What's really nice.

Forget all the other stuff about holidays and specific sites, they are amazing but when returns to what really makes a holiday it is who you are with and a shared experience is, I think so much better.  This says it all, the place to ourselves.  The journey home was via motorail, which sadly I've been informed is scrapped next year due to weak £.  It really was much slicker.  That was the holiday, now back in London with these and memories.

La Couvertiorade - Templar Village - France

La Couvertiorade is described as the perfect Templar village. This though is like many places a place built and renovated over a period of time. It is though a completely walled citadel. It does still have a permanent resident population whose only employment is tourism. It is a place that is fascinating to visit but not a place that would be nice to live in. It's possible to walk around the ramparts and you are able to view a film of the history of the building and defences of the village over the ages. There are arrow splits in the walls and circular holes for the age of guns to be fired out. It is a stunning citadel. As you can see when we went it was vivid blue skies and very warm weather. A photo says a thousand words so here is a selection of four taken from the Templar Village.

SatNav - postcodes and grid references

Driving across Europe the TomTom was an invaluable tool. It really has changed the way I drive. Yes I still have local Michelin maps of the specific area, in France. I carry a European road atlas to get an overview of the main roads but the navigating the last 5 -10 miles was always the harder part. Which exact turning is a hotel on? A local one-way system can force you away from where you want to head to. If you see a road sign to your destination will you miss the next sign or is it omitted as you are so close but you can’t see your hotel? SatNav’s just take the last few miles of stress out of your driving. At the end of a journey you are a little bit tired, it may be getting dark and you just want to get to you hotel. I really can’t praise them enough. On our car we have a couple of neat safety features that I use heaps of the time that have meant I have to not worry about speeding tickets. The car has cruise control (sadly not predictive type that slows down a little if you are behind a slow moving line of traffic) and a variable speed limiter that I use in conjunction with the TomTom. So when I am on the autoroute and it is not raining I set cruise control to TomTom speed of 130kmph or 70 mph over here, easy. Then on a 40mph zone I drive till TomTom again is showing a true 40mph and click the speed limiter. So I can’t get a ticket. Andorra showed what happens with no map coverage navigating to hotel old fashioned way achieved, but took more time and again thankful for other half to spot road signs.   In Andorra I liked the church architecture public water fountains.  Fianl point whatever you do in Andorra tank up before you leave, see how cheap the fuel is there.

Europe's Hightest Waterfall - Grande Cascade 423meter Fall

This is it, a not very spectacular waterfall after months of low rainfall but in early September, this is now it was. It was incredibly difficult to photograph as the water fall is from the middle of a semi-circle rock formation. So as you are looking up at it you are staring straight at the sun. Also France and Spain were in something of a 'normal' summer semi drought conditions so the amount of water was significantly less than what I had expected. We parked in Gavarnie and set off, somewhat unprepared and underdressed for the walk to the base of the waterfall. I guessed it would be thirty to forty five minute walk. This somewhat optimistic, the walk to the Hotel du Cirque was, with stops on route, was about an hour and fifteen to twenty minutes. The footpath to the hotel was easy to follow though and it is a donkey track. From there to the base of the waterfall is another 30 minute walk which for walkers only, see bottom of photograph for what the ground was like there. Really the better photograph for getting a sense of what it was like is looking back from base of the waterfall towards the hotel that had taken an hour and a quarter to get to. €3 for a coke had never seemed such good value.

Lourdes - France Bernadette Soubirous

This is it, the approach to the Lourdes grotto or case. The church that was built on the site where Bernadette received her vision. Obviously the site is spectacular and very cosmopolitan. There were many groups of people from Mexico and Peru all photographing each other. The next photo is of the grotto itself, Grotte de Massabielle. A Roman Catholic pilgrimage site is obviously going to be very touristy; apparently there are more hotels in Lourdes than any other French town or city outside Paris itself. But the people there are also coming to be healed. In the three of hours or so we were there the number of people attending who had a helper with them. They were here because of the faith they had of a cure or rest from suffering was moving. In physical terms you attend the cathedral and then shuffle along and place your left hand over the grotto wall. I have not witnessed so many people showing believe in faith healing by attending to one site. The 'holy water' for sale in every shop really seems a con trick. I can't help but think of a 'Peckam Spring' episode of Only Fools and Horses. Final point, I was surprised that entry to the cathedral and the grotto were all without charge, I had expected us to be hit up maybe €20 each. Parking was not a problem either, we drove into centre of the town and got a parking space in an underground car park below the town tourist office charges for that were perfectly reasonable as well.I have included a few more photographs that I took so you can see the inside as well as another view of outside of cathedral.

Camping is not Slumming It

I think the British people have a misconception about camping and caravanning and view it a very much second rate holidaying. I really think this is just wrong. This is a snap of, well me sitting on the steps of the mobile home. These are obviously not very mobile but they can be moved. These on-site caravans are like playing at home. You have plumbed in fresh water. Your own bathroom with mains sewage. You get a full size gas oven and four gas ring hobs. As there was the two of us we booked 2 bedroom vans but they come in 2 or 3 bedroom styles. Then there is different trim possible. I we used Eurocamp so not all the options were available at all sites when we booked but the principal is there are 3 or 4 grade of vans available. This picture was at second site, on the first site it had outside decking which was nice to have. Also you are not forced to book for a week but you can book from 1 night upwards. Oh you also get a fair bit of space between the caravans, see below photograph, although you can still reverse into low stone walls which reversing sensors you don’t hear but that’s another story.

Pyrenees - The Spanish Side

This is what the mountains are all about. The views are spectacular. The mountains are so all imposing. The size of them makes anything man-made so insignificant. I love the way the high altitude cloud is in the east most is very high altitude cirrus cloud and in the bottom of the photo is the road. Which there is, as far as I can see, only one vehicle on? The view of the Pyrenees is different from the Spanish side though. It is lighter as it is viewing the mountains from the southern side so they look less dark and threatening than from the French side. Having reached this point we had driven over some quite exciting mountain roads needing to flick between 2nd and 3rd gear, no faster was possible or would be wanted. We had just passed ski resort of Port de la Bonaigua at 2072m altitude. For all the signs on the road for cyclist giving destination to the road summit the actual summit itself was not signposted. It was the car park for the ski base. Having made that part of the journey feeling a little tired at the wonderful Spanish restaurant.

Wonderful Spanish People

We had left Andorra and drove through the Spanish side of the Pyrenees and stopped for lunch in a small town called Vielha. This was just somewhere to stop as this had taken a good few hours’ drive, which was through truly spectacular scenery. But a stop was needed. This showed how although I speak very little French I do understand the language. If I have time to look at a menu in French I can have an idea of what the food will be like, I can least understand the main pieces of the dishes. Spanish, zero chance. At this wonderful restaurant proved. The Spanish waitresses were wonderfully helpful though. They too spoke almost zero English, no one spoke French, and NO way did they speak French. So we reached an impasse. But they were keen for us not to leave, so we sat outside and enjoyed the view. Then the head waitress brought out three of the five first course dishes which was my guess as the menu was split into entree, main course and dessert and an option of one of each. But that I found amazing they brought out three of the dishes on their arm and explained pointing at the menu what they were, in Spanish. What absolutely amazing service. The other two items were explained, in Spanish as well, so we ordered and then the main course was ordered and dessert. All of the food was so nice it was untrue and I saw €9.00 I thought that must be for each course maybe I was expecting maybe €27 each plus the drink cost. The whole menu was only €9.00. It was so good service and food was so nice. As we sat outside and though of the amazing countryside we had been through and another point was of interest. The main waitress who drew the short straw and was assigned to us was actually not Spanish, although she looked and spoke what seemed to be Spanish, she was from Colombia.

Andorra - Nice Place queues to Enter.

Our intention was to enter Andorra via the French side, we had a hotel booked in Andorra Ville which is close to the Spanish side of the country and next afternoon leave Andorra and go into and through the Spanish side of the Pyrenees. Tom Tom and local signs let us down in a critical respect after leaving Llivia. My Tom Tom is a slightly older version and Andorra whilst exists mapping to Andorra or street in the country is not possible. Therefore navigating had to be via the maps and the largest cities were over in Spain and so our plan changed and we entered and left Andorra via Spain. From Llivia, where there is not one road in and out of the Spanish enclave, we picked up signs for Puigcerda, which is over the border in Spain. From there we headed for La Seu d'Urgell, then from there the main road goes into Andorra. Above is that road just prior to the Andorra border post. Again this is what the crossing countries used to be like. Long queues, actually for us we were over the border in 20 - 30 minutes maximum delay and people check passports. Makes you feel that you have crossed into another country. As the photograph shows it was a cloudless hot day, when we finally wondered around from the hotel to the nearest eating joint in Andorra it was still 26oC at late afternoon..

The World's Tallest Bridge - Grand Viaduc du Millau

This is it, the world’s tallest bridge, here I'll get information from Rough Guide France quote, "in 2004 a 2.5km bridge supported by seven enormous pillars that, at times, puncture through the cloud level (the tallest is 326m high, taller than the Eiffel tower)." It really is an amazing structure. There is a visitor centre that is worth a look, not that I can remember the tonnage of steel needed to build it or all the other information. I do know that it is monitored by a security control room 24 hours a day 7 days a week and there is an enclosed deck beneath the motor way for access, I think. The figure I remember is that the Canary Wharf tower in Docklands is less tall than the motorway. The pyramid topped Canary Wharf tower in London could be beneath the motorway bridge. That to me is a French sign of engineering excellence. This is what I fear England would not do.

Llivia - A piece of Spain surrounded by France

On Route to Andorra I wanted to stop in an oddity, Llivia. This is a bit of Spain enclosed fully in France. The 'un enclavament singular als Prineus' is just what it says. Not that it is easy to find as it should be but with the TomTom with destination set for Llivia we got there. Places like this I love to visit. It's an idiosyncratic result from history. Apparently when the Roussillon area was handed to France from Spain every village in an area became French. The Spanish agreed to this then said Llivia was a town not a village hence it stayed Spanish, the actual meeting drawing up the new border was held apparently in Llivia itself. Hence from then on it's a part of Spain surrounded by France. It really is, the signs the language everything is Spanish as yet there are no Spanish flags at the border just this sign then a town sign showing the alt of 1224m. There is another benefit stopping here if you are driving, it is Spain so taxes are Spanish not French. Petrol is a little cheaper therefore too. If though you are heading to Andorra only fill up if you are less than a quarter tank of fuel as petrol is cheaper still there.

The Mediterranean Sea

The Mediterranean Sea



So as we left the Massive Central we headed to Andorra, on a day trip before we did this part of the journey I wanted to go to the Mediterranean. To try to find a less developed area, as this was our first time together there. So first thing to do was check rough guide and Michelin map. Any place that is mentioned, even in passing to ignore and then start fine looking on map. Bearing in mind we were just after peak season it should not have been too crowded. So I picked a dot and headed there. If we were regular beachy people I would have packed the right gear, something to break the constant wind which was only slight negative. But it was nice, very very nice otherwise. A free car park right next to the beach which was only filled with a half a dozen cars so you could choose to park in the little bit of shade. Plus there was hessian carpet put down over the sand dune right onto the beach itself. The only commercialism was a medium sizes bar, which we had to stop at and well admire the view before we left. All very nice indeed.

WW2 - They don't forget and have more respect for the past.

We did love this little town and so here is the closing peice on it.   I wanted to try to get an atmosphere of the central town square and the relaxed pace of life, I hadn't at that point realised I had captured another major part of past history; WW2.  I haven't got technology in place yet, but if you look on the photo above on the second from end pillar you will see a plaque, look like it might be a white menu. It isn't. It to commemorate the local town’s folk who were rounded up as sympathisers by the German's in WW2 and shot. Apparently there was an 'active' local resistance and maybe a people supplying route though the massive central surrounding countryside. Germans could not get anyone to inform and owe up to activities so a group of local 'suspects' including the local mayor were rounded up put against the wall and shot dead. A brutal way of dishing out justice and bound not to have got the right people; but when you have an occupying army maybe not surprising. Anyway I am working on getting a better shot of the plaque and I think it is nice that this is left as a permanent reminder to the horrors that happened in the past in what is now an amazingly nice part of France.

Who wants a four hour lunch break?

This is another reason why I wanted to get away from the cities even in more rural Southern France, 2 hour lunch break when almost everything shuts, just really nice rather than the cheese sandwich at your desk whilst answering calls and catching up with less urgent emails. Two hour lunch breaks would be nice. But how about a 4 FOUR hour lunch break? How can you call it full time work and close at noon, shutters go down on shop windows, business close the town siren sounds and everything shuts at noon. Nothing opens till 4pm. Yep business do start at 8am, the boulangera is open and doing a roaring trade at 8am, everyone getting the daily fresh bread or gorgeous cakes, day old French bread is not good and the idea of freezing bread would be unheard of. After 4pm everything open again and re-open for business. They stay open till 7pm so you get a 7 hour day. 5 days a week and you have your 35 hour French full time week. Now if I was anything like bi-lingual and had no liabilities here would I move?

Chic sexy French Towns

So in France, we ventured across the Pyrenees Mountains via Andorra into Spain, the towns are just so nice. So sexy, so French. The pavements in front of the shops are wide. The shop fronts are so old so in keeping with the more relaxed atmosphere. The restaurants or cafes (accents) not sure how to put in UK keyboard. They are so much nicer than an old ham sandwich sitting behind a counter. The service is so French as well. Nothing is hurried, which if you are in a rush is not good, but being on holiday it suits the mood, goes with the ambiance. You are formally greeted in every restaurant and shop you go into. Madam.&Monsuir. Yes a misspelt English translation but they run the greeting in together. Somehow you feel it is meant. Rather than in shops over in USA where given the, "have a nice day" with every purchase whether it is a super sized meal upwards which seems somewhat insincere. Also the service is not just in restraints also normal shops, getting clothes, a bit of aftershave or other half getting making up / perfume. The same greeting is used. You can be fussy and indecisive in choosing what you want and you don’t feel the member of staff is brassed off. The lifestyle is good.

Holidays France England

There is nothing better than getting away from 'home' and breaking the normal routine. I've got back from a real real nice holiday with my other half in France. See some pics from there. What I love is the change and the fact the country is so close to England as yet so different. They use a different currency,€ € yes I had to learn how to access this key stroke the computers even have a not quite QWERTY layout and use the alt control function heaps. They drive on the wrong side of the road and speak a different language. But it is so nice. They are really just like us for all these differences. I didn’t venture into Paris, when your driving it’s really not a good idea and I wanted to visit rural France. Get out of the cities into the countryside more. England does have some nice countryside but some is the word. To get the best of it you need to head out of the SouthEast of the country. Over to the Devon coast, Lake district the problem here is it’s all a bit crowded. Plus you spend half a days hard driving to get there. more tomorrow.