Week one - Blogabond

Saturday 1st August
Up early and away for just after 09:30. Followed TomTom suggestion of M6 and M1 to M25 and Dartford crossing. All went well until we got to 7 miles of QEII bridge, when we stopped in a queue of traffic. Took us 50 minutes to go that 7 miles and although I ran at 70 most of the rest of the way, we got to Dover 10 minutes after last checkin and saw the ferry being loaded while we sat there. Not all lost though, as we only had to wait 45 minutes for the next. Good crossing and TomTom made light work of the route to Guines, despite the road having been changed since we were last there: there is a roundabout with the camp entrance off it now! A nice pitch and a good early night 10:00, we woke early at 06:50 (French time) thinking it was much later and were surprised nobody was moving!

Sunday 2nd August
Managed to get away for 09:00. The longest hop on our trip at about 340 miles; Sue & I shared 2 hour stints of driving. Having programmed TomTom to go via Rennes, she took us flawlessly all the way to Chateauroux without a single wrong turn. Having found some problems in navigating through Rennes last time this was a relief. She even found us supermarket fuel so that we didn't have to pay motorway rates! The supermarkets here appear to have wholeheartedly committed to a chip and pin payment method that is based on the pumps as I refuelled without seeing a cashier! A nice pitch again at Chateauroux, having arrived at about 4pm. After a cup of tea and getting ourselves sorted, we had supper then went for a nice walk around the lake next to the site. It is a lovely facility.

Monday 3rd August
Up reasonably early; too early for the showers it appears as the hot water didn't come through the showers until after 8am!

Away shortly after 09:30, having got fuel from Leclerc, courtesy of TomTom. The way out of town shown by Tomtom was different to our usual route but took us to a southern access to A20, instead of the northern one we have used before and likely to be quicker. Our journey south to Le Gib now that the A20 has been extended around Tulle meant that only the last 30 miles or so of the 150 are not on A20. A good run down with Sue and I sharing the driving again. Only 2 problems – we decided to stop early for lunch at 12:15 but the French had got there first in large numbers! The first 2 rest areas we tried were absolutely packed with any spaces for car & trailer filled by cars if not actually occupied by a caravan. At the third rest area we went straight to the truck area and had lunch there. Something useful I have spotted this year is that the rest areas are marked on the Michelin map with a green spot either side of the motorway for basic areas and a blue spot for full service areas. The other problem en-route was motorway repair work following a fatal crash just north of Limoges this caused a bottleneck of some miles with very slow moving traffic. For the first time, I noticed the effort of towing uphill at very slow speed was more than the cooling system could handle and we got quite hot just prior to finally getting going.

Le Gibanel looking familiar on the final approach

On site we reported in and were told Francine had retired. There is a distinct family resemblance and suspect that a sister is now running the show. The changes appear to be superficial and aimed at making the place more attractive. As it was not too hot, we decided to put up the awning tonight, completing this by about 19:30. We got chips from the takeaway and enjoyed them with frankfurters washed down with a nice beer.

Tuesday 4th August

Mist in the morning, le Gibanel

The day started bright and clear with a little mist hovering over the lake. It was going to be a very warm day. Texted Zoe 1st thing to wish her a happy birthday. We got croissants for breakfast from the shop then took Zoe's call on our return.

After breakfast had our shower then went into town, parked up in the market place (which has changed so that cars can now only park down both edges, albeit under the shade of the maples). We had a little wander to see what else has changed and found that while the town is essentially the same, a few shops have moved across the street into larger premises like the pizzeria and the fishing shop – which has now become a Millets and Kingfisher rolled into one with a gunsmith thrown in for good measure. Talk about celebrating the outdoors!! On the quay, we saw the gabare that was being made about 6 or 7 years ago sitting in the water growing old and not evidently used. Last time we were here, I am sure that they were giving trips up and down stream in it but perhaps this has not taken off in the way they hoped. While on the quay, we were delighted to see Roger's old Peugeot advertising a new venture – an art gallery and glacier with an address on the quayside. Of course we had to check it out. We had only had breakfast not long ago so were not so much hungry as thirsty as by now it was getting quite hot. We settled for a medium and a small pression. I had a little chat with Roger himself – telling him that we had heard that he had retired. He assured me that he had not and was now enjoying himself just running this little business with himself and his wife, working perhaps 6 hours a day rather than the 10 – 12 hours he had put into the café and no staffing problems. We shall certainly go back there for his ices later in the week.

Our next port of call was the tourist information office to check up on what was going on and to see if they could tell us of any internet café, since the campsite appear to have stuck with the one computer in reception (which is generously free, but since all the youngsters cannot possibly be apart from facebook for more than a few minutes, there is a constant queue to use it and the 10 minutes allowed is frequently exceeded). We were told that the town had set up a weefee facility in the square, so we shall have to try this out later in the week – internet al fresco! It has brought home how advanced the NZ campsites are compared with the miserable offerings in Europe anyway.

By now quite hungry we popped into what used to be Chez Roger to ask for a cassecrout only to be advised that they didn't do this and suggested we try next door! Obviously only a bar now. The bar next door appeared not to do snacks, so we just went straight to plan B and did our supermarket shopping and had something to eat when we got back to the site. Speaking of supermarkets, we went to Super U which used to be a huge place; they have had a revamp, turned everything through 90° and it appears to be smaller and contain less. We shall try the Casino next time, which has taken over the old Intermarche store.

We rested in the afternoon before having a stroll around the site to see if there were any old friends still coming back. Sadly, we didn't spot any of the old crowd – but our next door neighbour introduced herself and we found that they have been using the same pitch for the last 3 years and we knew one another from 3 years ago. They recognised us from the boat on the roof while they have changed their outfit.

In the evening, we had a barbeque with some limousin steak. Nothing fancy just grilled with a salad. It was absolutely gorgeous.

Wednesday 5th August

Lake at Marcillac La Criosille

Another bright and sunny day; it is getting hotter. Went up to Marcillac la Croiselle to sail the boat on the lake, have a picnic and get in a spot of fishing. We needed bread, so had a look around the village to try and find a bakery. We have never explored it before so were delighted to find it was quite charming even if on exiting the car, the air raid sirens started up on (we assume) a regular test. I can confirm they work and could probably be heard in Limoges. The sound was obviously just on one dog's wavelength as he set up howling in harmony. The baker had stuck up a notice saying out of bread, so he had obviously heard of the nuclear threat and was stockpiling. Strangely, a couple of people walked out of the door with bread!

We got to the lake and set up the boat with the new trolley. It certainly made the job a lot easier as we could completely assemble and dismantle the boat next to the car rather than put the boat together, get it down to the water then make several trips to fill it with oars, motor and items for the trip. We stopped in a nice, quiet, deserted little bay opposite the slipway and spent a pleasant half hour or so watching the world go by. Back to the slipway, it was a cinch to take the boat out of the water and park it by the car while we had our picnic.

I spent a little while fishing but only caught one little chub who hopped off the hook as soon as he saw me! I think it may not have been ideal weather for the fish. We made another little tour of the lake before heading back to the site for an evening meal of omelette and salad. Temperature of 29°C at 7pm.

Thursday 6th August

The Market

Up fairly early so that we could get into the open market that's held every Thursday. It was absolutely huge and very spectacular but we still didn't find anything compelling to buy. Back to our pitch for a late lunch. It was by now very hot; the thermometer showed a temperature of 30°C in the shade mid afternoon. It was too hot to do anything but sit in our loungers, read and doze – which we managed without too much effort. We managed to rouse ourselves with some effort to make supper at 8 and enjoyed some nice pork cutlets grilled on the barbeque.

Friday 7th August

During the night we had the suspected rain but although at times it was quite steady, was not the storm we had expected. In the morning just after rising was when the storm hit but it was tame by Argentat standards. Some brief heavy rain, a couple of claps of thunder and the odd flash of lightning. Although I had prepared the defences, they were not needed this time. It rained intermittently most of the morning, so we sat and read. Sue got the washing on in the anticipation of dry weather later. After lunch the rain died off as suspected with blue skies and intermittent fluffy white clouds; once again giving a low layer of mist over the river as the moisture dried up.

Lovely view over the Dordogne

We put the washing on the line and went for a 2 hour walk down the lane along the riverbank. There were a number of people fishing in the favourite spots and we were pleased to see that cruises by gabare have been started up river towards chastang. At the front of the boat there was an animateur who presumably was guiding the tour but he was also clearly entertaining the occupants as he sang songs that sounded folksy and we assumed were gabarier songs to put the masses into the right mood.

Gabare on the Dordogne

Back on site we collapsed into our chairs until we had to stir ourselves for supper; as it was looking a little black we didn't risk barbequeing but we need not have worried!

Coming up shortly ….................. Boules Carrees a Pierrfort

written by

rickandsuejohnson on August 10, 2009 from Argentat, France

from the travel blog: Argentat de nouveau

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Hi Folks!

Glad to hear you are managing to have a good time! It's slowly getting warmer back here, but still not quite hitting 30 degrees...

Lots of love to both,

Ollie

written by

olliejohnson on August 11, 2009

Hi Ollie
Sorry to hear Sheffield isn't quite managing to make the temperatures, yet! we are sitting in the square completing this and feeling very warm indeed. It is predicted to reach 32 today and get very oppressive, building to a storm tonight, so you know what that means!! Lots of love Mum & Dad

written by

rickandsuejohnson on August 15, 2009

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