Have you ever tried to take the perfect photograph? Travel offers the opportunity to see and photograph scenes from around the world to give you memories for years to come. You find the location, check the lighting, frame the subject, aperture and shutter speed set, well perhaps not the last part on the iPhone SE that I use, and you are ready for that award winning photo, then this……..
Someone moves into the frame as you press the shutter. I mean what can you do? It seems to happen to me repeatedly. I would appreciate any ideas you have to allow me to take that elusive perfect photo.
– Anthony
P.S. could not resist having some fun with this. Please note that Anne does all the award wining photographs in this blog from the motorbike and on foot.
Before we leave Bourges, we need to replenish the gas cylinders we used to re-inflate my tyre yesterday. Anne identifies a motorcycle dealer with great reviews who may have the cylinders. We navigate across the city to Dafy Moto. Sadly no gas cylinders are available there, however technology has moved on: you can now buy a usb rechargeable compressor. Much as I liked the cylinders going cold when you use them, this is more practical in our world. It is unlikely that future trips will take us to some of the more remote places we have been, plus electricity does seem more commonplace nowadays! They also provided coffee and hot chocolate for us. Great service.
Excellent service and coffee at Dafy Moto in Bourges.
With the daily storm-fronts sweeping this part of France and the need to dry out the tent and riding gear, we have decided to move indoors for a couple of days. We have chosen to base ourselves in Chinon, a small town straddling the La Vienne river. It has the classic walled Chateau overlooking the town, cobbled streets cafes and more, including family connections. We can travel out from the hotel without all the gear, making Streak and Storm lighter and more fun to ride.
On the way to Chinon, we see three cars in a row flash their lights at us, something happening ahead, police radar perhaps, no a recent accident has a car crashed side-on into a minivan right in the middle of the road at an intersection. No apparent injuries but no emergency services either. In France you are required to have a high visibility vest with you in the vehicle. Three of those who have stopped to help are now efficiently directing traffic around the crash including semi-trailers while others are placing red warning triangles down the road. I am impressed with this coordination, is it part of driver training I wonder.
We walked around Chinon until the hotel reception opened, helmets on as it was still raining.
Helmets make for great rainwearOver the rooftops in Chinon
The red house in Chinon
Chinon holds a special place in Anne’s family history as it is where her father did his last 2 years of schooling. He also played the lead role of Perdican with his sister as Camille in “On ne badine pas avec l’amour” or “No trifling with love” by Alfred de Musset. Great to think that the black and white photos of them in that play which Anne has known all her life were taken in the town hall, the backdrop to the main Festival of Music stage that starts tomorrow.
Chinon is also famous because of Jeanne d’Arc! a French heroine and a catholic saint. She asserted that she had visions from God instructing her to free her country from English domination. A courageous young woman, she disguised herself as a man and led her people against the English in 1429 and won! Two years later she unfortunately met a horrific death after she was captured by the enemy – the Anglo-Burgundians, who were a group of French people that sided with the English of the 15th century – and was burnt on the stake.
Jeanne d’Arc sculpture in Chinon
This dynamic statue by Jules Roulleau shows Jeanne d’Arc galloping over the bodies of her defeated enemies and was a gift by the sculptor to the town where Jeanne d’Arc met the Dauphin for the first time in 1429.
We stay at Hôtel Rive Sud on the south side of the river, a short walk from town. We are able to bring Streak and Storm into a courtyard which makes unloading easier. Many of the hotels in the old towns have no onsite parking given the nature of the streets. This is a lovely family run hotel with three generations having breakfast in the kitchen next to the dining room where we have breakfast.
A leisurely three course dinner in town with local wine seems an appropriate way to spend the evening. Even with the meal taking a few hours it is still light after 10pm as we stroll back to our hotel.
Always try a local wine
While the use of paper maps has declined over time, we both still like to spread open a paper map and pore over the little details, such as the green line alongside the road that indicates a scenic route. Today without full loads, we retrace our steps to Montrésor some 100km east. After visiting the town we will be following the D10 west along a green marked route towards St Quentin-sur-Indrois, no not the one where Anne and I met. The route loosely follows the river L’Indrois.
The ride to Montrésor is uneventful as it should be, but Storm is far more responsive on the twisty roads flanked by vineyards and other crops we do not recognise. Traffic is light and the sun is shining. Can one ask for better weather? We tour the chateau at Montrésor which has been restored to its 19th century glory. In a dining room, with a magnificent table overlooked by the dozens of animal heads from around the world, one can imagine the talk over dinner must turn to hunting from time to time.
Now that’s what I call an entrance
Chateau at Montrésor
Conversation pieces in the dining room at Montrésor Chateau.
The ride along the D10 is rewarding, beautiful farmland scenery and minimal traffic. All the reasons for taking the backroads. We will be back in time for the start of the music festival in Chinon.
It seems this Music Festival, which runs for a number of days, covers a wide range of tastes from classical to jazz and rock. Each group of artists performs either in a square or more often outside a cafe or restaurant. I wonder if the food and music are paired like food and wine?
Music outside Chinon Mairie/Town HallCrowds gather around a rock band.
The spacing between the venues and the nature of the buildings means that each sound is contained to the local in which the performance is taking place. Only if you go up to the Chateau above the town can you hear the range of different melodies emanating from the streets below. We just enjoy the variety as do the many others who have thronged to the town for this first evening of music. What a great way to spend our last night here.
Well that was an interesting night. The storm that huffed and puffed at our little tent for an hour last night abated and apart from a wet tent, exterior only I am pleased to say, we are dry and planning to take the back roads for the next few days. I am very glad we deployed all the tent’s guide ropes to make it more secure. We were staying in a small campsite in the country at Eaux-Puiseaux, no villages or towns for kilometres. It was mostly occupied by Dutch caravans and motorhomes as the location is a pleasant day’s drive from the Netherlands for those travelling further South. The plots are massive compared with the Municipal campsites and shielded from each other by high thick hedges.
Relaxing at the campsite at Eaux-Puiseaux South West of Troyes.
Our earlier time constraints saw us mainly riding autoroutes which, while having quick transit times, do not allow us full enjoyment of the French countryside and the small towns and villages dotted along the route. The slower routes have so much to offer, scenery, town centres, good food and coffee. Today the “Organic Map” App has tolls switched off and our journey will take twice as long. Taking the D965 will take us most of the way to Vierzon and the next campsite Anne has identified.
A view of Auxerre from the river.
Cafe Le Paul Bert in Auxerre, great coffee and even better service.
Having lunched at Service Stations on the Autoroutes since we started riding in France, we are looking forward to just finding a small village restaurant to lunch at. How to decide, just the ‘feel’ is how we do it. We are passing through Saint-Fargeau and it just seems right. A quaint place with five restaurants to choose from. Lunch at Le Bistrot du Chateau saw Anne’s tuna cooked to perfection. The Chef was from the south and seafood his speciality. This is a great reason to take the backroads.
No more motorway meals for us.
Time for lunch at Le Bistro du Chateau
As we navigate through Vailly-sur-Sauldre on the D926 heading west, Anne informs me that the warning triangle has appeared and then “Tyre pressure dropping, 2.0 bar, 1.8 bar”. We pull over and Anne learns from a local that there is a garage around the corner. Yes there is but it is closed. Must be Monday. We check Anne’s tyres with a handheld pressure gauge but both are fine. Must be a faulty sensor.
Looking at the weather in the direction of the next campsite, it is an ominous dark grey. The weather map shows a line of thunderstorms in that direction and an “Orange” warning for thunderstorms has been issued. Discretion is called for and we quickly book a hotel to the south in Bourges to avoid the inclement weather. As we prepare to leave Anne notices my rear tyre is deflated. I have the problem on my bike but Anne is picking it up on hers. Inspection reveals a large screw in the centre of my tyre all the way in.
Dead centre hard to repeat I hope.
As we hunt for the tyre repair kit, I do lament leaving the compressor behind for that extra packet of tasty biscuits, and we ponder how the problem of one motorbike’s low tyre pressure is showing up on another. The only explanation we can come up with is that somehow the wireless tyre pressure monitors got swapped over when we had new tyres fitted. That has been in the UK, USA, Costa Rica and Dubai all the way back to 2014! Since we check the pressures regularly and we have the same tyres, without this puncture we would never have known. Who would have thought it.
Now how does this work again?
This is my first puncture ever on my motorcycle, that I can remember. I have fixed Anne’s in Kazakstan 2014 and Ian’s, who we met at the side of the road in Peru, in 2015. That’s it. Turns out both the repair kit and I are a little rusty. Some faded instructions explain the gist of what I need to do and I can confirm that “Ream until easy to move the reamer” is accurate. Without this first step other steps do NOT work. Anyway just as I am finishing up, successfully I think but I still needing to test the tyre pressure after emptying five small compressed air cylinders into Storm’s rear type, a car pulls up and we meet Patrick, who has pulled over to see if he can help. Patrick turns out to be a local fireman, well not quite, he has some 1,600 firemen reporting to him! A lovely guy who wants us to let him know that we have reached our destination safely, Merci Patrick, this is one of the reasons we travel to meet people. Tyre pressure is spot on we are off again. Will it last is the question.
Our window to avoid the storm has passed and only a tantalising 30km short of our destination the storm hits. Our KLIM riding gear, which has seen snow to 46 degrees celsius starts to show its age. Slowly we feel the water seeping through both the pants and jacket in a couple of places. One can only put off replacing old equipment for so long. Oh well, we live and learn.
Testing weather for our not so “Waterproof” gear.
We have found the drivers on the whole in France treat motorcyclists well. Many have slowed on the Autoroutes to allow both of us to overtake as well as let us pass in traffic. After the storm we even had the Gendarme clearing the road of fallen branches for us. Now that is what I call service.
Our “escort” clearing the branches for us after the storm on the backroads.
After a drying night we decide that the daily it seems bands of rain and thunderstorms we will see us stay in one location for the next couple of nights. We are heading for Chinon where we will base ourselves for a few of days and get to enjoy riding without the kitchen sink.
“Come and meet the English boy” shouted my best friend Annick excitedly across the fence. Annick’s two brothers had just spent a couple of weeks in Kent as part of a school exchange trip. While there, they got to met and befriend the barman at their local. When they left on the Wednesday, they told him he should come over to see them in France sometime. 3 days later, he arrived at the train station in Saint-Quentin and called them: I’m here!!! That was a bit sooner than they expected and totally unplanned but the welcome he got from the whole family was no less enthusiastic and warm.
Anyway, over I went to Annick’s house, and there, in Bruno’s bedroom was the English boy, long haired, and wearing a blue top, chinos and pig skin shoes. I took my usual favourite spot in Bruno’s room, where I used to spend hours listening to his music: on the window-sill.
The bedroom where we met!
This was late summer 1974, the evenings are long and Anthony and I spent several hours chatting – the conversation was easy and flowing. There was an undeniable connection. When it was time for me to leave, I gave him my special leather and silver bracelet.
The three “A’s” Annick, Anthony and Anne49 years later same location, sadly Annick is no longer with us.
The next day, we met up again, listening to more music and already making plans to meet up in the UK at Christmas time. I made that trip 4 months later with my brother and his girlfriend.
It was lucky Anthony decided to take up the offer to visit his new friends in France so soon as my parents and I left that part of northern France the following week for the swiss border. “Never put off to tomorrow what you can do today” has remained our mantra ever since.
Going from Bayeux to Reims to see my niece, was the perfect opportunity to go back to where I spent my childhood and where Anthony and I met that summer of 1974.
The new owner of the house next door to mine and where we met came out, intrigued that anyone would be taking photos of his house. He seemed really touched at our story and insisted we come in. That’s when emotions came flooding in for me, remembering the hundreds of times I used to visit to see my best friend Annick and her brother Bruno.
After this emotional trip down memory lane, we went to see Annick’s mother, now in a nursing home. It is tragic that her husband and all 3 children have all passed away. She was pleased that we had visited their grave in the village of Fayet before seeing her.
A short trip through the northern France countryside I love so much and we are in Reims to see my niece. That countryside is flat and might be boring for most people, but when it was the place you grew up, went walking with your dog, or cycling or sat in the fields with your school friends, it brings so many happy memories and feels so serene.
The village of Fayet where we met and Anne grew upAnne loves the poppiesLe plat pays qui est le mien
We do none of the touristy things in Reims such as visiting the cathedral etc as our only reason for being there this week end is to spend time with my niece. This is after all a trip to see family above all else.
Happy times with Anne’s niece Marion
After Reims, our next stop is Troyes: a medieval old town featuring narrow, cobbled streets lined with colorful, half-timbered houses, mostly dating from the 16th century.
Troyes gendarmerieAllée des Chats, TroyesAnne looking for something with a little more horsepower.
All towns and villages in France always have a monument those who gave their lives to liberate the town or city. The monument in Troyes was particularly striking, designed by Jean-Charles Lallement sculptor in 1955. The title of the sculpture is “ Medidate and Remember”.
Liberation monument in TroyesA striking sculpture with the martyr lying on the ground
I wonder if we’ll get to our next camping spot before the huge storm that has been forecast…
The ramp slowly descends allowing an ever increasing stream of light onto the forward deck of Brittany Ferries’ “Cotentin”. I am first in line to depart if I can get the new gloves and helmet on, plus ensure all the pockets are done up. Ready to go.
Come on, get ready quicker, the ramp is coming down.
There appears to me to be a labyrinth of laneways that radiate from the ship’s birth each seemingly designated for a different form of transport. I cunningly let a regular traveller precede me on his motorbike, sometimes it’s better to be a follower than a leader.
The crossing was very smooth and we spent an enjoyable evening with Hugh and Paul who we met waiting to board the ship. They have travelled extensively in Europe visiting many amazing places, something we still aspire to do. Safe riding guys.
For the first time I am not using our trusty Garmin Montana 540 for navigation. With battery and screen problems and the broken on/off switch, it has moved to the reserves bench, still mounted on Storm I hasten to add. The cost of a new GPS compared with the availability of offline maps on the iPhone has )led to the investment in a Quad Lock mount for the bike. My iPhone now sits securely alongside the Garmin providing directions as we enter Le Havre.
“Ride on the right” comes through the intercom from Anne. A welcome reminder that we decide should be our mantra each time we start riding. In a car, we look for the driver’s seat to be in the middle of the road – a little more difficult with a motorbike. Traffic is light as we head out of town although it takes a time to get used to local traffic signs and rules.
After a couple wrong turns, as I learn how to read the phone maps and we are heading south over the Pont de Normandie: a magnificent cable stayed road bridge. No tolls for motorcycles just stay to the right and a free pass to the other-side awaits. The bridge provides commanding views of the river Seine and surrounding countryside. There is also a bike lane as part of the roadway over the bridge and more surprisingly a narrow footpath separated from the road by a low concrete curb. In other countries, high walls would provide safety separation. Here you take some responsibility for your own risk.
We are approaching the Pont du Normandie.
Note the pedestrian on the left.
Anne has always wanted to see the Bayeux tapestry and our arrival via Le Havre creates the perfect opportunity. I also thought that we could visit some of the D Day landing beaches since the anniversary of the landings was only a week before our arrival. We only have some 100 ml. / 160 km. to cover today but taking the Autoroute will give us more time to sightsee. Anne’s research, which she does so well, has identified the British D-Day war memorial and the Mulberry harbour as potential spots to visit. We have a busy day ahead of us.
We had a short night on the boat so a few extra zzz’s are always welcome. The KLIM riding gear makes for a great self contained mattress which works well on any surface. We have both found the need for a quick daytime nap over the years.
KLIM comfortable sleeping mat, note new helmet
Our first stop is at Courseulles-sur-Mer which was part of Juno beach on the D-Day landings. Canadian Forces landed here and took the fortifications which were blown up and today sit at a crazy angle in the sand. General De Gaulle also first set foot on French soil again here a few days later.
Destroyed fortifications at Juno beach
Looking west along “Juno” landing beach.
British Churchill Tank at Juno Beach, an Engineers’ version.
It was only in July 2015 following a meeting between George Batts, a Normandy landing veteran, and BBC journalist Nicholas Witchell that the idea of a monument to forces under British command who gave their lives on D-Day took shape with the Normandy Memorial Trust being formed. Subsequent financing led to the purchase of 18 hectares of land and the building of the monument to the west of Ver-sur-Mer. The size of the land allows the monument to be some distance from the car park and unlikely to be encroached by any future construction. A very good idea.
On the pathway to the memorial.
The approach to British Normandy Memorial.
The monument designed by architect Liam O’Conner faces the sea overlooking eastern end of Gold beach. The view is serene, one cannot contemplate what faced the combatants back on June 6th. The walls in the centre of the monument contains the names of the 1,746 who died on the 6th of June 1944. The columns that surround the monument hold the remaining name of the
22,442 who died up till 31 August 1944. A separate memorial remembers the estimated 12,000 French civilians who died during the liberation of Normandy.
Sculpture of British soldiers by David Williams-Ellis at the British Normandy Memorial.
In memory of the fallen.
As I walk past the columns I am struck by the ages of those who died. Some were still teenagers with their lives ahead of them who gave their lives for our freedom today. Thank you.
All those who died.
The remains of the Mulberry Harbour is fascinating, a complete harbour, two in fact, although one was destroyed by storm soon after creation to provide supplies to the Allied troops after D-Day. Floated across the Channel and sunk to form a harbour, even almost 80 years later some sections still seem to be intact.
Mulberry harbour
A short ride to Bayeux and a municipal campsite within walking distance of town is a great find. We can walk along a picturesque riverbank avoiding road traffic to the centre.
Along the river in Bayeux
Bayeux Cathedral
Inside Bayeux Cathedral.
The Bayeux Tapestry is something I recalled from history at school depicting the Battle of Hastings in 1066 between William of Normandy, not yet Conquerer, and Harold King of England. In reality the battle only takes up a portion of the tapestry, the rest chronicles the events leading up the battle starting some two years earlier in 1064. Today it could be a movie plot with intrigue, betrayal, action and a lot more. Believed to have been commissioned around 1070 by Bishop Odo of Bayeux, William’s half-brother, it has survived and well worth the visit. Do get the audio accompaniment which highlights parts that would be missed or not understood unless you are a scholar of the tapestry.
No pictures allowed. You will have to visit yourself.
You may recall the last post referred to the search for knives on motorcyclists leaving the UK which seemed a little bizarre to us. I now have some context from a friend who lives in France. It seems some time back that British motorcyclists were having their motorcycles stolen by being grabbed off the motorbikes while stopped, say in traffic, and the motorbikes stolen. I gather this happens in the UK as well, hence some riders may have started carrying knives. An American friend commented people there would be puzzled they were not carrying guns!
Tomorrow we head to St Quentin, where for Anne and I our journey began back in 1974. Anne will tell the story of the first time we met in the next blog.
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