Exploring new territories and revisiting favorite places
Forecast today was rain, heavy at times, from 1100. So the main aim today was to find somewhere decent to park up and drink tea/coffee. Topped up with GPL and serviced Dave at a free station (not many of those in the South of France) and then parked at the top of a hill at a cemetery carpark. Book
A visit to Hyères today. Parked up a few minutes walk from the centre after a failed attempt to fill up with gas, they had run out. We found the tourist office and followed their guided tour of the old town. The old town is basically up until you reach the top and then back down. Interesting afte
We finally left the beach after an early morning swim. Washing day today, found an InterMarche laundrette about 20km away plus a service point for Dave in the same town, bonus. Then up into the hills to Bormes-Les-Mimosas to an official carpark with very steep hills.
Talked ourselves into another day on the beach.
Decided a day at the beach was required after some research of where to go next turned up a blank. Lovely clear and warm water, reminds us of Greece.
Cycle ride to check out St Tropez this morning. I’m sure it was beautiful before all the tourists and rich kids arrived, but I do like boat watching. Quick swim when we got back to cool off and then Kay drove for about an hour to Le Canadel. Parked up in a church car park just a few hundred metres
Had a swim before breakfast and came to find a film crew wanted the carpark. We finally ended up in a paid aire very close to the beach at Ramatuelle. The beach is about 2 miles long and is used by Saint Tropez, we were at the poor end by the look of the boats moored.
Topped up with fuel and food at a Casino supermarket just after Cannes after wading through the traffic for an hour. I don’t think we have ever done such a slow journey. We’re now parked up at a hilltop carpark with the Med before us. The carpark is busy with people stopping to take photos and the
Had a walk around Mougins, art and restaurants and then visited Les Jardins du MIP, botanical gardens for the perfume industry. Drove down to Antibes and parked up in the lee of the lighthouse. Bikes out and first swim in the Med, lovely.
Bikes out today and on the Route des Crêtes to view the Gorge du Verdon. Steep climb up but the electric bikes coped brilliantly. Superb views from the belvederes, kayakers in the gorge, griffon vultures soaring above and below us and some daredevil rock climbers plus a scary bike ride down a 11%
Visited the Citadel at Sisteron for 3 hours this morning, huge place with fantastic views. Quick lunch and then we were off to the Gorges of Verdun. Again fantastic views and some very tight roads with no safety barriers in sight.
Kay drove through the Gorges de la Bourne and on to Vassieux-en-Vercors for lunch. It’s cold and wet today so we decided to drive on to Sisteron dropping down 1200m in one go with lots of hairpins.
