Diary notes
( first draft to be inserted alongside photos when time & internet permits )
1st Sept 2011
Home - Aire Sur la Lys, France
We both thought we were never going to be ready to leave for this trip despite having spent many hours meticulously planning.
Remarkably we arrived at Folkestone at 5-40pm in time to take the earlier train to Calais than planned, enough time to use the facilities and in a moments flash of inspiration! Sharon christened our new Citreon Romahome R30 ‘Molly’.
The Port was very quiet with only three other campers waiting to board the train.
We were last on and had a carriage to ourselves. It was a comfortable 35 minute crossing under the Channel and we were soon to be driving along foreign soil. A fellow passenger approached and began to tell us with some considerable trepidation about their first trip abroad with their camper and problems that might lie ahead as they made their way to the Loire Valley in France. He was keen to secure some comfort from what he believed were seasoned campervan travellers but as I outlined our route around the Balkans and clarified that we were also true novices at this sport. He moved swiftly from questions regarding the weather prospects and where you buy your bread and milk to does your insurance cover you for kidnap and stepping on landmines!
Anyway, fortunately this uplifting conversation was cut short by our arrival at Calais where we left what was the very efficient Channel Tunnel service and glided by the sleeping border control officials.
We didn’t travel far that evening stopping for some of my butternut squash soup as we soaked up the atmosphere of a French summers evening in the town square with the church bells ringing aloud and the floodlit town hall alongside us looking quite impressive. From here due to the late hour we found a small parking area and pulled down the window shutters for a cosy nights sleep.
2nd Sept
Aire Sur La Lys – Ablencourt
First thing we wandered into the centre of this thriving small town to purchase our bread and yes an éclair au chocolat, well who can resist such excesses of life they really do know how to make cakes here in France. I cannot pass by a patisserie without feeling the pull of fresh choux pastry concealing that exquisite light filling. The market was setting up on the square where we also purchased what turned out to be excellent cooked beetroot. After driving for a while we pulled into a deserted Aire and brewed a coffee which we enjoyed as the sunshine streamed through the trees. In fact it was so quiet we managed to complete a short Pilates session on the cool grass beside our seat. If we keep this up it will hopefully counter the effects of many hours driving and what is normally the inevitable stiff back syndrome.
Later as lunch beckoned we pulled off the route national and soon found ourselves parked up near the sleepy little riverside village of Ablencourt. (see photos) Having concluded our lunch in such a wonderful setting listening to passing kingfishers and wagtails, Sharon reminded me we were retired and that we didn’t have a tight schedule to follow. So we took down the bikes and went for a very pleasant cycle along the canal track bordered by lush woodland. On our return it was still hot so we were drawn to the fresh clear waters of the River Marne which runs parallel with Le Canal. The temperature was bracing at first but your body soon adjusted leaving you with tingling skin and a feeling of being invigorated. Before we knew it the sun was dropping behind the trees as locals wandered by for their last dogwalk for the day. I asked one local lady if anyone would mind us staying put overnight and her response couldn’t have been more encouraging and hospitable. Our first continental adhoc gypsy site was thus secured for the night. Our meal of local quiches was accompanied by Steve Pocock’s garden vegetables what a nice way to end the day we could get used this!
3rd Sept
Ablencourt - Auberive
In the sunshine of the following morning we broke camp and headed off stopping at the attractive town of Brienne Le Chateau to purchase some more gorgeous French bread and accompaniments. Which we savoured later at a tranquil forest clearing just south of Montigny sur Aube, despite the 27 degree temperature the tree canopy and the gentle breeze made it a perfect spot to chill out after a tough morning. We hadn’t covered much of a distance and had utilized a little of the auto route but found this prohibitively expensive and pointless due to our desire to keep the fuel bills low by sticking below 60mph. In fact Sharon was achieving an impressive 35mpg despite a full water tank and all our belongings stowed on board for our 3 months away. As we moved on cross country through sleepy villages, rolling open countryside and woodland we watched a hunting male Marsh Harrier with 6 Black kites in the background and a hovering Kestrel to round off the image. We had forgotten how few people you see out and about after lunch unlike our frenetic world of all day all night shopping. As we entered yet another sleepy village we could not resist parking up for a look around having seen footpath signs for the Circuit de la Tuffiere d’Amorey showing a distance of 7.5 kilometres.
Taking the GPS with us we followed a stunning route through lovely countryside amongst rolling hills. Along the way we saw and heard Great spotted woodpecker Jay, Magpie, and Kestrel and a Hare.
We went a little off route by approx 200metres we re-traced our route with help from the GPS. The light was beginning to fade and as we walked back to the village along a descending track the day gave way to a beautiful evening.We discovered that the 7.5 kilometres was only one stage of the full circuit. We had in fact completed approx 15km before returning to the sleepy village of Auberive stopping overnight opposite La Marie.
4th Sept
Auberive- Ferme du Rondeau
Waking to a Sunday morning, the village of Auberive had suddenly come alive. David discovered the reason for this was a village shop situated some 20yds from us. Whilst it is accepted practice that campervans stop and park we attracted some attention towards our lone campervan.
David could not resist the temptation to visit the shop and later returned with bread and a pain de raison.
Later we strolled around this very attractive and ancient village and took a walk along a tree lined avenue to the Abbey passing by a restored communal laundry building .
The leaves were beginning to fall from the trees and we were tempted by the numerous walks available to explore this area further.
We then headed for tonights pre-booked location in the Jura region at the Ferme du Rondeau.
En route we saw large flocks of starlings and the occasional heron.
On arrival we selected our parking slot adjacent to the vegetable garden.Not an official campsite but free of charge by appointment.
Having selected this venue due to its Organic produce from the Lonely planet guide we enjoyed a superb evening meal which was a belated celebration of our 26th Wedding anniversary. This consisted of Tarte oignon followed by Feuillete d’age tender maison for Sharon and feuillete d’epeautre maison aux petit legumes for David.
A generous assortment of their organic goat and cow cheese.
To finish crème caramel and tarte aux pruneaux.
All washed down with a light red Jura 2009 Poulsard.
5th Sept
Ferme du Rondeau – Nans Sous Ste Ann
Took a morning walk a across the lush pastureland and hills that surrounded us containing numerous cows munching away with the incessant ringing of the bells around their necks. To a stranger this sounds most pleasant but 24hrs a day would be enough to send you mad. It was a blustery morning as a black kite was being chased on by the local carrion crows and jackdaws. Ravens were calling overhead and below them skylarks and pied wagtails were combing the fields for food. Back at the farm we breakfasted on their delicious home made yoghurt, bread and jam before departing in the direction of Ornans.
As we entered this beautiful little town set alongside a river we stopped at an epecerie which was about to close. I asked the owner if he had a map of the Jura area he apologized saying no! but then went into the back of the shop bringing out a box of used maps selecting exactly what I required and handing it to me not allowing me to pay a cent for it. As we progressed into the centre we recalled a visit in “94 following my return from 3 months in Siberia.
From here we took a river walk to the Source du Lisson listening en route to Peregrine Falcons calling as they hunted from their eyrie in the steep cliffs above. Closer to ground level we watched dipper and grey wagtail then later as we crossed lush flower filled meadows a family of Black Redstart were catching insects from a woodpile.Whilst Swallows were swooping low to gather one of their last meals before the long journey south to Africa.
At the nearby sleepy village of Nans Sous Ste Ann we refilled our water tank from the fountain which faced back towards the cliffs, woodland and meadows in fact it was such an idyllic spot that we asked a local if he would mind us staying there overnight. We then walked through the village and purchased some of the delicious local cheeses from a nearby fromagerie. I then prepared a surprise dish of Morelle mushrooms in white wine sauce for our dinner which we savoured with the wonderful vista beyond, softly lit now by a half moon. Yet another free! prime camping spot. Later we drifted off to sleep with the distant sound of cowbells and a Tawny Owl calling into the night in this truly tranquil village.
6th Sept
Nans Sous Ste Ann – Belvedere de La Vallee de L’Ain
From this idyllic location we drove on and into the lively town of Salins Les Bains finding a free Aire de Service which allowed us to refresh our toilet system. This was a revelation to us as we thought we would have to book onto an official camp site for such things. We then topped up with diesel at the local Super U which we found was also a supplier of Camping Gaz should we need a refill. By lunchtime we found ourselves at the beautiful hamlet of Les Planches and just beyond settled for lunch on the banks of a trout lake surrounded by lush meadows with the Cirque de Fera Cheval creating an impressive backdrop of steep cliffs. Every step taken across the meadows here caused 10 or more grasshoppers to explode from around your feet, trout fed in the crystal clear water and kingfishers called from a nearby riverbank. With only the occasional sound of the village churchbells keeping you aware of time passing. As we ate our lunch of local fare we agreed that this spot would be hard to beat in the forthcoming 3 months. As our eyes gazed upwards we enjoyed an aerobatics display by a family ( I assume! ) of buzzards, behaviour we had never seen before. They were constantly stooping and swerving as they chased each other energetically in the rising thermals. Until this point we had never seen common buzzards show such skills of flight. Further on after lunch we were mesmorised by similar activity performed this time by a family of kestrels, it seemed they were honing their flying skills prior to going their separate ways as autumn approached.This time our viewpoint on a gorgeous summers evening was overlooking the Cirque de Ladye and more precipitous cliffs dropping into deep valleys. A little behind schedule as a result of a spillage in the rear of the camper David went back to deal with this. Sharon applied the brakes too hard causing David to be thrown backwards and damaging the heat guard over the cooker and cutting his arm. We continued onwards to Baume Les Messeuriers a truly picturesque medieval village in an incredibly dramatic setting surrounded on all sides by magnificent sheer crags and cliffs peppered with cave entrances and waterfalls.
Here we shared a Vin Jaune at £6 a glass at the Café de l’Abbaye an overrated local specialty. Climbing out of the valley we pulled in to the deserted Belvedere de La Vallee de L’Ain car park. In accordance with its title it provided commanding views of the surrounding landscape.
7th Sept
Belvedere de La Vallee de L’Ain - Songeson
We awoke to drizzly morning however we took the opportunity for a brief stroll to a village below us named Chatillon hoping to find a boulangerie. A little later we drove into the Region du Lac stopping at the Cascade du Herisson. From here we ascended a steep wet and slippery path through dense woodland alongside a series of waterfalls.At the top we continued to the quiet of Bonlieu where we were the only patrons of a Tabac whose walls were covered with framed Rugby shirts and related items.
The weather changed in our favour but enquiries with locals revealed we could only return by the same route.
On our descent a rescue helicopter approached and hovered above releasing a winch to a casualty belng attended to by the Sapeur Pompier below. With consummate skill the Pilot managed to negotiate the dense forest canopy and haul up the stretcher bound casualty.
We followed the remainder of the ground team down to the car park where the casualty was transferred from the Helicopter to the waiting ambulance.
As the sun streamed into our van we decided to prepare Supper at this location which consisted of a hazelnut salad followed by two cheesy tarts, beetroot and mashed potato. As we headed into the darkness to search for an overnight spot we spied two Roe deer on the woodland edge.
8th Sept
Songeson – Lac De Lamoura
Having selected our layby plot in the darkness, we were pleasantly surprised to find ourselves surrounded by lush meadows and woodland in a truly tranquil location just South of Songeson on the D39 still in the Jura region of France.
Moving on after a leisurely start we purchased provisions at the very pleasant town of St Laurent en Grandvaux and later enjoyed a coffee at Belvedere overlooking the Lac D’Abbaye.Before stopping by at the Maison du Parc the Jura National Park at La Joux. Here we had a look around the Park Headquarters Visitor Centre and expecting to glean some information about the area, Parc Naturel Regional Haut Jura, were sadly disappointed.
Afterards
9th Sept
Lac De Lamoura – Remoray
10th-12th Sept
Remoray – stay with Eric & Penny at Mottec, Switzerland
13th Sept
Mottec, Switzerland – Levanto, Italy
14th – 20th Sept
Levanto, Italy – stay with Morettis at Montaione
21st Sept
22nd Sept
23rd Sept
24th Sept
25th Sept
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