Firstly, we hope the floods on the South have not affected any of you too badly. No such problems in sunny Manchester!
Our journey has started. A couple of stops in UK, Birmingham and Lancing, before the Saturday overnight ferry from Portsmouth to Le Havre. We saved a few pounds by not taking a cabin but sitting in the airline like seats. Nowhere to put your feet up so not the most comfy of journeys.
We had intended to stop in Tours en route to Bordeaux but as the weather was fine we continued straight to Bordeaux. It took about 8 hours with a couple of breaks. The good weather did not last long - Spring seems a way off. Temperatures barely reaching double figures and plenty of rain. Nice weather for the below. It is mating season and there is a lot of quacking all night.
Not so many exotic animals on this trip compared with our Australian trip. This site is situated
around a series of lakes and is attractive although a bit desolate out of season.
Our van is the one with the satellite dish. We have our usual gripes about campsites open all year but with limited facilities. I can forgive the swimming pool not being open but the shop being shut and no bread available is more than a nuisance as the nearest shop is about an hour's walk away so planning in advance is pretty important. The site does have a decent restaurant open all year and the food is very good. As some of you will know my arrival in France cannot be officially ratified until certain food and drinks are sampled. Luckily my pastis aperitif was followed a course or so later by a very good steak tartare. I just need a few escargots to complete my trilogy.
Bordeaux is a bus and tram ride away and is well worth a trip.
The cathedral and tower above and a different view below.
Lunch in a very reasonable brasserie split our visits to the Musee des Beaux Arts and the Musee de l'Aquitaine both worth visiting and free. Less impressive in our book was the Museum of Contemporary Art: just don't get it these days!
Last thought concerns lunch. So many people eat lunch out in France. We once did in UK but now it seems nearly everybody just grabs a sandwich. Just not the same. I'm sure we are missing out.
On our way to Spain at the end of the week; probably Burgos but there was snow forecast this week so we'll see how it goes.
A bientot
J&P
