We parked up at Flower Camping Conleau just outside of Vannes for a couple of days. Flower is not a bad campsite chain and staying in Conleau allowed us to both take advantage of the Region’s good weather and visit Vannes.
Conleau on the Gulf of Morbihan (Gulfe du Morbihan) is one of Europe’s, if not the world’s, most beautiful bays. ‘Mor bihan’ is Breton for ‘little sea’. It is separated from the Atlantic Ocean by a one kilometre wide bottleneck and yet covers an area of about 100 square kilometres (between Vannes and Auray to the north and Arzon and Sarzeau to the south). In different circumstances we would have stayed longer and taken a boat trip around the forty or so islands and islets which fill the bay. The Gulf is a listed Regional Nature Park and the whole area is beautiful.
The mouth of the River Vincin from the Conleau Peninsuls
After checking out the small peninsula next to the campsite for a suitable bar or restaurant for the evening (easy – there are only two and one had shut down because of Covid), I paused to watch a game of Palet Breton that four local guys were playing. The game is played with contestants taking turns to throw cast iron palets (discs), from a distance of 5 metres, at a maitre or jack which sits on a poplar board (measuring 70 cms x 70 cms). The individual or team getting closest to the maitre wins the round and receives one point for every palet which is closer to the maitre than their opponent(s). First to 12 points wins the match. This is not an easy game to play but these guys were seriously good, hardly ever missing the board. Could be a great lockdown game.
Palet Breton being played on the peninsula – these guys were good
Having been suitably impressed by the Palet Breton players I decided to work up a thirst with a long walk. The area is full of walks and the one I chose took me through some beautiful marshland along the banks of the River Vincin almost all the way into Vannes (and back). This is an area of incredible natural beauty full of assorted plant and animal life, especially birds.
The tide was out as I set off on my walk but soon turned
This is a birdwatchers paradise and there are a couple of these hides along the banks of the Vincin
That evening we enjoyed a couple of drinks at the restaurant I found earlier in the day but we didn’t eat there – they had run out of oysters! No matter, we drank and reserved a table for the next evening, leaving specific instructions with the “Maitre D” to keep some of the local oysters back for me.
The journey south through the Picos de Europa was full of beautiful views (mountains, gorges, rivers & forests) all wasted on Vanya. She really cannot cope with hairpin mountain roads and even the entrance to our campsite included a steep winding ascent (although nothing like the ascent at Lekeitio).
However, upon arrival and seeing the views from our spot in the camp site she began to change her mind about mountain views. The view down over Riano with the reservoir and mountain range behind it is as picturesque as anything we have seen. We immediately decided to stay at least two nights.
That’s the view of Riano from where we were parked – the first photo was taken immediately we arrived; the second after the sun had gone down
The next morning, after I had walked the dogs up the hill behind where we were parked, Vanya and I strolled down to the town for a look see.
The views in all directions were wonderful
Built as recently as the 1980’s, Riano (or New Riano to use it’s proper name) is one of the the youngest towns in Castile y Leon. The old Riano was demolished when a number of rivers in the area were dammed. New Riano is a well laid out little town of some 450 people and is now almost entirely given over to tourism. A pretty pedestrian area and market place has been built around the new church and it is filled with interesting features reflecting different aspects of life in the mountains and, of course, the local wildlife (which includes brown bears and wolves). These features presented Vanya with plenty of photo opportunities for Beanie.
The new church, the Iglesia Parroquial de Santa Agueda
Beanie posing in front of a Chozo de Pastores (not dissimilar to an Italian Trullo), a wooden Leones Horreos (for storing grain and/or vegetables) and a water fountain
The evening we spent eating tapas and drinking Asturian Cider in the friendly camp site restaurant and bar while planning what to do and where to go the next day. We had already decided to go on a boat trip around the reservoir but that was as far as we got. The fact is, I was enjoying the apple cider and Vanya was enjoying the local wine.
I tried a couple of ciders but this won hands down. Tasted like a dry apple juice, very smooth and no kick (until you stood up)
The bar also had a wide range of Orujo – some other time.
The following morning we were up (relatively) bright and early for the boat trip. This one hour trip provided some fine photo opportunities but otherwise was a bit of a disappointment.
Of more interest was our subsequent walk along the side of the reservoir. We were keen to take a last look at the town (especially the Iglesia de Nuestra Senora del Rosario) and as we made our way along the reservoir path we came across a number of photo boards with some information and pictures about old Riano – very sobering…
Three of many photo boards by the reservoir designed to inform the reader about old Riano.
…It is a tragic story. A plan was made during the 1960’s to dam three rivers in the area (the Esla, the Yuso and the Retuerto) so as to create a large reservoir for both irrigation purposes and to generate hydro electric power. The decision would ultimately impact on the population of seven villages (Anciles, Escaro, Huelde, La Puerta, Pedrosa la Rey, Riano and Salio) and various historical structures including the old Roman Bridge of Valdearana and the hermitage of (La Ermita de) San Bartolo. Over the ensuing years the local population showed intense resistance to the plan (which included the suicide of Simon Pardo) but to no avail. By 1987 all seven villages were demolished and the total population forcibly removed. The largest of the villages, Riano, is now several metres under the new bridge across the reservoir.
Old Riano (not my photo) is now a ruin under the new town bridge
Only one building in old Riano was saved. The 16th century Iglesia de Nuestra Senora del Rosario was moved brick by brick to a new site by the bridge in New Riano. Not everything in the church could be saved but an 8th century baptismal font was moved as were some murals from inside the church.
The Iglesia de Nostra Senora del Rosario…
… and the inside of the church. The altar is not as it once was but the baptismal font was saved together with some longstanding artwork.
Also saved and on display behind the church are the bells from the other churches that were demolished
Back to Spain. Drove back down from Andorra via La Seu d’Urgell (stopping at the supermarket to pick up some food – No really, it was just food this time – don’t forget that Andorra is duty free) and then on through Catalonia to Aragon and the very small village of Valfarta.
On the way to Valfarta we paused briefly at Coll de Narga by the Oliana Reservoir (the Panta d’Oliana); as much for photos and to break the journey as anything. This place is renowned as a climbers paradise (witness the 27 crags) but it is also known as the last area on Earth to be inhabited by dinosaurs, some 65 million years ago. We didn’t visit it but there is an area open to the public here called the ‘Mirador del Creataci’ where you can see dinosaur footprints, fossilised plant and animal remains and dinosaur nests and eggs (including the largest dinosaur nest in Europe, belonging to a titanosaurus).
That’s Coll de Narga in the first photo up on the cliff, above the Panta d’Oliana
Vanya chose Valfarta as an overnight stop on our way to Logrono and, while it is quite remote and there’s little to see or do in the village itself, it worked well for us. It’s dirt cheap and very clean with friendly management and all the facilities you need (and more) and; it is situated right next to the village swimming pool and just 5 minutes walk from the village bar – restaurant. You couldn’t ask for more.
The tree lined lane connects the village of Lafarta with the Ermita de San Miguel and the village swimming pool. Our camp site was half way along the lane and adjacent to the village pool.
It didn’t take long to explore the village (it is very small with a population of less than 90) but we returned in the evening to visit the bar
Had the bar been more lively we could have been tempted to stay on
Two churches for a population of less than 90? This is the primary church in the village, the Parroquia de Santiago El Mayor
And so we set off for Andorra – a new country for both of us – Vanya’s seventy first and my ninety eighth. We have visited more countries but for this count we only include countries which entail a stay of at least two days and require a sleepover (airport sleepovers not included).
No problem getting into Andorra. It isn’t a member of the EU but clearly has special status since there was no sign of immigration or customs as we drove across the border from Spain. It was different coming back when we were stopped by Spanish customs and asked how much alcohol and cigarettes we were carrying into Spain. There’s no VAT in Andorra and the Spanish are concerned about cigarette smuggling and the like.
The Principality of Andorra was formed in 1278 after a lengthy feudal conflict was resolved between the Comte de Foix (a position now held by the President of France) and the Bishop d’Urgell. That arrangement was updated in 1993 when a more appropriate constitution was formulated and today Andorra is recognised as a sovreign state and is the 184th member of the United Nations. It has the largest land area of all Europe’s micro states (468 square km) but only a small portion is urbanised; the great majority of it’s area being peaks, lakes and rivers. It’s capital, Andorra La Vella is Europe’s highest capital at 1,023 metres and it was to Andorra La Vella that we made our way.
Andorra La Vella has a small old town, the Barri Attic, but most of the city (and, indeed, much of the country) is modern and given over to tourism and shopping. The country’s initial prosperity was very much due to it’s tax haven status but with that status having been eroded by the European Union it is now more reliant on tourism (hiking in the summer, skiing in the winter and VAT free shopping throughout the year by nearby French and Spanish).
We certainly did our fair share of shopping with Vanya getting a new hat and me getting a couple of bottles of single malt – I think I got the better part of that deal (by just a whisker, Vanya)
One intriguing feature of the city is the amount of modern art dotted around the place – the city has it’s fair share of museums and galleries but, honestly, there is enough on display on the streets and squares to keep me happy. The first examples we stumbled across were the Seven Poets by Jaume Plensa which stand on plinths at various heights in front of the Parish Council Building.
The Seven Poets during the day and at night. Not sure if it is true or not but each poet is supposed to represent one of the country’s seven parishes.
I think they look great at night
These next pieces were displayed on a small square, the Prada de Casadet. They include ‘Robot in Suspension’ by Paul van Hoeydonk and Mobili by Miguel Barcelo. Didn’t see the name of the first sculpture but I call it the “Don’t forget the fruit gums, mum” statue.
Some of the sculptures in the Barri Attic (but by no means all) have a more traditional flavour (the ‘Fountain of El Ball de Contrapas’ by Sergi Mas being one example).
On the left, ‘The Fountain of El Ball de Contrapas’ which captures a traditional local dance. On the right (and also exhibited in the old town) a less traditional sculpture (and dance!)
My favourite of all those seen (and we saw many, many more – they are all over the city) is ‘La Noblesse du Temps’ by Salvador Dali which is down by the Pont de Paris Bridge in the newer part of the town.
The Pont de Paris Bridge and Dali’s bronze sculpture ‘La Noblesse du Temps’. Apparently, the crown on the melting clock symbolises time’s triumph over humanity
We spent as much time in the new part of town as the old, window shopping and eating and drinking. We had one great evening at a restaurant right next to the Dali Bronze, sharing a Cheese Fondue and two bottles of Sauvignon Blanc. Another dish we saw included on a menu here and which I wish in hindsight I had tried was ‘Tartiflette’ made with the Reblechon Cheese we sampled when passing through Canet de Salars. Next time.
Now that was a proper Cheese Fondue!
It was the old town, however, that most captivated me. There’s not a lot of it if you take away the Church of Sant Esteve and it’s immediate surroundings but it is this area which, for me, best reflects the lively cafe-bar culture that is very much representative of the city of Andorra La Vella.
The Church of St Esteve in the Barri Attic
The stained glass windows in the church are beautiful
And the church is just as picturesque at night
CafeBar Culture – I love it!
I was never going to visit Andorra and not do a little hillwalking but, if I am honest, the trails I walked just outside the city are not that good. One particular walk to the ‘La Comella Viewpoint’ is supposed to offer “a spectacular panoramic view of of the Principality…and is one of the most photographed postcards etc” but it was a huge disappointment. The trail up through the woods to La Comella was never going to be straight forward after the heavy storm we experienced two days ago (fallen trees across the roads had quickly been removed by the local authorities but those which fell in the woods, and there were a great many, are a lower priority and will take weeks to dispose of) but, having made the climb, I found the views wholly unexceptional. They didn’t even warrant getting the camera out. Okay, so I did get the camera out and I did take some photos but they weren’t worth the effort.
I’ll not end this entry on such a sour note. Three days and two nights was time enough to see and enjoy the capital but there is clearly much more to Andorra and we are both keen to return We didn’t get to see the TdF because of poor planning on our part – perhaps next year?
Day 15 of our Tour saw us visit Besalu and then move on to a very quiet campsite just 13 miles away near Montagut i Oix on the edge of the Garrotxa Volcanic Zone National Park. There is very little of any interest in the area (unless you enjoy walking rough woodland trails up and down hills) but that suited us fine because we had booked in for two days with a view to simply chilling. We did that alright and enjoyed ourselves so much we stayed for a third night.
We made good use of the camp pool every day and it was never busier than in the photo
One absolute must during our stay was to watch the European Championship Semi-Final match between England and Denmark and that was achieved despite the camp having only very weak 3G and seriously poor Wifi. Vanya managed to stream the match on to two different I-pads (don’t ask me how) and while the I-pads took turns freezing one at least would work sufficiently well for us to follow most of the match. It wasn’t ideal but it worked and of course England won!
Parked up and ready for the match
About 400 metres from our campsite alongside the road to Tortella is a narrow 28 metre high single arch 14th century bridge which crosses the River Llierca. Would you believe, Vanya actually made it to the top of the bridge? It was the river flowing very slowly under the bridge which most impressed the dogs. It became their private swimming pool with Beanie in particular loving the daily swim.
The Pont de Llierca
The River Llierca under the Pont de Llierca
Of course, I cannot sit and do nothing even on chill days and so on two of our three days at Montagut I wandered off into the Garrotxa Park on short walks. They weren’t brilliant walks because (a) many of the trails are indistinct and (b) the tree line in this part of the world is so high that it is virtually impossible to get decent views but they kept me occupied.
My first walk was along part of Spain’s GR1 route and it took me from the Pont de Llierca up to and well beyond the Oratori de Plansalloses which chapel is popularly known as the ‘Saints Bodies’ after a legend that tells of the small bodies of numerous children being found there.
Oratori de Plansalloses. Doesn’t look much like a chapel, does it? Far too small.
My second walk, the next day, was a longer route which took me in the opposite direction from the Pont de Llierca up to Montsiposit and then on to la Creu de la Ripolla. Absolute waste of time. The Santa Creu cross at the top of Montsiposit was more of a disappointment than the Oratori de Plansalloses. I had to fight may through a mass of thorns which cover the Montsiposit summit only to discover it the Santa Creu is little more than a small trig point with a cross on it. If that wasn’t bad enough, La Creu de la Ripolla proved to be nothing more than a yellow signpost pointing the way back to my start point and various other destinations.
The views on the second day were about as dull as the first day
The best part of any trek is the beer and tapas when the day is done
Leaving the walks aside, we still enjoyed our stay in Montagut.
We arrived late at our campsite on the edge of Colmar by the River L’Ill but the receptionist, bless her, had stayed late to check us in. I stopped there two years ago for a few nights and knew it would be open this time of the year but, because of the National Covid Lockdown starting the next day, I wasn’t sure if we would be allowed to stay the two nights we needed (we had to get the dogs seen by a local vet for tapeworm tablets before they would be allowed back into the UK) but, I needn’t have worried. The receptionist told us that whatever happened we could stay the extra night. Again, bless her.
The camp site on the River L’Ill – (Camping de L’Ill -GPS: N48. 4′ 51″ E7. 23’12”)
We were happy staying over, it gave us a chance to wander around Colmar, a small town in the Alsace Region of France not far from the German border. Vanya had never seen the place. I walked the largely pedestrian old town on my own that first morning and I had never seen it so quiet. It was the first day of the Lockdown in France and the place was virtually deserted. It was much the same in the afternoon when I showed Vanya around the town.
The old part of Colmar is a labyrinth of cobbled streets and timber framed chalk box coloured houses with steep pitched rooves and wooden shutters and it is truly beautiful. When I last stayed there, in 2017, it was packed (not least because it was the day of the town’s annual 10 km run) and I arrived as the runners were finishing. Not so this time.
What is particularly sad is that prior to our arriving the local authority had been putting up the town’s Christmas decorations. Ordinarily, Colmar has 5 weeks of Christmas Markets which are supposedly amongst the best in France – I suspect that will not happen this year.
The Little Venice area of ColmarTwo more photos of Little VeniceI sat and had a pint of beer on this little square in 2017. Nobody drinking today because no bars were openThere were very few people about. I didn’t see more than two dozen people during the whole morning in the town and during that time I twice entered the covered market.
I probably mentioned this in my earlier blog on the town in 2017 but, amongst other things, Colmar was the birthplace of Frederic-Auguste Bartholdi who created the Statue of Liberty. The house he lived in is now a museum dedicated to his work and there’s a statue of Bartholdi in the Parc du Chateau d’Eau with him holding a small replica of the statue of “Liberty Enlightening The World”.
The statue of Frederic-Auguste Bartholdi in the Parc du Chateau d’Eau in Colmar and a photo (not mine) of his masterpiece
Oh, and we made it to the vet. Would you believe it, he charged a staggering 91 Euros for administering two tapeworm tablets?!? Robbery!
We opted to stay for a couple of days at the 5* Camping Brunnen at Schwangau in the Allgau region of Bavaria. It is almost equidistant between Die Konigschlosser (i.e. the castles of Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau) and the town of Fussen. Two days would allow us to catch up on some chores and visit both castles and the town.
The Van is parked at the waters edge…
… and that’s the view from the Van
The camp site wasn’t cheap but it offered all the facilities you would expect of a 5* camp in Germany and we were situated right on the Forggensee. The views were great.
Because of poor weather the dogs had been denied their regular exercise and I took them with me on the 12 mile round trip towards Neuschwanstein Castle, passing the Hohenschwangau Castle and the church of St Coloman on the way.
The first castle we saw up close was the Hohenschwangau (no time to dwell here but in any event it looked closed) and then it was on to St Coloman.
Hohenschwangau Castle together with a picture of Ludwig II of Bavaria who was brought up there as a child and who subsequently had Neuschwanstein and various other prominent buildings built
That’s Neuschwanstein on the hill at the back with the pilgrimage church of St Coloman in the foreground.
St Coloman – I didn’t go inside because I had the dogs with me
My primary target that day was Neuschwanstein, a most elaborate castle sitting on a rock ledge over the Pollat Gorge in the Bavarian Alps. It was built by order of Bavaria’s so called “Mad King” Ludwig II; construction beginning in 1868/69 but not being quite finished before Ludwig died in 1886. Ludwig II was a great admirer and supporter of the composer Richard Wagner and much of the castle was inspired by Wagnerian characters. Indeed, Neuschwanstein is German for New Swan Stone and the Swan Knight is the principal character from Wagner’s Opera Lohengrin.
Neuschwanstein
The Ammer Mountains
It’s a fairy tale castle in a beautiful setting. The best place to take photos is from above but I didn’t have time to climb above it and I was precluded from using the Tegelberg cable car because of the dogs
While Neuschwanstein’s look is that of a medieval castle, it was equipped inside with state of the art technology at that time. For example on every floor of the castle there were toilets with an automatic flushing system (water being supplied from a spring some 200 meters above the castle) and an air heating system for the whole castle. Today, it is one of the most visited castles in Germany and one of the most popular tourist destinations in Europe with over 1.3 million people visiting. It is said to be the inspiration behind Walt Disney’s Magic Kingdom.
Another quite remarkable project of Ludwig’s was the Linderhof Palace. This then very private palace was designed as a refuge for an increasingly reclusive king to hide away in. Being designed for just one person, Ludwig himself, the palace was tiny with just 10 rooms (4 of which were for servants) and the dining table was designed to accommodate just one person. If you think Neuschwanstein is a fairy tale palace, this has to be seen to be believed.
The Linderhof Palace, not far from Ettal.
Ludwig II’s situation was tragic. It seems he became obsessive about his personal projects and indifferent to state business. It is said too that he was unable to rein in his excessive spending; so much so, his government advisors started plotting against him and, very suddenly, had him diagnosed as clinically insane, and therefore incompetent. Although he had no prior diagnosis of ‘madness’ he was declared mentally insane by four separate, government-sanctioned psychiatrists and removed as King. Historians don’t know for sure how ‘Mad’ King Ludwig died but not long after, his body was found floating in Lake Starnberg alongside the body of his personal psychiatrist, Dr Gudden.
Time to head back to the Van. The dogs are wiped out.
