France - From Toulon to Tarbes

Toulon was an unexpected pleasant surprise, we have not been there before and went there because we wanted to spend more time on the Med coast. Our GPS / SatNav with its huge choice of pre-programmed campsites, listed one near the Toulon bay area. Good one, quiet and max room for 6 motorhomes. Servicing facilities were nearby (WC, fresh water resupply and grey water dump) as were shops for basics. Boulangerie (French for bakery) walking distance - very important! The French bake the best bread and pastries in all of Europe!

We spent a day walking around the port area of Toulon, visited Fort Napoleon, where the famous French Marshall made a name for himself in 1793.

Fort Napoleon - Toulon

The fort is on a hill with a good walk to get there, but plenty of photo opportunities to compensate for the effort.

Luxury yacht service centre

A touch of north Africa

View of the French Navy from Fort Napoleon

Les Sablettes is the area we frequented during our one week stay in Toulon. It is an area and has an ambiance that can easily be revisited in future. We strolled around the non-military port area, which has a plethora of bistro's and cafe's and found it safe, well appointed and with a warm sunny day the place to be.

We also did a cruise around the naval facilities in Toulon, home for much of the French fleet. Of the many pictures I have .... here's one more ....

The aircraft carrier Charles De Gaulle, flagship of the French Navy.

We left Toulon and headed for the French Pyrenees, an area we have not been to. On our way to the Midi-Pyrenees region we spent a night in a camperstop at Ville de Gemenos, northeast of Marseilles and came across Chez Marius, a local fine dining eatery no less! Next time, next time.

Chez Marius .... !

A night was spent just outside Montpellier on the coast in a busy camperstop with all facilities and the next at a camperstop near Perpignan near the coast, quiet, secluded and free but no facilities. We now swung west making for the Tarbes / Lourdes area. Joan was going to visit friends in St Sever and me - I was going to take photographs in Tarbes, not that I knew it, but I soon discovered the where and what!

Aviation, of course.

Aeroclub de Bigorre at Laloubere, Tarbes.

For aviation pictures taken at Tarbes and elsewhere in France, please view my portfolio:-

http://www.airplane-pictures.net/member-profile.php?p=6981

 

France - Cote d'Azur

It's February and even on the famed Cote d'Azur in southern France it rains - well it has to rain sometimes. It's just that one takes it for granted that it should be sunny!
Thus was our entry as we motored along the A8 toll road going west to Villeneuve-Loubet, on the outskirts of Nice. We have been to this particular campsite before, well established, quiet, well run, nearby supermarket, trains and buses into Nice, making for an enjoyable stay. Not cheap at 26 Euro's per day, but you get what you pay for.

We booked in for a week and chose the same site that we had in 2013 when we were as now, making our way back to England. Right choice, we had no neighbours in the immediate area for the whole week! The upside of low season.

A day was spent in Nice walking the promenade along that famous stretch of beach both sides of the Negresco Hotel.

Hotel Le Negresco

Short finals into Nice airport

Along the promenade

Another full day was spent plane spotting from the beach at St Laurent-du-Var. Below is a link to some of the results:-

http://www.airplane-pictures.net/album.php?p=1221

Here's a sample ....

Nice / Cote d'Azur airport, next to the beach.

We journeyed on to Saint Maxime to a camperstop near McDonalds (good for Wi-Fi) and had a good walk to the local marina with views of Saint Tropez across the bay.

As is the case with millions of others, including the French themselves, the Cote d'Azur is a most enjoyable destination, for obvious reasons - safe, pleasant and it has little tolerance for the riff-raff of society. You either fit or get out.

Just on the edge of Saint Tropez was a good camperstop and we stayed two nights, giving us a full day to walk the town itself. From the large marina full of multi-million dollar boats to the quaint backstreets with cafes and eateries.

Bus stop into St Tropez - free!

'Secret Life'

On the marina facing the yachts

City hall / Mayor's office

Façade

One of many Brasserie's

The fishing marina and part of the yacht harbour beyond

Suffice to say that a visit to Saint Tropez has never disappointed, how can it? Be prepared for high prices, you need not eat out all the time though, we bought all goodies at local supermarkets and had good home cooked meals from Fifi's galley / kitchen area - not forgetting the product of the vine! You are in France and good wine is plentiful and well priced.

And then of course the 'working class' .... 

The need to stay close to warm weather was paramount, so we opted to go for Toulon - what a find! Next up our 8 day stay in Toulon and an excellent cruise around the French naval base.

France - Cote d'Azur (Preview)

We have been here two weeks and it has been busy! Much time was spent near airports and runways for some aviation therapy e.g. taking pictures of aircraft.

However, we have done lots of walking around, as travellers do! In the meantime, until we've sorted this post, there are some aircraft to admire, from Nice and Saint Tropez.

Click on the link below.

http://www.airplane-pictures.net/album.php?p=1221

Here's a sample ....

Nice / Cote d'Azur airport, next to the beach.

I know Caroline will be looking forward to this!

UNDER CONSTRUCTION

Italy - A few days in Italy en route to France

We arrived in Ancona on time at 17:00, although we thought the ferry was an hour late seeing as our clocks said 18:00, but of course there is an hour difference between Greece and Italy. We set off to a nearby camperstop as it was getting dark, only to find it more of a camperpark than an overnight stop. we didn't like it so off we went and decided to simply park up at a motorway services and head for San Marino in the morning. We had it on good authority from former Rhodesians Graham and Louise that San Marino had a good clean campsite. And thus we found it too, with sleet and rain greeting our arrival, soon followed by snow flakes dusting the ground.

Light snow in San Marino

Entering San Marino from the autostrada (motorway) we bypassed an Air Museum by chance, which had Joan rolling her eyes in exasperation. Well, guess where did we go looking around the next day. A good thing too because rainy weather set in on the following two days curtailing on-foot exploring of our surroundings, except for a rushed visit to the nearby mini-market.

On the small matter of airplanes:-
Clark Gable from 'Gone With The Wind' fame, Marilyn Monroe, Frank Sinatra, President John Kennedy and others - what have they all got in common? Click the link below and find out! Read the story beneath the picture  > >

http://www.airplane-pictures.net/photo/362766/n242ag-private-douglas-dc-3/

The clouds opened up, the thunder and lighting struck and the Wi-Fi connection petered out after the second almighty bolt of lightning late evening on day three. All dues to the camp management who had the connection restored by afternoon on the same day.
So on to Florence, determined to find and stay somewhere for two nights as we did not succeed on our last visit in 2013. Through rain and sleet we soldiered with Fifi the motorhome, through the mountain pass from Bologna to Florence navigating to a camperstop (very few proper campsites open in Italy during winter) in suburban Florence. He wanted 20 Euros per night, no toilet, no shower, iffy Wi-Fi in what was a glorified storage yard for scrappy campervans. It was late afternoon, we stayed the night and was off after the second coffee came morning. The second time no luck in Florence. Don't think we'll bother anymore.

Not wanting to leave Italy on a low, we decided to motor north via Portofino, that snazzy hideaway for the good and the great on the Ligurian coast.

We travelled down the hillside and bypassed this obviously wealthy and sought after destination. It was evident by the surrounding homes, the cars, the dress and fashion sense that this is not a destination for those who count pennies. We stopped at a designated camperstop nearby, had a cup of tea and then hit the road for our last night in Italy, spent at a filling station just short of Genoa.
A dedicated parking area for large vehicles, so all above board in a lovely setting on the mountain road (toll road) approaching Genoa. And with Wi-Fi signal to boot! Small café, clean and serviced toilets and we cleared Genoa with its myriad of tunnels by 11:00 after rush hour and with a drizzle staying with us until we reached the French border at Ventimiglia / Menton on the Cote d'Azur.
If you have not travelled this road from Genoa into France, do so, the many many tunnels are mind boggling varying in length from 100m to 2km and more. In and out you go for many miles, heaven knows what this toll road must have cost to build.

And all of a sudden you see turn-offs for Nice / Cote d'Azur .... !

Kiss and fly

First 5 minutes free

 

Only in France!

 

Farewell Greece and Ahoy Italy!

The ferry was booked for Sunday 26 January from Patras (Greece) to Ancona (Italy) crossing the Adriatic in 24 hours, to arrive at Ancona 17:00 the next day. A good price was negotiated at Euro 254.00 which includes plug-in for the motorhome, 30% off all meals and an en-suite inside cabin with two beds - small, clean and functional.
After our visit to Olympia, the last two nights were spent at a free camperstop we've been to before on the Gulf of Corinth at Diakopto. The following three pictures were taken minutes apart.

Dawn

Sunrise

And the weather looking west

We left the scenic camperstop at midday and made the one hour journey to Patras ferry port. With plenty of time on our hands we watched the Greek police preventing 'illegals' (African) from trying to make their way onto/into heavy goods vehicles crossing to Italy by stowing away, in so doing attempting to find work in the rest of the EU and further afield in the UK itself. This is becoming a huge problem and the mere fact that we sat in our motorhome watching scores of young men playing hide and seek with the Greek authorities is cause for concern. They are both unwanted and unwelcome in the EU. How they got to Greece is anyone's guess. And whilst I'm on the subject - why do the Greek authorities not build a proper security fence between the Patras port and the busy main road running alongside it? They will for a kick off make their own lives much easier. All vehicles, including ours, were entered and thoroughly searched before you were allowed to enter the ferry departures parking area. Sniffer dogs were on hand to enter the goods containers of some large vehicles. Well done!

On board:-

Parked and plugged to keep the fridge/freezer powered, also charges the 2 x leisure batteries.

 

Main lounge and bar

A walk-about on deck before casting off:-

A view across the empty departures parking area at Patras ferry port

Minoan Ferries: 'Cruise Olympia'.

Utility boat - Deck 11.

Port worker waiting for the cast-off instructions - taken from Deck 11.

Taking the air on the aft upper deck after breakfast - a bracing 5 Celsius at 09:45.

ITALY AHOY!

 

Greece - Olympia, Home of the Olympic Games. (2)

Part 1 on Olympia covered the site of the ancient Olympic Games, but there is also a museum which houses a large collection of many and varied artefacts. It is well worth the visit as it brings much of what you have seen outside into perspective and adds to understanding how things were, where they were and how it fitted into the greater whole.

No camping, no only parking.

Only visiting ....

To those living in the UK the Roman Emperor Hadrian is a well known entity by virtue of his association with Hadrian's Wall, the strong defensive barrier which is found in northern England.

Roman Emperor Hadrian

Nike - a personification of Victory.

A beautifully sculpted bronze horse circa 7BC

 

Battle masks



All of these statues once adorned the walls of the Nymphaion on the site of the ancient Games

One of two pediments which adorned the Temple of Zeus

 

 

Greece - Olympia, Home of the Olympic Games. (1)

Visiting the site of the ancient Olympic Games at Olympia in the Peloponnese, southern Greece, was the culmination of our visit to Greece. It was a fitting end to the four months spent touring and travelling this culturally rich country. And what a finale it was!
Notice the absence of people in the pictures when you visit in the low season, and what a pleasure it was! A guide told us that 5,000 visitors on a good summer's day is normal in the high season .... no thank you!

Zeus, the most important of all the Olympic gods.

 Although geographically isolated, located in this corner of the Peloponnese, Olympia stood out historically as the most important Pan-Hellenic religious- political and athletic centre, of the ancient Greek world.

Olympia was the cradle for ideals that characterised humanity, such as noble rivalry and fair play, through the centuries. By implanting these values, Olympia, since antiquity and to eternity, teaches mankind to seek and achieve moral triumphs.

 

(Inscription at the site of the ancient Olympics)

  

The sanctuary at Olympia, the site of the ancient Olympic Games goes back to 10BC. Today it consists of the remains of buildings and artefacts dating back to 7BC and received its final form (design) in 4BC. It is important to understand that the site and subsequent structures evolved over time, spanning 600+ years from 10BC to 4BC, improving and adding as the need arose.

Seeing and walking around a place containing history of some 3,000 years is difficult to describe and certainly focuses the mind, more so because the Olympic Games is still part and parcel of modern times.

 

To me three things stand out from my visit to Olympia:-

- the Stadium where the field and track events took place

- the Temple of Zeus, king of the Olympian gods

- the Altar of Hera, where the Olympic flame is lit for each of the modern Games

 

The Stadium

 

The Stadium with the starting grid

 

The passage into the Stadium

 

The stadium was only unearthed in WW2 during the German occupation of Greece, by German excavators and apparently on the direct orders from Adolf Hitler. (Source: The Rough Guide to Greece)

The Temple of Zeus - king of the Olympian gods.

 

A column from the Temple of Zeus and the hill of Kronos in the background

Image of the Temple of Zeus

The Temple of Zeus had the one column (it totalled 6x13 columns) restored before the 2004 Olympics in Athens. The hill of Kronos is where slaves and women spectators had to watch the Games from. Entry into the stadium itself was for high society and the wealthy. (Source: The Rough Guide to Greece)

Altar of Hera - where the Olympic flame is lit for each of the modern Games.

The Altar of Hera and the Temple of Hera behind 

Lighting the Olympic flame

Museum visit showing some of the artefacts to follow in the next post.

Further reading:-

http://www.olympic.org/ancient-olympic-games?tab=mythology

http://www.pe04.com/olympic/olympia/