Caught the 22:00 ferry from Poole to Cherbourg but this time we booked a cabin and had a good rest.
24/6/06: Cherbourg - Parthenay
Left Cherbourg at 5:35. It was a stun sunny morning and it was just fantatic to be flying along the beautiful smooth empty roads of France again. we stopped along the side of the road a few times just to take it all in. Took the N13 and onto the N174 towards St Lo. We avoided the highway A84 and instead took the N174 to Vive and through to Flers.
While making our way through Flers Rensche had one or two hair raising stops as pedetrians threw themselves onto the crossings right in front of her. The roundabouts were chaotic and we ha a close call where a car got hit side-on by someone making a u-turn in the roundabout while strairing at us.
Got onto the D962 to Laval and through to Augers where we went along the D952 which follows the Loire river to saumur. Very beautiful road along the river.
We arrived at Saumur just in time for the rugby. South Africa 26 - France 36....SA lost again...what's new. The barman had a wonderful time mocking our little SA flags we had brought along from UK for the game.
From there we took the D938 and arrived at Larry Dass in the evening just north of Parthenay. Larry had advsertised his B&B on the Horizons website and w said we would spend a night there. We had a wonderful time there and Larry took us around this little farm showing us his special orchard with it's variety of fruits.
25/6/06: Parthenay - Dordogne Motocamp
Woke up at 8am to a overcast and drizzling morning. We hung out in larry's kitchen drinking coffee till 12:30 when the drizzling stopped. We headed south taking the N149 to Portiers, then the N147 to Limoges. while stopping off at a layby for some biltong and snack bars two motorcops arrived and we spent the next half hour watching them catch unsuspected victims with their lazer gun. It was a fresh reminder for us to stick to the speed limit.
At limoges we got onto the A20 but got worried when our tanks started sounding empty but there were no service stations in sight. We pulled oof the highway at Pierre buffiere where we ound the only station in toan was closed (the dreaded Close-petrol-station-on-Sunday syndrome struck again). headed back onto the highway and found a service centre 5 junctions later.
Got off the A20 at junction 53 and then took the N20-D673 to Motocamp Dordogne which I found on Google before our trip. http://www.motocamp.com Lovely biker campsite owned by Dutch couple and their dog. Excellent steaks and lovely friendly bar although it was bit empty as we had arrived a week before their official opening for the summer season. Watched the football world cup match Holland 1 - Portugal 10 (with three yellow cards)...drinks were obviously not on the hosue that evening.
26/6/06: Dordogne Motocamp - Samatan
Started the day with a omelette baguette. Started talking to a biker couple on a GS from Norfolk UK. The pillion was almost 5'4" and she was very interested in Rensche's beautifully powered Funduro. She did her CBT a year and half ago and was about to do her DAS. She was delighted to sit on Rensche's bike and have both her feet down flat on the ground ("Wish I could do that!")
Again only left by 12ish due to rain. The rest of the day consisted of twisties. Rensche battled a bit with the wet raods and tight turns but we managed.
We had lunch at Lauzerte where charlie pointed out that we are not even hafl way to the border yet...twisties are exhausting as it takes a lot of concentration.
We spent the last two hours of the day trying to find a camp site and eventually found the municipal cap site in Samatan after a few U-turns and cursing the road signs etc.
An absolutely non-english speaking camp manager challenged Rensche's travel french to th timit but after some gestating understood that we camp for the night and go pay our fees the next morning at the town hall.
The only restuarant in town directed us to a pizzaria as they were fully book; but at least they spoke english.
27/6/06: Samatan - Castejon de Sos
Had brillliant "Highveld" thunderstorms throught he night but the tent held up well to the onslaught.
Left Samatan after paying for tent site and having a quick coffee. as we were driving along the Pyrennes started appearing in the distance and kept getting bigger and bigger...wooohooo. Took the N125 and soon we on top of the Pyrennes entering Spain. We stopped off for lunch just across the border at Leo and had out first authentic tapas. The we went along a very very very very long tunnel and popped out the otherside onto the Spannish Pyrennes.
It was hair raising riding the tight twisteis with the abyss just inches away. Turned off at the N250 onto the N260 which was a small rural road, lost of twisties, took for ever which took us to Castejon de Sos where we booked into the Pyrennes Hotel. It was about here were we noticed that it is very very very hot in Spain and the town was dead...siesta time.
I must just say one thing about the Spanish drivers: they still drive on your ass like the French but at least they are better at passing you! The Spainish roads are beautiful: straight,broad, with almost no traffic. Again bikes passed us from al over with the usuall friendly wave.
As it got later the town got more lively and thunder clouds started gathering overhead. Rain poured down as we had steak and chips at a small bar while watching football world cup France 1 - 1 Spain...Ole'.
28/6/06: Castejon de Sos - Anzanigo
Booked out of the hotel at 9:00 and headed straight down the N260 into some serious twisties on a road cut inot the side of the canyon of the Esera river. STUNNING. Rensche did well but refused to take her eyes off the raod to take in the stunning scenery. the shear drop of the cliffs was on our side of the road so once again the Abyss was beckoning.
Stopped off at the town and fort of Ainsa. All the restuarants were closed so bought an apple pie slice for breakfast. Next stop was at Broto at 12:30. After lunch while having custard pie and coffee the heavens opened so we stuck around and waited until 15:30 before heading out again.
We ended taking some twisties up to Biesa then the N260 and N330 to Jaca which was a very busy round. At Jaca we drove past the local campsite which did not look very inviting so we took the A1205 towards Anzanigo, another motocamp I found on Google. www.anzanigo.com. Itw as very hot again, we set up tetn, walked around and had a look at the biker memorial wall. That evening we all sat around a table and ate the set menu together while having a lovely conversation with our English being translated to Spanish by a French couple. the conversation took a bit of a dip when one of the guests took a disliking to us "White South Africans". After supper the French guy and I had a go at trying to sort out the camp owners son's Aprillia two-stroke carb. After battling for two hours we recommended he take it to a dealer.29/6/06: Anzanigo - Sangues
Next morning, after some good wholesome dry bread for breakfast we headed out and immediately were held up by a flock of sheep being hereded along the road. We then carried on up the "hill" to Hecho a pretty little town in the mountains where artists displayed a number of granite sculptures. We also had lunch here. We headed across to Anso via a small little road but after one km the roadworks started and was a bit hairy riding along on the loose gravel chips up and down the tight twisties with the tail sliding out the whole time. head down the mountain from Anso we passed through a stunning canyon with the road once again cut out of the side of the mountain.On recommendation from the French couple at the motocamp we headed for Ruesta, a small old town which had been abandoned folowing the building of the dam which swallowed their fields. The town was a ghost town with the only life being a restuarant in one of the ruins and a tourist information (which was closed). As it was unbelievably hot we sat outside the bar under shadecloth and had a beer and 2 lt of water for 3 hours. Once the heat of the day had broken we got into our bike clothes again and headed off along a road cutting through real Sierra Navarra country.
Arrived at Sos de Rey where we couldn't find a hotel but when we finally found the "Parador" hotel the consiege said, with a dead pan face, that the rooms were Euro140 a night. We got on our bikes and headed out of town.
At this point we were totally exhausted from the heat, and not drinking enough water, and when we arrived in Sanguesa we followed the signs to the municipal campsite. The campsite restuarant was overcrowded with a large group of elderly people singing and enjoying themselves and cheering us as we arrived. Seeing how hot we were they threw ice at Rensche. Our tent pitch was rock hard clay but we didn't notice. We couldn't be bothered to find a restuarant so simply cooked up some bully-beef and mash with beans (our emergency ration pack we brough along from the UK). It was absolutely delicious.
30/6/06: Sangues - Zudaire
We slept really late on the hard floor and only left at 12pm (we just don't learn!!!) A quick cup of coffee and a few rusks and we headed out of town with all our jacket vents open as it as seeringly hot once again.
We arrived at Olite at 13:00 and strucked to find parking in the old part of town. There was a lot of building work going on and a wedding. The castle in the town was beautiful. We met some other bikers in the town who were part of a tour group from the UK who were heading in the opposite direction. After a refreshing coke and omelette we headed to Puente la Reina. On leaving olite Rensche almost dropped her bike twice on a steep hill...this unbearable heat was getting to us.
We stopped for petrol but the town was so deserted (siesta) and it was so hot we decided to keep moving (free aircon on the bike) to Estella. At Estella the plan was to look for a hotel but after endless walking dragging our heavy helmets and jackets we got back on the bikes and headed to the only apparent hotel in town. It looked rough and we overshot it. Unfortunaley (fortunately) Rensche refused to make a u-turn to go back so we just headed on out of town on a road to nowhere. The road turned out to be very beautifil and full of sharp twisties. After another u-turn (success) we landed in a hotel in Zudaire. Nice and comfortable in a quiet little town against the side of a hill amongst vineyards.
We spent the rest of the afternoon strolling among the houses and had a early night as there was nothign else to do in the town. The rest of the hotel went to bed at 2am (after there all day siesta) and our neighbour was watch TV with the volume at full blast till 4am.
1/7/06: Zudaire - Pamplona
The next morning we got up early and were ready to go at 8:30 but reception only opened at 9:00. After a nice breakfast we ended up leaving at 9:30 and headed out of town. The road from Zudaire up to Aloiti was very beautiful and cut through a nature reserve and ended with a series od 10 tight hairpins coming down off the Sierra de Urbasa.
Once on the motorway we quickly made our way across to Pamplona. We arrived to the overwhelming sight of one apartment block after another. Not all what we had expected. after getting horribly lost in the oneway system we found parking along with hundreds of mopeds on the pavement directly ourside the Stadia de Torros (THE bullfight stadium). We walked around the town for about an hour grabbed a hotel list from informationa nd went and sat at a restuarant overlooking the town square. We got a HUGE fright when we saw the price of the hotels in the area. Euro280 per night. Not surprising as this was one week before the actual "Running of the Bulls". The prices for this one week of the year, and weeks before and after, are 4-10 time more expensive than any other time of the year.
Rensche phoned Virginia (friend from work who's parents live in town). She could join us in an hour so we shared a paella and tortilla and had ice-cream. I must say that when we arrived in town it was clear that we were in for a rather warm day. By lunchtime I was feeling the effects of heatstroke. No matter how much water we drank we just couldn't cool down.
After Virginia arrived she took us on a tour of the route that the bulls run, showing us the best places to stand and watch the tourists get flattened by the stampeding bulls.
The temperature was now 42degC. Virginia organised a B&B at cheaper rates for us about 20 minutes walk from the city centre. The heat was sapping our energy and just the 5 minute bike ride to the apartment had sweat running into our eyes in the helmets. On arriving at the B&B we had to make our way through the foyer of a block of flats where the whole foyer had been stripped out to the bare brickwork and dangling wires...a UK H&S deathtrap. You would understand our apprehension when we had to climb into the lift to get to the 3rd floor.
After a 2 hour rest, and watching England loose the football against Portugal we joined Virginia for supper. It was nice to have a local ordering the food for us at her local, none touristy, restuarant. We had nice calamary, red peppers with garlic and olive oil, asparagus and egg and avocado and prawns with ice cold beer. Our last spanish meal which Virginia insisted on paying for us. Thanks Virginia we really enjoyed the time with you and thanks for the cheap accomodation.
2/7/06: Pamplona - Orthez
After phoning and meeting Virginia to hand over the keys, we headed out of the town at 09h30 along the N240. We then headed north on the NA178 riding through beautiful Narvarra scenery with lovely forrests. We stopped along the road to make coffee with rusks, headed up to the summit at Point de Laura. (1585 meters ) and after taking the stunning view we headed down the other side of the Pyrenese into France. Its amazing to notice the dramatic change in scenery, vegetation, animals, houses, business hours. This all on either side of a mountain 20km apart. The road followed the Saison river all the way down the mountain through a very beautiful valley and down onto the plains. We reached Orthez at 15h35 and followed the signs to the muncipal campsite. Once again it was unbearably hot.
After booking in and pitching the tent we took a stroll into town to find something to eat. The town was absolutely dead. We found one or two historic buildings, a nice bridge and then found a bar and stopped for beer (or two). As everything was closed we resolved ourselves to the fact that we would be eating rice and tuna for supper but on the way back to the campsite we found a pattiserie and bought five various quiches which we gobbled down very quickly. We were in bed by 10pm but was woken by a massive thunder storm which found us sitting in the tent waiting for the inevetable lightning strike. Fortunately the tent theld up well and dry and there was no lightning strike.3/7/06: Orthez - St Emilion
We left town at 10h30 after we were sleeping in to catch up on sleep lost during the storm. We made good progress and found ourselves in Roquefort at 12h00. Our french guide book said that there was a Roquefort cheese making tour in Roquefort-sur-Soulon. After driving in town for a while it became clear that we were in the wrong Roquefort. At least we had lovely toasted cheese baguette and donuts from the pattiserie.
The radios didn't work too well today and after some investigating it became clear that last nights storm had wet the plugs causing dodgy connections. After some shaking and blowing of the plugs reception improved and we could talk to each other again while wearing our helmets.
After getting a bit lost we made our way through the vineyards of the Bordeaux region to St Emilion where we found a lovely campsite with the most friendly staff. We set up tent, went for a swim to cool down and then pillioned into town for supper. We had a lovely typical french menu and friendly waitor. Starters: Fras Gras (Charlie) upside-down tomato tart (Rensche). Main course: Steak and lamb. Desert: Chocolate cake and Cheese cake)
4/7/06: St Emilion - Ile de Re'
What a dreadful road!!! Billboards, factories, endless traffic and trucks pushing you off the road and radio problems between Charlie and me. Queus and roadworks. But we did well and arrived in Ile de Re' at about 2pm. The weather was nice and cool as we started the endless search for a campsite at the sea. The lady at the tourist information was most unhelpful and we ended up browsing through a french broshure for campsites near the beach. We finally found a campsite at 4pm and had the tent up just before a thunderstorm dumped on us by which time we were at the pool having a beer and eating pizza. Oh yes and the camp pitch was a dust bowl with just two pieces of dry grass!
5/7/06: Ile de Re' - Derval
We decided at breakfast that we had had enough of the french and phoned Brittany ferries and changed our bookings to two days earlier. We just couldn't be bothered to think of what to do for three more days in the north of France. So at 10h30 we got onto the N137 and headed north via Nantes. Stopping at tourist information in Derval, who gave us directions to a B&B. : " take the first right turn out of town and follow the signs." After thirty minutes of getting horribly lost in the maze of country lanes we finally found the town of Marsac sur Don....and per chance found a green Chambre (french B&B) sign. But our french hostess was wonderful, the rooms were great each with a theme and so much attention to detail. She and her husband even invited us for apperatifs on the veranda. She phoned the restaurants in the area but they were all closed due to world cup semi-final: France vs Portugal. We found the local supermarket and got some ham crue, cheese and bread. The other people at the B&B were an English and Danish lady and their child. We had a nice evening chatting into the night over a couple of bottles of wine. http://www.lamerais.com/
6/7/06: Derval - Poole
The next morning we had the most wonderful breakfast at the most beaufiful set table. All home-made breads and jams. Our hostess even gave us a parting gift: little home-made soaps. She was the most friendly french person we have ever met!
We had quite a stressfull ride to Cherbourg: strong winds all the way and bad traffic. The holiday season has certainly started. I was very relieved when we got to Cherbourgh.
There we spent three hours walking around the scummy city centre and people were defnitely harbour city material: scruffy and cheap. At last we got onto the ferry where I had to help Rensche park her bike as she couldn't manage to move it backwards by herself on the slippery deck or get off it.
On the ferry there were school kids EVERYWHERE running around shouting and screaming, throwing food.
Our mood soured as we saw the English coast and realised our holiday had come to an end.
Can't wait for our next adventure!!!
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