Monday 26th September 2011

Chalon en Champagne.

We had a reasonable journey here. Amazing landscape, all chalky and pastel fields in the style of the artist Jacques Villon.

We stopped for lunch in an aire where there was a chip van, so we supplemented our picnic with frites and good coffee. Most civilised.

We stayed at the Camping Municipal. They’re usually cheap and good. This one is 22 euros and not great. The pitches are well laid out, with hard standing and little hedges, but the sanitary block leaves a lot to be desired. In view of the price and the unappealing showers, we’ll only stay one night.

There are lots of Brits on the site so there is much gabbing and exchanging of useful information and books.

We stocked up at a huge Carrafour supermarket. Bloody nightmare, even worse than Asda.


Tuesday 27th September 2011

Camping du Port de Plaisance de Peronne
Route de Paris
80200 Peronne
contact@camping-plaisance.com
www.camping-plaisance.com
15 euros per night

There was nowhere to stop for a picnic lunch so we came straight here and arrived at 2pm. The office was closed but a notice on the door said to find a pitch and settle up later. It’s a nice site. The sanitaires need upgrading but they’re clean. One complaint – the swimming pool hasn’t been drained and is scummy.

There’s a little marina belonging to the site. Quite a few boats are stored there but only one had people on board.

The site is alongside the River Somme but there’s no towpath, which is a disappointment. But there are some lovely etangs on the edge of town, very pretty and popular with anglers.

Wednesday 28th Septmember 2011

It’s hot.

Walked into town – me with the gammy ankle and Kim with the gammy knees. Had a drink and did some shopping on the way home. Found an auberge with a nice menu so plan to go there for dinner one night.

Kim on the bridge over the River Somme,
on our way into town.

This morning I went for a shower while the woman was still cleaning. She was not pleased to see me. She jerked her head towards a shower cubicle and snarled, ‘Allez y!’ I was quite intimidated. She stayed outside the door, muttering and cursing. I think she was quite mad and made sure the door was securely locked. I had visions of her attacking my bare bottom with the mop.

Thursday 29th September 2011

It’s really hot! So we drooped about all day in the shade. We went to two supermarkets to satisfy Kim’s quest for wine boxes. The second one had a pleasant coffee shop so I sat there and read a book while Kim trailed up and down the lengthy aisles. He actually seems to enjoy it! Strange bugger.

Friday 30th September 2011

Another scorcher. I can’t believe it’s nearly October. We walked into town for a beer. There was a big accident on the road. No bodies, just two crashed cars. All the traffic was held up and there were police and gendarmes all over the place. One of them kindly stopped the traffic to let us cross the road. He must have taken pity on our aged and limping selves.

In town there were two piggies being roasted on a giant, wood-fired barbecue outside a restaurant. I found it quite revolting to see the dead pigs rotating and scorching but it was a most impressive barbie all the same! Kim drooled, I turned my mind to vegetables.








We dined at the auberge this evening, which turned out to be Moroccan, so Kim was in his element with a hundredweight of lamb and several pounds of oily veg. I had a huge salad, which quite exhausted me. (I find eating a ton of food to be most debilitating!) We indulged in coffee and good brandy. The brandy cost almost as much as the food and we were horrified. But it was quite delicious so never mind.

Hard working housewife turns into the woman in a dressing gown.

Tomorrow we move on. Lasting impressions of Peronne: the giant barbecue, the impressive looking war museum, the fact that it’s very like Southport and the marvellous notice on a wall, forbidding people to widdle upon it!

Interdiction d’uriner.

Monday 2nd October 2011

It’s still hot, even tho we’re moving north. We’re spending the last two nights in France at Camping les Pommiers, where we got stuck in the mud on the way out. It was still quite muddy, but there was a bit of a crust on it, baked by the sun – a trap for the unwary. But we were prepared this time. We parked Dorothy without mishap and drove to the supermarket for yet more boxes of wine. We’re not alcoholics (well, not quite) but it’s to last us until the next trip to boozy civilisation. At least I found a nice looking loaf on which to spread my marmalade