Last day

Beetles in roses Chaumont

The Ibis beds were so comfortable and we were well rested and up and away before 7.30. No trouble finding our way out! Breakfast in Sillé le Guillaume aka Silly Billy, which turned out to be rather run down. But supplied good croissants and coffee.

Along the road we saw signs to Cidre and Calvados and Adrian weakened. We detoured, following the signs down ever more Devon-like lanes, until we got to a picturesque but deserted farm. Sign on the door said phone this number, we are not far away. So I did and they weren’t. A lady appeared to open up the Aladdin's Cave barn. We sampled Poiré and Cidre and A tasted the Calva. He pronounced it ‘Good’! It’s a special distilling of apple and pear ciders, unique to the Domfront area. We bought a bottle and six poiré for 42 euros.

No more stops now until we got to the coast on the Cotentin. We decided to go up the east side but really there is nothing much except campsites and American memorabilia round Utah Beach until you get to St  Vaast. As usual St Vaast was heaving so we carried on up to Barfleur, which was less busy.

Apparently the captain of William the C’s ship was from Barfleur

Though it was awash with gangs of German youth! But by now it was 1.30 and all the portside restaurants were full. However we’d spotted the aptly named Phare restaurant up in town. They had a table and we had a really nice lunch of merlu, and mussels in cream followed by home made tarte aux pommes and crème brûlée.

Then an hour or so walking round the harbour, snapping boats and lighthouses before driving along the north coast to our hotel, the Ibis Budget overlooking Cherbourg.

And so, dear readers, this concludes hostilities until the end of September! Home tomorrow.

Gardeners’ World

These are the links to today’s photos. Too many to fit in the blog. I’ve divided them up into three sections - the actual festival, the château buildings and grounds and the various artworks displayed  in the outbuildings and around the grounds.






Chaumont Festival Gardens
Chaumont château and grounds
Chaumont artwork and sculptures

We were lucky with the weather. It was slightly cloudy and breezy at first and the hoodie was worn to begin with. But we had dazzling sunshine most of the day and thankfully it was a bit cooler. Just one burst of rain for five minutes. So we got there early and walked by the river for a while. Got two pains aux raisins to eat in the car for breakfast!

Then at 9.30 entered the hallowed grounds which are accessible in advance of the actual opening time. That gave us chance to see a few of the exhibitions and walk round the park. Great improvements have taken place since we were last here. Far more floral planting and more sculpture exhibitions - of a very high quality.

One of the best was Agnès Varda’s greenhouse with sunflowers with the glazing made entirely from the celluloid strip of  her film Le Bonheur. The stable block was amazing too. Those horses lived in luxury!

The African textiles also fabulous. They were made from individual pieces of tin and foil packaging, cut into identical shapes or twisted and linked together with copper wire.

The gardens themselves varied as always. One or two brilliant, several thought provoking and a handful downright tatty. Judge for yourselves! We particularly disliked the purple plastic bags that looked for all the world like hanging dog poo bags! One lovely one had woven birds’ nests from which issued forth the calls of nightingales and birds of paradise.

No lunch this time. We wanted to see everything! The new area with sculpture gardens was terrific and it took a long time to walk round it all. My feet were dropping off! In the end we were there for five hours. We left at 2.30 and drove to Montoire sur le Loir for a drink...all the way heading towards ominous black clouds which eventually emptied their contents on us. Then into Le Mans Ibis at 5. Our arrival was aided by a knight on a charger, or rather an electric bike! The centre was congested and we tried to take a short cut only to find ourselves in a pedestrian area blocked with those rising bollards! Fortunately our saviour - a middle aged chap on his bike - saw the predicament and lowered the bollards (he must have been a resident), then told us to follow him as he was going right past our hotel! What a hoot trying to keep up in rush hour traffic, but we did.

An indifferent galette followed by a walk up to the cathedral, passing en route this giant mollusc overlooking the river. The river Sarthe, which is quite big here yet full of water lilies - most odd.
Now here’s one of those ‘you couldn’t make it up’ moments. On our way to Chaumont this morning we passed a banner advertising La Fête des Tomates Farcies (stuffed tomato festival)! Sadly we missed it - it was last weekend.

River to river

Oof well, last night we rather overfaced ourselves. We went sightseeing in Issoire. It has an interesting Byzantine style Romanesque church and a weird exhibition on the subject of hair! I’d spotted an Auberge close to the hotel and having wandered the streets of Issoire we decided on that rather than the bland brasseries of town. Huge place with local fare and we had Aligot which is the most scrumptious dish in the universe! But filling. And one should not have a pudding -  even a bilberry tarte. Sleep was fitful and at 6.30 we decided we might as well get up. It was a lovely morning accompanied by lovely countryside of  pretty villages and high pastureland fringed with volcanoes, including the mighty Puy de Dome himself.

Breakfast stop was a quaint town called Champeix. Real shops and faded facades, very bustling. I had just a green tea!

Then a strange place - St Nectaire, a spa town. presumably where the cheese is from. It’s full of huge, and I mean Huge edifices from the Fin de Siècle.

Some are faded, some converted to apartments and some still hotels.

And then Mongolfières. Rather monochrome ones here- blues and greys.

Soaring above a mega château. We didn’t actually want lunch after last night but we stopped in another village to buy something.

Another sight for sore eyes! The whole place was full of ghastly garish rides jammed up against house fronts, even the church!

The landscape had changed now to flat plains but still wall to wall cereal crops and sunflowers. Our lunch break was up near the Cher and a family of kestrels were squealing close by on a barn roof.

Now so close to the Loire and it was hotting up. As we’d got plenty of time in hand we made a trip down memory lane to the village of Oisly, home of the Oisly Thésée wine folk and the delicious Cot vintage. Still as good as ever! Purchase made.

Settled in the Amboise Ibis Budget before going into town for crêpes. Very busy with tourists but we found a good crêperie.

We managed to park by the river near the fabulous Max Ernst fountain. Love it!
Tomorrow Chaumont.

Down the Allier

It rained all night so that should keep the plants happy at least. But by the time we left at 7.30 it was more or less dry. Still big clouds though. And much cooler. We disappeared north west across the plain and over the Rhône and up into the Ardèche. All looked a bit tacky there. It isn’t a lovely area, especially after rain. Ribbon development villages with closed bars. Tourists in shorts, camp sites. All a bit rough! We eventually stopped in Thuetys for breakfast at 9.30 and were shaken by the icy temperatures! It never fails...no matter how hot it is down on the plain, once you hit the hills you are guaranteed to be under dressed. Thank goodness I’d unpacked my warm hoodie! Cheap good coffee however. And on we continued up the Ardèche and then onto the high plateau and a parting of the ways.

It’s the Rhône and then the Allier from here. And joy of joys! I finally managed to get a photo of the daftest roundabout ever. It features anthropomorphised green Puy lentils, the local AOC pulse. Dressed as royalty and seated on thrones.
If you can bear to look at the Google album there are more!

We went onto small roads following the Allier, A Salmon River as it is proud to boast on all bridges. Stopped in Langeac for a walk round and lunchtime drink in a nice bar with sunny courtyard.

And a rather flamboyant sundial. No idea who he was! Then continued through really glorious country dotted with extinct volcanoes and long views and green valleys. Endless fields of golden barley.

Next stop Lavoute Chilhac, on a meander with old bridge and looming 18th century former priory that is now a hotel. The salmon is ever with us here. It was still only 1 pm and we had almost got to Issoire. Well not quite but we certainly had time to potter.

Somewhere out of town we realised we were on the Route du Tour. Painted names all over the road and then this! A confection in bin bag and foam. It was the stage that ended in Brioude.

We remembered seeing Vieille Brioude from the air so had to stop there. What a place.

High above the river with the most interesting exhibition of sculptures in the church garden, linked to a permanent exhibition on vines and winemaking.

Kept us amused for a good 45 minutes. And finally the last stretch from Brioude to Issoire and the usual wrong turns just as Ibis Budget is tantalisingly in sight.

 It’s by the river where some event is happening - fishing, dog show, who can say. And we have an unimpeded view from the window of Buffalo Grill. Tonight we shall venture into town snd see if edible food is to be had. I do not trust Trip Advisor!

Gloom

Dark Skies as we headed to market for the last time. We were at the café just after eight and under the canopy...just in case! But all was well, just quelques gouttes . Got honey, yogs and two tranches de gigot, a punnet of little strawberries and some apricots. Don’t want to have any left overs tonight.

It was looking ominous to the south as we crossed back through the vines and ‘rumbles of thunder’ were heard. The lady at the bar had dismissed the forecast of storm saying it wouldn’t amount to much. She was right - it didn't!

We’ve had a bit of rain but so far nothing significant. Still time however.
All packed, house cleaned, washing done. Plants watered and moved to shelter,Tour effectively over. So we might as well go!!
More reports en route.

Notre Héros

Postscript to today’s post.

Final Friday

I shall be sad to go despite the heat. But this morning, shamed by the athletic exploits of various friends and relations I went to Beaumes to swim. Ah, but first I had been up to Ulster Towers at 7.30 on a housekeeping mission. A dawn SOS message from Louise - Guests unable to work the keylock or empty washing machine before leaving!  It’s the time to see folk...caught Frieder watering the courtyard, Edeltraut in a less than elegant frock, Paul and Linda packing their van about to leave for a festival in the Ardèche. I emptied washing machine and hung up soggy towels hoping the real housekeeper would get to them before they ‘died’. Locked up and closed keybox. Then I ran the length of Grand Rue and down past the fountain to get bread from Mme Moulin 🏃🏼‍♀️
Anyway back to Beaumes. I arrived in good time only to find barriers and diversions and notices saying Fête du Village. The vast car park was full of platforms for Rides and Attractions, no access to parking in the Stade. So I went down the road and parked on the pavement then walked...still got to the pool before opening so I was one of the first in. Which was just as well because soon afterwards a group of children and moniteurs arrived plus one or two families. Managed a few lengths in peace before they piled in! Moved to the other bassin and did the same. And between times I sat in the shade and watched. A final powered two lengths in the big pool slaloming between the teenagers and I was off.🥽 It was getting too busy by 11.

The pelargoniums are showing willing!












 But Drama! Watching TdF with our hero Julien battling down yet another watch it through your fingers descent, making up time on the wily Columbian. When France TV show pictures of snow ploughs and blocked roads. Took everyone a while to realise that this was not the other side of the mountain but on the actual route!!  The word went out on Race Radio that the race was stopped. Riders gesticulated and carried on. It took Christian Prudhomme lui-même to drive up in his red Skoda and convince them it was Not A Joke. What a shambles. Poor things.

Lads in lycra

In the end we couldn’t resist! Turned on the telly at 12 and there they were setting off across the Pont du Gard.


This is the photo album

Tour 19 Rasteau

Then shots of Avignon. We knew they’d be with us just before 2 so at 1pm off we set in searing heat, through the vines, ignoring the big yellow road closed signs tended by two gendarmes and up the back road to Rasteau.

Of course we were not alone! Many others had sussed out the shady grove of pines by the picturesque bassin. With a good distant view down the hill to the oncoming flotilla of official vehicles, television cars, sponsors and team cars. There was room to park,  and shade.

I noticed that Trek Segafredo and Mitchelton Scott both had team cars with water wallahs parked up on the junction.

Eventually a black spec on the skyline...the helicopters! They were coming. At this point I decided shade was no good so I tramped along the vines towards Rasteau and settled myself on a curve of the road and sat at the top of the ditch, camera positioned. I suppose it was hot (probably 37) but I hardly noticed.

 Much hooting and flashing of headlights
announced the imminent breakaway group.  Motorbikes and the yellow blackboard girl.

The riders zoomed by. The helicopters circled lower. We all waved like shipwrecked sailors.

It was a bit like Apocalypse Now- a line of eight of them about to pick us off.

 After a while the Peloton swooshed past and on towards Roaix

and then it was just a rear view of patchwork colours, motorbikes,

and finally the Fin de Course van.
We all regained our vehicles and joined the convoy of returning fans. Back home by 2! And in time to see them going through Faucon.

France Télévisions made a terrible typo though...they showed an aerial shot of Le Barroux and captioned it LA Barroux.
Off to As de Coeur tonight.