Not much to say about this, to be honest. The lake was lovely, with a tree-lined walkway. We didn’t venture into town, just went for a lakeside walk.
Our parking here was at a Camping Car Park- a sort of midway between an aire and a campsite. Now we’ve been to these before, most recently in Seurre, but this one was a real disappointment. Firstly, it was difficult to find, even with co-ordinates, secondly, the actual entrance was very tight, and thirdly, the site itself was a real mish-mash. It had clearly been a campsite in a previous life, but there was little demarcation of pitches (some of which were very small for Motorhomes) and the terrain was unkempt- even neglected. On a Camping Car Park the nightly cost is around €12 for which you have barrier access, Wifi and services such as water and electricity, but it should also be a pleasant place to be.
Anyway, having picked what seemed to be a pitch, we set ourselves up, including hanging out some laundry we’d done en route at a supermarket 24hr laundrette. The laundry was almost dry, having been subject to a few minutes in the tumble dryer. We ventured to the lake, had an ice cream and a drink then returned for an early dinner as rain was forecast and we were BBQing. Andrew had just finished making the “tomates farcis” (stuffed tomatoes- yummy!) when the predicted rain started, a few hours earlier than forecast. Laundry in, we sat outside under the awning as long as we could, before stowing away table and chairs. That evening we were treated to quite a thunderstorm. Great to view from the safety and comfort of the van. The rain continued and we left in the morning, not having seen any more of Aix-les-Bains but vowing to write a not very complimentary review of the site.
Annecy- a place name that stirred memories for us, being the twin town of Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, where we met 40 years ago. So we had to pay a visit. Having found the town offered a free 10 space aire, it was even more tempting. Well, this aire provided us with the tightest parking we’d experienced so far. We could practically see what our neighbours were having for dinner. All very chummy. Having squeezed ourselves out of the van, we headed off for a walk to discover more about Annecy.
Well, Annecy has everything, a bustling commercial centre, a lake, and canals crossed by attractive bridges, interesting alleyways joining main streets.
Just lovely, but we were in need of sustenance, so we found a place for dinner before continuing our self-guided walking tour…yip another one from another tourist information office. These are a great way to find the places of interest, as well as some hidden gems.
Annecy’s old town buildings are mainly 3-4 storey tall with covered walk ways beneath, with many built alongside canals. Not what we expected in the Alps, probably more like Venice, but very pretty.
Lake Annecy looked like a great place for watersports, with many boats, dinghys and other sailing craft moored along the harbour.
There had been some “hippy” types who had parked two vans in the middle of the aire, complete with guitars (ready for an impromptu gig?-err, no thanks, Monsieur) and a couple of large, off-lead dogs. Their presence severely obstructed the turning circle for other vans, but by the time we returned from the town, they had gone. We will never know- maybe the other French Motorhome owners had asked them to move on, maybe the Police had been called…the main thing is, calm was restored.
The ultimate destination of our trip was to be Lake Geneva, or Lac Leman as the French call it. Well, finally after 20 days we found it. This is part of the joy of Motorhoming. We can meander, take detours and just please ourselves. No prior bookings, no deadlines to meet other than for me at least having to return to work.
Having been unable to find any aires in Thonon-les-Bains, we finally succumbed to a campsite. We hadn’t booked but there were spaces as this is nearing end of season. We checked in for in 2 nights, reminding ourselves that we’d get “facilities” for our Euros. Madame at reception had told us it would be 200 metres to the lake, so it was bikes off the rack and off we go! Wow, what a sight! We initially followed a track round the lake. However it became a bit too “rugged” so we instead cycled into the town itself. The “lower” part of town, Rives, is an area dotted with numerous cafes and restaurants and sail boats, but first I had to have a go on the Funicular railway up to the more commercial part of town.
Ooh, I do love a funicular, having used them in the Cairngorms, Scotland and in Bergen, Norway.
The €2 return fare on the funicular was money well spent to avoid the 150ft climb from the port to the city centre! Anyway, whilst up here we wandered around the the streets and alleyways of the old town admiring the architecture of the many medieval buildings. We were also able to view the lake from a much higher viewpoint.
Although Thonon is a small town, there are numerous shops, cafes and restaurants around the city centre and in its many squares, it is all very compact and tidy.
We were enthralled by the scenery and atmosphere of Thonon, especially in Rives, which is the lake port of the town. From here, you can catch ferries to Lausanne, Geneva and Evian.
On our third bike ride into town we didn’t bother with the funicular, instead settling for a Sunday lunch in Rives while watching the many motorbikes come and go, and the Lamborghinis, Ferraris and Porsches promenade the main road.
That said, we didn’t feel out of place in our cycling kit. The atmosphere was friendly and we spent a few hours after lunch exploring further along the lake front and vowed to come back one day.
As for camping, well it made a change from aires. We were able to leave out the table and chairs under our new pop-up gazebo and we used the campsite facilities to justify the cost. We actually extended our stay in Thonon to 3 nights as we were enjoying the area so much and the weather was very warm for the end of September.
Here is a selection of our photos of Thonon Les Bains
Well, Dole market comprised just a few stalls with none of the “livestock” Andrew had promised me, so we moved on earlier than planned. The overnight rain had finally stopped and we wanted to make the next part of our journey before it perhaps turned wet again.
The Aires Book had found us Nantua, in the Ain Department of Rhone-Alpes region. Hmmm…remember the word Alpes. Soon, we spotted a roadsign which announced an uphill gradient of 13% ! Yikes! This was where the “Hill assist” function came in very useful, combined with a damned good driver (Andrew). The satnav, however, was constantly “pinging” with z bend warnings, oh and she also warned us a part of our road ahead would be dangerous as there would be a height and a width restriction, both of which the van would exceed. Ha, sure enough, the restrictions were on a part of road the road just beyond the Aire. Panic over!
The Aire was nothing more than 12 parking spaces, along the side of the lake. The borne had water, but it wasn’t labelled “eau potable”(drinking water) so we didn’t risk it. Instead we would make do with our “50% full ” tank of water for showers, washing up etc- showers being our priority of course. Having spotted a Lidl (woohoo, just like home) along the road, we wandered along to check their opening hours, and further into town. Hmm…not a lot going on here, it seemed most of the town had packed up for Winter.
What Nantua did have was a very poignant memorial to the local residents who’d been deported to Concentration camps in WWll.
We later enjoyed a walk of a few miles along the lakeside, wondering at the amazing scenery, oh and there was an occasional TGV train passing on the track just across the road.
OK, there was some muttering of “not sure why this aire costs €9 a night” and we were quite happy to leave in the morning, not having been visited by the money collector. If they’d asked we would have paid, but…well, like some friends did recently (you know who you are) we just left, keeping our €9 to spend elsewhere. Oh and another thing..it turned out this branch of Lidl didn’t have an instore bakery, so Andrew had to go to a Boulangerie in the morning for boulangerie priced croissants. Pah!
Sorry if this sounds a bit negative. Nantua lake is truly stunning with its backdrop of mountains but overall I don’t think we would return here.
It’s Wednesday and we’re on the road again. The city of Dole, in Jura, is our next destination. We’ve never been to Jura so we’re keen to see what it has to offer. As luck would have it, it’s Market Day tomorrow and we’re hoping it’s going to be authentic and cheap. We won’t be flashing the cash otherwise.
After replenishing the fridge in the Geant Casino supermarket outside Dijon, we avail ourselves of some of their Gazole too, though the fuel price wasn’t the best we’d seen. It was simply convenient to fill up at the same location.
The Motorhome Aire in Dole was easy to find- especially when we saw a row of about 20 Motorhomes together, a tell-tale sign. Free parking, near the river and within about 3 minutes walk of the city centre. Starting walking up pedestrian streets, we reach Tourist Information, in an altogether busier area. It turns out Dole has a self-guided walking tour similar to Dijon, though this time it’s cat symbols on the pavements, not owls, which show our way.
It’s quite a meander, revealing beautiful gardens and impressive buildings, among them the Hotel Dieu, previously a hospital for the poor.
The Collegiate Church of Notre Dame dominates the skyline, and we have a direct view of this from our parking spot.
Dole is proud of its history and its famous residents from the past, notably Louis Pasteur and the writer Marcel Ayme, whose book about the “chat perche” inspired the theme of the guided tour, and there is a Food Festival this weekend. Sadly we will miss that as we’re moving on tomorrow.
Monday? No Monday morning blues for us. The overnight rain stopped soon after midnight and we’re raring to go. In fact, we’re last to leave the Camping Car Park at Seurre.
Dijon is capital of the Burgundy region, so it would be rude to miss it. There is a Motorhome Aire just outside the municipal campsite which costs a few €s less than “proper” camping. Oh yes, the Satnav sent us down a road in Seurre which had a 3.5ton weight limit- OK, but we soon saw it was also a damned narrow street, and we didn’t fancy scraping against any houses, so reverse gear was quickly engaged by Andrew…for a good 100 yards or so…scary stuff but well worth it. Back on a more suitable route- (Thanks for nowt, Satnav) Dijon was calling us.
Camping du Lac Kir was easy to find, other than a quick detour having missed the last right turn. We paid upfront for 2 nights, then chose a space in the Aire. After a quick lunch- the usual baguette and fromage combo, we cycled into the city. Mostly along the riverside but also through a bit of traffic, though there are lots of cycle/bus lanes to use.
Wow, what a place! Tourist information gave us the customary self- guided walking tour leaflet- follow the owl symbols on the pavements- and we wandered round, ogling at the magnificent buildings interspersed with medieval homes.
Notre Dame, a magnificent 13th Century church is quite a sight, with its many gargoyles and looted clock on the top. Apparently the original gargoyles were taken down after a moneylender was crushed by one. In the 19th century, 7 sculptors created replacements.
Inside the church, there is a beautiful collection of stained glass windows, including rose windows ; one depicting the origins of the universe and one apparently showing the end of time. Very deep.
Another important Dijonnaise building is the Maison Milliere, built in 1483 by a merchant of the same name. The facade is wood beamed walls and enamelled bricks. This house featured in the Gerard Depardieu film Cyrano de Bergerac.
We saw a sign for an “Exhibition Rude” which sounded interesting. It turns out Francois Rude was an eminent sculptor who was born in Dijon in 1784. His most famous work is the Marseillaise on the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. Oh well…at least there was no charge for the exhibition.
Dijon is definitely one of those places where you constantly have to look upwards- to fully take in the architecture.
The very grand Post Office is next to a most unusual Art Nouveau building with pagoda roofs- both designed in the early 20th century by the same architect , one Louis Perreau.
One part of the tour completed, we returned to the Aire, retracing our route mostly along cycle paths. We had expected rain but instead it was warm sunshine. Perfect. Tomorrow we will head back to finish our tour of the city and as Tuesday is one of Dijon’s Market Days there should be some sights and smells to enjoy in the covered market which dates back to 1875. We’re expecting a better experience than Fareham’s Monday market.
Here are some of our photos of Dijon
Tuesday, and we’re back on the bikes for the continuation of our Dijon tour. Is it wrong that I already have a new favourite church here? This one is the Cathedrale de St.Benigne….wow….maybe it’s the exceptional stained glass windows…maybe it’s the fact I can buy 2 small candles for my Euro.
Anyway, enough church talk, the market was big and bustling as we expected, though we were also shocked again by the price of food. So, no little treats for us there. However, we did have a little treat later in the form of a great lunch near the city centre.
The weather was turning a bit drizzly but we were able to seek shelter in a church- very handy. Having had a hearty lunch, I promised Andrew a cheese and wine party back at the van in the evening. Well, I’d bought a baguette and we had plenty cheese and wine to last an evening. Yip, he could hardly contain his excitement.
Having reached the Aire the weather continued to hold, so a bike ride round Lake Kir was suggested. It was a trip of 3.75 km and a delight. We even stopped off for a couple of Monacos (yes, again!) at a lakeside cafe. Perfect timing, we got back, Andrew packed the bikes on the back of the van, we went inside, and the Heavens opened! The rain continued well into the night, but we were warm and dry inside. We sat down with the maps and considered our options. Burgundy had taken more of our time than expected, but Lake Geneva was tantalisingly close, so we decide to revert to Plan A. Tomorrow, Dole was our objective. A visit to, not signing on.
OK, so after a fortnight it really is time to do some laundry. To be fair, the laundry bag is in the double floor of the van (out of sight, out of mind) and we were still OK for underwear but….the time had come. Good old Google Maps found us a 24hour “laverie” outside the Intermarche supermarket in Seurre, which coincidentally was our next stop. After finally finding a parking spot we took our IKEA bag (yes that much) of laundry and used both washing machines and the tumble dryer. A late breakfast in the van while all this was happening and soon we were freshly on our way to the Camping Car Park aire in Seurre. It costs about €11 a night, but includes electric hookup, fresh water and water dumping. Also, it has proper pitches like a campsite, so we can “legally” use the BBQ and hang the washing to air.
Ooh, look, another Hymer in the aire and it’s British! The owner, Steve, came over for a chat soon. We talked Hymers and travels. Turns out he’s been retired for 21 years…sheesh, he looked only in his early 60s…
After a walk into town, we had the promised BBQ…yummy! Late evening was spent gazing over the marina opposite. Later on we were “serenaded”, if that’s the word, by the loud screech of an owl in the tree above us…..Cripes, he certainly sounded big, though we didn’t see him. An early-ish night for us.
Next morning and we hear the distant sound of the commentator for the Seurre Triathlon which is happening today. Oh if only we’d brought our running kit, swimwear and racing bikes….oh well.
After our croissant/ pain-au-choc and strong coffee breakfast, we head out on the Voie Bleu cycle route which takes us along the riverside then into open countryside.
We both agree the landscape is reminiscent of our Dutch holiday last year, except we aren’t among hundreds of cyclists. In fact we only encounter 2 cars and no cyclists and just one canal barge.
We stop at Charnay les Chalon, where there is a beautiful church with a Bourgoyne style tiled roof. The church was not open but we could peek through the internal glass door.
Returning to Seurre, the triathlon is in full swing. We cycle along a route manned by Gendarmerie and Marshals and imagine we’re the winners. These triathlons are a doddle.
Back at camp, Andrew had wisely decided to BBQ early, and just as he finishes cooking , the rain starts, so we beat a retreat into the van. All outside furniture and the bikes are stowed away and the “welcome” rain continues into the evening. Music, reading, maybe some Rummikub- that’s the wet evening plan. Oh, and there’s a bottle of white to finish, of course!
Time to visit a big city. After an unpromising start with some confusion over where the Motorhome parking actually was, once we’re in the city “proper” all is forgiven.
As is becoming our custom we head for the tourist information office for a map of the town and a walking route to explore the historically important parts.
St. Vincent’s cathedral has enthralled me enough to splash out a Euro for a candle. The exterior is especially stunning and the church dominates a square filled with cafes and restaurants and numerous medieval buildings that are still in use today as shops, restaurants and for residential use.
The tourist office here also supplies a self-guided tour and to supplement that, we’re stopped by a local who gives us lots of recommendations etc, then as he goes on his way, he mentions that he’s a “greeter” So lovely to meet people who are so proud of where they live.
Our neighbour at this Aire is Jo, a German who sold up and hit the road 4 years ago. He pops round for a chat and he tells us a bit about where he’s been so far. Basically he chases the sun, so he’s now en route for Spain for Winter. Apparently he’s never been to the UK. But we do have sun there, honest…..
In the evening we discovered Pizza street, and we chose one of the many restaurants for dinner. I asked for a 50cl bottle of wine, the waiter then asked what wine Andrew wanted. Huh, do I look like a wine drinker or what?
We were also accosted in the street by a Frenchwoman who asked if we’d been to Beaune the other day..well, yes we had. It seems she had recognised us, and started the tourist info spiel on the area, especially Dijon, which we “must visit”. A lovely “extra” though slightly un-nerving..had she been stalking us since Beaune? Anyhow Chalon is certainly a city we’d highly recommend for a visit.
No, not the same place. This is The National version. En route, to here is Aze which has a Wine Co-operative offering degustations and sales…a worthwhile stop-off we reckon. Of course when we arrive it’s just closed for lunch, not opening again till 3pm. What to do? We find a restaurant in Aze itself where we enjoy a delicious 3 course Menu du Marche for 14 Euros each. Our waiter apparently knows Fareham. He’s a chatty guy from Mauritius (“oh, you’re not Swedish?” jokes his boss). Haha! Oh look, the wine place will be open again. Second attempt and this time we enjoy a degustation and they enjoy relieving us of many euros for the purchase of 5 cases. Enough to merit a “free” bottle which I spotted retailing at over 17 Euros.
Anyway, back to the St. Gengoux place. The road from Aze was stressful with many narrow, steep roads, thankfully they were fairly traffic free. St Gengoux has another of those brilliant free Motorhome aires that we’ve come to love- and again it’s adjacent to a cycle route. It’s all looking very positive, and the sign says “Tous commerces 500m” so off we pedal..ha, 500 m uphill it is! Feeling slightly cheated, I struggle up the hill in Andrew’s wake and finally we’re there after a seemingly shorter downhill bit. All this for a baguette.
We decide to return to town the following day for a better look around. The aire is filling up with fellow wanderers, including some proper behemoths with their smart cars in tow. Like in Givray, we’ve found a handy picnic bench where we enjoy our cold cuts and baguette.
Come morning, it’s back on the bikes and up that hill again. Armed with a map from Tourist Information, we set off on a self-guided tour of the town’s points of interest.
As we follow the map we discover a wealth of very old and fascinating buildings including the XII century church and numerous medieval houses and fortifications.
After all that walking, it’s back to the bikes. After a quick lunch, it’s flat-ish cycling along the Voie Verte to Buxy, from t’other direction this time. Again, miles and miles of vineyards provide our scenery. A 12km ride justified an ice cream at the Buxy cafe this time.
We spent 2 nights in St Gengoux and thoroughly enjoyed our stay there before heading off to Chalon sur Saone.
Givry, our last stop, was bustling. St. Gengoux was dead to the world. The route our Satnav chose to reach it was a bit convoluted, involving some sharp bends and inclines. Andrew negotiated them perfectly whilst uttering a few choice words. We quickly decided no others would brave the journey and sure enough there were only four vans overnight.
St Gengoux provided a lovely little free Aire (max. 8 Motorhomes) and, incredibly, unlimited free electricity as well as water. There was precious little shade so we made our own with the sun shade and awning.
We walked into the village, hoping to inject some Euros into the local economy but..the Pizzeria was shut…the wine degustations were shut, there was no boulangerie.
We ventured into the only shop, where we purchased a bottle of Bourgoyne Pinot Noir at €7.20…which turned out to be a delicious buy. Next day before we left, we did a quick bike ride round the village and beyond. A bit hilly for my liking, but it racked up a few more bike miles. What a perfect overnight stop away from it all….OK, there were a lot of tractors going past, but hey, it’s their work. There was not enough to do for a 2nd night stay, we headed off to more pastures new as we had been able to recharge our van’s batteries and our own!
