Middle-aged flash packers

Time to hit the road and head for home.

We’ve decided to bumble our way home sans toll roads which means we’ll be considerably slower getting to Dunkirk but hopefully it will be more enjoyable. We both have fond memories of driving through the French countryside and stopping in pretty towns and villages. That was nearly thirty years ago though!

We cleaned our accommodation and got our deposit back from our host, Jean Luc, and we were on our way by 8.45am! Probably a record for us.

It was the most stunning day if a little cold. It is true what they say about the quality of light in Provence, it’s so pure and intense. Apparently part of the reason it’s so clear is due to the mistral winds which remove the dust from the air. It was very windy the day before yesterday so perhaps that’s why the sky seems so blue.

It didn’t take long for us to get into the more hilly and mountainous Rhone-Alps region. It’s stunning. Flat topped cliffs, snow tipped mountains in the distance and green pastures, it’s definitely our kind of place. We stopped and had a coffee at a roadside rest area and the view was so fantastic , Steve had to literally drag me away.

We carried on, bypassing Grenoble and on to a flatter but lush area, south east of Lyon. We decided to have lunch at a roadside stop, not blessed with facilities and smelling of cow dung. Obviously where there’s cow dung there are cows. Not being a huge fan, it was a relief that they were behind barbed wire fences. However, one bull came up very close and farted extremely loudly. No manners at all. On the other side of the road, a cow was trying to dig her way across to the other cows in the opposite field and was making a helluva noise. Chav cows.

We moved on from our smelly pit stop only to find two minutes drive further on, there was a beautiful picnic area with a view over the valley and no stinky cows.

Another hour and a half saw us arrive at our accommodation the Resid for Calixte in Perouges. Very pleasant place, where the owners have taken in at least 12 cats and a very sweet little dog. Our room was lovely and smelt of patchouli which brought back some happy teenage memories. Isn’t it funny how smells are so evocative?

So off to explore Perouges. It is a very beautiful medieval village, just like a film set. In fact it has featured in many a film, the most famous one being the three musketeers, 1961 version. 

What I was surprised by was how many tour groups were in evidence. In particular Americans. I didn’t even know this place existed. We were sitting outside a hostellerie having a beer when a group of Americans arrived. They came right up and stared at us as if we were animals in a zoo! I wish I had been wearing a beret and smoking a gauloises to have really looked the part. Maybe they thought they were in Disney World.

Steve overhead some ladies complaining about the “sanitation “. I know exactly what they mean. I call them “squatters” and it really is time Madame and Monsieur Francais got with the beat and provided proper toilets. There’s an EU rule for everything else, I can’t believe there isn’t one banning squatters!

Later Steve and I wandered into the village for dinner. We ate at the Auberge au Coq and had the set 3 course meal. I’m sorry to sound like I’m on a bit of a downer as far as France is concerned, but I haven’t missed French food one jot. No veg, over rich and to be honest, pretty damn bland. I’ve never understood this whole thing about French cuisine. Vastly over rated in my opinion.

Home by 9pm. Sorry but yet again I’m going to criticise. What a dull place France is! Everyone is tucked up in bed very early, there’s no promenading like Italy or Spain, no trendy bars or even somewhere to have a coffee.

It is beautiful though and people seem friendlier than they were thirty years ago so maybe in another thirty years they’ll have sit down loos and Thai restaurants .