And so it was over… The cars were packed and again we go our separate ways. Keith was heading North to visit his son in Scandinavia - David and Patricia were spending time with friends in the South of France - and then a week in Paris. They kindly offered to carry JB’s bike with them and leave it for us at their hotel… We were heading East – by train – to take delivery of a rental car in Bordeaux…
A taxi to the station – a half hour wait – and we’re away…
A food fair in Bordeaux – we pause for lunch…
Somewhere in the Dordogne – Perigueux perhaps…
Through all the regions of the Dordogne and Gorreze…
Through Brive-la-Gaillarde, Tulle…
To Clermont-Ferrand – where we decided to spend the night…
France was playing Portugal in the World Cup – and the whole town was watching the game in the city square… We joined them…
We ate in the square - France won - just as well because…
JB didn’t have a Portuguese hat!
Today is the Prolog of Le Tour de France – in Strasbourg – 2.5 Michelin Routier pages away. That’s a full day’s drive (if we’re to be there before it ends) and we shouldn’t be detouring through Roanne to find a famous restaurant that I visited in 1966 – but we did – and it was closed! The kids didn’t complain – much…
On through back roads to Macon – then Chalon, Beaune, Besacon (along the Swiss border) to Belfort.
Then along the German border – through Colmar – and into Strasbourg, just in time to be too late for le Tour.
And we still had to find a hotel room… and we did – just off the City Square – where Le Tour headquarters were…
Time out to explore the Old Town Centre…
We weren’t short of Cathedrals on this trip – but the stonework on this one was simply stunning. First time I’ve seen JB take an interest in architecture!
Strasbourg is a fascinating mix of French and German cultures – and we had a ‘moving dinner’ in several restaurants – Carla was nearly home.
The kids were a real joy to travel with – they only mentioned the fact that I had already bent the new rental car – 50 or 60 times – over dinner. Was it my fault that some schmuck had left a very large concrete block protruding 1.5 metres from the pumps at our first service station?
These two hate cameras – but when they DO pose…
Cats – on the other hand… are much more obliging…
Keeping up with these two is a tiring business (and it’s only day 1)…
Next: Start of Le Tour de France - we head for Hannover… read on.
