No we have not disappeared! Not in the least. Just frantically busy, and having a lovely time too of course.
We have been here for more than two weeks, as we arrived on the 1st August, after a two day trip down on the main motorway. A really good trip down, with only a couple of heavy traffic spots, just as the main motorway from Paris joined our motorway and the usual bumper to bumper traffic before Lyon.
It was very busy on the 5 pm ferry, which was not unusual as it was holiday time. Three coaches full of French teenagers returning from a trip to the UK added to the general congestion on board.
All ready to depart.
We drove for about two hours on a very deserted motorway until we reached our first stop, an Ibis Budget hotel in Laon.
Next morning we set off early, after breakfast in the hotel room. Meusli and a cup of tea. Much better than stale pain au raisins or tough baguettes, which was our morning repas on our return trip in July.
We drove easily along the motorway, with minimal traffic until we came to the connecting motorways from Paris and Nancy. There was a bit of jockying for positions on the motorway until everyone found their place on the road.
We have a badge which takes us through the fast lane at the tolls, which saves having to line up with the bulk of the travellers. A very good investment.
Our lunch stop was at the Aire de Jugy, a favourite place to stop when Scott and Lucy were with us. There was even a cafe there. Good coffee too.
After a small wait in traffic before Lyon we travelled through the very large city, and past the new museum. Very interesting architecture. Often we have plenty of time to admire this building, as we crawl through the city very slowly. But not on this day. Not that we were complaining.
We continued along the A7, around Vienne and Valence, and onto our next stop, the Ibis Budget in the town of Bollene. The hotel was close to the town centre so we were able to walk into the centre easily.
Well it would have been easy but finding the centre square in a town that was finding it difficult to survive the economic downturn was quite a task. There were many, many shops that had closed its doors.
Walter standing on the bridge over a small river that needed a bit of a clean up.
After passing a couple of cafes full of men drinking their afternoon pastis, we finally found the entrance to the old city. And very charming it was in a run down sort of way.
The town hall was beautiful and very well maintained. What a contrast to the surrounding buildings.
And a lovely surprise awaited us, as there were rehearsals taking place. A free concert for the people of the town, at 9.30 pm. Too late for us but the performers were very good, so we watched the rehearsals while we ate a most delicious meal at the only restaurant in town.
Our hotel was beside the tolls. Quite a noisy spot with trucks passing through all night, plus maintenance being carried out in the roof. Luckily we had an airconditioned room so we could keep the double glazed window closed all night, which minimized the noise somewhat.
The road was so clear that we stopped at the Geant shopping centre in Heyres for a spot of shopping and lunch at the cafe. A mix up in languages meant we ordered Cafe Gourmand instead of an espresso. Or probably the waiter did this on purpose to sell more food to us. However the espresso plus cream, cake and small Creme Brulee was delicious but very fattening.
We arrived at Camping Manjastre at a respectable 1.30 pm. What a lovely sight. Plenty of time to set the caravan up before dinner. Even the putting up of the annex was completed in harmony. Perfect.
And most importantly we had missed all the heavy traffic that makes travelling here on Black Saturday such a nightmare. The exodus of people leaving for, or arriving from up north, and clogging up the motorway for hundreds of kilometres was not for us this year.
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