Calais bound

 

Tuesday 24th September 2024

It wasn't a very enjoyable drive to Calais today, much of it was done in quite heavy rain at times.

We used the toll road and thankfully the toll tag worked as it should.

The weather had dried up by the time we got to Calais so after a cuppa, Louis and I had a walk down to the sea front.

Under grey cloudy skies, it was surprisingly pleasant with lots of landscaping, benches, sun beds, exercise equipment and miles of soft golden sands.

No litter, no graffiti, no vandalism and no druggies or dodgy characters hanging around.

We'll be up early tomorrow for our 0915 train.

Here are some pictures of the Calais seafront

Budding JCB drivers can practice in the sand pit

Lunéville to Verdun

 

Monday 23rd September 2024

Thankfully yesterday's evening rain had passed by this morning and the sun was even trying to make an appearance, so we walked across to the Lunéville Chateau and a wander around the grounds.

They're quite impressive by any standard and the building itself is huge.

It seems to be mostly given over to conferences and exhibitions though now, but it must have been a very impressive residence once.

I put some photos in yesterday's post.

Next it was hot the road to Verdun and our appointment with the vets for Louis worming treatment.

I don't know why but this always fills me with anxiety, did I book the right vet in the right town ? etc.

Anyway it all went smoothly, just a bit long winded.

He got his passport stamped so they'll let us back on the UK .

Just one drama for today, the last section of road into Verdun was on the toll road.

I have a tag in the windscreen now so I just head for the lane with the T above, the reader sees the tag and the barrier lifts without even needing to stop.

None of the tolls booths have staff anymore, if you need someone you press a button and hope they speak English.

Anyway, first toll booths getting on, no problem, barrier lifted.

Next toll booths coming off and barriers doesn't lift.

There's options to pay by cash or card but it wants the ticket inserted, well of course I don't have a ticket as I didn't collect one having the tag 😡

After much head scratching and cursing the barrier suddenly lifted, I think the control room somewhere must have seen us stuck, felt sorry for us and lifted it.

I just hope it was a one off as we have a good stretch of toll road to cover tomorrow on the way to Calais.

Verdun, which is quite an interesting town with lots of WW1 and 2 history after the town was heavily fought over with huge loss of life on both sides.

The countryside around the town is scattered with war cemetries and an impressive arrival in the town

This building is witness to the towns violent past

This is the towns gate with drawbridge

A monument to the women of Verdun who farmed the land
as the men went off to war

After leaving Verdun we drove a few miles up the road to Charney sur Meuse to a small campsite on the banks of the river Meuse where we had a pleasant sunny evening. 

Not many more of those to be enjoyed this year I fear.

Many towns in France have these characters on the village pedestrian crossings and they're quite effective when you come around a corner and see it, your first reaction is to slow down.

The weather has been great today, sun and a bit of clouds. 

I'm sat outside after tea, for probably the last time this year ?

Next stop Calais tomorrow

Turckheim and Lunéville

Sunday 22 September 2024

After a morning walk around part of Turckheim I didn't get to yesterday, we set off on our journey north.

I'd planned a scenic route along the D415 over des Vosges National Park.

Unfortunately my plans were scuppered at the first roundabout when road blocks were set up to allow the Colmar Marathon to take place on the road I'd planned to drive along.

So another route was quickly planned.

This took us over the Col de la Schlucht which was quite a scenic drive. 

We stopped at the top for a cuppa and a walk around.

It's a ski resort in winter but in summer the ski lift is used to take people up the mountain and come down in a toboggan on rails, looks like fun.

Sadly it wasn't running today for some reason, or I might have been tempted.

Disappointingly there were no views either, I suspect you have to climb higher up for those as trees at road level blocked any chance of a view down the valley.

It was a busy place though, lots of motorcycles out for a Sunday drive.

Our destination for tonight was Lunéville  where there is a large and impressive chateau and gardens adjoining the motorhome camping area which are free to enter.

It started to rain soon after we got here so I'll try later or tomorrow morning for some photographs.

We have an appointment with the vet tomorrow in Verdun for Louis worming treatment, so that's the main objective for tomorrow.

Some more photos of Turckheim this morning . . . . .

A Storks nest on the roof, I didn't see any storks but there were some crows freeloading the nest in their absence 

I think this building is lost to the creeper

And some photos fro the top of Col de la Schlucht

Some photos of Chateau de Lunéville