Friday 27 November 2015

Our Last Days in France

Our Last Days in France

Tuesday 24th November 2015


This morning we left our Aire at Palavas Les Flots and headed for Montpelier Parc Zoologique on the outskirts of Montpelier.  Now, zoos aren't usually our cup of tea, but I 'd read about this one in the ‘France - Lonely Planet Guide’ and it sounded as if it would be ok.  The book described it as 'France’s second largest, and as having an enormous population of wild residents representing the world’s continents'.  It went on to say that it's laid out like a safari park with most of the animals roaming free in open enclosures, and as an added bonus, entry was Free - so on this basis I persuaded John to go!

BAD PLAN!  Things didn’t start well!  John thought that Mrs Snoopy (sat nav)  would be sensible and take us around the Montpelier ring road - alas no - she took us right through the middle of the city - down narrow streets obstructed by parked cars and market stalls, round very confusing one way systems - in fact there was so much ‘ in 200 metres turn left, in 400 metres turn right, bear left and then turn right etc’ that John commented it’s a wonder we haven’t disappeared up our own Jacksey!!

A Montpelier Tram















Part of Montpelier City Centre















Eventually, we did arrive at the zoo - only to find that the main parking area was obstructed by a height barrier - I thought at this stage John would give up and take us somewhere else, but no, after a big huff and puff he manfully persevered, turned around and found us a parking spot just a little further up the road. However, by now he was really a bit peed off to say the least, so I had to put up with going into the zoo with a bit of a grumpy old man!  Then to add insult to injury, we struggled to find any animals to start with - we ended up almost playing 'I spy' and the absence of anything with 4 legs became quite funny, however sadly, when we did find them they all looked a bit sad and forlorn.  The enclosures were big and spaced out but some of them were very bare and uninspiring, I certainly wouldn't recommend it on Trip Adviser!









Having said that our trip wasn’t a total washout.  It was quite cold but the sun was shining again so it was quite pleasant strolling around the grounds, and things improved when we entered The Serre Amazonienne (we had to pay for that bit - 6 euros for me and 3 for John as a senior!).  This area was a huge heated glass house where birds flew free and where we were able to view piranhas, alligators, lizards, frogs, monkeys and  many other animals including bats.

Mr Piranha













Don't think she's an Amazonienne specimen!













The bat house was amazing, the light was low but you could easily see the hundreds of bats flitting about, feeding and hanging from any roughened surface they could find - easily the best bit!


I had thought it would take us several hours to complete our visit but we were all done by 1.30 so we had a quick cup of coffee and set off for our next destination which was an Aire (where we plan to spend the night) at Meze.  This is another coastal area that has huge lagoons between the land and sea, and as we passed one of the lagoons  we noticed these strange rack like structures protruding form the water.  We really wern’t sure what they were but we speculated that it may have been a muscle or oyster farm.

I looked it up on Google later and we were right, it is a muscle farm!
Anyway, shortly after we arrived at our  Aire on the outskirts of the town, and as we expected, it was really just a bit of rough unused  land, but it was free and we only stopped for one night so it did nicely.  We'd also thought it might be deserted at this time of  year but in the end we had the company of about 12 other vans - all French and some of them looked well dug in and as if they intended to stay a while!   We had a little wander into the town and down to the water front and you could have been forgiven for thinking it was the open sea - but no - it was the same huge lagoon we'd noticed earlier. Apparently Meze has three harbours and two beaches, and in season there are often markets and stalls selling oyster's and muscles, but while we were there the town was dead!


We sat on a bench and watched the world go by for a short time but it really did start to getting too cold to linger, and as we'd missed lunch, we both had growling tums, so we quickly decided it was time to turn tail and retreat to the T4rdis for very garlicky tomato pasta topped with parmasan cheese and with more garlic added on our bread.  It was very delicious and it's a sure thing that the vampires wouldn't bother us tonight!


Friday 25th November 2015.





First things first -  Hi Evelyn, Grandad and I would just like to wish you a very happy first month Birthday, and tell you that we're missing you very much and can’t wait to give you a big hug in February when you come to visit us xxx












Now on with the story.  After a very cold night we left our Aire at Meze and headed for The Medieval Castle at Carcassonne in the Languedoc region.  We covered approximately 120 kms and I would swear that for at least half of the distance we were passing field after field of vines - millions of them.  We speculated on the way about how may bottles of wine could be made from each vine, but even if it's only one, we must have passed enough plants to keep the likes of Lidl stocked for years!


We arrived at Carcassonne expecting to see the castle perched high up on a hill, but our approach was unimpressive as you could only see a small section of the ramparts from the road.  However, once we'd parked in the nearby Aire where we will be spending the night we walked over to the castle to explore, and at this stage we were very very impressed.  The castle is referred to as 'La Cite' and the inner town is encircled by two sets of battlements and 52 stone towers, each topped by distinctive ‘witch’s hat’ roof.

We walked for part of the way around the castle along the outer ramparts, providing views of the old moat and out over the sprawling city below, and also of Les Lices - this is the space between the inner city walls and the outer battlements.  Apparently this space was designed as a defence that would delay attackers, but history has it that it also provided a shanty town of homes and workshops for the city’s poorest residents.



We couldn't completely circumnavigate the castle walls because of ongoing renervation work, so we turned tail and entered the inner streets via the main gate where the drawbridge can still be seen - Porte Narbonnaise.  

The inner streets of the castle were cobbled and very narrow, and now provide a home for numerous eateries and touristy gift shops, but again many of them were shut.  However, it was quite atmospheric and there was certainly a lot of evidence of medieval architecture.  I'm sure in the dark it would have been very spooky!

We explored around and eventually came to The Basilique St-Nazaire - a stunning building with amazing stained glass windows and an organ that dated from the 17th century.  We took our time to explore inside and it certainly put us in mind of ‘Pillars of the Earth’ (a book by Ken Follett that is well worth reading). The original Church's history dates back to the sixth century but it was rebuilt in the 12th century, and since then it has had several further restorations.

Impossible to do them justice but they were really beautiful















And this ugly chap is one of the gargoyles that protrude from the sides 






Apparently this is one of the oldest organs in France with it's original construction dating back to 1680.

Since then it has been upgraded several times - 1772, 1970 and 1982, and today concerts take place during the summer months - We'd have loved to attended one but, like everything else, they've finished for the winter!


Later we left La Cite and went for a walk over the River Aude via the Pont-Vieux - a 14 century bridge that provided a link between Carcassonne’s lower and upper towns.  Now it's only open to pedestrians, but it would seem a miracle that it's still there at all.  As we crossed we saw a flood marker that indicted that the Aude has burst it’s banks on more than one occasion, but in 1891 the water rose by more than 7 metres - it must have been an absolutely raging torrent that passed under the bridge and looking at the height of the arches it's a wonder it didn't take it with it!  


As we walked through the city streets we came across a huge market selling a vast array of goods but we didn’t buy anything because all the chatter in French was a bit off putting. Also, the day was waning and it was becoming increasingly cold again and threatening to rain, so we turned tail and headed back to the warmth of the T4rdis.

Overnight the weather deteriorated more, and it became quite rough with rain pounding on our tin roof and the wind swaying the van quite aggressively at times, and rather than it rocking us to sleep it had the opposite effect! However, we survived unscathed and were soon packed up and ready to move on in the morning.

26th and 27th November 2015


I've not really got much to say about these 2 days. We left Carcassonne and headed for Perpignan, and again Mrs Snoopy led us up the garden path and right through the middle of the city - but it wasn't so bad this time - not quite such narrow roads and not so many obstructions.

We stopped off to do our shopping and then headed for an ACSI campsite called Camping La Florida - about 18Kms from Perpignan. The campsite is quite lovely but the location is grim! It looked fine on the map, but in reality, there is nowhere to walk without dicing with death - as you leave the campsite you exit directly onto a main fast road with no footpath. We've risked it twice, the day we arrived we walked into Elne - a non descript little village that was more or less closed for business, and then today we walked to Port de St Cypren Plarge - another pretty marina.  



Our intention had really been to cycle but this idea was scuppered by the weather. Since we've been here the wind has been blowing an absolute gale and gusting up to 50mph causing the palm trees to almost bend double - so we thought it was best to leave the bikes secured where they were and use shank's pony instead. We've also spotted snow on the top of the Pyrenees, and although it looks very pretty, we have to cross them to get to Spain! Therefore, tomorrow (28th) we're going to make a move in that direction, so hopefully the next instalment will be form over the boarder.  


We could see the snow but I don't think you can!

Click here to see our French Camping Spots

Monday 23 November 2015

Montpelier

Montpelier

Saturday 21st November 2015


This morning we left our campsite at Camping de la Cascade and started on our way to Montpelier. The morning had dawned quite bright but very windy - as it had been all night - I think it rocked John to sleep but it kept me awake until almost dawn!

Anyway, we packed up and battoned down and then crawled up the hill out of the site and onto the road, but by the time we got there Miss Snoopy (Sat Nav) still hadn't quite woken up enough to tell us which way to go - we had a 50% chance of getting it right - but as usual we got it wrong so needed to do a bit of back tracking before we could get on our way proper. Also by this time, we'd decided not to bother going over the Millau Viaduct because of the high winds, but it didn't matter because the scenery was amazing anyway as we drove through the lower hills of the Pyrenees. Initially, we noted we were slowly climbing, and as we did the temperature gauge was dropping but it never got below 3 degrees. Later we started to see signs warning of quite steep descents which continued over the next 7 kilometres, and at one point we stopped to try and capture the magnificent view, but when we got out to admire it the icy penetrating rain and gusty gale force winds ensured that we didn't linger long.





From here it only took us a short while to reach Montpelier and we were soon pulling into the huge Marina Commercial Aire that was to be our home for the next 3 days.  There were hundreds of vans - some of them very luxurious and as big as coaches, but we managed to find a waterside pitch with electric, and as it was less than a tenner a night we were quite happy. By now the sun was shining brightly but it was still very windy and the weather forecast that we'd seen earlier said the wind speed would reach about 50mph so we were quite glad we were in a sheltered spot.

We had our cup of tea and decided we'd risk going out for a walk to see more of the Marina, the canals and some of the beach but after about half an hour, and after a very through sand blasting, we thought better of it and retreated to the safety and warmth of the T4rdis for the rest of the evening.  

















The Marinas around and about were vast
















After dinner we watched the boats bobbing about within our bit of the Marina, and then watched telly for a while - something we have hardly done since setting off!!


Our Evening View from the Windscreen over the Marina

Sunday 22nd November 2015

We had a lazy get up this morning - the wind had howled until about 2am and then the ducks had quacked from 6ish, so I was in need of a little bit of catch up sleep!   Our dilemma now was should we cycle or should we walk - things seemed much quieter weather wise - the sun was shining again but the wind was still blustery and it was quite cold so walking won out.  



We wrapped up warm and headed for Palavas-les-Flots beach (that's the name of the town we're staying in), where we walked along the beautiful sand and shingle for over an hour before we decided that the tide was on it's way in, and as it encroached the width of the beach was narrowing.  


















So we paused for a coffee break and then retreated to the wetlands and coastal lagoons that are situated directly behind the beach. And it was here that we spotted a huge flock of flamingos wadding in the shallow waters foraging for their lunch. We were also lucky enough to see one in flight, battling against the wind as it went, but sadly I didn't manage to catch him on camera!
































We pottered on a bit further and the path led us over a causeway that divided the lagoons, and we eventually found ourselves in the grounds of a small Cathedral.  Happily, it was quite sheltered from the cold wind here, and as there were several picnic tables available we settled in for our lunch with a lovely view of the lagoon below.  

After our meal we explored the Cathedral that seemed to be able to trace it's history back to the 11th century, but we couldn't really get to grips with it’s story because of all the sign boards were French only.  



By now the day was wearing on and the wind had an increasingly chilly feel to it, so we started on our way back, and once again some of the route  was along the beach, and it was here that we were entertained by several kite surfers.
I expected this chap to be young but he was about 60!
When we got back to the area of the Marina we were surprised to find that some of the local shops were open (which seemed very unusual on a Sunday), so we stopped off at the patisserie for cake and bread, and then at a little supermarket for wine.  We were then soon home in the T4rdis with a nice hot cuppa and a delicious chocolate brownie, and watching the sun set over the boats in the marina and the distant waters of the lagoons beyond.

Later we had duck for dinner (no, not the ones that has woken me earlier), along with a little drop or two of the vino we had purchased earlier, and then we treated ourselves to a little more telly. Tomorrow the bikes will be out and we will do some more exploring - as I type John is 'plotting' our route and how far he will make me ride!




Monday 23rd November 2015

This morning was another that dawned bright and beautiful, but cold especially in the sea breeze. But we had decided to cycle, so cycle we did, and although some of it was on road, the split ended up being about 40% road and 60% cycle track, and additionally it was a very scenic ride. I must admit I was quite worried about the road bit because obviously, I would have to ride on the wrong side, and as I have quite bad right/left dyslexia (I only know my left hand is left because it has my wedding ring on it!) I thought this may pose a bit of a problem - but not really. I followed John closely and by the end I think I was getting the hang of going around roundabouts the wrong way and looking for traffic .... em .... was that left or was it right!

Anyway, we left the Aire by the road but it wasn't far until we were on a cycle track right at the side of a lagoon, and it was a good job that we didn't have to watch where we were going to closely because our attention was certainly distracted by the sight of the flamingo's grazing.


More Flamingo's but this time closer and a better view
We continued on our way both on and off road until we came to the town of La Grande-Motte. Here we found a prolonged 'strip' that housed a good number of Art Deco hotels and apartments along with numerous eating establishments, many with fantastic views out to sea. However, most of them were closed for the winter, and those that were open were empty!  The area was a bit too built up for our liking, but having said that, it was scrupulously clean  and you could imagine it being extremely popular in the warmer months.  Indeed, if all the accommodation and parking were used up in the summer you really would be very busy!  







Then after riding through the suburbs of the town we came to the Marina area where there must have been many many millions of pounds worth of boats and yachts moored up. Here we were mostly riding on the road, and as we went we noticed our favourite shop - Lidl - but this seemed a little out of place amongst all the opulence and grandeur of the area. However, when I popped in to buy supplements for our depleted cupboard it was quite busy - obviously even rich people like a bargain!




We sat and ate our lunch on a little breakwater overlooking the sea, and then set off on our return journey hopping we would get back before it got to cold. We arrived back at the T4rdis about 4ish and then purchased some Internet time so that I could write this blog and also to catch up with Strictly on U- tube later.



Tomorrow we're going to the zoo but that will be another story, so goodnight from us for now xx


Click here to see our French camping spots