Monet's Giverny

20.5



Said our ‘goodbyes’ to Paul our German ‘bouldering’ friend.  He’s was part of the ‘tent brigade’ from the German Alpine Club.  He explained ‘bouldering’ is a popular, fun sport thoughout Europe and Fontainbebleau is the perfect location due to it’s many weird shaped rock formations (and we thought they were here for the Chateau!).  Evidently you climb 2-3 metre high boulders (without equipment) then jump from the top onto mats! 


We hit McDonalds for the Internet and then followed mainly D Roads then the motorway around the outskirts of Paris to Vernon.  We headed to the nearest camp called Camping Des Fosses Rouges situated 5kms out of Vernon in the village of Saint Marcel.  Took a walk back to Vernon for a better look.  Vernon is a Mediaeval City which evidently played an important role in the history of Nomanady due to it’s geographical location.  We passed the beautiful Notre Dame Cathedral, the Archive Tower and Arts Garden to the huge River Seine.  Back to camp around 9pm.

21.5 

Today we got the chance to read our kindles and browse the maps!  Wet and cold outside!

22.5

Biked 35kms to Giverny and Monet’s Gardens which were just as beautiful as we remembered!  Monet’s expertise with colour and light is cleverly used in the interior of his house and gardens!  We loved the dining area which was filled with his amazing paintings and his striking yellow kitchen.  Irises and water lillies dominated the gardens!


 Leader of the Impressionists Monet was born in Paris in 1840-1926.  He lived in Giverny in this house from 1883.

Back to camp with a stop at Carrefour.  Bought an awesome stove top expresso maker for 11 euros and a large packet of expresso only to find they were whole coffee beans - bugger!  Will have to find a friendly cafe owner to grind them for us.    

Fontainebleau

16.05

Off to Fontainebleau today after a quick stop at McDonalds to check our internet and post a blog.  A two hour drive with a stop for groceries as it’s a public holiday tomorrow.

Found a cool camp site on the banks of the Seine River at Samoreau, 6km from Fontainbleau.

17.05

Woke to find our campsite a city of tents (it’s a long week end) and some brave souls sleeping on the ground just in sleeping bags.  It’s still very cold at night although the days are warm.

Off on a 55km cycle through the forests of Fountainebleau of which there are over 200 sq-km filled with oaks, beeches, birches and pines.  The ride, which was incredibly beautiful, was a mixture of forest tracks and D roads through small villages, it took us through the touristy village of Barbizon.  It was here in the mid 19^th century that  the Barbizon School of landscape artists was formed.  They were the first artists to leave their studios and work outside thus becoming the forerunners of Impressionism.  Theodore Rousseau and Francois Millet were the two most notable.  Toward the end of the ride two deer with their babies ran across the road in front of us.  The ride ended in Fontainebleau and we went into the amazing 1900 room Renaissance Chataeau, one of France’s largest royal residences, home to a list of tenants that reads like a who’s who of French royalty and aristocrats.  The Mona Lisa once hung here!  The Chateau and it’s grounds are just stunning, not unlike Versailles, it takes your breath away with the complete enormity of it all and the utter opulence. We walked around the huge grounds filled with lakes (some of the biggest carp we have ever seen),  statues and various gardens.  As time was getting on we decided to return tomorrow to explore inside.  Man you look forward to your food after a day like today.


Cooked a huge meal of pasta and spicy sausages.  Pam likes her sausages!  After dinner sat and watched all the goings on in the camp, interesting seeing the variety of different foods being prepared by the different nationalities.

18.05

Cycled into town this morning, the bikes were not our friends today!  Sore legs and bums!

Market day in town so spent an hour checking out the various stalls of produce.  The presentation and variety of the meats, fish and veges is amazing. 


Got our tickets to the Grands Appartements de Fountainebleau and Napoleon 1^st Museum (E20) with an audio guide and spent three hours meandering around the Chateau which was inhabited almost continuosly since the 12^th Century until the fall of Napoleon 3^rd in 1870.

Even saw the hat and coat Napoleon wore complete with his uniform, swords and boots.

The splendour of the various rooms is overwhelming and hard to take it all in.

19.05

A lazy day today spent around the camp with some French lessions in the afternoon and a walk to get groceries.

Had drinks with a Dutch couple, Will and Yans until midnight.  Most of the camp still up and about at that time.  Not getting dark until 10pm.  We head to the other side of Paris tomorrow to Vernon and a bike ride to Monets Gardens in Givernay.

   

  

Epernay

12.05

Enough of death and destruction, it’s time for some celebration and what better place to head for than Epernay, the heart of Champagne region!  As you arrive you pass a gigantic cork welcoming you.

Hotel Moet & Chandon

Beneath the streets in hundreds of kms of subterranean cellars, more than 200 million bottles of Champagne are being aged.  Only between 160 and 220 million bottles are produced here to maintain exclusivity and price.

All the names are here, Moet & Chandon, Verve Cliquot, Mercier but also over 5000 small scale vignerons in 320 odd villages produce most of the regions liquid gold!

Staying 2km from the Centre Ville in the Municipal Camp overlooking the River Marne.

13.05

Chatted to our Aussi neighbours  (we put up our kiwi flag) then off on the bikes for a 45km round trip exploring the Vallee De La Marne.

Sometimes the dream is not matched by the reality but this day lived up to our expectations and more!  Riding in the sunshine on quiet roads with nothing but pretty villages and their endless fields of grape vines all labelled with markers that read like a Who’s Who of champagne.  Passed the Abbey in Hautvillers where Dom Perignon is buried.

A pelaton of cyclists passed us as we neared a small village called Reuil.  As we entered the village many spectators laughed and joked that we were a long way behind the pack – bastards!  Had our baquette sandwich overlooking the Marne River where there was a street garage sale taking place.  Champagne was being sold for 2 euros a glass accompanied by a grilled sausage!  Pam likes sausages!

14.05

Into Epernay Centre Ville this morning and up the Avenue de Champagne where the elite Champagne Maisons are located - Moet & Chandon, Pol Roger, Mercier, Perrier Jouet, De Castellane to name a few. 

Visited the impressive cellars of Moet & Chandon as we did many years ago, some of the bottles put down back then would be ready about now!  Their underground cellars alone  could reach Paris (144km). 

Thought about buying a jeroboam (3L bottle) of premium Dom Perignon millesime (vintage Champagne) of 1998 for NZ$4200 but decided it would clash with our baked beans for dinner!  Got a flute of the bubbles as part of the tour though which was nice.  Our guide told us that 2002 was the last good season of grapes used for the Vintage Champagne and it could be up to 40 years before it comes out of the cellars.

15.05

Decided on another bike ride today through the Cote Des Blancs, the Chardonnay growing area of Epernay.  Got 15km into the 52k ride, as far as Cramant with it’s 8.6m high Champagne bottle before the cold wind and rain forced us to turn around.  As soon as we got back to camp our neighbours Paul and Mary (Peter was missing) asked us to join them on a tour of their favorite independent Champagne House called Breton Fils.  We sampled three glasses before buying two bottles of their product (28 euros)  We were also given a tour of the caves by the hospitable owner Renauld.  He told us that he exports 1,000 bottles per year to NZ.  Back to camp where our other neighbour John from Wales asked us over to sample his favourite Champagne, a Blanc de Blancs which is made only from the Chardonnay grape.  Another great day!

Verdun

7.05

A two hour drive back to France and Amiens , only it took five hours as we cleaned the van in a wash world and stopped in a huge Carrefour hypermarket which was so interesting we stayed for 2 hours!!!  Everything you can imagine under one roof.

Purchased a small blow heater to help us on the chilly nights although pleased to say it has warmed up.  Found a camp 5k from town called Parc des Cygnes.

Have to park on the hard as the ground is still very boggy, watched a Frenchman get his van stuck up to it’s axel.  We are far too experienced to let that happen!!!


8.05

Walked a beautiful path along the River Somme for 5k into the center of Amiens.

Visited the magnificent Gothic Notre Dame Cathedral of Amiens built in 1220 to house the skull of Saint John the Baptist, which we saw!  He didn’t look so good! 

The interior houses a 17^th Century statue known as the “Ange Pleureur” or Weeping Angel. She is crying for the dead whilst leaning on a skull. The soldiers of the Somme took solice from this statue in a world that was full of turmoil.

Continued through Saint-Leu, the little Venice of the North, had a picnic in the park and then continued passed Lafleur, the famous marionette theatre (which we had never heard of).  Back the 5k home.  Buggered!

9.05


Visited Beaumont-Hamel Memorial which preserves part of the Western Front in the state it was in at fightings end. The zig zag trench patterns are clearly visible, as are the countless shell craters and the remains of barbed wire barriers.


It was here in 1916 the volunteer Royal New Foundland regiment stormed the German defences and were slaughtered.  A Caribou statue marks the place most of the men died.

We had a guided tour of the site and waked through the trenches as the soldiers had.

Had a long drive in the afternoon towards Verdun and ended in a great “Aire” in Senay about 40k from Verdun. It sits on the banks of the Meuse River.  Sausages for tea and a glass of our 2 euro bottle of wine!!!

An “Aire” is a local discounted or free facility to camp at low cost eg. this one is 7 Euro as compared to 15-20 for camps. Some, as this one provide all facilities.

10.05


Only a 50k run into Verdun and a lovely camp called “Les Breuils” only 2k from the Centre Ville.  Got a lovely pitch overlooking a large pond so got out all the furniture, put up the awning and made ourselves at home. Had a picnic and enjoyed the warm sun for the afternoon.  Strolled into town for the evening and enjoyed the atmosphere of a  pretty town on the river Meuse.  Invited for drinks by an English couple trying out their new 2012 camper van, very flash but Lefty measures up!!.



11.05

Up early as a busy day planned.  Got on the bikes and rode to the battlefields.  A 25k ride was planned but thanks to Col’s map reading it ended up at 42k!!



  The “hell of Verdun” as it’s called lasted for 10 months in 1916, 300 days and 300 nights of fighting at a total cost of 378,777 French and 333,000 German troops killed, wounded or missing.  We visited the various monuments and a park where a village called  Fleury-devant Douaumont once stood. It was taken and retaken 16 times during the conflict and was totally destroyed.  Home for lunch then back into town to ride the unmanned carriage in the tunnels of “ La Citadelle Souterraine”,  an underground bunker built by the French to house 10,000 soldiers.  For 6 euros we were enlightened with a 3D audio visual play of the war and every life in the Citadelle.  Informative in a fun way and well recommended Don and Val!

A walk around the various monuments in town, a trip to Le Clerc supermarket to be entertained by the huge selection of everything ( who thought going to a supermarket could be fun!) and back to camp for spag bol.

France Here We Come!



Leon and Sarah

Had a Burrito night and a great catch up, meeting their two little girls, Chloe and Evie

3.05

Travelled 4 hours to Dover with a stop for provisions.  Spent the night on the Dover sea front and enjoyed fish’n chips on the beach.





  4.05



 Up  and boarded the “Spirit Of France” Ferry.  Off to France, Dover to Calais -yahoooo! 88 pounds for the one and a half hour crossing.
 'Keep right'! was top of mind as we hit the motorway and headed North.  Awesome to be back in France even if it is only for a couple of hours at this stage!  We're headed for the Flanders battle fields in Belgium, in particular Ypres.

 We found a campsite named 'Jeugdstation' along the river and close to the Town Centre.  Twelve euros per night.

Ypres is known as the town of cats!  Back in the day Ypres was a Cloth City.  Legend has it  the Cloth Hall became inundated with mice, these rodents could only be eliminated with the help of a large number of cats.  Soon the mouse plague became a cat infestation. To rid themselves of the cats they threw them off the highest tower!  They also burnt all the witches in town!  So now, every year they have a “Cat Parade” complete with floats and everyone dresses up as cats and mice. They then proceed to throw toy cats from the highest buildings and have a witch burning.  We miss it by a week which is a shame as I could have got rid of Pam!!!
The town buildings have plastic cats mounted on them that “meow” as you pass.


We went exploring along one of the many bike paths along the river, over the bridge and into the Town Centre with it's magnificent Gothic style Cathedral and Museum. Ypres has become associated with Commonwealth forces who were here continuously from October 1914 - October 1918, many reminders of the profound impression the war made remain, the most potent being the Commonwealth cemeteries and memorials.

The main memorial is the Menin Gate, one of the most famous memorials in the world. It has the names of over 54,000 missing soldiers inscribed on its walls.  Hundreds of thousands of Commonwealth soldiers passed through Ypres on their way to the battlefields and it was decided that the missing should be commemorated on a memorial here.  Every night of the year at 8pm, the Last Post is sounded and wreaths are laid.  This has been happening since 1927.

05.05

Cycling is a very popular form of transport here. The region is beautifully set up for it with bike paths along all roads and canals. We biked 22kms along the bike path through the countrysde to Passchendale and to the Tyne Cot Cemetery.  With nearly 12,000 graves it is now the largest Commonwealth war cemetery in the world in terms of burials. More than 8,000 are unidentified. This is the main memorial for the New Zealand troops.  Another emotional encounter.

6.05

Spent the morning chatting to our camp neighbours who gave us good advice on places to visit and  vanning in general.  We then biked along the river and explored the town centre. Checked out the Charcuterie and sampled the local sausages. We didn’t like them much as they were quite raw and Pam prefers an older and drier sausage!!





Tomorrow into the Somme!!