We are camped by a serene lake near the town of Le Cheylard, which straddles the river L’Eyeieux, France. Once again we have been favored by chance to have arrived at another wonderful place that is offering unexpected experiences.
If like us you are unfamiliar with the regions of France then picture the southern border with Spain with its spectacular alpine passes, precipitous zig-zag roads and crystal rivers. Moving northwards you can wander through the seemingly endless number of hill top villages before the landscape gradually flattens into deep river gorges whose waters feed the farmlands beyond.
We have five weeks before we meet friends in Dusseldorf so our pathways are usually not determined by direction as much as following the “green” roads on our Michelin map. These are the “scenic” or “routes of interest” and without a true agenda they provide us with the opportunity to accidentally experience this varied and beautiful corner of France.
So it was that we came to stumble across this camp that is representative of many places that we have parked. Whilst driving along a pretty gorge on our way to Saint Agreve we noticed a couple of motorhomes on the other side of a lake created by a dam. By following our noses we crossed over a tight bridge and eventually settled in a brand new Aire de Camping.
These are camp areas specifically developed and reserved for “Camping Cars”. The aires are provided by the local communities for the purpose of controlling the effects of motorhomes and to encourage tourism in the local villages.
This aire is approximately three kilometers from an atmospheric town that is largely off the tourist radar. Those that visit the area are in search of walking, cycling and bridle paths that are to be found in abundance along the river and the surrounding hills.
After our unplanned arrival yesterday evening we were treated to a brief rainstorm during which I took the opportunity to wash down our MoHo which had accumulated a layer of grime. This process takes about an hour and involves the use of a brush on a long handle and a telescopic ladder to access the roof. Today with the sun shinning the MoHo is back to its gleaming self.
The coolness of morning by the lake gave way to a cloudless warm day so we sprung the bikes from the garage and took off to visit the town of Cheylard. Being a Sunday the town square was a mix of café patrons relaxing and chatting and others making their way to and from the various churches. We settled next to a trio of older men at the Grand Café with the customary nod of acknowledgement and ordered our coffees.
One of the gentlemen enquired where we were from and on being informed of our nationality enlightened us that there were a lot of Australians in the town. Before we could refuse, Bernard had paid for our refreshments and was leading us on foot to meet his friend who turned out to be a French born, British raised, Sydneyite called Danny.
It turns out that Danny makes a reasonable living renting his home in the village to Aussies and running annual Tour de France escorted tours. As the region is a perfect destination for cyclists, both road and mountain bikers (VVT), and has good access to the mountain stages of the Tour, Danny has developed a good reputation with budget travellers in need of cycle hire and accommodation. Anyone interested can contact Danny, who seems a very likeable guy, on his website at: http://dannylegatttours.com
To generalize about the French is somewhat risky however there are a few characteristics that we have become aware of. Most noticeable is the respect that cyclists are afforded on the roads. Motorists seem to have limitless patience for any peddler and will drive at a slow speed and wait for a safe passing point before proceeding. This makes for safer cycling and must in part be both a reason and a response to the number of cycles on the roads.
Another noticeable trait that seems contrary to the French reputation for abruptness is the generous friendliness that we have experienced. There remain strong nationalistic sentiments between the British, French and Germans and apart from some disapproval at the presence of a German MoHo we have been greeted warmly.
It is a pleasure to move through these villages and to be greeted by all with a welcoming nod of the head and a “bonjour”. Even the adolescents in groups will call out enthusiastically in a manner that invites a sense of belonging rather than making you feel a stranger in a foreign land.
As we have found driving in all parts of Europe, especially when the roads are narrow or difficult, there is a level of patient cooperation that we could only dream of in Australia. The roads are truly shared and risky driving is rarely seen, which makes for enjoyable motoring.
Such is our life on the road. With the sun shinning and a gentle cooling breeze wafting through the awning it will soon be time to get back on the bikes and ride along the river pathway to visit the next village downstream.
We understand that the cycle way is the route of an abandoned railway line complete with illuminated tunnels. It should be another pleasant adventure, a cycle through some wonderful scenery and a chance to work off some of the effects of the delicious produce of this region.
No comments:
Post a Comment