Day 30 - Peyre Millau to Montpeyroux

Tuesday 6th October 

We set off from our parkup at the village of Peyre near Millau this morning after a quick walk and some breakfast.

It was straight onto the nearby A75 motorway heading north and it's a great road to drive on, smooth and quite, definitely no ruts and potholes.

Thank you French road builders.

It's quite a hilly region though the Massif Central, there were lots of long hill climbs and decents but it was a very enjoyable drive through scenic countryside.

We stopped for a coffee break partway to stretch our legs and it was at a motorway services with a difference.

It had a great view of the cast iron railway bridge built by Gustave Eiffel in the 1880’s

It's a whole century after Abraham Darby built the first cast Iron bridge in Coalbrookdale, Shropshire but it does bear some resembelance to the original.

But it's still an impressive sight.

This trip seems to be turning into an accidental bridge fest, but that's completely unintentional 😂

We drove north for 132 miles to the little hillside village of Montpeyroux, just south of Clermont Ferrand.

It's another very picturesque village, so we walked around and took some photos of this lovely place before returning to Ed for a couple of hours sitting outside in the sunshine.

I'd hoped to find a bar or cafe in the village but absolutely nothing was open.

The village has a tower called du donjon but unfortunately that's closed today as well.

It opens tomorrow at 1030, so depending on what the weather is doing I may go back to climb the tower as I expect it has fabulous views from the top.

The church was a bit plain inside

The du donjon, shut today

I've been living in hope of finding a pizza van next to one of my parkups, but so far I've been disappointed.

So I got some pizza dough from the supermarket and toppings from the fridge.

 

I must say it was delicious and very easy. 

I just need something to resolve the floppyness of the dough after it's had the toppings added and before cooking. 

It nearly ended in disaster  🤣 ie on the floor

I think a plate instead of a chopping board may solve that problem ?

All I have to do now is clean up a layer of flour dust over everything 😂

Louis enjoyed a slice, and I've still got another slice to reheat for lunch my tomorrow

This turned up on the Aire this afternoon

I'm not certain but I think there's a petting farm next door, a bit like Glebe Farm Astbury I think Gaots, horses, donkeys, chickens and Lamas

The du donjon from the motorhome aire

More miles in a north direction tomorrow . . .

Day 29 - Arre to Millau on the Tarn

 

Monday 5th October 

We had some rain overnight and morning broke to a damp and misty outlook in the Arre 😂

But the weather forecast looked much better in Millau, so I was hopeful things would improve, and they did.

First stop was a viewing area on the D809, high up but some distance from the Millau Viaduct, but it still gave a great view of the bridge and the village of Millau beneath with the sun shining making such a difference.

It opened in 2004 and was designed by British architect Sir Norman Foster.

So I took some photos and had a coffee break there.

Next stop was what used to be a service road, the D41a, used for construction traffic of the viaduct, it's now a starting point for mountain bike trails, but there's a decent parking area and you can walk up and under the bridge.

It gives a good perspective on just how huge the bridge is, and so of course I took lots more photos.

As modern bridges go I think it's very beautiful

Then we had a video call with Lauren and Piper, my how she's coming on.

Gaining new skills everyday, the contrast between four weeks ago when I last saw her and now is amazing, I can't wait to see her again.

After that excitement, we moved on to tonights motorhome aire in the nearby village of Peyre, a former Troglodyte village.

It a very pretty little village built into a cliff and with spectacular views down the Tarn valley and of the viaduct of course.

There are many buildings including the former church which is very unusual in it's construction, built into the rock cliff which date to the 14th century.

Crocodiles and dinosaurs in there lol

The Church of Saint Christopher, for my safe travels home 😀

                  Église Troglodyte Saint-Cristofol Church

                                      

                     and inside, the strangest church

The church was partly destroyed during the religious wars n the 16th Centuary and was rebuilt with secret passages, hiding places and defences where villagers could avoid persecution.

    Louis found somewhere cool to rest and have a drink

           There are thousands of Carrion Crows nesting in the rock cliff

                                  Last one of the viaduct, promise !

So it's a lovely place to spend the night.

After tea we took a walk down to the Tarn and sat for ages watching the nature and the wildlife on the river.

Just so you know, Peyre is in the Compregnac commune of in Occitane, in the Aveyron département, confused ? I am.

It's a very beautiful river valley.

Tomorrow we're going to pick up the A75 toll free motorway in Millau and start our journey north, I hope we can bring a bit of this weather with us.