Sens - Cherbourg

We set off for Cherbourg. We travelled via Paris. We ended up on Rue Perifique Madam Sat Nav got confused and left up high and dry on the Rue Perifique!! Luckily we soon found the A11 and continued to Cherbourg. We boarded at 20.30 hrs and sailed at 21.30. Arrived back Sunday evening at 14.00 hrs 

THE END

Macon - Troyes - Sers

Last night we stayed in Macon in an excellent Logis in the square. 

This morning we left for Sens via Troyes, to do some retail therapy at Mc Arthur's Outlet. 

It was a very spectacular drive through the Paris Basin. Fellow geographers will appreciate my claim. At one stage Madam Sat Nav brought us into the Cote               d'Or, a forested area, but this was the exception,  as the vast, agricultural Plain stretched out before us - all very systematic in the planting. The farms here are large and this was evident in the absence of much settlement except the villages which interspersed the landscape at intervals. 

The sides of the Côte d'Or were covered in vines. As we drove through the Champagne region, we called at a chateau for a tasting and added to our wine collection!!! 

Having splashed the cash, we repaired to Sens and found an olde worlde hotel. Our hostess runs the adjacent bar. She advised of a restaurant, Cafe de Paris. It was a good meal if not excellent. A French couple spoke to us as we quitted the restaurant- Parisians about to commence a walking holiday. 

We adjourned to a local hostelry, where again we were estoppeded to enquire as to our country of origin.  Of course , we are always British.! 

We  returned to our hotel. 

Arles - Avignon - Macon

I'm sorry for my silence,  faithful reader, but a serious problem loomed!  Two nights ago in Arles, we had dinner in a modest restaurant. To be honest choices were few and having been unsuccessful in one, we repaired there. An interesting and very authentic, olde world Provençal establishment. Dinner was excellent. We attempted to pay. Four bank cards showed incorrect pin number, though we knew the pins were correct. Luckily, we had enough to pay in cash. On our return to the hotel, we rang AIB.. We were told all cards bar one were blocked, not by AIB but because of some problem with French banks. We were worried, we needed to pay our hotel bill and get back to Cherbourg. Money had to be transferred by Western Union, we were advised!! Later this proved to be incorrect information from AIB, the card they said didn't work did, but another they had said did work didn't !!! ! My advise if you're going to France keep enough cash on you. We were advised it frequently happens , though on prior visits, we must have been lucky.!!!!

With the relief of having paid the hotel bill, we set off for Avignon. Here we visited Palais des Papes and the olde Bridge. St Benezet's bridge spans about half the Rhone and is the centre of much attention. Archaeologists, historians and geomorphologists, among others have taken years to establish the bridge's history and construction techniques. 

It appears that in the period of the Popes' reign in Avignon, it was used by the cardinals to access their villas on the Villeneuve side of the river!!! 

 Our next destination was Palace des Papes. 

It was very interesting, though it is now a series of rooms and passages, devoid of furniture, it is impressive.! 

                The Avignon Popes

  

We departed for Macon.