Escaping to France....

[Hotel California]

Got another two weeks time off from work , headed of sunday at noon leaving home near Antwerp to be back on the 3th october , plan to reach Beaumes-de-Venise(near Mont-Ventoux) where my wife's brother lives to spent a few days visit.

Drove 200km to spend first a few days to visit my brother who's got a caravan stationary at a lovely campsite in Bertrix near Boullion ( Belgian ardennes / provincie Luxembourg )
This campsite
http://www.campingbertrix.be/en
Big and bold , not my cup of thee in the high season ( much to busy , family's with childeren) but as it is low season from now ....very quiet .
Only open from easter to mid november.
In the ACSI guide so payed 15 € + 2,5 €tourist tax =17,5€ two of us + dog all included (hook-up)
As we are mid september the weater is still pretty good in Belgium up to 20 celsius , good enough for us as we don't like to travel to hot with the dog .
Enjoying the quiet morning , going for a walk later ....don't need much more

In the back my bothers second home and his new MX 5 , he lives allone and by the 15november when the campsite close for winter he wil reach his 200th day at his caravan this year.....!

 

[sidepod]

I love Boullion. Cool little place. Great site on the river.

Provence is fab. I'm well jel.
Mont Ventoux is spectacular. Great place to tKe a pizza and wAtch the sun set from he summit.

P.

 

[Hotel California]

I love Boullion. Cool little place. Great site on the river.

Provence is fab. I'm well jel.
Mont Ventoux is spectacular. Great place to tKe a pizza and wAtch the sun set from he summit.

P.

Stayed on the summit of the Ventoux on our maidentrip four years ago , could well be we do it again . But as my brother in law got the view to the Ventoux from he's back yard to me it is not that much spectacular . I see it a few times a year....

 

[GrannyJen]

Got another two weeks time off from work , headed of sunday at noon leaving home near Antwerp to be back on the 3th october , plan to reach Beaumes-de-Venise(near Mont-Ventoux) where my wife's brother lives to spent a few days visit.

Drove 200km to spend first a few days to visit my brother who's got a caravan stationary at a lovely campsite in Bertrix near Boullion ( Belgian ardennes / provincie Luxembourg )
This campsite
http://www.campingbertrix.be/en
Big and bold , not my cup of thee in the high season ( much to busy , family's with childeren) but as it is low season from now ....very quiet .
Only open from easter to mid november.
In the ACSI guide so payed 15 € + 2,5 €tourist tax =17,5€ two of us + dog all included (hook-up)
As we are mid september the weater is still pretty good in Belgium up to 20 celsius , good enough for us as we don't like to travel to hot with the dog .
Enjoying the quiet morning , going for a walk later ....don't need much more
View attachment 16392
In the back my bothers second home and his new MX 5 , he lives allone and by the 15november when the campsite close for winter he wil reach his 200th day at his caravan this year.....!

You have a great trip Wim,

 

[sapto]

Have a great trip and enjoy your sunny days. Here in Switzerland it is pouring.

 

[Hotel California]

Sunny but also sometimes clouds , nice normal themps. Between 18-20celcius this afthernoon.
We took of arround 1pm for a walk arround in the forrest , map availeble at the reception , but one can rent a Garmin toy ....8euro/day never used those things so thought try it out .
The 10km walk is nicely pre-downloaded and it was much more relaxing to walk.
We did about 3h over the 10km .
You can tell we are brothers , same haircut , me on the right the youngest and most handsome....


Very nice and quite forrest to walk
Found Woody Woodpecker's house also....

Now enjoying the campsite , off to the French border tomorrow!

 

[Hotel California]

Job done , emptyed the botlle cava we brought from home ....
The French will lynch us bringing this in to France....

Stayed outside until 19pm , lucky with the weather!

 

[Hotel California]

Mieke also had a great time today by the looks of it...
She's been collecting some firewood....gonna be a hell of a campfire!

 

[bigmac77]

Looks like good fun and Mieke looks like she has spotted a rabbit. Great time of year to be on the road.

 

[Hotel California]

Leaving Belgium behind yesterday , drove thru Luxembourg , topped up 30 l diesel + 0,93€ /liter!
In to France direction Colmar and spent the night at a Campsite in Saverne .
Drove 250km
Nice site , no more no less...nothing special .
15,90 € all in (ACSI-pass)
We look like a matchbox next to this German white-whale...

Today heading direction of the Jura.

 

[Hotel California]

Today the weather still is very nice , dry and arround 18-20 celcius at highest.
Lunch-stopover


Afther lunch a short walk in the forrest and she found yet another stick to play with....damn dog!


Drove Saverne - Colmar - Mulhouse - Belfort - Besancon then direction Geneve mostly N and D roads ending in the Jura (done 360km) a campsite in Bonlieu (ACSI-guide) 15,80€ all-in , nice view of the surronding rocks and a 10 min walk to a small lake .

 

[Skylark2.0]

Today the weather still is very nice , dry and arround 18-20 celcius at highest.
Lunch-stopover

View attachment 16486
Afther lunch a short walk in the forrest and she found yet another stick to play with....damn dog!
View attachment 16489

Drove Saverne - Colmar - Mulhouse - Belfort - Besancon then direction Geneve mostly N and D roads ending in the Jura , a campsite in Bonlieu (ACSI-guide) 15€ all-in , nice view of the surronding rocks and a 10 min walk to a small lake .
View attachment 16487

View attachment 16488

great mileage today.
As always, inspiring!
Lovely pics thanks.

 

[sapto]

Thank you for sharing! Great report and nice pics!

 

[GrannyJen]

Brilliant Wim, absolutely lovely.!

 

[Hotel California]

Woke up sunny again , left the Jura behind heading for higher grounds , goal somewhere near St-Jean de Mauriene , the whalhalla for cycling and tourlovers.
Drove D and N's over beautiful cols and now on a lovely campsite in St-Jean de Maurienne (ACSI low season tarif again only 17,80€ all in ) , done about 280km today, place closes this sathurday.
We saw up to 24celcius appear today!
Enjoyed the sun when we where pitched up.




Tomorrow want to go over the Galibier (2600m ) and head further direction to the Ardeche.

 

[Hotel California]

Some shots on the road

 

[CALI FATE]

cool - its nice to see wim-away

 

[Hotel California]

cool - its nice to see wim-away

....meaning nice report ....or...
Me being less all over the forum?

 

[Hotel California]

Anyway , not kiddin' about the very gentle themperatures!


Edit : before we went to sleep


There's a couple with a Ocean UK licence plate on the site also , bikes , drive-away awning ,....the real thing......been over for a chat
Including two MB , we have four pop-tops...

Can you tell by the number of posts there's free wifi

 

[CALI FATE]

....meaning nice report ....or...
Me being less all over the forum?

was more thinking - the lion sleeps tonight ...... wim away wim away

 

[Hotel California]

Again settled on a nice Campsite in Die (Rhone-Alpes region)

Camping de Chamarges found in the ACSI guide , 13€ all in wifi included ....how cheap can they go?
For 13€ i'm not even thinking about searching for a free aire , got shower,toilet , wash-up , electric , wifi....

 

[Hotel California]

Above you can see we found yet again a sweet place to spend the night.
But back to thismorning , woke up yet another sunny day in St-Jean de Maurienne and took of afther backing some eggs , bread service on site.
Drove over the Col du Telegraphe and follwing the Col du Galibier.
Arriving at the Col du Telegraphe we parked up next to a bunch of Porsches a Audi RS and a Ferrari F340. Even before i got out they where looking at me and one came over .
I was thinking , waw my Cali got to draw some attention....
Seems the nice red Italian sportscar had some trouble starting up afther they stopped.
Battery dead ...they asked if i got any jump leads , witch i offcoarse carry...
Gave it to them but afther a while seems the Porsche could not fire up the Ferrari.
We had a chat with the mostly older aged drivers and wives . They where on a 5 days trip with thiere sportscars. But one of them had gave up....Italian quality.
They where all over our doggie , Mieke ....afther a while we took off the Ferrari did not started.





View attachment 16528
Learnd that the F340 battery sits at the right in the passengers footwell

 

[Hotel California]

back on the road up the Galibier .....
Some great scenery





And made it to the top

 

[sapto]

Great looking viewpoint! And looks like your on your own?

 

[Hotel California]

Did St-Jean Maurienne - over the Galibier - Briancon - Gap - Die , only N and D roads for 260km today .
Clear sky tonight , amazing how more stars you can spot once you are away from big city's.
Still 18,5 celcius at 9pm.
Tomorrow head for Grospierres at the Ardeche , a place we visit almost every time we head up south as we have connection with some owners of two houses there , my wife's mother know these people and she rents the place once or twice a year.
Head up there to spend the night on the driveway of the house as there is nobody at this moment. Sometimes we take the key's and sneak in as my mother in law got a key to the place...