Off to Gorge du Verdon

[Riverbankannie]

Here are the missing pictures of Bar-sur-Aube

 

[Anthea M]

Looks like you are having a great time. Safe travels and thanks for sharing!

 

[Riverbankannie]

Spent this afternoon in the Thermal baths, not so much Thermal, more salty! There was a large pool with jet bubbles and so on, a caldarium which I expected to be really hot like a bath you run that you cannot sit down in, but it turned out just to be pleasantly warm, a sauna and hammas (steam room). Lovely views out of the plate glass windows lining 2 sides of pool.
Sauna and steam room not as hot as I like due to the "Piccadilly Circus" effect of many French tourists trying it out and then deciding not for them.
A storm blew over while we there there so nice to watch it from the inside.
Came out feeling lovely and clean and smooth!

 

[Riverbankannie]

I decided to wear my smart swimsuit, not the everyday doing the lengths at the pool speedo one. Smart one has underwireing and lining . I was relaxing back in the jucussi when I became aware of the cups of my swimsuit arising out of the water like 2 hot air balloons peeping over the tops of the trees from the arena at Ashton Court balloon fiesta.!
The other mistake I made was not to take an little itsy bitsy square of towel to park my derrière on in the sauna. A good rule but not a normal one in uk so was not prepared. A bit embarrassed so felt I should use the only towel I had - the one to dry myself with at the end.
We did have with us though the swimming caps which were de rigueu everywhere

 

[Riverbankannie]

Have decided to wander to warm up for main gorge action by going to Gorges des L'Ain.

HWIMBO thought that the viaduct at Cize was one he might like to paint. We found the double arched viaduct, lower road, upper railway, but it seems not the one he was thinking of. Don't think crossing the bridge is an option!

We had a lovely drive though, down into and along the gorge. Looking for some where to stop overnight we decided upon the aire at Nantua CC 2254. luckily as it is a Saturday, bagged one of the two remaining spaces. See on camper contact that @suavecarve was here a year ago. CCsays €7.50 but, if I understand our neighbours correctly, it is free at weekends so a result!

There is a long zip wire diagonally across the lake. A temporary affair by the looks of it. The people using it seem to have their own hard hats and harnesses but too big and complicated and expensive a set up to be for a club or something. We were told, but I may have completely misunderstood, that on the day of the Depart from Nantua of the Tour de France this year, some world champion is to cycle down the cable! I am assuming a world champion of tightrope cycling, but this cable is anything but tight, looks a bit droopy to me. If you can zoom in to a white dot on the hillside you can see the start.

Have to look out for that on our return

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Cleve]

If your significant other is a nutter for bridges, viaducts, aqueducts etc like me then if you have not already you must go to the Pont du Gard.

I have been a number of times and will again in about a month - it just touches a chord!

Loving your trip

Clive

 

[rb62]

If your significant other is a nutter for bridges, viaducts, aqueducts etc like me then if you have not already you must go to the Pont du Gard.

I have been a number of times and will again in about a month - it just touches a chord!

Loving your trip

Clive

Just a shame you can't go climbing all over it now,
the things we did when we were younger

 

[Riverbankannie]

If your significant other is a nutter for bridges, viaducts, aqueducts etc like me then if you have not already you must go to the Pont du Gard.

I have been a number of times and will again in about a month - it just touches a chord!

Loving your trip

Clive

Thanks, yes that's the one. Putting a yellow dot on the map now.

 

[DBK]

Just been looking at where you are - not far from Switzerland should you have room for a cuckoo clock.
Or some chocolate.

 

[rb62]

If your significant other is a nutter for bridges, viaducts, aqueducts etc like me then if you have not already you must go to the Pont du Gard.

I have been a number of times and will again in about a month - it just touches a chord!

Loving your trip

Clive

Further afield,viaduc de Garabit and viaduc de Vaur and I could spend hours at the viaduc de Millau,plenty of photos here

https://structurae.info/ouvrages/viaduc-de-millau

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Riverbankannie]

Low cloud and rain forced us off the high ground and back to sunshine at a lovely town called Crest. ACSI campsite in the town by the river Drône.
Medieval streets and by one of those happy coincidences today is the annual medieval fete. Lots of street stalls, every stall holder and shopkeeper dressed up and their windows dressed, many re -enactors, and a great time to be had by all. Stalls a mixture of food and drink and crafted goods for sale. Best described as Bath Christmas Market meets Glastonbury with the Knights of the round table but all in the sunshine. Castle/prison perched on the top of the crest of rock from which the town gets its name. Went all the way up, these steps are just a taster of what was to come. Amazing views.
Some nice photos on my camera but not yet figured out how to get them on my iPad and over the airwaves.

 

[rb62]

Went to that area for two weeks with the children many years ago,a site at Le Poet Celard.Loved it up on the Vercours and down to Nyons.Hope the clouds stay away

 

[Riverbankannie]

Clouds came back and rain with it so instead of staying on another day in Crest, which we would have done as we liked it, we moved south to Pont du Gard. Yes we have found the right bridge.
Passed a camper on side of road on N86 somewhere between Pont St Esprit and Bagnols with " Adventure before Dementia" in big letters across the back.
Who is it on here with that strap line, was it you?
Stopped at first in free aire by the bridge in Remoulins in order to cycle to Pont du Gard, but it was dusty and noisy and too much coming and going so moved to ACSI campsite La Sousta in walking distance of bridge.

 

[Riverbankannie]

So nice here, we have stayed another day. Within walking distance of the Pont Du Gard. We have a riverside pitch so very nice just watching the canoes and kayaks go by. A bit breezy though . Lovely shady site but very hard to navigate and find your pitch, it's a good job we can set our beepers off, hope the neighbours didn't mind last night when we were trying to find our way home in the dark after drinks with other Brit campers. Always nice to meet like minded people and to glean the names of good places to go in area.

 

[Riverbankannie]

@SteveandSue Nice to say hello to funsters Steve and Susanne, I hope I have got the correct forum name, lots of Steve's.
Met up at Camping La Sousta Pont Du Gard.
Haven't you been to Gorge du Verdon? says he, sorry we haven't got there yet. You can't rush these things you know.
Currently at Arles. Too hot to park on the aire which looks exposed and dusty so we have opted for ACSI site outside town with pool and shady pitches. We were going to walk or cycle into Arles but I think the heat would defeat us so will drive in after lunch.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Riverbankannie]

@SteveandSue Nice to say hello to funsters Steve and Susanne, I hope I have got the correct forum name, lots of Steve's.
Met up at Camping La Sousta Pont Du Gard.
Haven't you been to Gorge du Verdon? says he, sorry we haven't got there yet. You can't rush these things you know.
Currently at Arles. Too hot to park on the aire which looks exposed and dusty so we have opted for ACSI site outside town with pool and shady pitches. We were going to walk or cycle into Arles but I think the heat would defeat us so will drive in after lunch.

 

[Steve and Soz]

SteveandSoz, Yes it was very nice to meet you.. Not an old hand at this game yet, still like a bull in a china shop, whizzing around. Went on the boat trip up the Petit Rhone, Bit staged managed with white horses and Bulls suddenly appearing and then being driven off....but good to see.

 

[Riverbankannie]

We drove into Arles yesterday but parking in the town was impossible with all car parks tight for cars let alone MH so decided to park across the river on the MH aire at CC 50247. 5€ for 24 hours. Very difficult to get to if following satnav to co-ordinates, and difficult to get out of. The suburb of St Genest streets very tight and easy to lose way if following satnav as it tries to take you down impossible turnings. We came in on N113 and wanted to get back to N113, there are no direction signs for the MH parking.

We particularly wanted to visit the Van Gogh museum but found it disappointing with only 6 paintings and the rest of the building dedicated to an American painter Alice Neel whose work wasn't particularly to our taste.


Returned to campsite with relief. Had code for barrier but it would not open, tried the usual 10 times, moved back from barrier, tried again and so on. I went to the office and was told to wait in queue for others checking in. When Madame eventually got to me I said we are at the barrier and cannot get back in and she checked computer and said "you are here one night" yes I said, well she said you have left the site it says on computer so that's it. Excuse me says I, you mean we cannot leave and come back,

Only if you pay again she says, you came yesterday for one night. This was same lady I had seen when we arrived earlier that day, and I paid her for the night. By this time, fed up of beeping behind him, HWIMBO comes to join us and I'm afraid he is not happy! Madame says we must leave because he raised his voice!


Thankfully Monsieur arrives in office and remembers us and says something to Madame and she says go in barrier open now. It turns out they had booked us in on computer for the wrong date, the day before. There were not many people there so wasn't as if so busy would forget people just that computer say no.

Thankfully Madame came to pitch later to apologise that they had made a mistake but it wasn't a very pleasant experience.


Today we took a drive across the Carmargue to Aigues-Mortes but just wanted a taster of the area, not as wild as expected very cultivated but I expect you cannot drive over those bits.


In the afternoon we retraced our steps past Arles to Les Beaux de Provence. Very pretty old town on hill but touristy like Carcassone. Parked on road D78 and looked up CC 42902 Les Beaux en Provence aire where we intended to spend the night. As we were preparing to leave a policeman came by checking parking tickets (we had one) and asked where we were going. I showed him the aire on Camper Contact and he said no overnights allowed anywhere in Luberon, have to go on campsite. We drove past the aire and it was busy with cars and a coach waiting to pick up cyclists but only one campervan who had tucked himself away . As we had been warned off thought better to stay at a campsite so tonight finds us at ASCI Camping Le Parc de la Bastide in Saint Remy de Provence. It's lovely and relaxed and welcoming, particularly after yesterday's experience.

Photos at Les Beaux

 

[rb62]

Peter Mayle's got a lot to answer for

 

[Riverbankannie]

Today we pottered around the lavender area. Just a couple of weeks too early for the best display, just a bit green still.

Found the Lavender Museum at Coustellet just off D900 south of Gordes to be informative and worth a visit.
We drove past Gordes but car park a bit too far from village in the heat of midday.

Went on to Roussillon, where a good car park near the town. Very pretty place and although a bit catering only for tourists, well worth the stop.

Famous for its ochre ground, all the buildings are painted in the appropriate colour.

Tonight finds us at ASCI camping Ventoux at Mazan just outside Carpentras, lovely view of the mountain, fabulous pool and Dutch hospitality. Some cyclists just set off and claimed they were going up!
I think we we will be here for a couple of days. Tomorrow washing day.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[DBK]

Are the temperatures bearable? The forecast suggests mid to high twenties for around there but I see Montpellier might reach 31 in a day or so.

 

[Riverbankannie]

I think higher than 31 in the heat of the day, it's still too hot to go inside van now at 9pm. Not much in way of a breeze. Fiat aircon a godsend when driving.
it is just about bearable for me but I have a low threshold tolerance. My ankles swell up.

 

[rb62]

Have you come across the Abbeye de Senaque?

looking at pictures of Provence beats watching the Scottish rain any day

 

[Riverbankannie]

Have you come across the Abbeye de Senaque?

View attachment 167811

looking at pictures of Provence beats watching the Scottish rain any day

Yes, we considered going there but the only way is to take the one hour guided tour " only in French" says the website. It is a tour of the Abbey and cloisters. We don't speak French apart from the usual boulangerie and bar orders!
The lavender is not in its full glory yet so we decided against it.

 

[suavecarve]

Havent done this because of the weather, but yours looks ideal. Go to the top of Ventoux in the evening, park up for the night, open selected bottle of wine with frozen grapes, take seats to the top (not far) place frozen grapes in wine, face north west. Watch sunset whilst sipping/gulping wine, take photos because you can. Retire to bed setting alarm for 15 mins before sunrise, wake up make coffee, walk to top. place seats North east, take photographs of sunrise.
It is supposed to be amazing at the top of Ventoux as the mountain is significantly higher than anything near to it.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Riverbankannie]

Havent done this because of the weather, but yours looks ideal. Go to the top of Ventoux in the evening, park up for the night, open selected bottle of wine with frozen grapes, take seats to the top (not far) place frozen grapes in wine, face north west. Watch sunset whilst sipping/gulping wine, take photos because you can. Retire to bed setting alarm for 15 mins before sunrise, wake up make coffee, walk to top. place seats North east, take photographs of sunrise.
It is supposed to be amazing at the top of Ventoux as the mountain is significantly higher than anything near to it.

Wow, what a great idea, is it ok to park up overnight? Go worried at last place we were going to stay as police warned us off and said cannot stay overnight anywhere in Luberon
I'm up for it but not sure I can persuade HWIMBO.
As to temperature @DBK , campsite office states 38/39 every day next week!
We might not get to Gorge du Verdun.....either too hot or slung in jail for camping at top of Mont Ventoux!

 

[Robert Clark]

Great pics - thanks for sharing.
Certainly making us think about another trip to France

 

[Riverbankannie]

First lot of washing hanging out, darks still in machine. We have been doing pants and tops along the way though but it's nice to get a machine load done.

 

[suavecarve]

Wow, what a great idea, is it ok to park up overnight? Go worried at last place we were going to stay as police warned us off and said cannot stay overnight anywhere in Luberon
I'm up for it but not sure I can persuade HWIMBO.
As to temperature @DBK , campsite office states 38/39 every day next week!
We might not get to Gorge du Verdun.....either too hot or slung in jail for camping at top of Mont Ventoux!

There are a couple of reasons why it should be fine. I think it is down as an aire on campercontact for 5 places, there is plenty of space up there. The second reason is "Its France" and you only have to obey the signs if there are at least 5 of them, one after the other. I have heard of parking up there several times and there are certainly not going to be any gendarmes or municipal police (if youre not "allowed") to park up there who would travel the 20 odd kilometres uphill just to tell you and the other people off.

Alternatively park at Bedoin or Sault and cycle or run up there !

Theres a statue for Tommy Simpson near the top https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Simpson

 

[Anthea M]

Great pics - thanks for sharing.
Certainly making us think about another trip to France

Ditto!

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}