Friday 13th September 2024

Welcome to Montanges.

We have arrived at our chateau, and are settled in. We have bought cheese, bread and wine. All the major food groups.

We left St Maggies just after five, caught the ten to six train from Folkestone to Calais. Then drove 475 miles through France, avoiding Paris and its ring road.

No delays, no roadworks, just make great time and could not have gone better.

We are staying here the night, before heading into Italy for another seven hour drive tomorrow to Tuscany.

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Up at four, and time for a coffee before the lading of the car, switching off the water and putting the bins out. So that we were ready to roll at five.

Nothing on the roads leading to the port, but we were going to the tunnel, so up the A20, onto the motorway to Hythe before doubling back.

No trouble checking in, and as the terminal wasn't yet open, we drove round to the border, cleared both, so drove to the waiting area to find the barrier open so we could drive to the platform and onto the train right away.

A ten minute wait and we were away, into the chalk down and then under the sea to France. I read as the train rumbled its way to France, a new book about a great flood in Wales and the west country in 1607, more of that another time.

35 minutes later we arrived in France, and it was hammering down, and the newly risen sun managing to find a gap in the clouds from just above the horizon, made it feel like the end of the world.

I have only ever travelled north or south from Calais, so east was a new experience, heading east and then turning south to avoid Paris.

Clear blue skies clouded over and then mist drifted in, only to clear again half an hour later.

We stopped for breakfast at nine, a baguette filled with meat and pickles, then back onto the road, through farmland and mile after mile of woodland.

Very little traffic, and what there was we either zoomed past us, or we zoomed past them, heading east and then south.

We sail by Dijon and Lyon, stop at a service station for a burger, sadly. I know, but it was quick and cheap.

Then east to Grenoble, before turning off the motorway and into the mountains to find our room for the night, in a small chateau at the top of a valley.

We have a fine room in the 16th century castle, beside us there is a stone spiral staircase up and down.

Its all too good for us.

We have a coffee sitting on the terrace, watching two jays squawk at each other before flying off.

To think I missed the monthly department meeting for this.

The owner tried to book a table somewhere nearby for dinner, but ll places were booked, so we said we'd drive to the nearest shop for supplies, as we'd already eaten well.

So we drove along the valley via the twisty road to Champfromier, where we wandered round, band bought supplies from the boulangerie and the shop.

Back then to the castle to post some shots, and then sit in the large dining room and ear our feast, washing it down with a bottle of fine red.