Day 48, Wednesday 6 November 2019.Ouistreham and  Caen.

A relief to be away from the bangs and crashes leading up and well after  Bonfire night in the UK and  we permitted ourselves a lie in and set off mid morning.

The last big drive  in the van today, 4.5 hours  to Caen from Chambord, no tolls, lots of roundabouts and huge expanses of flat green fields, short  deviation on the A11.
Stopped in a noisy off road spot for a quick  lunch.

Arrived in Caen about 4.30pm, where we paid a visit to Normandy Wine Caves  for what may  turn out to be our last cases of reasonably priced red wine for Andy. We opted to visit the WWII  German Grand Bunker in Ouistreham near the Brittany ferries ferry terminal for the last hour of opening .It's the most intact bunker on the D Day landings beaches, as 53 German soldiers surrendered to Bob Orrell and his 2 English  officers who took 4 hours to blow the door off at the end of WWII .'Will you come up here ?' (to the turret room)  the German officer called  when Bob and his team finally  got in.

'I'd rather you came down here' said Bob and down all 53 trouped to surrender to the very embarrassed Bob, you can just imagine it. The living quarters,  a field hospital , a  radio transmission room,  the look out posts, the gun room  and all the fittings are meticulously recreated in this 5 storey bunker which was the main intelligence defence  unit for  all the bunkers set out  along the beaches from here , transmitting alerts , sending  firing positions etc . Andy went up into the tower to have a brief look around , bit too high and  claustrophobic for me to follow, I changed my mind after a few rungs.

The landing boat (used in the film Saving Private Ryan ) along with tanks and  large guns and jeeps are set out  in the courtyard,  all  in a quiet affluent residential district. Standing inside the landing boat was absolutely heart stopping .This is a  first visit to a WWII bunker for both of us and a good choice of museums (8€ each) We walked the length of several beaches,  sites of the D Day landings in the dusk and the dark and were very moved to read the lit up  tribute boards along the path  to the Free French  Kieffer Marine Commando unit who landed , many of whom  perished on the beaches on June 4 1944 . I'm so glad we did this. I feel so grateful to those who have perished  and to  have experienced a life in peace time  ( so far ) without the terrible suffering inflicted by war. Andy's late step-father, George (who was in the Battle of Narvik in WWII on the K-class destroyer Kimberley), would have enjoyed this trip.

Sand sculpture with spliff!

We booked in at the ferry terminal at 8pm , followed by a long wait to board at 10.30pm and straight to bed in our fantastically clean and comfortable en suite 4 berth twin cabin. Awoke early and docked at 7 .30am UK time
It's been a wonderful trip.
Andy has been a skilled driver with nerves of steel  , and an agreeable and affectionate  companion, it's been a privilege to spend a fascinating 48 days with him in  Holland, Germany, Austria, Italy,  Sicily and France .
So I'll sign off for now,  with love,
Shraddhabha x

 Day 47, Tuesday 5th November. Blois and Chambord chateaux

Blois chateau proved  a delight. A 15 minute walk across the Loire river bridge noting the Coromants, from the rather desolate campervan Aire on the outskirts of Blois, near a derelict playing field ( but with CCTV, fence barrier , flat tarmac surface , large  pitch, water and waste services,€8 per night plus €2 for 15 mins using services)

At the entrance  to the chateau , we were  given a Histopad, which recreates every room as it was during a particular historical period and it gives information about the history of each painting and piece of furniture; this interactive Ipad is a great idea and is in use in all of the chateaux. Free with the  admission price of  €8 each. 

Fascinating  mix of 4  different architectural styles at this chateau as successive occupiers built onto the original;  mediaeval , classical, renaissance , gothic , and home to 7 kings and 10 Queens of France.I was most drawn to Francis 1 who seemed the epitome of Renaissance man with his coterie of mignons surrounding him (poets, playwrights etc )

From the front,  the chateau looks very unprepossessing , a medieval country house , situated up steps, in the middle of Blois  town with no gardens , but it expands significantly  as you enter the courtyard with each side of the courtyard constructed  in a different style; the spiral staircase, built  in the classic period section  is very out there .

The rooms  are all  well furnished and  beautifully decorated ( thanks to Felix Labin the 19th century architect who painstakingly reimagined the wallpaper and soft furnishings ) and there is  an impressive religious  art gallery in the Royal apartments.  It is also the site of the audacious murder of the Duc de Guise, a powerful advocate of RC religion and seen as an increasing threat to the reign of the  Protestant  Henry III who arranged to have him murdered in the King's bedroom one 23 Dec and then  arranged to have  his brother  (a cardinal)killed  the very  next day, on Xmas Eve . The chateau is extremely well curated , clear explanations are provided in English, and there are interesting historical stories to absorb;the whole chateau is a slightly mad but aesthetic delight to behold , with high drama  and derring -do in the mix. Catherine de Medici , falsely maligned at the time ,was a wise and compassionate regent ruler according to documents of the time. She has a portrait here. Highly recommended.

We came back the the van for lunch Weather cold, grey, intermittent rain .We decided to drive on to Chambord chateau 15 k across country, the largest, most imposing and most visited chateau in the Loire valley , famed for its internal  double-helix marble staircase .

We parked up at the Aire ( a section of the Chateau car park set aside for camping vans , no services €11 )

This was a very different experience .We were under dressed and it was damp weather , the chateau was unheated with many outer doors left open.  The chateau is the most expensive we have visited (€17.50 each) and  is very OTT to look at from  outside, but the  many rooms we walked through were virtually  devoid of any  furnishings. Apparently Kings would only stay a short time , 80 days per year at the most, usually for the hunting in the autumn, it was land  reclaimed from a large  flooded  marshy area , plagued with mosquitoes during the very hot summers, and freezing cold in the winter.  Kings would bring all their furnishings with them ( 10,000 courtiers would accompany the entourage ) and pack up and move everything on to the next chateau. Apparently, Francis 1 spent most of his life on the move between chateaux, restless soul that he was ( or was it a power ploy?) You can see the seeds being set  for the French Revolution , such conspicuous opulence, such disparity between the life of the Court and lack of interest in the well being   of the general  population,  how history keeps repeating itself.

We also saw the levee and coucher room where the king was dressed and put to bed at night.The actor who plays Louis X1V  so convincingly  in the French TV series  bears a remarkable resemblance to the bust of the Sun King on display here. Excellent TV series BTW ...

The double helix staircase is internal and so its impressiveness is sadly hidden. It was built to see and be seen whilst using it . You could both descend a staircase at the same time and not encounter each other over 4 stories , apart from tantalising glimpses on the way down (see photos)  A short video at the beginning showed the architectural construction of it and attributed the chateau 's construction to Leonardo da Vinci. The towers are totally gothic and OTT Francis 1 and Catherine's initials are engraved everywhere , Francis was Master of Chambord and he made sure everyone knew that ,  their initials  can be found on ceilings doors etc along with the Salamander his royal emblem , ' I feed on the good fire and extinguish the bad' The chateau had its own theatre.This ' hunting lodge'  was not a home, it was built to impress foreign kings who visited .I found myself losing respect for old Francis.
After the revolution it became an Army barracks and restoration since then has been long and slow.

The Histopad here was very confusing to use, we moved back and forth between rooms in puzzlement until we gave up on it altogether .The classically laid out gardens were impressive to behold but too cold to walk around. 🙁

We left the chateau at 5.40 and stayed the night there in the van, very quiet , no bird sounds at all , this has been noticeable for most of our trip , no sounds of wildlife.😢

Chambord

Day 46 Monday 4th November 2019. Roanne to Blois

A long day driving across France. Arrived in Blois at tea time

Walked around the old town the shopping area and walked up the Mona Lisa steps to the Cathedral where I lit a candle in memory of the young son of a good friend who died in tragic circumstances recently.

The Mona Lisa steps in the middle of Blois

Blois cathedral

Up close with the Mona Lisa

Day 45 Sunday 3 November  Grenoble to Roanne

Drove on non-toll roads in rain and appreciated the quiet country roads and villages (town called Vienne looked great)  we passed around  Lyons and parked up at a canal de Loire (Marina at Roanne) at 4 ish. Drove 134 miles in total. Shopped at our first Intermarche ( bliss ) the Campervan  Aire was 7.20€ per night , EHU and water extra. Attractive views, quiet, scenic, several other campervans also present. Rather forlorn, damp, fair parked a short distance away, v little noise.

We  crossed the river, walked around the very Sunday - closed - high street area, intermittent cold rain, it all  looked rather bland. Couldn't face an Egyptology museum, the only thing open, so picked  our way back to the marina area via a tributary stream of the Loire with a  semi-derelict path running  beside it, across a new luxury flats building site, and walked up to and along the Loire river at dusk.

Lots of people with dogs and children taking the opportunity to exercise in the  tea time rain - respite period. Andy was  asked to take a photo of a large pike a fisherman  had caught down on the river bank before he threw it back in. An unusual request, which I videoed, just in case! Been reading too many thrillers on this break.

The fisherman spoke good English and said he played in the rugby league at Wembley stadium one time.We checked, and he did return the pike to the river alive.

Back to the van after inspecting the impressive local Loire river wide weir, we passed on walking the Loire nature trail, (lots of way marked paths along the Loire) as darkness was falling. Back in the van for a 12 hour van stint (torture of  confinement, but  hey - no mozzies)  and more 'Engrenage' (Spiral , a French TV Police series we like). 

Bridge on the riverside path- conch shell?

Boats in the marina

The Pike!

Day 44 Saturday 2 November Briançon to Grenoble

We drove over the Alps instead of under them.on toll roads and so enjoyed the gorgeous mountain scenery between Briançon and Grenoble. Roads perfectly navigable and driveable and smooth tarmac all the way.

Stopped in Grenoble - Storm Amelie making its presence felt
Stayed at Les 3 Pucelles campsite a green leafy city campsite, English spoken, hot untimed showers, clean toilets no soap but toilet paper. 22€ per night with EHU paid extra by meter, no ACSI open all year round, we took the last place that day apparently.

Walked 10 mins to the nearest tram stop (Grenoble lies at the bottom.of three valleys, it's  famous for its new easily navigable tram system, Green mayor and council, v ethnically diverse - one third pop students, known as France's Silicon valley, and it's the flattest city in France!) bought a day tram ticket at the machine (€5 each) and validated them on first tram.We caught 2 trams into the centre of town.

Reminded me of Sheffield (but flatter), walkable city centre, with beautiful river and old town. Lots of animated homeless people in discussion with the police as we passed through the centre.
Took the bubble cable car  (4€ each) return up to the Bastille a ruined fortress across the river for very  fine views of Grenoble in a brief let up from the persistent rain, coffee in the restaurant and down again (eyes fixed firmly on horizon, only 4 mins duration 😊),





walked to the Musees de Grenoble fine art museum saw a Picasso exhibition there (he gets everywhere) and enjoyed 20th century artists on display - particularly Kandinsky, Matisse and Pissaro.
Two trams home in heavy rain. Hot showers and retreat to the van. Rained all night, camp site v quiet.

Pass between Briancon and Grenoble - Col du Lauteret  - 2058m

Day 43  Friday I November Levanto to Briancon Les Hautes Alpes.
Today it was All Saints Day, a public holiday all over Europe . We said goodbye to our German campervan  friends and set off for the Italian Alps , by toll motorways  around Genova again, skirting Torino and stopping for lunch in Susa , a long village   strip development Alpine style, (twinned with Barnstaple ....there you go )  We drove through some stunning Autumnal.  Alpine  scenery , in the rain and cloud,  found a car park in Briancon ( where Andy went canoeing in his early 30's ) we  drove on in search of somewhere to stay overnight which was slightly less exposed, found everything else closed,  and as darkness fell , we beat a welcome retreat to Briancon car park where we spent a quiet night .Only 10 mins walk from an E Leclerc supermarket where Andy purchased a soothing bottle of red.