DJmotortouring – Page 4 – EUROPE BY ROAD (and other travel blogs)

Montreux (Vaud), Switzerland September 2024 (Tour 10)

The good weather was set to hold for another half a day and we had a choice of visiting either Lausanne or Montreux. The camp site owner was in no doubt – it had to be Montreux by a country mile.

We took the train from Cully along the shoreline to Montreux with free return rail tickets provided by the campsite. It seems there is a system here (The Lavaux Transport Card) whereby tourists staying in approved accommodation qualify for free local train tickets for each day of their stay. The campsite owner simply issued us with vouchers (one each for Nala and Beanie too) and we were off.

If our journey along the north bank of Lake Geneva to Montreux is anything to go by, the rail system in Switzerland is excellent. It is public transport at it’s best or is it that I am so disillusioned by everything to do with the UK’s rubbish service? There are Panoramic and Belle Epoque trains operating on this route but we caught one of the regular double deck trains. Everything about our journey to and from Montreux was on point. The service was frequent, punctual and efficient. The trains (and stations for that matter) are clean and spacious and, best of all, is the consideration given to disabled travellers (and dogs like Nala in her walking wheels). Oh, and if that wasn’t enough, the views from the train were spectacular.

With the latest weather forecasts predicting heavy rain during the course of the afternoon, we were only ever going to have time to see Montreux; which is a shame, because we were also keen to visit some of the villages that our train paused at on it’s journey to Montreaux. Saint Saphorin, in particular, looked worth visiting and Vevey, of course, was home to Charlie Chaplin for many years.

We’d been told that a walk along the promenade in Montreux is an absolute must when visiting the town, not least because of the marvellous views out across the lake, and that was to be our first goal. From the railway station we headed down through the town to the Quai Edouard Jaccoud and; then followed it eastwards through the Quai de la Rouvenaz (with it’s Freddy Mercury statue) and; the Quai Ernest-Ansermet (with it’s statue of Les Amoreux) and; on to the Quai des Fleurs (with it’s Casino Barriere and many different annuals – 330,000 flowers are embedded along the Quai des Fleurs every year) and; finally, through to the Via Francigena (with it’s excellent views of the Chateau de Chillon). We’d been warned not to enter the castle, on account of it being ridiculously overpriced, but we were ready for a cup of coffee anyway and so retraced our steps to the Casino Barriere de Montreux.

Vanya wanted to see Queen’s old recording studios (Mountain Studios) which were incorporated in the casino building when it was rebuilt following the 1971 fire. Freddie Mercury had an apartment overlooking the Quai des Fleurs and he encouraged the band to invest in the recording studio. They bought it in 1979 and kept it until after his death, when Queen’s producer, David Richards, took it on. After Richard’s death in 2013 it was converted into a museum exhibition known as “Queen – The Studio”. Vanya was enthralled by the exhibition and subsequently spent the time it took me to drink two cups of coffee regaling me with anecdotes about the place. Amongst other things I learned, Queen produced 7 albums there and; other recording artists who used the facility included David Bowie, Brian Ferry, the Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Phil Collins and Michael Jackson. The list goes on and on.

You’ll have to speak directly to Vanya about the anecdotes. I’ll leave you with a few photos of our time in Montreux.

*Heading off down the Quai Edouard Jaccoud*

Montreux is a really charming town and well worth a visit if only to walk the promenade and soak in the views across Lake Geneva. Yes, there are a great many tourists but, so what? Just enjoy the place.

Heavy rain curtailed our visit to Montreux. When it continued through the next day and was forecast to get even worse, we made the decision to drive on into the south of France and Spain if necessary. We wanted more sunshine.

We missed out on Lausanne and Saint Saphorin and Vevey and some of the higher villages (Grandvaux and Chexbres) but, we’ll be back!

Cully (Vaud), Switzerland September 2024 (Tour 10)

Cully (pronounced Coo-Eee) is a tiny little wine village on Lake Geneva in the French speaking Vaud Canton. It is almost halfway between Lausanne and Montreux and it proved a wonderful place to stay on account of it’s having all the facilities we needed (including an excellent campsite and a choice of restaurants) and it’s close proximity and good travel connections to Lausanne, Montreux and numerous local towns and villages in the Lavaux.

Switzerland’s Lavaux region is home to the country’s celebrated Chasselas vines and the terraces on which the vines grow almost monopolise Lake Geneva’s northern shoreline for a 7 mile stretch between Saint Saphorin and Lutry (and passing through Cully). The terraces have been awarded UNESCO World Heritage Site status.

After the disappointment of Aarburg, our first sight of Cully as we drove down to the village from the E62 was so very encouraging. The rain which followed us along the Swiss motorways for most of the morning had abated and the sun was shining. We drove slowly through Chexbres (our attention divided between the contents of this pretty little village and it’s wonderful views over Lake Geneva) and then slower still through Epesses (as alluring as Chexbres but with considerably narrower streets and an abundance of busy tractors) and then we entered Cully and our spirits soared.

Our campsite (Camping de Moratel) isn’t cheap, even out of season, but it is almost perfect, even having it’s own marina and beach on the lake (Plage de Moratel). For what remained of that first afternoon, we were content to chill and within minutes of parking the Van up on a great pitch with views over Lake Geneva, we were sitting in the sunshine with a glass of cold bubbly to hand.

After a while I felt sufficiently refreshed to scout out a bar or restaurant for the evening. There is a surprising amount of choice for such a small village; probably on account of the CGN Boat Cruises stopping at Cully throughout the day and; of course, the Lavaux Vineyard Hike passes directly through the village. I reserved a table at the Cafe de la Post; there being plenty on the menu to satisfy Vanya’s palate and mine and because they were quite happy for us to bring our two dogs into the restaurant.

Thereafter I completed a thorough tour of the village, including a visit to the railway station to check the next day’s train timetable for Montreux. The campsite owner had convinced us that Montreux was a far better choice than Lausanne for a day out and who are we to argue with the locals?

So, having organised dinner and ascertained train times to and from Montreux, it was time to relax again. Indeed, it was time to sample the local wine. There are numerous wineries in the village, mostly very small affairs (almost cottage industry establishments) but I sought out one of the larger producers because of the greater choice of wines. I found the perfect establishment in “Les Freres Dubois”. They are based in neighbouring Epesses but have a wine shop in Cully. The shop manager recommended a glass of ‘Braise d’Enfer’. I’m not sure I agree with Falstaff’s assessment of the wine -“Full-bodied, yet extremely delicate on the palate, with subtle acidity and yellow fruits. Long, salty and mineral finish” – but it was very tasty. I hope that the Cafe de la Poste hold that wine.

A few photos of the village:-

The food and the welcome at the Cafe de la Poste later that evening was great. Vanya started with a charcuterie followed by a cheese fondue; the fondue being made made with Vacherin Friebourgeois which, we learned, is an endangered cheese because only a handful of artisan cheesemakers know how to make it. It did taste good. I chose some huge snails as a starter; followed by a Gambas au Tandoori, poivrons et oignons riz. Delicious. The white wines we tried with the dinner were not up to the standard of the “Braise d’Enfer” that I had enjoyed at Les Freres Dubois but they kept us happy…

… and tomorrow, Montreux.

Aarburg (Aargau), Switzerland September 2024 (Tour 10)

We drove into Switzerland today in search of better weather. Our entry wasn’t without issues at the Swiss border since we had inadvertently bought the wrong vignette (to drive on the Swiss motorways) over the internet. It took almost an hour to sort but we made it in the end.

Vanya had found us a campsite (Camping Wiggerspitz) in the small town of Aarburg which has, we were informed, a spectacular 12th century castle – one of the largest and most impressive in Switzerland. Unfortunately , what should have been a three hour drive to Aarburg became a five hour trial because of the delay with the vignette, traffic congestion around Zurich and wet weather but, again, we made it in the end… and the castle does look awesome.

Sadly, it is not open to the public… well, not unless you are under a certain age and have committed some misdemeanour… it’s now a borstal! We went for a wander around the town anyway and so that I could visit the tidy looking Reform Church which stands in front of the prison. Of course the church was also shut. So too were all the local cafe-bars. Ever felt that circumstances were conspiring against you?

Feeling somewhat deflated with the town I googled Aarburg after returning to the Van. There are a handful of blogs singing the praises of the town but take away the castle and the church and, honestly, there is little else. Sorry, but Aarburg is one of those places you might pause at for a cup of tea and to admire the view of the church and castle from across the Aare River but, otherwise… we’re heading for Lausanne and/or Montreux.

Tubingen (Baden-Wurttemberg), Germany September 2024 (Tour 10)

We very much enjoyed Marburg and were reluctant to leave but, the weather forecast across Germany (and almost all of northern Europe) was so bad that we thought it best to make our way south west into France or even Spain. We chose to go by way of another scenic university city, Tubingen in Swabia. This city is purportedly one of Germany’s sunniest spots although you wouldn’t believe it while we were there. In fact, I’m thinking we should have driven even further west because I was absolutely drenched whilst wandering the city centre.

Tubingen straddles the River Neckar and a part of my walk into the city from the campsite took me on to the Neckarinsel. This artificial island is about three quarters of a mile long and a path lined with 200 year old Plane trees (the Platanenallee) runs it’s length to the Eberhardsbrucke in the city centre. This route along the island provides some fine views of the colourful 15th and 16th century buildings lining the Neckar. The most impressive views however are from the bridge or, better still, from a Stockerkahn which is a flat bottom boat not unlike the punts to be found on the River Cam in Cambridge. The Stockerkahn is propelled in the same way as a punt too.

*A view along the Neckar from the Eberhardsbrucke*

*The River Neckar complete with a Stockerkhan* *and the Zwingel Wall*

A staircase at the end of the island leads up on to the Eberhardsbrucke (which bridge is named in honour of Count Eberhard V who started the city’s university in 1477) and from there one can enter the old town via the Neckargasse or along a narrow path by the Zwingel Wall. I walked both routes during my short time in the city.

Before I forget, there’s a large birdhouse at the foot of the staircase which intrigued me. I learned that it serves to help control the city’s pigeon population which is as great a problem in Tubingen as in any other European city. When the pigeons nest in the birdhouse, city workers replace their eggs with plaster ones. This may not be one of the most successful methods of controlling pigeon numbers but it is perhaps one of the more humane.

Once up on the bridge I made my way to the 15th century Collegiate Church of Saint George (known more commonly as the Stiftskirche) which is on the Holzmarkt. This is another church which converted to Protestantism, the first Protestant service being held in the church during 1534. My primary reason for heading there was to take advantage of the supposedly good views from it’s belltower but, it wasn’t to be. The belltower was closed for the day but, no matter, the Stiftskirche is a beautiful and interesting church.

One detail I noticed about the church’s choir is that the carving of Moses shows him with horns on his head, much like a devil. I didn’t know this until today but it seems a great many images of Moses from the Middle Ages portray him with horns. It is not absolutely clear how this came about but it is suspected the horns were added to discredit him at a time when Christians and Jews were in conflict.

*Collegiate Church of Saint George (Stiftskirche)*

The Holzmarkt is adjacent to the Marktplatz and this market square has to be the focal point of the city with it’s more than impressive town hall (the Rathaus), Neptune’s Fountain (Neptunbrunnen) and the square’s many multifloored 15th and 16th century buildings. Tubingen escaped the heavy bombing which saw so many places devastated during World War II (only one bomb is recorded as having landed on the city) and it’s medieval centre is almost perfectly preserved.

The colourful Rathaus takes pride of place with it’s ornate astronomical clock and it’s tiny, flower covered balcony which comes into it’s own during civil wedding services when the newly married couple are encouraged to take their first kiss as husband and wife on the balcony in front of a cheering crowd.

And then it began to rain, softly at first…

Despite the rain I continued with my walk around this colourful little city; admiring the abundance of flowers and some very good street art (there was a lot of not so nice grafitti too – just awful scribble) and; visiting a couple more churches too but then the heavens really opened.

It was a cloudburst, a deluge, and I was well and truly caught in it. I was drenched. I found shelter for a while in a cafe (over coffee and apfelkuchen) but the rain wouldn’t let up and as time dragged on I felt obliged to try and make my way back to the Van. I started skipping (prancing is perhaps a more accurate description) from one door to another. It was slow progress… and then I noticed the Stolpersteine… more of Gunter Demnig’s work… small memorial plaques laid in the pavement in front of the former homes of victims of the Nazis… and my progress became slower still.

I made it back to the Van a while later. The bad weather stopped me searching out other stolpersteine and all the forecasts suggest it will continue to rain for the next few days.

It was time to move on. I missed out on the Hohentubingen Castle with it’s Renaissance style lower gate (the Unteres Schloss Tor), the Eberhard Karls University, the Wurmlinger Chapel and who knows what else but; I suspect I will return to Tubingen.

Marburg (Hesse), Germany September 2024 (Tour 10)

I’d never heard of Marburg until we started looking for a place to overnight while on our way to Quedlingburg. We came for one day, stayed 4 and forgot all about Quedlingburg. That says it all. It’s a quintessential German city, full of character and points of interest and it’s beautiful. Moreover, during our visit we didn’t see or hear a single tourist. I guess not many other people have heard of the place either.

My initial exploration of the city commenced with a walk up through the Oberstadt to the Landgrafen Palace (the Landgrafenschloss) which towers over Marburg. It was a hot walk with the promised sun, that we’ve been chasing since leaving England, raising the local temperature to at least 30 degrees centigrade. The walk up was steep, through mostly narrow cobbled streets and even narrower lanes lined with colombage houses. Given how hot it was I was content to wander the castle grounds and view the outside of what is now, for the most part, a museum.

*A painting of the Landgrafenschloss towering over Marburg*

While walking to and from the palace I was intrigued by various interesting fairy tale features which adorn the route. They are a nod to the Brothers Grimm, Jacob and Wilhelm, who attended Philipps University in Marburg during the period 1802 to 1806. There are a number of these features dotted around the city and it is possible to obtain a map showing their whereabouts from the local tourist office. I didn’t have a copy of the map (I think it is called the Grimm Trail) but, even so, I stumbled across Cinderella’s shoe; the magic mirror from Snow White and the Seven Dwarves; the Frog Prince from the fairy tale of the same name; seven flies from the Brave Little Tailor and; a series of statues representing the Wolf and the Seven Kids.

If it wasn’t so hot and if there weren’t quite so many steps in Marburg, I’m sure I would have stumbled upon more of the fairy tale features but, I needed a beer and so made my way back to the city’s Marktplatz where I’d previously noticed a bar selling Veltins, a Pilsner I had very much enjoyed at a beer festival in Mainz a couple of years ago.

The Marktplatz, with it’s red sandstone Rathaus (City Hall) and the Saint George Fountain (so named because the fountain is topped by a statue of St George killing his dragon), is one of the prettier parts of Marburg and a popular meeting place among the city’s large student population. The 450+ year old Rathaus is by far the most picturesque building on the square. It is nothing less than splendid.

In a corner close to the Rathaus is a statue of Sophie of Brabant holding her son, Henry. Sophie was the daughter of the city’s most famous personage, Elizabeth of Thuringia (more about her later), and it was in this square during the War of the Thuringian Succession that Sophie proclaimed her son Henry the Landgrave of the independent territory of Hesse.

Marburg is a long established university city with a young age profile (23,500 of the 73,000 population are students) and the Marktplatz reflects that. It is very much a meeting place with it’s numerous cafes, bars and restaurants. I sat on the square nursing a couple of beers for a thoroughly enjoyable hour just watching the world go by and listening to a couple of buskers. They were good.

Vanya and I returned to the town later in the day to take dinner on the square but the buskers I had so much enjoyed earlier in the day were gone and in their place was an absolutely atrocious soul singer. Despite the lovely setting and the okay meal, I couldn’t get off the square quick enough but; we promised ourselves we would return the following night (and we did, with our friends Craig and Julie who arrived in Marburg that same day).

A little bit about two of the city’s more remarkable churches; the Lutheran Parish Church and the Elisabethkirche. The Elisabethkirche is the most impressive of the two but it was the Lutheran Parish Church (also known as the Marienkirche – Saint Mary’s in English) which captured my attention.

The Marienkirche is the slightly older of the two churches dating back to 1222 (compared to 1235 for the Elisabethkirche) but in 1527 the then Landgrave Philip the Magnaminous declared it to be the Protestant Parish Church of Marburg. It was to be the first Protestant church in Hesse and subsequently became known as the Lutheran Parish Church. However, it is not the church’s history which charmed me during my visit nor even it’s very obvious leaning spire. It was a young string ensemble practising Bach in readiness for weekend concert in the church. They were tremendous. It seems the church is well known for it’s acoustics and I note that the Bach evening will be followed by a soprano singer (Miriam Feuersinger) and, in October, a ‘Night of the Choirs’ which will see a minimum 15 choirs performing 20 minute sets. That’s with free admission too and such events will be something I will be checking out during any future visits to Marburg.

In contrast, the Elisabethkirche proved a total letdown as this most beautiful and historically interesting church was mostly closed for restoration purposes. This church was built to celebrate the short life of the Landgravine Elisabeth of Thuringia. She died in 1231 at the age of 24 but achieved enough in that short life to be sanctified by the Catholic Church just 4 years later. The church was built alongside a hospital (there’s little left of that now) which she created for the area’s sick and poor. Her relics are interred in a tomb in the church which is supposedly a masterpiece of intricate carving and medieval goldsmithing. Another particularly interesting feature of the church is the beautiful stained glass window depicting scenes from Elisabeth’s life. Created in 1957 it is considered to be one of the most celebrated modern stained glass windows in Germany.

Another interesting building just opposite from the front entrance of the Elisabethkirche is a small chapel, Saint Michael’s Kappelle. This chapel was commissioned by the Teutonic Order of Knights in 1270 to celebrate the lives of numerous pilgrims who, after coming to Marburg ill and hoping to be saved by Saint Elisabeth, died in the city and needed to be buried. The graveyard where these pilgrims are buried surrounds the chapel and it was used until about 1530 when Marburg turned Protestant.

Talking of hospitals, shortly after arriving in Marburg I was interested to learn that between 1943 and 1945 (during World War II), the whole city became a hospital. It was decided that all government buildings near to a hospital or doctor’s surgery were to become hospital wards for wounded German soldiers and as many as 20,000 soldiers were held in these wards at any given time. Consequently, the city wasn’t bombed by the allies.

Well, that’ll do for now except to say that (a) we will definitely return to Marburg and (b) our stay was very much enhanced through our staying at a quite excellent campsite on the banks of the River Lahn (just 20 minutes walk from the city along an excellent cycle path) – the Campsite Lahnaue.

*And there’s the Frog Prince. Which one I hear you ask.*

Monschau (Nordrhein-Westfalen), Germany September 2024 (Tour 10)

Sometimes referred to as the Pearl of the Eifel Nature Reserve, Monschau is a small fairy tale town on the banks of the River Rur (not to be confused with the Ruhr). Of course it is very much a tourist town (complete with tourist train and American accents) but it is picturesque and, being almost halfway between Tournai and Marburg, it was the perfect spot for us to break our journey.

After registering at a (very expensive) campsite outside the town, we made our way to the town centre in the Van and parked on Herbert Isaac Strasse outside the Handwerkmarkt. It is a quick and easy walk from there into the Altstadt although, in truth, almost all of Monschau could be described as Altstadt. We had it in mind to explore the centre first and then grab a bite to eat before walking the Panorama Weg (more about that later) and finishing inside the Handwerkmarket – and that is precisely what we did. The fact is, Monschau is a very small town and you really don’t need more than half a day to see it. If the weather was better we might have stayed a little longer but rain was forecast.

Monschau dates back to at least the 1100s. However, its heyday was during the 17th to 18th century when it had a thriving textile industry. Thereafter the town’s prosperity went into decline but it has been well preserved and it looks very much as it did some 250 years ago. Tourism is now it’s only source of income.

The town is replete with narrow winding cobbled streets lined by more than 200 historically listed houses; the vast majority of which are 18th century half timbered properties. Those on the banks of the Rur make for an especially pretty sight.

After a quick exploration of the town taking in the Catholic and Evangelical Churches and the Rotes Haus (an interesting and impressive fully furnished Mansion House built by a successful local merchant which perfectly reflects bourgeois living in the 18th century), we settled down for a late brunch at a cafe on the market place. Well, I had something to eat (and the obligatory beer) while Vanya simply went for her favourite Spaghettieis (although she wasn’t all that impressed with this particular offering).

The two churches surprised me. It is invariably the Roman Catholic rather than the Protestant churches which are the more sumptuously furnished. It is not so in Monschau. There’s a simple richness in the decor and furnishings of the Evangelical church that reflects the success of the local merchants at the time the church was opened (1810) and/but which is missing from the Catholic church.

Before setting off for the Handwerkmarkt which Vanya was keen to see, I took a quick walk up and around what is known locally as the Panorama Weg. It’s a short 1.5 mile walk which loops around the outside of the town and offers some fine views of both the town and the town castle (Burg Monschau). Don’t believe those who tell you that there are some excellent views of the town from the castle. The best views are to be found walking the Panorama Weg and it is an easy little walk.

As for the 13th century Burg Monschau; it isn’t much of a place. It has some pretty gardens but most of the castle is given over to use as a youth hostel.

And so to the Handwerkmarkt. It’s a large and impressive handicraft market with the added attractions of a splendid glass store (complete with on site glass blowing) and a striking sand sculpture exhibition. I suspect it was established by local merchants so as to capitalise from the many tourists drawn to this very pretty town and, if so, good luck to them. It is worth an hour or two of anyone’s time (especially if it’s raining – and, by the time we got there, it was raining). There’s a small charge for entry into the sand sculptures (understandable – the sculptors have to make a living) and an even smaller charge if you want to try glass blowing but, otherwise, entrance is free.

Overall, we enjoyed our short excursion into Monschau and had it not started raining, I believe we would have stayed longer.

Our next stop is Marburg in the Hesse Region of Germany and I for one am looking forward to that.

Tournai (Wallonia), Belgium September 2024 (Tour 10)

Tour 10 didn’t get off to the best possible start with the tail end of a storm out in the Atlantic hitting northern Europe just as we were leaving Brighton. Heavy rain followed us all around the M23, M25 and M20 to Dover and, while it paused for our ferry crossing, it resumed as we docked in Calais. Unfortunately, the weather oulook across most of northern Europe for the next few days is bad. Anyone who follows our tours in the Van will know that we follow the sun and for once we were unsure as to which way to turn. It would be a dash down through France to Spain (which we did earlier this year) or through the Benelux countries to central Germany (where Marburg is currently enjoying 30 degrees centigrade). We decided in favour of Germany, not least because we have friends touring there at the moment and I’ve long wanted to visit Marburg.

On this first day of Tour 10 we decided to keep driving until it stopped raining and so it was that we arrived in the French speaking town of Tournai, some 50 miles south west of Brussels. We arrived late in the afternoon which rather limited my initial tour of the city because most public buildings had closed for the day but, no matter, there was still plenty to see and, anyway, Vanya was more concerned that I find us somewhere to eat that night.

It took me 25 minutes to walk to from our camp site (Camping L’Orient) to the triangular shaped ‘Grand Place’ which was once the site of a large Gallo-Roman cemetery but now serves as the city’s main square and is clearly the centre of activity with it’s many bars and restaurants. Sadly, the “square’s” focal point, the 72 metre high 12th century Gothic style Belfry (the tallest of it’s kind in Belgium), was closed. This was frustrating as the tower would have provided some great views over the city. Timing is everything.

No matter. There is plenty else of interest on the Grand Place. Leaving aside the numerous examples of colouful Flemish architecture (Tournai is very close to Flanders Region), there is the 13th century Roman Catholic church of Saint Quentin; the Halle aux Draps (the Cloth Hall) with it’s beautiful gilt detailed facade; a series of fountains and; an imposing bronze statue of the Princess of Epinoy, Christina Van Lalaing, a Calvanist who led a brave but ultimately futile defence of the city against Spanish Catholic invaders in 1581. More than anything, the square is a great place to sit with a Belgian beer or two and people watch.

*Grand Place with the Belfry taking centre stage*

I was tempted to stop on the square for a quick beer but thought better of it. I needed to find a decent restaurant for the evening and; while the Grand Place has plenty of these, our German Shepherd, Nala, is handicapped and would find it difficult to negotiate the footbridges over L’Escault (the River Scheldt in Flemish) in her ‘walking-wheels’. I needed to find something on the other side of the river, closer to the campsite.

I headed back towards the river, pausing at the UNESCO World Heritage listed Cathedral of Our Lady of Tournai on my way. This beautiful 12th century Gothic style cathedral, with no less than 5 huge towers and a stunning 7 metre diameter stained glass rose window, was substantially damaged in 1999 by, of all things, a tornado. It has been claimed that this exceptionally unusual weather phenomenen caused 100 years of damage overnight. Small wonder that one whole side of the cathedral is still covered in scaffolding. I couldn’t gain entry, because the cathedral closes in the summer months at 17.15, and so took time to admire the bronze statue outside the cathedral of some blind pilgrims (Les Aveugles). I subsequently learned this striking monument was created by Guillaume Charlier in 1906. I’d never hear of him before but the detail on that statue is amazing.

From the cathedral I walked down to L’Escault and then along past what until 2003 was a ‘Redemptorist’ church to the Pont des Trous. I haven’t been able to determine what the old church building is used for these days but, not having heard of the Redemptorists, I did check them out. They are a Catholic congregation committed to missionary work which was founded in the 18th century by a certain Alphonsus Liguouri (canonised in 1839). You want to know more, you’ll have to look it up yourself but, he seems to have been an all round good egg.

The Pont des Trous is a 13th century bridge which was originally part of Tournai’s defensive walls. It’s quite photogenic but it wouldn’t do to get Nala across the river in her walking wheels. There is a road bridge further along which she would be able to navigate but, following this route, the journey from the campsite would be too much for her. We would be eating in the Van this night.

I took the obligatory photographs of the Pont des Trous and then made my way back to the campsite. There’s no doubt that I missed out on Tournai through arriving so late (I would have liked to visit the Hotel de Ville de Tournai, which occupies part of the former 11th century Benedictine Abbey of Saint Martin, and a number of other ecclesiastical buildings including the Eglise St Jacques and L’Eglise Saint Brice). There’s a lot of history there. Next time perhaps, weather permitting.

Poix de Picardie (Hauts de France), France June 2024 (Tour 9)

And so to Poix de Picardie in the Somme Department of Hauts de France. We elected to stop in Poix de Picardie (almost half way between Pont-Audemer and Calais) because it has a town centre campsite and we hoped to find a bar in the town where we could watch England’s next game (against Slovakia) in the European Championships. It took us about 1.45 hours to complete the drive to Poix.

I should have known better. I had forgotten it was a Sunday and Poix de Picardie, in common with the rest of France, was closed. I checked all around the town but nothing was open. Indeed, I barely saw anyone out and about. We’d have to watch the football match on Vanya’s Ipad back at the campsite.

There’s not much to the town. The large town square (Place de la Republique) has a couple of bars and a sizeable hotel-restaurant (Le Cardinal) but, as mentioned before, everything was closed.

*The War Memorial on Place de la Republic…*

The town’s most interesting feature is, without any doubt, it’s 16th century church (L’Eglise Saint Denis). There was an earlier church on the same site but it was burned, along with the rest of the town, by Edward III’s army just days before the Battle of Crecy (1346). The church was subsequently rebuilt but then destroyed again in 1472 by Charles the Bold.

The existing 16th century church suffered damage early in the 18th century from floods and fire and again towards the end of that century (during the French Revolution) when it was turned first into a warehouse and then a stable. Early in World War II it escaped serious damage when much of the town was heavily bombed by the Luftwaffe.

Talking of WWII, there is a Commonwealth War Graves plot outside the west door of the church. It holds the bodies of 149 allied aircrew who crashed or were shot down in the area during the war and there is a memorial commemorating a further 4 pilots whose remains have not been found. It is sobering to see how young so many of the airmen were when they were killed.

Well that’s it. Tour 9 has come to an end. Next stop Calais and the ferry back to England. We hope to be back early in September. Fingers crossed.

Footnote: In case you are interested, England scored two goals against Slovakia during injury time (after being a goal down for much of the match). They are through to the next round but they will have to play much better to win this competition. Don’t hold your breath.

Pont-Audemer (Normandy), France June 2024 (Tour 9)

It took no more than an hour or so to drive south from Yport to the small town of Pont-Audemer and the Belle Isle sur Risle Chateau Hotel & Spa.

Vanya had booked us into the hotel for my birthday and, having been told to do nothing other than relax during our stay, I decided against taking anything other than a very short walk around the town. I cannot therefore tell you much about the place. I know it dates back to the 8th century when it was known as Duos Pontes (Two Bridges) and that it suffered horribly during the 100 Years War (but didn’t just about everywhere in the north of France?). I know too that the town reached it’s heydey during the 18th century, after an influx of English artisans helped revolutionise the local tanning and papermaking industries but; both of those industries have long since failed and the town is now trying to reinvent itself on the back of tourism. I learned all that from ‘plusbeauxdetours.com’.

Parts of Pont-Audemer are very picturesque; especially down by the canals where there is a mix of half timbered houses and some elegant town houses but; during my admittedly short walk I saw little else of interest and there is considerable competition in the tourism sector. Pont-Audemer will not find it an easy sector in which to establish itself.

Having said that, the very welcoming Belle Isle sur Risle Chateau Hotel & Spa attracted us to the town and could quite easily do so again. It proved a very relaxing hotel, reasonably well placed for travel around Normandy and it has a first rate restaurant.

The town rather grandly describes itself as the Venice of Normandy (which really does stretch the imagination) but, in keeping with that portrayal, the hotel is built on an island in the middle of the River Risle. It sits in 5 acres of mature woods and the gardens are quite beautiful. They were planned by the celebrated 19th century horticulteralist, landscape architect and Andean adventurer, Edouard Andre, who designed city parks all around the world, including such places as Monte Carlo, Montevideo, Paris (Les Tuileries) and Liverpool (Sefton Park).

The hotel itself comprises the main building (built in 1856) and a remodelled orangery which together contain 28 rooms and/or suites. We were given a large ensuite room in the former orangery which is described in the hotel brochure as being ‘of hushed elegance’. With it’s art deco furniture, thick carpets, floral curtains and luxury bedding, etc, Vanya and I would describe it as being ‘shabby chic’ but we would mean that in a most complimentary way. The hotel is spotlessly clean, very comfortable and wholly calming.

The spa facilities include an outdoor pool, an indoor pleasure pool, two jacuzzis, a hammam (a type of steam bath), a sauna, a massage room and a fitness room. What else do you need? Regrettably, because of my damaged hand (see Yport blog if you have an unhealthy fascination in injury), I was unable to take advantage of any of those particular facilities but Vanya did while I sat and sipped a large gin & tonic and perused the evening’s menu.

*A detail within the beauti*ful *gardens*

To my mind, Gault & Millau (with their “Yellow Guide” and “Nouvelle Cuisine 10 Commandments”) are as much a reference for gastronomy and hospitality in France as Michelin are. I was delighted therefore to see read that the hotel, it’s restaurant and it’s chef are recognised by Gault & Millau.

Our dinner that evening is best described as a total experience. Everything about the event was perfect. The superb food took centre stage but all other aspects of the occasion had clearly been given considerable thought; from the elegant restaurant setting through all aspects of the friendly and attentive service, the exquisite food & wine and the luxurious and yet comforting ambiance. We couldn’t see the resident pianist from our table but, my goodness, he played well.

For food we chose from the recommended 6 course gourmet meal, which without wine cost 76 Euros per head. The hotel’s wine selection was extensive. At first glance it was also very expensive (starting at 15 Euros a glass for the house white and rising to 4,750 Euros for a bottle of 1959 Chateau Petrus) but, there’s no denying the quality. We gave the Chateau Petrus a miss but we didn’t stint on the wine.

The food was in keeping with the aforementioned 10 commandments – home made bread (baked fresh in the hotel); home made duck foie gras; fresh stir-fried scallops & chorizo (served with samphire & a rich potato puree); a homemade Granite de Pommeau (that’s peach/honey flavour with champagne); a cotriade de poisons for Vanya and a Filet de Boeuf Francaise for me (and the meat was the best ever); four fromage Normands and; I finished with a Pineapple Charlotte topped with a raspberry & mango sauce while Vanya finished with a black chocolate palet covered in all sorts. The chef, Armand Malandain, did not disappoint. The meal ranks among our most memorable.

We would like to have stayed on at the hotel but our ferry back to the UK was booked for the next day and I wanted to overnight somewhere closer to Calais. We’d spend one more night in France at Poix de Picardie.

Postscript: Still on the subject of food; you can’t go to Pont-Audemer without tasting the famous Mirliton or Kazoo. It’s a biscuit roll filled with praline cream and closed at both ends with a small chocolate cap. It looks and tastes delightful.

Yport (Normandy), France June 2024 (Tour 9)

We arrived in Fecamp in order that the vet could do the necessary with Nala and Beanie to facilitate their return to the UK. Within an hour of arriving we had parked up, seen the vet, had coffee and a pastry for breakfast and were en route to Yport, stopping at a supermarket for Vanya on the way (Vanya will always find room in the Van for a few more bottles of Cremant). We like Fecamp but it is fast becoming a bitter sweet place to visit since, more often than not, it heralds the end of a tour.

Better news is that we had pre-booked a place at our usual campsite in Yport and, best of all, had secured a table for dinner at our favourite restaurant in the town and one of our favourites in Normandy – Le Nautique.

Dinner was a few hours away and so, after parking up at the campsite, I strolled off into Yport, leaving Vanya to sunbathe. She wants a suntan before Iain’s & Orla’s wedding in August and I wanted some sea air.

Yport has barely changed since we were last there. I say ‘barely’ because I did notice one difference in the church. The votive (model ship) which used to hang over the altar now sits amongst various others along the far side of the church. Isn’t it sad when you notice that kind of detail? Hey, no matter. Yport is a great place to chill.

Yport is also a great place to eat. There aren’t many restaurants or cafes in the town but they are all okay and, if you like fish (especially mussels), Le Nautique is outstanding. They love dogs there and the patron chef went out of his way once again to personally find a table for us in our preferred space at the back of the restaurant and cleared a space for Nala and her wheels. He couldn’t have been more accommodating. The welcome, the service, the food & drink and, most important, the concern he showed throughout our repast made for another unforgettable visit.

Vanya particularly likes the mussels at Le Nautique but we were a little concerned that it would be too early in the season for them. We needn’t have worried. They wouldn’t serve them if they weren’t first class. We do love the Nautique.

The next day saw me down at the beach again but this visit didn’t go too well. Would you believe that skimming stones over the waves nearly cost me a finger? I would never have believe that rock could be so sharp. I threw a piece of flint and as it left my hand it literally ripped open the length of my index finger. It was a wide, deep and long cut and boy did it bleed. I’ll not go into any more detail except to say that I couldn’t get any treatment locally. Yport is a very quiet little town. The only place open that particular afternoon was the tourist information office and the lady there couldn’t contact the local doctor, nor the chemist. Moreover she was frightened to death of blood. Fortunately, I keep a fairly comprehensive medical kit in the Van and I was able to sort things myself.

Enough of that. It was my birthday and we were booked into a quite exceptional little hotel a few miles down the road at Pont Odemeyer.