Having spent many hours tramping around the city yesterday we decided to give our feet a rest and go on a cruise on the river Rhône:

We are now in Avignon.  This was not part of the plan, if there is ever any plan about anything.  The cupboards are running bare so we were going to stop at the Leclerc supermarket on the outskirts of Apt, but it was mobbed.  The GPS kept wanting to take us back there, so we carried on clueless until we eventually found ourselves on the outskirts of Avignon, where we stopped and programmed in a local campsite.

It has been a few years since we were last here, but the local   enterpreuners were still manning the traffic lights going into town trying to wash your windscreen and demanding money with menace.  All smiley at first, until you don’t pay, or tell them to go away (in anglo-saxon).  If they were homeless types desperate for a meal, or students wanting some beer money, fair enough, but these are clean, well dressed and well groomed people just seemingly out to harass people for cash.  Annoying.

Anyway, got to campsite, went for a stroll, and will explore further during the next few days.

Pont d’Avignon

How we got here:

We left Tournon with no idea where to go next.  Here is what happened:

We set off for Apt, where we have been before and found it a pleasant town with a good market and a decent campsite.  Not this time, campsite packed, apart from a little bit near the loos, where there was electric madness, cables everywhere, and not nearly enough to go around.  Shame it has gone so downhill, so off we went.

Next nearest campsite http://www.campingleluberon.com/ which is a lovely place, not at all packed, and, since we missed the entrance on the way, we found the village of Saignon:

A view to die for

And a nice big car park to visit this lovely place

This is a pleasant enough place.   However, the town beggar is somewhat annoying, demanding money from everybody, and some of the locals are high on something, though they seem harmless enough.  The cruise ships park (dock, moor, whatever?) outside the campsite on the river and run their engines while people try to sleep.

The campsite was full for most of the three nights we stayed, but everyone generally well behaved until we get this joker:

What a clown

There was a perfectly good pitch (numbered) next to us and an even better one opposite (also numbered), but this clown decided to park on the access road right in front of us.

Headed South, easily clearing Lyon without too much disruption.  Now in Tournon-sur-Rhône:

Nice place, overlooking the Rhône with hills of vines on the opposite bank.  Decent stop either after or before negotiating the occasional chaos of Lyon.

Lovely vines

Footbridge lit up at night

Château-Musée de Tournon-sur-Rhône

A couple of nights here after a long drive from Guignicourt, in pretty rubbish driving conditions.

We will get through Lyon tomorrow so that will feel like we are on a proper holiday.  There is not a lot to do here, but it is a great relaxing place to do not a lot.

Lots of ducks here

Arrived in Guignicourt for a couple of days:

Weather forecast terrible, but rain was less than predicted. Went to get train to Laon, but ticket prices silly and trains very infrequent, so we’ll find another way to visit Loan.

Not too bad a view to wake up to

Chaos at Eurotunnel, Folkestone due to a broken train. Spent over four hours there, blocked in on all sides at some points. Now at Guînes, planning to head south tomorrow, with a full tank of diesel, hoping to get somewhere without rain by Monday.

Here we are in Folkestone, after a night in Moreton-in-Marsh and a couple of nights in Birmingham:

Who knows why the Sat-Nav took that way around Oxford but it did.  Torrential rain all day, still pouring down, and the TV bracket has jammed meaning we can only watch TV in bed until it gets fixed.  Late afternoon crossing tomorrow so off to find a socket set to see if we can free the dodgy joint.