Day 18 – 13 September

This is the end.  Off to the tunnel and then home.  No hold ups on either the crossing or the M20/M25 apart from dodging the holes and bumps on both.  The Highways Agency, or whatever they are called now, should be ashamed of the condition that these two roads are in.  Home 4 hours 30 minutes after leaving the tunnel, which is possibly a personal record, although the watch, the GPS, the vehicle clock, and the radio all seemed to operating in different time zones, so who knows.

My theory that many people are avoiding the Dartford Crossing these days because of the idiotic means of paying for it, and the repercussions if you forget, seems to be holding up.  The .gov.uk payment site is also useless.

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Day 17 – 12 September

Second day in Wimereux.  Got the bus into Boulogne-sur-Mer and went round Nausicaá.  Dark, noisy and full of annoying children.  There were sharks but no piranhas.  No entertainment involving sharks and annoying children.

No feeding the sharks

The fishing boat simulator was the highlight.

Day 16 – 11 September

Now in Wimereux.  Trip from Guignicourt seemed to take much longer than it ought to have done.  The N42 towards Boulogne-sur-Mer is hilly twisty and generally not very nice.  As usual Wimereux is a pleasant place for a wander when the weather is nice (as opposed to being a bit depressing when it is wet and windy).

Beach hut at Wimereux

Stocked up at Intermarché Hyper on way (off A26 at Gauchy).  Open all day.

Day 15 – 10 September

Change of plan – crossing changed from Saturday to Sunday, so an extra day in France.

We are now in Guignicourt.  Not much to say about this place, which is very pleasant and on the river Aisne.  Only a few minutes from the autoroute, popular as a stopover, and a small supermarket in walking distance.  Trains to Reims  where there is a super motor museum (photos from previous visit).

Reims motor museum

Want one of these badly

Heading for Wimereux Tomorrow for two nights.  Not sure of internet access there so this might be the last blog entry in France.

Day 14 – 09 September

Still in Macon.  Took a stroll along the river into town and had wander round.  Not a tourist place but they seem to have put a bit of effort into brightening it up since our last visit a few years ago.  Found a record shop!

Record shop

Only two more nights left in France, not sure where we will be tomorrow.

Day 13 – 08 September

Now in Macon following a long drive from Sisteron.  Ignored GPS, got lost in Gap, took wrong road out and ended up on the E712 rather than the N85 that we probably should have been on.  Nice scenery on the way though.

Found out later there is a campsite a little way south east of where the photo was taken.

Free, fast internet here, and if the camping service is broken there is always the choice of the Citroen garage next door, the steakhouse next door to that, or, if we are lucky, the MacDonald’s over the road.

Stopping here two days as can’t be bothered driving tomorrow after today’s trek.

Day 12 – 07 September

Second day in Sisteron.  Went to get the bus into town.  Foiled, no buses on Mondays.  Walked into town, then up the steps to the shops, then up to the citadel.  Napoleon stopped here on his way back from Elba.

Citadel

Next time we take the tourist train from the mayor’s office.  Worth the climb for the views, however.

View from citadel

Hoping to clear Lyon tomorrow, stopping somewhere in Burgandy.

 

Day 11 – 06 September

Three days in Aix-en-Provence was too long – won’t be going back there for a while.  Took the road north and got lost , but found a supermarket open and topped up on food and wine.  Sunday morning supermarkets in France are pretty busy and to be avoided if possible.

Drove north to Sisteron to the (rather excellent) municipal campsite there.  Only planned to stop for the night, but will stay for two as this is an interesting place with spectacular scenery.  However, internet access here costs money and is not so good.

River on way to Sisteron

Day 10 – 05 September

Went round Saturday market in Aix.  Good for food, otherwise a bit of a let down.  Heading off tomorrow, probably north.

Running low on food and wine – and tomorrow is Sunday…

Day 9 – 04 September

Got bus into town again for a better look round.  Not that complicated to navigate around once you have got some bearings.  Lots of tourists with cameras.  Lots of fountains of which tourists are taking pictures.