The Way Home

I did 450 miles yesterday.
On French autoroutes that's not difficult. You have to hand it to our European partners. They seem to have a number of individuals in their society who make things happen whilst maintaining a mass of ordinary people who in general are not much different from the Brits. In fact I have found with some exceptions that the Europeans are generally better behaved than the Brits and their countries are cleaner and better kept than the UK.
My final objective for this trip was a modern construction which we have all seen on TV, I'm sure.
It has been my ambition to visit The Millau Viaduct and my route was planned to pass by this way. In fact travelling to Paris from the touristy SW coast of France it is mighty difficult to avoid! But it is worth the 6Euro50 toll for the thrill of travelling over the 'highest' road bridge, and to avoid the lengthy journey along the old route through Millau and the Tarn Gorge.
The A75 Autoroute is part of the road network from Paris to the SW border between France and Spain. The usual French blurb about the magnificent road swooping through mountains and flying over gorges claims the road is marvellous. Well compared to some of the roads I have travelled on this trip the A75 is pretty tame really. But the best bit is travelling north for the first time, seeing the signs for the Millau Peage, and then coming round the RH bend, over a hill and all of a sudden there it is and you are pitched into space and looking down 1000 feet into the valley below. Approaching from the north the bridge can be seem miles away but from the south, wallop! you are on it almost without warning. But fear not, the bridge builder of France have a very good standard barrier system, which you see on all the bridges and viaducts. They fit a generous hard shoulder, a heavy truck resistant barrier, and a see-through wind deflector that stops you getting blown off. In other some other countries you get none of this, and the exposure factor is very high. In Croatia you are lucky on some roads to get a white line to stop you plunging into the valley below........
The fact that the competition for the design was won by a British company, Foster and Partners is a miracle in non-achieving British society. In the UK we cannot do anything for fear of upsetting some pressure group or other, when really the government doesn't want to spend any money on anything but supporting it particular set of voters. Sorry, switch off rant...

This is my pic, for the record. Taken from the handy viewing position, above the visitor centre.

The Tarn River cut the gorge over millions of years. You can just make out the village of Millau with the pink roofs. Light was poor on the day and I had to wait for some sun even for this shot.

For the techies, the bridge is a multiple support, cable-stayed construction built by a French consortium that included the Eiffel company, of which more later. The design by Foster was deliberately intended to look slender and light. From a distance it belies the massive construction and sheer size of the structure. The central tower for a while was the highest man-made structure in the world.

What was surprising is the fabulous visitor centre built just right by the bridge, from what looks like an old farm that was in the way of the new motorway.

Inside they have a superb display of local produce and promotion of local industry. There are numerous information films on the go and some of the original competing designs.

The centre is immaculate, brilliantly laid out and spotless. 

Just up the road, 100km, the A75 comes close by the old railway line running to SW France. The signs tell you that there is an Aire with a viewing point for the Garabit Railway Viaduct. Well this bridge was built in the 1880's by Gustave Eiffel, who 10 years later went on to Build the Eiffel Tower. As it happens Eiffel was also responsible for the structure holding up the Statue of Liberty.....

The scale is difficult to imagine, but look at the boat in the river below!

Well the point of this is that the Eiffel company, famously built the iconic Eiffel Tower, founded their fame on the Garabit Viaduct, and was largely responsible for that modern icon the Millau Viaduct.

Oh, and yesterday when I did this trip, in France was Whit Monday, a national holiday and no trucks on the road, cruise control on 130kph, bliss!

End of post

Don't let them fool you.....

I, in my innocence, thought that the mediterranean area was a benign climate with warmth and reliable sunshine. I planned this trip to take advantage of the 'good' weather in southern Europe in the early part of the year, and then to use the 'high' season in the UK to go places that I know and can manage the cost.
Well I can confirm that southern France, Italy and Croatia are b****y cold, very wet and very windy. Don't be fooled by the travel writers, the travel agents or the poseurs. Europe is a COLD Continent and do not fool yourself into thinking otherwise.
I speak as I find. The weather has been a third of the time cold and wet, a third of the time quite dodgey, and one third good. The last few days have been bad. It started with high blustery winds, then cold and then heavy rain. For me, an Englishman, and Boy Scout, to have to break out the heavy weather S'Wester, my brogues, long pants and to storm rig the awning was quite a surprise and a big disappointment. I even put the roof down on the van for fear of being blown over! My advise to anyone thinking about travelling by campervan in Europe is to get a HEATER! Bring woolies and boots and heavy raincoats and plenty of reliable storm gear. Be prepared to sit out long storms and periods of rubbish weather and never forget that, whilst it might be lovely and warm and sunny during the day, the temperature can and will drop from 32deg to 2 deg(or worse) between teatime and bedtime. You have been warned.
In fact the weather is more extreme here in SW France, and try sitting in your lounge with the thermometer on 12 deg and see what madam thinks of that. And the sea! it is 16 deg and decidedly cold thank you very much.
So I was fed up after days sitting about battened down and only the patchy internet connection to occupy my mind I happened upon something maybe worthwhile. The SW coast of France is not very pretty. If you saw my post from the Cote D'Azure (the SE coast) you will see style and class and serious beauty. Hereabouts it is very ordinary especially if the weather is bad. A bit like Blackpool really, and they have a funfare up the way....
Ever heard of William of Orange? Well you should have if you remember your history, and those in N Ireland (noyrinde) know all about 'King Billy'.
It turns out that not far from here is a place called Saint Guilheim-le-Desert. It is recommended as one of the plus beaux villages de France (the most beautiful villages of France).
Well I was up for that. The Gorge Du Tarn require a more serious and extensive investigation, and Tina has already done that, so the upper reaches of the Herault River were my destination.
It goes back to the Emperor Charlemagne, the big bloke, 7 ft tall, in charge of Europe about 750AD. Turns out that the man William (Guilhem) was a pretty good chap, and cousin, fighting wars and opponents for Charlemagne but he was away doing his stuff and when he returned to claim his rewards, everybody else had already been there and the good bits had been handed out. I know the feeling. Eventually Guilhem had to make do with some dodgey land in Gaul and had to fight the Moors to get it. As you might expect Charlemagne was quite happy about this, muggins William was quite within favour, going and expanding the empire, at no cost to the establishment.
William settled in his hard won patch, lost his first wife, and took up with Princess Orible of Orange (I kid you not). Maybe this drove him to religion but the result was the founding of the Orange dynasty that  still rules today in the Netherlands, and has a major impact in British history. William (Guilhem) was such a good chap developing the monastery at the village the church made him a saint. Of course several centuries later the French revolutionaries wrecked the place and the result was the Americans bought up the stoneware and the cloisters of the original monastery are in the USA.
I have read all the PR, and with directions from 'viamichelin' set off for the village of Saint William the Deserving, Saint Guilheim-le-Desert, which is 'hewn from the rocks of the Herault Gorges'.

Here we are, chez nous, with the sun shining and the temp 28 deg. Sunglasses and clogs ready for the beach.......

4 hours later and the Khyam is puffed up, storm lashed and the lid is down on the van. A few days of this and we are ready for something else. Packing up and going home is an option under consideration.

You need to remember that all the pics from now on are taken in the p****g rain, like, Coniston style (OK, maybe a bit warmer.....)

The Herault River emerges from the Gorge.

Whilst today the river very passive, the rocks bear the signs of millions of year's flood and turmoil.

Quite calm really...but look at the turbulence in the rocks!

The village of Saint Guilhem is up the Herault valley, not far from where the river emerges into the plain.

The Church is the most prominent feature. I usually do not promote the buildings of the religious establishments, not least because I live in sight of one of the most renown of them all, and because religion is the cause of so much grief. But here I had quite an unusual experience and maybe there is something in it after all. But go when it is quiet and sit in this church and maybe you will find what I found that day.

The village is famous for its waterfalls.

The penthouse is a wreck!

Can you smell/feel the comfort of this little village. 

Shambolick roofs!

But quaint doors and gardens.........Green Paradise.

There are arches

and more arches

and even more arches.....

Entries lead up to little passages.

No traffic..

little lanes lead off....

Now whilst there are shops selling tourist 'stuff' the premises are invariably classy, stylish and done in good taste.

There are lots of them.

OK, blue ones...

And blue birds..

The most stylish and pretty!

It means 'Once upon a Time....' in English.

But whilst I try to give you texture and the warmth of the stone environment there are so many doors that must lead to almost endless worlds and human families. I play the game of spot the satellite dish!

OK, satellite dishes, but look into the door surrounded by wisteria.......

Upstairs downstairs

The hills are always close by.

No 22 is only a handshake away from......

No 24!

 I had a 'golden handshake' just for a laugh.... 

If you want to buy into this wonderful village there are lots of properties for sale. Wonder why?

Back up to the village square the big tree stands for 150 years.

Plain trees and French village squares do it for me....

But William (Guilhem) after all his travels ended up here. After going there I can really understand why.

The arty shops are great. The style is fabulous.

Just to make sure you didn't miss it. There are no gargoyles like this on Wells Cathedral, more's the pity.

The best Town Hall (Marie) you will ever see.

And they built it on a bridge over a river, reminds you of somewhere?

Eau Potable really was quite tasty just like I know mountain water should be.

My prize for the best doorway goes to this establishment. Who knows what treasures, or otherwise, lie beyond.

So on my way back, here is where the Herault River leaves the gorges. Remember, it is pouring with rain! The Pont de Diable is an ancient stone arch bridge that no doubt has seen many floods and surges. I wonder why the Devil has so many bridges around the world.

End of post