €2.00. Pay by card. Ending up trying four different cards, all refused. Not a problem with our cards, machine kaput. Very frustrating, especially as we had driven at least 20 kilometres out of our way.
    Went to St.-Remy-de-Provence, incidentally the birthplace of Nostradamus, and more importantly, the site of St-Paul-de-Mausole hospital, where Van Gough committed himself (at the time, it was known as a lunatic asylum, now it is a hospital for mental health), and where he painted around 150 pictures, and numerous drawings. But first, it is also the site of a Roman city, Glanum. Glad to say, yesterdays cloud and drizzle gone, sunny, and warm, infact quite hot.
    Mausoleum
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    And, of course, the romans always wanted a triumphal arch
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    General view over the site
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  • Reconstructed part of a temple
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    St.-Paul-de-Mausole hospital.
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    Van Gough’s bedroom.
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    Very small, the painting is not original……

  • Two abandoned villages and a castle.
    Les Baux-de-Provence, an abandoned village with a castle atop the hill, overlooking the Val d’Enfer (Infernal Valley), so called because of it’s unusual rock formations.
    The village didn’t seem very deserted, apart from the multitude of tourists (us included, of course), there were souvenir shops and a multitude of eateries, plus the odd hotel.
    The castle presented some challenging climbs up steep rock steps, much more alarming I imagine in medieval times before the addition of iron railings.
    Looking down on the abandoned village. Looks in fine fettle.
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    The oldest surviving part of the castle, a chapel, from around 1100.
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    Notice boards a later addition.
    This hot bright sunny day is the day that most of southern England and Wales has a red warning for wind, and most of northern England a yellow warning for snow.
    We then had a sweaty walk round the Village des Bories, houses made using dry stone walling techniques.
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    These are all rebuilt, but we’re used until the 19th century. Some confusion about whether they were permanent houses. Many were labelled as sheep, pig, goat, grain, wine, bread oven, but interesting to look round, and restored in situ.
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    Apparently, to make a dwelling with 5 cubic meters of floor space requires 50 tonnes of stone. Fortunately they had an awful lot of stone!
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    We have seen several probable remnants of collapsed stone dwellings, often very overgrown.

  • Sat 19th Feb
    Chateau de Grignan, on a cold and windy day. A medieval castle turned into a grand stately home.
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    The outside. Like all grand houses in France, much was destroyed during the French Revolution. This Chateau has been extensively rebuilt and furnished.
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    We both felt this wallpaper was a bit much…a lot bit much!
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    The medieval staircase in the middle of the Chateau.
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    The Adhemar gallery, created in 1495. The gentleman in period dress gave us all a demonstration of baroque dancing….very entertaining, and very stylish.
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    Extensively rebuilt, which results in the gargoyles not weathered.

  • Back home
    Storm Eunice has damaged the adjoining fence with next door – our neighbours responsibility, but still impacts on us. Not sure how bad the damage is, but we also have a problem, in that a support post to hold three newly planted cherry trees has fallen down. I put these up last November, and was advised to glue them in place. It seems I was rightly dubious about this, but unfortunately has damaged one of the very young cherry trees.
    We also appear to have mice, both in the compost bin and, more seriously, in the house. So plenty to do on our return, in addition to the usual preparation in the garden for the forthcoming spring, and cleaning up three months of accumulated dirt on the MH. So, we are likely to return a couple of days earlier than planned.
  • Postman Cheval
    Drove to the very small village of Hauterives, where the rural postman, Postman Cheval, spent his spare time building the Palais Ideal du Facteur Cheval, an astonishing construction on what was formally his vegetable garden, taking 33 years, finishing it in 1912.
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    He collected stones on his daily rounds, his neighbours thought him mad.
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    After it’s completion, he remarked “1879-1912, 10,000 days, 93,000 hours, 33 years of toil”.
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  • Very photogenic, more views…..
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    Now recognised as a national monument, and a great visitor attraction.
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    A truly unique creation!
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    Thank you, Postman Cheval!

  • Mon 21st Feb
    A long drive north today. And, a big change in the weather. We’ve very much got used to a full day of sunshine, the only consideration being the amount of wind. For a goodly while been very lucky with the weather, but a significant change today. Overcast for most of the day, a cold wind, spits and spats of rain. We are now a little south of Paris, and a fair way east, at Abbaye Fontenay, the oldest Cistercian abbey in France, and not a ruin, as France did not have a Henry VIII. Visit tomorrow.
  • Tue 22nd Feb

    The very old Fontenay Abbey. The massive and austere church.
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    Started in 1139, consecrated in 1147. Romanesque, and very cold when we were there.
    The dormitory, with a splendid wooden ceiling.
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    Ceiling dates from the latter half of the 15th century.
    What was very astonishing, and completely unexpected, is the Abbey had a forge, driven by Europe’s first hydraulic hammer. The forge dates from 1220, but I was unable to ascertain the date of the hydraulic hammer.

    The forge.

    A very attractive dovecote and kennel, dating back to the 13th century.
    It all seemed very pristine for such a venerable age………

  • Wed 23rd Feb
    Finally made it back to Fontainebleau, where we were last December, closed on a Tuesday. Started in the 1100’s, successive French kings have lived here, culminating in Napoleon, and Napoleon II and III. In the interest of equalite of course. The result has been constant change, and overwhelming magnificence.
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  • And much much more…
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  • And on and on
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  • You want bling….we got it!

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    The above is Marie Antoinette’s boudoir, now very fragile.

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    And, I have a feeling we missed some rooms. Could have spent ages there. There is a whole wing dedicated to Napoleon, and his belongings, a campaign tent, his emblematic cloak and hat, and so much more. We brits tend to think of Napoleon has a despot and tyrant, who plunged Europe into constant bloodshed, but clearly the French view him as a hero. Inexplicable lot, the French.

  • Thu 24th Feb
    Winding down, driving north, weather colder, some rain, not much, cold wind. Drove to Wissant, our pre Eurotunnel stopover. When we found it two years ago, there was a very nice looking restaurant close by. Have now found it has changed hands, and is now a wine bar. So, found another restaurant, somewhat further away, and went there. Order got a bit garbled. We wanted mussels to share as a starter, and each ordered a fish dish for main course. Except, my fish dish arrived, and Sue had a huge bowl of mussels. We were both a bit worried that Sue’s fish dish would arrive later, but it didn’t. Still don’t know what the Fish de Jour is! Must return soon……
    Have booked eurotunnel online. After making the booking, have realised I’ve no idea if I’ve booked it in UK time or French time. May be a long wait tomorrow…..
  • Fri 25th Feb
    Short drive from Wissant to Eurotunnel, bit disorganised there, but caught a much earlier train than we had booked, and drove onto a train, which turned out to be an earlier train than the early train we had been booked on. Arrived home much earlier than expected, which was helpful, everything unpacked, house chaotic.
    During our whole time on this trip we only suffered one traffic jam. That was on the A23 coming into Brighton. I am convinced the EU does not realise how congested England is.

    The End