Next we headed in the direction of Paris, making it as far as a small town called Senlis. We found a bunch of other camper vans so stopped with them for the night. In the morning Justin went for a walk and came back with a baguette, so proud that he had had the whole conversation with the bakery lady in French. We then moved onto Paris and quickly learned that you have to have your head on a swivel at all times when driving!! People will fit them selves into any gap and there is a centre line on the road but otherwise there are not lanes on roads wide enough to be about 8 lanes so its a big free for all! We visited all the main sites, the Eiffel Tower, the Arch de Triomph (in the middle of a roundabout where the cars on the roundabout have to give way to those entering, again massively wide with no lanes) The Louvre and walked around the main areas where the likes of the Louis Vitton store is. We also stayed one night in a camping ground which was fun. We had a platter of all things French (including wine of course). We also saw the tunnel where Lady Di died and happened to be there on the anniversary we realised as we were standing there.
Paris was a wonderful city and the weather was grand. We ended up there for 3 days and could have stayed longer.
We then headed in the direction of Bordeaux, but as it was 500km away stopped a few days along the way. One stop was in Blois, a lovely river side town with a nice Chateaux. Here we also discovered Auchan a very large department store/supermarket. They had 3 double sided isles of wine and 3 sides just of cheese!!!!!! We spent the day lounging around on the river side in the sun and parked up with some other campers for the night. We happened to park with a couple from NZ/Aus. It was nice to speak English for one and discuss the issues of European life including the fact it is impossible to buy ice for the chillibin!
The next day we stopped in at Tours where Leonardo Di Vinci's remains supposedly are and found a lovely riverside spot where we spent a few hours resting in the shade (it was sooo hot) but I must say I am now also looking rather brown. (I love the European sun)
We finally made it to Bordeaux. The surrounding area grew a lot of corn and sunflowers which I find surprising as it is a big wine area and I am yet to see any grapes!
It was Justins birthday and the day we found out about the earthquake. We went out for lunch and ordered the 'menu of the day' a traditional french thing where you get a set menu of entree, bread, a main, wine, a dessert and coffee. We ate a delicious white meat in a creamy mustard sauce which I assumed was poultry until I found a spine, on translating the name of the dish we realised it was rabbit! Well there is a first time for everything and it was delicious!
We spent a couple of days walking around Bordeaux and its beautiful riverside Esplanade. We also did a lot of resting as it was so hot! One thermometer we saw (in the sun) said it was 43C!
Will leave it there for now will being heading down to Spain in the next day or two.
Paris was a wonderful city and the weather was grand. We ended up there for 3 days and could have stayed longer.
We then headed in the direction of Bordeaux, but as it was 500km away stopped a few days along the way. One stop was in Blois, a lovely river side town with a nice Chateaux. Here we also discovered Auchan a very large department store/supermarket. They had 3 double sided isles of wine and 3 sides just of cheese!!!!!! We spent the day lounging around on the river side in the sun and parked up with some other campers for the night. We happened to park with a couple from NZ/Aus. It was nice to speak English for one and discuss the issues of European life including the fact it is impossible to buy ice for the chillibin!
The next day we stopped in at Tours where Leonardo Di Vinci's remains supposedly are and found a lovely riverside spot where we spent a few hours resting in the shade (it was sooo hot) but I must say I am now also looking rather brown. (I love the European sun)
We finally made it to Bordeaux. The surrounding area grew a lot of corn and sunflowers which I find surprising as it is a big wine area and I am yet to see any grapes!
It was Justins birthday and the day we found out about the earthquake. We went out for lunch and ordered the 'menu of the day' a traditional french thing where you get a set menu of entree, bread, a main, wine, a dessert and coffee. We ate a delicious white meat in a creamy mustard sauce which I assumed was poultry until I found a spine, on translating the name of the dish we realised it was rabbit! Well there is a first time for everything and it was delicious!
We spent a couple of days walking around Bordeaux and its beautiful riverside Esplanade. We also did a lot of resting as it was so hot! One thermometer we saw (in the sun) said it was 43C!
Will leave it there for now will being heading down to Spain in the next day or two.
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