Burgundy, Beaujolais and Provence

1.06

Travelled through Vierzon, Bourges and Nevers.  We had a good shopping day today as we stopped at a campervan outlet (ISL) and found the part needed to mend the window arm that we broke.  We also spent a good two hours going through all the flash campervans on sale (Lefty holds up well despite her/his age).  Average price for a 7m plush van with all the mod cons 65000 euros, amazing value compared to NZ.  Next stop was a “Decathlon” store, a huge superstore for sports gear.  We found a portable gas grill BBQ (79 euros)  that we had been looking for, compact yet user friendly.  Groceries were next so after all the stops we realised we would not make our destination.

 Stopped at an ‘Aires Camp’ in the pretty village of St-Benin d’Azy.  “Aires” are special areas providing facilities for motorhomes in the form of overnight parking and/or service points for water collection and disposal of waste.  Most are free, paid for by the local community.  A fantastic service that could well be adopted in NZ.  Our new BBQ was a great success – sausages cooked to perfection – Pam likes her sausages!

2.06

 On the D roads into the heart of Burgundy (Bourgogne as the French call it) through the medieval towns of Chateau Chinon and Autun, passed the Canal de Navais at Chatillon-en-Bazois and the little village of Grenouille (Frog), this place even had a cafe with a huge golden frog on the roof.  We’re travelling through a more elevated countryside now with an alpine feel – vine covered hillsides and rolling hills dotted with medieval villages, chateaux and pretty canals.

Arrived in the medieval town of Beaune (pronounced Bone)  the unofficial capital of the Cote d’Or.  This area is the Champes Elysees of red wine and the home of boeuf bourguignon.


The wine growers here generally have small vineyards (10 hectares) and the wines are exclusively Pinot Noir which are aged for 10 – 20 years before bottling. There is a pyramid system used to classify the wines.  At the top is ‘grand cru’ identified by the name of the vineyard only (Corton, Chevallier Montrachet and Vougeot to name a few).  Next come ‘premier cru’ wines, first labelled with the name of the village and then the name of the vineyard ( Beaune-Grieves, Volnay-Caillerets  or Pommard-Rugiens) and finally are the ‘appellations communales’ or village wines (Beaune and Sauvigny-les-Beaune).  A good grand cru seems to sell at around 30 euros plus and the village wines are very cheap. Fair to say we are trying a few!
Settled into our municipal camp (awning comes out, table and chairs get assembled and step put out)!  It’s all go this life!  Only a short walk to the center and braved the excessive heat for a walk around town. Beaune exists for one purpose only, wine, making it, tasting it and selling it.  Many of the shops allow wine tasting and there are millions of bottles being aged below it’s streets in cellars.  Walked around the ramparts and through the quaint old town.

3.06 
After being too hot yesterday we had a huge thunderstorm during the night followed by a rainy day today.  A good chance to catch up with our kindles and email.  

4.06

Better day today so off on the bikes for a tour of Burgundy’s most famous wine route,
the ‘ Route des Grands Crus’ - the vineyards and pretty wine producing villages.  A special bike route that allows you to bike in the vineyards themselves alongside the farmers and seasonal workers.

We cycled for 30kms to the ‘Canal Du Centre’ at Chagny where we biked the tow path and followed the canal boats.  Had lunch on the canal and returned back to camp.
A beautiful 63kms round trip and great fun!

5.06

Off to the Beaujolais today, a region synonymous with it’s fruity red wines.  Hilly vineyards stretch south from Macon along the right bank of the Saone for some 50 km.  Travelled through Sercy with it’s lovely small Chateau and Cluny which appeared to be an equestrian town until we reached the pretty vineyard villages of Fleurie and Villie-Morgon as suggested by Paul and Cynthia.

We decided to camp on the river and found a great little spot in St Romain des Iles a short way from Fleurie.  Had lunch right on the river bank then an afternoon cycle that ended before it began with Col getting a puncture.  Our first attempt at a fix of the back wheel was successful and only took about 2 hours!!!!

6.06

Rain overnight and also in the morning so a good sleep in.  Finally got away around 2pm with the sun shining and continued south following the Saone through Villefranche and Lyon.  Now following the mighty Rhone on the left bank which became quite industrial so we crossed over to the right bank and gratefully back to a more rural setting with vineyards and cherry trees.

Found an aires camp at Tournan-sur-Rhone and parked alongside about 30 other campers.
Had a walk along the Rhone and the ancient town which was amazing with it’s narrow, cobblestone streets set inside the old fortified walls. We are only 50kms from Grenoble and the mountains and 250kms from the coast.

 
7.06

Up and away by 6.30am and a stop for breakfast en route at Baix.  Passed through countless medieval fortress towns with narrow cobblestone streets.  The pick of the bunch was Mornas which looked like a set from Camelot.

Arrived at Camping Campeole Ile des Papes in Avignon, an awesome camp in the middle of an island on the Rhone.  Greeted by Paul and Mary, our friends ex Epernay who recommended the camp.  Spent the rest of the day around the camp pool and catching up.  Great fun!

8.06

Off to see the ‘Pont du Gard’ Roman aqueduct with Paul and Mary (14km away).  The greatest bridge ever built in classical times nearly 2000 years ago.  (Free entry to the grounds but 18 euros for parking).
A three tiered 360m long, 50m high aqueduct with 35 arches that was part of a 50km long system of water channels to bring water from Uzes to Nimes.  A spectacular monument!

Had a swim under it’s arches and a picnic in the grounds.  Went to the impressive museum and watched a film on the aqueduct’s history which was supposed to be in English but was in French!!  We have a way to go with our understanding!!  Sausages for dinner!!

9.06

Biked the 24kms into Avignon for a wander around the old town.  Got a little lost en route and were rescued by a small boy on his bike who became our ‘petit guide’.
Our first sight was the river and the famous bridge ‘Le Pont d’Avignon’ built in the 12^th Century.  It’s actually called the Pont St-Benezet but I guess that would mess up the song!


The town is completely surrounded by ramparts with the gothic ‘Palace of the Popes’ as it’s centre piece.  This was the home of the papacy in the 14^th Century.
 Climbed to the top of the cathedral gardens for a fantastic panorama of Mount Ventoux (1912m of Tour de France fame) in the distance.  Still had snow on top and takes over 2 hours to reach the summit by bike.  We will probably cycle up it tomorrow!! (Not).


Home for an early dinner and back to the town again at dusk with Paul and Mary to see Avignon by night.  Strolled the streets, had pastis and frites and watched a partisan street band (accordian, spoons, fiddle and bass) play traditional French songs to an enthusiastic crowd.   All very French and fantastic fun!  Had a demented women trying to get into all our photos! 

10.06

Spent the day around the camp and in the pool.  We had a fun evening with our lovely German neighbours Kirsten and Paul and sampled their Chateauneuf-Du-Pape wine.  We then met Mary and Paul at their German  friend’s caravan for ‘wine tasting’.
Learnt the five most important steps of wine tasting:

1        Look....  at the wine’s colour

2        Smell...  the wines bouquet

3        Taste...  the wine around your tongue

4        Listen... to the vigneron telling you how good his wine is and worth every euro

5        Touch... your back pocket to show you left your wallet behind!

11.06

We biked 43kms along a beautiful bike path through cherry, apricot, and nectarine orchards and fields of sunflowers (too early for the flowers) to Chateauneuf-Du-Pape, needless to say we sampled some of the apricots!!  The cherries at ‘reach level’ had all been eaten.


Chateauneuf-Du-Pape is a pretty medieval village and epicentre to the great Rhone wine growing region.  Extra special to us as our ride was made in memory of Dad who’s favourite wine was Chateaunef-Du-Pape which we used to all enjoy at Christmas! 

We walked up to the remains of the Chateau and had a fantastic view of Mount Ventoux and the Rhone valley.  We had a picnic overlooking the fountain and cafes in the town centre then cycled to ‘Le Pavillion Skalli’ to learn more about Chateauneuf-Du-Pape wines.
In the evening we joined English, German, Dutch, Swiss and French fellow campers to watch the ‘England vs France’ game.  The Soccer European Cup is very popular here!

12.06   

A day spent around the camp doing the odd chore, talking to various neighbours and having  swims.

13.06  

Sad goodbyes to Paul and Mary and off to the Lake at Saint-Croix du-Verdon about two hours away.  We are now in the ‘Alpes de-Haute-Provence’, beautiful alpine scenery with lavender fields and hay bales at every turn.  This is our first real alpine climb following the route of many ‘Tour de France’ through towns such as Apt, St Martin, Cereste and Manosque.  Lefty handles the hills with ease although he doesn’t like the pot holes and bumpy roads. 

Arrived at Saint Croix and an ‘aires’ overlooking the pretty lake and village (Lefty has been here before with Don and Val).  This is a 12k long, man made lake at the bottom of the largest canyon in Europe, the ‘Gourges du Verdon’.  Walked around the lake and had a nudey swim just before a division of the French Army turned up!! 

14.06

We took advantage of the campers leaving by 9:00am and moved so that we could have breakfast with a spectacular view of the Lac de St Croix and the village.  We had coffee and admired the view with Jenny and Sean, a fun couple from Staffordshire. 

We drove through the spectacular and beautiful mountain ranges, passed the pretty village of Moustiers St-Marie tucked between two limestone cliffs, along high twisty roads following the magnificent Gorges du Verdon carved out by the Verdon River.  250m – 700m deep gorges and a mere 8m – 90m wide at the bottom.  We stopped at ‘Point Sublime’ near Rougon for a panoramic close up view of the Gorge and people rafting and picnicing below.  Another stop 12kms from Castellane for a picnic along the Gorge and a nudey swim!

  We found an ‘aires’ camp in Castellane below the Chapelle Notre Dame du Roc perched spectacularly above the town on a needlelike rock.  We climbed to the top of the rock for panoramic views of the Gorges and Castellane.  Early departure tomorrow as there is a cycling event tomorrow and we need to be out of the ‘aires’ by 8am.