France – Page 4 – DJmotortouring

Jumieges (Normandy), France October 2024 (Tour 10)

So, we’re on our way home to Brighton. Jumieges sits on the northern bank of the Seine River between Le Havre and Rouen and is one of the last stops on our way to Calais and then the UK. We’ll stop at Yport for a couple of nights (as is our custom towards the end of any trip which takes in France) and there will be another final overnight stop closer to Calais (Ambleteuse perhaps) but with 4,000 miles completed during the approach to Jumieges, Tour 10 is almost over.

I’m not sure if it is big enough to take the Van but, while out walking along the River Seine, I stumbled across a small ferry, the Heurteauville Ferry, which crosses the Seine (near Pont -Audemar) to Jumieges. I’ll check the ferry out next time we pass here because it will shave at least 30 kilometres off the journey we made today. It will also save on bridge tolls because the ferry is free.

Jumieges is renowned for it’s abbey or, to be more accurate, it’s abbeys. The original Abbaye de Saint Pierre de Jumieges was founded in 654 by Philibert (later Saint Philibert of Jumieges) and quickly grew into an enormous and prosperous monastery; so much so that it housed more than 900 monks by the time Philibert was succeeded as Abbot by Aichardus. The abbey was destroyed during the 9th century by marauding vikings but rebuilt on an even grander scale by Norman dukes (and with William the Conqueror attending the consecration of the huge Romanesque style Church of Notre Dame in 1067).

The abbey suffered a turbulent time in the following centuries, first by the invading English during the 100 Years War and then by the Huegenots during France’s Religious Wars but; it was the French Revolution which caused most damage and saw the Abbey plundered and closed. Worse was to follow in the aftermath of the revolution with much of the church and it’s surrounding buildings being torn down for the stone.

The ruin now dominates the town…

The abbey was saved from complete destruction during the 19th century by Victor Hugo (as much as anyone) who raised interest popular interest in the ruins when he described them as “the most beautiful ruins in France”. It wasn’t until 2007 however that the Department of Seine Maritime acquired the ruins (together with 15 acres of parkland) and set about opening them to the public as an historical attraction. The abbey complex will forever remain a ruin but there’s more than enough left to recognise and appreciate it’s former glory.

There is one other building in Jumieges which, while not as grand as the abbey once was, is worth a special mention. It is the 11th/12th century parish Church of Saint Valentine which was built at the request of the abbey monks because they didn’t want to be disturbed by the parishioners. It’s one of the more unusual churches I have seen and is full of character and surprises (the altar, lectern and eagle were taken from the abbey and the church holds numerous stone and/or wood carvings of various Saints – including Anne, Catherine, Margaret, Sebastian, Stephen, Nicholas and of course Valentine). Although a little tired (to be expected of an 11th/12th century parish church) the church is remarkably well preserved. Unlike the abbey complex, it was left intact during the French Revolution.

A few paintings adorn the walls inside Saint Valentine’s; one of the more interesting being a 16th century creation entitled ‘A Procession in Honour of Saint Valentine’. In this painting, a plague of rats can be seen running ahead of the procession. This relates to an event which is said to have taken place in Jumieges during the Middle Ages and which was very much linked with Saint Valentine. Legend has it that the head of Valentine (he was beaten and beheaded for proclaiming his faith in Rome during AD280) ended up, hundreds of years later, as a relic in the abbey in Jumieges. One year a plague of rats invaded the village and began to devour the crops, thus posing a threat of famine. When a monk living in the abbey complex saw Saint Valentine three times in his dreams, it was decided the reliquary containing the Saint’s head should be carried in a procession around the village. This was carried out and, to everyone’s astonishment, the rats gathered and followed the procession to the River Seine; then jumped in and drowned. So it was that Saint Valentine became the saviour of the parish. There’s not many people outside of Jumieges know that.

*Eglise St* *Valentin* *– full of character*

Leaving aside the abbey and the church, there’s little else to Jumieges but the locals couldn’t have been more friendly. Vanya and I had a little wander with the dogs and I was invited by some locals to go apple picking as part of the annual Fete de Pommes but that was about it.

Oh! There is also a supposedly good Michelin recommended restaurant in the village, Auberge des Ruines, but it being a Sunday and this being France… Instead I ate what can only be described as a deconstructed Shish Kebab cooked by the campsite’s food wagon (and I thoroughly enjoyed it – Well done Camping La Foret).

On to Yport!!

Beuvron en Auge (Normandy), France October 2024 (Tour 10)

We were on our way from Merville Franceville to Jumieges and paused at the tiny village (some 200 inhabitants) of Beuvron en Auge. I’d been looking at a list of the plus beaux villages de France and noticed that Beuvron en Auge was on the way to Jumieges and just a few miles from Merville Franceville. Given the village’s history and beauty it had to be worth a stop.

Beuvron en Auge is part of the former fiefdom of the renowned Harcourt family. Some of the family accompanied William the Conqueror across the English Channel and after the Battle of Hastings in 1066 received grants of land and titles in England. The majority remained in France (at Beuvron in the Calvados Department and Olonde in the Manche Department) and they became an established formed part of the French nobility but; links between the two branches of the family stayed very much alive; as is demonstrated by the fact that in 1346 John IV of Harcourt, loyal to the King of France, was killed fighting the English at the Battle of Crecy where his brother Geoffrey of Harcourt was Marshall of England and one of the leaders of the victorious English army.

There is little left in Beuvron of the Harcourt family these days. Indeed all that remains of Castle Harcourt is a small mound on which it once stood. However, the remainder of the village is brimming with character and fully deserving of it’s ‘plus beau village de France’ status. There are a couple of buildings in a village which stand out amongst all the others. The first is a large 15th century half timbered Manor House located on the corner of the Avenua de la Gare and the Rue des Haras

The other is the covered market hall at the centre of the village which fits in so well with the 16th and 17th century half timbered houses surrounding it. This particular building was erected in 1975 and there is quite a story behind it.

The original 19th century covered market was unsafe and demolished in 1958. The railway station followed in 1964 and with that came a marked decline in the village’s population as residents were forced to leave in search of employment. The age profile at the time was such that a further significant decline in population was inevitable (and this has proved to be the case) but; there are signs now that the decline has been arrested and this is largely due to the efforts of Michel Vermughen who was Mayor of Beuvron between 1971 and 1996. He took action to ensure the future prosperity of the village by means of, amongst other things, some very effective town planning.

A new motorway being built some way to the north of the village (the A13) further threatened the village but, perhaps with his eye on tourism, the Mayor appealed to the State and various local authorities for assistance in revitalising the ailing village. He sought to regenerate, improve and better promote the already attractive Norman village by (a) restoring the facades of the villages’ many typically Norman half timbered buildings (and to this end enlisted the support of a student specialising in civil architecture and Norman heritage, Yves Lescrouard, to work with the community on restoring the many dilapidated buildings) and (b) sympathetically regenerating the village centre with a ‘new’ covered market hall using traditional building methods and materials (particularly from old barns being pulled down because they were in the path of the new motorway). In this latter regard some 75,000 roof tiles were removed from a ruined barn in Beuzeville to cover the new market. Such initiatives helped transform the village into the best example of a typical Norman village as could be found in the Calvados Department and it become one the first communes in France to secure ‘plus beau village de France’ status.

Beuvron en Auge has been transformed into a most picturesque village and on a fine sunny day I cannot imagine a more perfect place than the village centre to simply sit and chill with a cream coffee or a glass of the local dry cider (or even a calvados for that matter) but, it doesn’t end there. Peaceful as the village may be, there’s a pleasant buzz about the place, a freshness and vitality. It comes, I suspect, as a result of the village being rebuilt and having a future, no matter that it is through tourism.

*Market Hall (to the left) on Place Michel Vermughen*

No surprise that Place de La Halle in the village centre was subsequently renamed Place Michel Vermughen and a plaque carrying his motto “renover dans la tradition” (renovate in tradition) was struck to commemorate the vision and energy of the former mayor. What an example Vermughen sets for Brighton and all those other bungling councils across Britain.

I mentioned previously that just 200 people live in the village now but that number includes the world famous artist David Hockney and his partner. It is perhaps fitting therefore that I finish this entry with a copy of a painting of his which I believe is from his “The Arrival of Spring”. I very much like it.

*From The Arrival of Spring* – *David Hockney*

On to Jumieges…

Merville-Franceville (Normandy), France October 2024 (Tour 10)

In Northern Europe, no matter the time of the year, it is often difficult getting into a campsite halfway through a weekend. This is especially true of popular sites near the coast. In high season there are so many more camper vans on the road chasing a finite number of places. In the low season many campsites close and, at least during weekends, competition for the reduced number of places increases. As a result, as the weekend approaches, we look to book a place in advance for the Friday and Saturday night and this is how it came about that we were destined to stay a whole weekend on a site in Merville-Franceville. One night would ordinarily have been enough.

Nothing against Merville-Franceville, it is a pleasant friendly family resort with a good selection of restaurant-bars and a fair amount going on in the area… if it is a warm sunny day in the high season and if you are interested in the D Day landings. We were out of season, the weather was cold and, unlike me, Vanya has absolutely no interest in D Day. That being the case I was delighted Vanya had booked us into ‘Camping Seasonova Le Point de Jour’. It’s a well appointed campsite with direct access to a sandy beach and just 15 minutes walk from the small town. Most important, it has a couple of tame goats wandering the site which were always going to keep Vanya amused while I went off exploring.

After a lazy morning playing with the dogs on the beach, Vanya repaired to the Van to check out the goats and I set off towards the town to check out the local sights and find a decent restaurant for the evening.

I started with a walk through the town and along the beach to the River Orne. I could see Ouistreham across the estuary and thought to cross the river via the Pegasus Bridge (the scene of a WWII Battle on D-Day) but the bridge is a few kilometres inland at the small village of Benouville and “a bridge too far” (blame Cornelius Ryan for my pun). Instead I made my way back into Merville-Franceville and then inland along Avenue Alexandre de Lavergne to the WWII Merville Battery.

*Looking across the Orne Estuary to Ouistreham*

I should perhaps explain that, as part of the D Day landings during WWII, various British Airborne forces were ordered as part of Operation Tonga to seal off the eastern end of a 50 mile long invasion area that would later be known as the Sword, Juno, Gold, Omaha and Utah Beaches. Sword was the most easterly of the beaches and Utah the most westerly. Amongst other things, Operation Tonga required almost 200 glider troops under Major John Howard to seize and hold the Benouville Bridge (later renamed the Pegasus Bridge, after the winged horse of Greek Mythology and the military patch worn by British Airborne units) and a further 700 paratroopers under Lieutenant Colonel Terence Otway to parachute into France near Merville-Franceville and neutralise a German artillery battery located there. The size of the concrete emplacements housing the German artillery suggested the guns themselves were large calibre (150mm), with an estimated range of about 8 miles (13 km), which would threaten the impending landings all along Sword Beach which stretched west from Ouistreham.

Major Howard’s part of the operation (to seize the bridge at Benouville) was a complete success with 5 gliders landing within 50 yards of the target and the bridge being taken just 10 minutes later with very few casualties (two British soldiers were killed, Lieutenant Den Brotheridge and Lance Corporal Fred Greenhaigh). The bridge was held until relieved by Lord Lovat’s Commandos and elements of the 7th Parachute Battalion. Ironically, one of the officers amongst the reinforcements was an aspiring actor, Lieutenant Richard Todd of 7 Para, who would subsequently play the part of Major John Howard in the film ‘The Longest Day’. Not many people know that.

Colonel Otway’s mission got off to the worst possible start with a bombing raid on the Merville Battery completely missing the target. In truth, the complex was never going to be an easy target from the air; comprising as it did, an underground command post, four gun casemates with 6 foot thick steel reinforced walls, a concrete trench system with ancillary bunkers to accommodate men and ammunition and a 20mm anti-aircraft gun. Worse still, 9 Parachute Battalion were dropped all over the countryside and; if that wasn’t enough, one of five gliders carrying essential equipment lost it’s tow rope and came down in the English Channel (killing everyone on board) and the remaining gliders were scattered and landed off target in flooded marshes. With the loss of the gliders, the assault force lost it’s anti-tank weapons, mortars, heavy machine guns, ammunition, demolition equipment, mine detectors and marking tapes, etc.

I should have mentioned earlier that the Merville Battery fortifications also included multiple heavy machine gun positions, an anti-tank ditch and mine fields but, even so, at 04.30 hours Colonel Otway attacked the Merville Battery complex – with just 150 men. The following plaque is be seen at the site which now forms a WWII museum:-

The attack on the Merville Battery was by no means a complete success. The guns were found to be of a lower calibre than expected. Some of the German garrison locked themselves in their bunkers and the victorious paratroopers didn’t have the weapons to clear them. Moreover, the paras didn’t have the demolition equipment to permanently disable all the guns before moving on to their next objective and two of the guns were subsequently restored to active service. However, none of the above detracts from the incredible bravery of the men of 9 Parachute Battalion – Utrinque Paratus.

I make no apology for devoting so much of this particular blog to the battles at Benouville and Merville. D day is a major feature of this Region’s history but, that is enough about the war for now.

Normandy is one of the 13 administrative Regions of France (there are another five outside of the country) and Normandy has long had it’s own quite unique culture and traditions. Principal amongst them is gastronomy and, especially, seafood (not to mention the five “C’s”, being camembert, cream, crepes, cider and calvados). I was charged by Vanya with finding a decent seafood restaurant in Merville for at least one meal out. I found Le France on Avenue Houdard.

Le France comes with mixed reviews and is not cheap but we enjoyed it. The welcome was warm, the service was attentive and the seafood was very good. I would recommend it.

I’d recommend Merville Franceville too and as for Nala and Beanie…

Amboise (Centre-Val de Loire), France October 2024 (Tour 10)

So, after a disappointing stop in Nevers we made our way to Amboise. We first visited Amboise during Tour 3, some years ago, and very much enjoyed the place. During that particular visit I spent a fair amount of time in the Chateau Amboise following up my interest in the Tudors and Stuarts. This time I wanted to focus a little more on Leonardo de Vinci. He lived and worked in Amboise between 1516 and 1519 when he died.

After parking the Van up in the Municipal Campsite on L’Ile d’Or (Gold Island) in the middle of the Loire, I went off on a quest to learn more about da Vinci. I started at the tiny Eglise St Florentin, as much to get my bearings as anything, and then continued on through the Tour de L’Horloge to the town’s main square, the Place de Michel d’Ebre.

The Chateau Amboise fills one side of the Place de Michel d’Ebre and totally dominates the town. Leonardo da Vinci is, by all accounts, buried in the Saint Hubert Chapel up in the chateau grounds but; I don’t know how anyone can be so sure about that without performing a DNA test. Originally interred in the grounds of the Eglise St Florentin, his relics were supposedly moved by some of Napoleon Bonaparte’s troops to the chapel. However, I would be surprised if his grave was not dug up in the early days of the French Revolution when both the Eglise St Florentin and the Chapel were thoroughly ransacked by the mob.

It’s little more than a 10 minute walk along Rue Victor Hugo from Place de Michel d’Ebre to the small chateau that is the Maison du Clos Luce where Da Vinci lived and worked until he died in 1519. The house is well preserved and both decorated and furnished much as it would have been when occupied by da Vinci but, most interesting, are the many scale models dotted around the house and throughout the extensive gardens of some of da Vinci’s most imaginative inventions – airplanes, helicopters, parachutes, armoured tanks, etc. Absolutely fascinating. The man was a genius and hundreds of years ahead of his time. The Clos Luce is a must visit site during any visit to Amboise.

As always when I go out on my exploratory walks, a primary objective is to find a decent restaurant for the evening. I really struck lucky this time, choosing the Restaurant Anne de Bretagne on the Place de Michel d’Ebre. We had a fantastic evening there with the welcome and the food proving outstanding.

Perhaps not surprisingly, Vanya and I were amongst the last to leave the restaurant and, consequently, we had the old town almost to ourselves as we made our way back to the Van. There was just one other person on the Place de Michel d’Ebre – an accordianist playing the most French music. Wonderful!

*A final view of the Chateau from L’Ile d’Or*

France at it’s best. Shame we have to move on.

Nevers (Bourgogne-Franche-Comte), France October 2024 (Tour 10)

We arrived in Nevers on a beautiful day and, from where we were parked on the banks of the fast flooding River Loire, the town looked very interesting with it’s magnificent cathedral (dedicated to the Saints Cyr and Julitte) and the nearby 15th century Ducal Palace clearly visible across the river. Sadly, that was about as good as it got.

*Nevers Cathedral* *and the Pont de Loire*

Our short stay in Nevers and, in particular, my visit to the cathedral proved a real disappointment. Almost all of the inside of the cathedral was blocked off for renovation work with only the Choir, behind the altar, open to the public (although some stunning stained glass windows could still be seen).

The stately Ducal Palace, described as a “modern palace that has retained it’s historical character”, looks magnificent from the outside but the inside is as sterile a building as I have seen (outside of the Castle Svevo in Bari – see Tour 1).

If the above wasn’t bad enough, the Saint Pierre Church was closed and almost all the principal streets were being dug up while block pavements are replaced.

I finished the day by continuing eastwards to the Eglise St Etienne which is supposedly one of the best preserved Romanesque style churches in the Region. I wasn’t disappointed with the church itself but my interest in the town had waned and so I decided to call it a day and return to the Van. The weather had turned anyway.

It is said that you should never say never again but I will never return to Nevers again unless or until they once again hold Formula 1 Racing at the old Nevers Magny-Cours Racing Circuit. I think the last Grand Prix event held there was in 2008 with a Ferrari winning the event?

Sorry, Nevers. we’re off now to an old favourite of ours, Amboise.

Ars Sur Formans (Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes), France October 2024 (Tour 10)

Much of this little village of just 1,500 people is a shrine to the former parish priest and cure, Jean-Marie Vianney, who served in Ars sur Formans during and after the Napoleonic era and is now revered by the Catholic faith as Saint John Vianney.

The village is dominated by the 19th century Basilica of Saint Sixtus (Saint Sixte in French) which was built just three years after his death around the original 12th century church where he ministered. The body of the priest is held in a glass reliquary inside the Basilica. Close by are 3 other significant buildings being (i) the Chapel of the Heart where the Saint’s heart is kept in a second more magnificent reliquary (his heart was removed for veneration, it being normal practise in those days to bury the heart of aristocracy separately) and (ii) the presbytery (which contains many of his personal possessions) where he lived during his time as a parish priest and (iii) a semi underground church, Notre Dame de la Misericorde, which was built in 1959 to mark the 100th anniversary of the Saint.

*The exterior of Basilica of Saint Sixtus*

Also near the centre of Ars sur Formans is the Monument de la Recontre, a life-size statue symbolizing the arrival of Father Jean-Marie Vianney in the village in 1818 and meeting the little shepherd Antoine Givre – “You showed me the way to Ars and I will show you the way to heaven”. There is also a superb model depicting the village as it was at that time and a Grevin Wax Museum (a bit like Madame Tussauds) which was created in 1994 and comprises 17 lifelike scenes of the Saint’s life in Ars.

*Model of Ars showing the original 12th century church*

All credit to Jean-Marie Vianney but, so far as I am concerned that would have been it about Ars sur Formans except that, over a cup of coffee and a crepe in the Creperie des Dombes, I got talking to a visiting Irish American priest by the name of Father Edward Murphy. ‘Father Ted’ (I mean no disrespect) talked to me a little about the life of the Saint and explained how it was that this modest little cure came to be the Patron Saint of Priests and why more than 350,000 people now make a pilgrimage to this village every year. Father Ted’s enthusiasm and love for the cure prompted me to do some research and, I’ll not go into too much detail here (you can always google him yourself), but; yes, I can see why he is revered as the Patron Saint of Priests. It is said the priest “had the power of healing and to read the hearts of his penitents”. I don’t know about that but his drive, dedication and total commitment towards his congregation appears second to none. He believed that he could do penance for his parishioners and he lived his life that way. Within a few years of arriving in Ars, his fame had spread throughout France sufficient to attract 300 visitors a day to the parish and in 1858 an estimated 100,000 pilgrims flocked to Ars. Seems to me he proved to be a legend in his own lifetime.

Vanya doesn’t have the same interest in such matters as I do but, we were never going to keep her out of the village‘s only creperie…

Thanks again to Father Edward Murphy for making my visit to Ars sur Formans that bit more interesting… and safe travels.

Saint Remy de Provence (Provence-Alpes-Cote d’Azur), France October 2024 (Tour 10)

If there is one place in France I very much enjoy coming back to, it is Saint Remy de Provence. Every time we visit I marvel at the town. Surrounded by the most beautiful, rugged and unspoiled Alpilles countryside, it is so full of colour, character and historical interest and …and let’s not forget the food.

During recent visits I have tried repeatedly to gain entrance to the tiny 16th century Chapelle de Notre Dame de Pitie which sits near where Avenue Durand Maillane and Avenue Pasteur converge and; this time I succeeded although it was something of a bitter sweet moment.

The chapel was deconsecrated some years ago and left a ruin until at least 1985 when a local association, in conjunction with the town council, set about it’s restoration. It no longer serves as a church but is used to hold temporary exhibitions and one was underway as I arrived.

The sculptures on display were predominantly gilded steel and created by Philippe Lonzi (and he had no problem with me taking photos of his work). I think the paintings were by Christian Reale although Lonzi is also a painter.

*Inside the Chapelle de Notre Dame de Pitie*

Because we so often have the dogs with us as we explore, it’s rare that I am able to visit galleries and/or museums on these tours but; Vanya was caring for the dogs during our first afternoon back in Saint Remy and that meant I was also able to visit the Point Rouge Gallery on Rue Carnot in the centre of the old town.

The works of three different artists were on display during my visit and, hey, there were some really unusual and exciting creations. Amongst some impressive pieces by both Florence Vasseur (Painter) and Sylvie Mazereau (Painter and sculptor in ceramics and textiles), were some quite amazing life-size sculptures (mannequins?) by Anne Bothuon in cotton and cloth. It was actually embroidered wadding but ‘cotton and cloth’ has an altogether nicer ring about it. The creations were life-like but with a hint of caricature. Some appear a little freakish (extraordinary is perhaps a more apt word) but all are unique and a couple are quite sensational.

The exhibits in the Point Rouge Gallery formed part of the ‘Nature of Being Display’ organised by the owners Olivier Kaiser and Jean-Michel Warin. I spoke briefly with Olivier (who very kindly allowed me to take photos) and he explained that all the exhibits would be gone by the next morning. It seems that every 6 weeks or so, the owners change everything out, which allows them to showcase the art of a great many other favoured artists during the course of the year.

In addition to holding and displaying tons of interesting and exciting artefacts associated with Vincent Van Gogh the nearby Musee Estrine is renowned for displaying the work of contemporary artists so that, in line with Van Gogh’s wish, “living painters are no longer so unjustly ignored”. It occurs to me that the Point Rouge Gallery have adopted much the same philosophy. This is a gallery I will seek out again.

During this visit to Saint Remy, Vanya and I planned on stopping by Les Baux des Provence to experience the Vincent Van Gogh light and sound show at the Carrieres des Lumieres but, the Van Gogh display has been replaced by a new show (Egyptian Pharaohs) which simply didn’t appeal to either of us. Damn!

Instead, I walked along Avenue Vincent Van Gogh to the former Benedictine Monastere de Saint Paul de Mausol. This historic monastery turned asylum is renowned for a one time resident, Vincent Van Gogh, who admitted himself into the asylum for a year between 1889 and 1890. While there he produced some of his finest creations including ‘Starry Night’, ‘Irises’ and the ‘Olive Orchard’. I’d previously visited the area but never been inside the building itself.

Much of the monastery complex still functions as a psychiatric clinic but one wing serves as a small museum which reflects how Vincent Van Gogh lived during his stay and how other residents and some of the staff lived and/or worked. Also, in and around the museum there are markers identifying where Van Gogh will have sat while painting many of the 150+ creations he completed during his stay in the asylum. I spent a couple of hours wandering the building and surrounding gardens and found it absolutely fascinating. The place really is worth a visit.

*Reproduction of Van Gogh’s living quarters*

Some of the care Van Gogh received in the asylum would have been primitive compared to that available in modern hospitals but, for it’s day, Saint Paul’s was one of the more advanced and caring hospitals. I’m fairly certain Van Gogh would not have been keen on the so called hydrotherapy treatment prescribed by his doctor (two hours of alternating hot and cold baths twice a week) but, for the most part, he didn’t lack for comfort compared to all other residents. Van Gogh’s brother, Theo, paid all fees associated with his stay in the asylum and that included three private rooms; one which served as Van Gogh’s living quarters, the second as an artist’s studio and the third to store his paintings.

After leaving Saint Paul’s, I hoped to revisit the old archaeological site of Glanum but it was closed. I took a couple of photographs of the mausoleum and the triumphal arch which stand outside the northern gate of the old Roman city but then made my way back into town to find a decent restaurant for the evening.

I found and booked us into a delightful family run restaurant (a mother and daughter team) near the town centre – the Restaurant XA. Quintessentially French with a retro shabby chic decor, we were well received (dogs as well) and served some great food. Van went for the fish while I had a veal dish (i.e. proper veal not that awful substitute they seem to serve almost everywhere in the UK).

Once again, we thoroughly enjoyed Saint Remy. There’s no doubt we’ll return but now it is time to start north.

Alzonne (Occitanie), France October 2024 (Tour 10)

After a pleasant drive across what was once Cathar Country (passing the 16th century Fortress de Salses and the Salses Leucate Lakes near Fitou) we arrived at Camping L’Escale Occitane just 1 kilometre from Alzonne, a small village of some 1,600 people.

We were intent on revisiting Saint Remy de Provence but stopped off at Alzonne (Camping L’Escale Occitane) in the Aude Department of Occcitaine to meet up with some friends (Chris and Tessa) who live in nearby Fanjeaux. We spent a little time with them earlier in the year (Tour 9) and I promised them my Thai coriander curry when we next passed through.

The campsite proved to be an inspired choice. Set amongst a series of small vineyards, it’s a tiny pet friendly rural site of 16 pitches (8 of them intended for motorhomes) with excellent views towards the Pyrenees. It’s run by a very welcoming couple, Remy and Nadia. What surprised me most about the campsite was that despite it’s relatively small size, they run a very popular little restaurant. We didn’t get to try it because I’d promised to cook for Chris and Tessa but… next time.

Oh… and the campsite keep a decent range of local artisan beers. The Ciutat Blonde from Carcassonne was pretty good.

Chris and I shared a few of the beers before dinner (it was his birthday) and, while my curry wasn’t at it’s best (I didn’t add enough coriander), it could have been worse and, besides, the company of Chris and Tessa more than compensated for the shortcomings in the food.

There is one final point worth mentioning. Just down the road from the campsite is a small winery, going by the name of Chateau Sesquieres. It’s a very small affair run by Gerard Lagoutte but he produces a surprisingly wide range of very pleasant wines. Vanya and I popped in on the off chance he would be open and we struck lucky. He let us sample a few of his wines and we ended up buying a mixed case. We’ll be popping in again next time we are in the area.

Saint Remy next.

Canet en Roussilon (Occitanie), France October 2024 (Tour 10)

We were back in France at the small coastal town of Canet en Roussillon, to the east of Perpignan. We had moved north because of the impending bad weather in Spain and because Vanya wanted to chill for a few days at the ‘Le Brasilia’ campsite before it closed for winter. Le Brasilia is part of the Yelloh chain and with it’s five stars is one of the top campsites in the Languedoc Roussillon area, if not the whole of France. We have used Yelloh before and never been disappointed.

As for the town of Canet en Roussillon, it’s not for me. It’s divided into three very distinct parts being, the old town, the beach area and the marina.

I passed the marina on my way to the old town but there’s not much there other than some very beautiful (and expensive) sailing craft. There were a couple of absolutely gorgeous catamarans.

The old town of Canet en Roussillon is the most interesting part. It’s a small but busy little place with it’s two most prominent features being, the 14th century Church of Saint Jacques and a 14th century castle ruin known as the Viscount’s Castle (which was abandoned during the French Revolution). Both were closed during our visit but, to be fair, the holiday season here is almost over.

The beach area, a 2 kilometre walk from the old town, is a family holiday resort of mega proportions. In the holiday season it is all about swimming, sunbathing and water sports. Outside of the season, it is a massive empty Blue Flag Beach with numerous empty restaurant-bars souvenir shops – almost soulless. The irony is that I can’t imagine it being any better with crowds of people. The tourist website ‘FranceVoyage’ say everything you need to know about Canet en Roussillon when they conclude in their blog- “A slot machine arcade as well as restaurants, cafés and discos provide plenty of night-time entertainment”. Not for me, thanks.

Back to Le Brasilia. We’ve stayed at a few Yelloh sites during our travels (with the one at Chateau Lanniron near Quimper deserving special mention) and this one in Canet en Roussillon is as good as any we have stayed at not least because, even in low season, it continues to offer all the facilities normally available during high season (right up until the moment the site closed).

The chain prides itself on employing friendly helpful staff and this certainly proved the case all across this still lively 15 hectare site. I’ll not go into detail about all the facilities available at Le Brasilia (you can google that) but I should perhaps make special mention of the restaurant-bar which served a wide range of good, fairly priced food; the swimming pool complex with it’s selection of 5 different themed heated swimming pools (including a hydrotherapy pool) and; best of all, the facilities set aside for dogs which included dog runs, walking areas and a nearby dog friendly beach.

Nala and Beanie loved running around (hopping in Nala’s case) and playing on the large sandy beach (which meant Nala didn’t need her walking wheels and boots) although, Nala would be equally happy on a pebble beach where she can dive for the largest possible stones.

And in the evenings.. karaoke nights and a very competent Queen Tribute Band.

In the end we stayed for three nights until the campsite closed for winter (we were one of the last to check out) but if the place hadn’t been closing for winter, I think Vanya would have stayed on longer. The increasingly cold weather at night, however, reminded us that it would soon be time for us to return to the UK.

Footnote: I cannot imagine why (because I can see no similarity between the two towns) but Canet en Roussillon is twinned with Maynooth near where our son’s wedding was (and where we were just a few weeks ago). Now there’s a coincidence.

Argeles sur Mer (Occitan), France September 2024 (Tour 10)

I really like this part of France. We have been to the Vermillion Coast (la Cote Vermeille) a few times now; visiting Collioure, Banyuls sur Mer and, of course, little Saint Genis des Fontaines (where I buy my vin rouge de la maison).

Argeles sur Mer is not a town I have ever thought to visit before; largely because of it’s reputation as being one of the most popular holiday resorts on the south coast of France. It currently has a population of less than 11,000 and yet attracts more than 300,000 visitors every year. The town was busy even as I arrived during the middle of September although; a fairly stiff breeze was forcing the great majority of visitors off of the 7 kms blue flag beach and on to the Boulevard de la Mer which runs behind the beachfront buildings lining the promenade.

It took me about an hour to walk from Camping Le Dauphin into town and along the promenade to the harbour area.

*It would take a great many people to fill this beach*

The harbour area is more of a marina than a port; there being so many leisure craft docked there. It’s probably the most developed part of the town; lined as it is with restaurants, boutique shops and apartment blocks. There’s little on the seafront (and I include the harbour in this) to suggest the town was ever anything other than a tourist resort (except perhaps the few brightly coloured Lateen boats bobbing on the water) but, for all that, Argeles has not become a tacky tourist resort like so many. I quite like the place.

Carry on south beyond the harbour area and you will reach a small sandy cove edged by what were once fishermen’s cottages and/or temporary homes built by Spanish exiles. I don’t know which is true but they all now appear well tended and attractive. Behind them are some shops and a few small apartment blocks. This is the tiny hamlet of Racou and it seems a world apart from Argeles. It makes for a much quieter day on the beach too.

*A Tourist Office Photo of Racou which I could never reproduce*

There’s a path from Racou up to a viewpoint with views over Argeles. It connects too with the coastal path to Collioure. It was getting late and, much as I like the place, I had neither the time nor the energy to go on to Collioure. Instead I sought out Argeles’ old town and in particular L’Eglise Notre Dame del Prat (Our Lady of the Meadows).

The 14th century Eglise Notre Dame del Prat is situated at the heart of the old town on the Rue de la Republique. A narrow lane, Rue de la Solidarite, runs around the back of the church and the delightful little cottages that edge this lane, together with the buildings opposite the front entrance to the church, form a pretty little square which is home to a traditional market on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

The church is full of character and famous for it’s Catalan paintings of various saints but it was the altar which most caught my attention. It is truly stunning. The 14th century bell tower is also impressive. It is a listed historic monument and it is possible to ascend the tower but only with an official guide at prescribed times. I missed out on that one.

*Part of the square formed by cottages on Rue de la Sokidarite*

It was at least a 3 mile walk back to our camp site (Camping Le Dauphin) but I made it in time for pre dinner drinks with Vanya. Camping Le Dauphin is an excellent 5 star campsite by the way that didn’t charge silly money (we paid an off season price of just 26 euros for a plot with private showers, etc). It is an excellent stop over place but a bit too far out of town for Nala (and probably Vanya too).

Would I return to Argeles? Yes, provided it was out of season and; given more time, I would be keen to undertake the 8km walk up to the Tour de la Massane for it’s views of one of the prettiest coastlines in the south of France.