Saturday 30th June, Kymi 102km, cloudy, cooler, short hot spell
Sunday 1st July, 0 miles, 0km, rain……cold feet.
The entries on my calendar, which I use to track destinations and mileages, show 200 yards to the pool on Thursday and 175 yards to the restaurant for lunch on Friday! The pool day was roasting hot, the following day less so, and so on, but with warm moments when the sun managed to poke through the ever more persistent clouds. I am writing this on Sunday 1st June listening to it “persisting down” – not heavy, but just not giving up either. B has given up and is doing jobs, we have the fan heater on in the van and I am wearing one of his jumpers. Tomorrow is supposed to be roasting again – so they have the weekend syndrome here too it seems….
Anyway, back to yesterday as this is meant to be a travel entry! We decided to pop up the road to the nearest town, Cologne, just a few km away, and see what was there. A pretty square but not much else so we went on to Mauvezin – same comment, just slightly larger, so we went on to Auch.
Apparently its pronounced “ohsh”, but we had already nicknamed it “ouch” having seen the name on the map. B doesn’t respond well to navigation in a French accent anyway so I have to pronounce place names the English way or he takes the wrong turning. Actually, mostly I just have to shout left or right in his ear as the signs flash by….
We got to Auch (Sandra – nice short name this time, and as I have also discussed pronunciation you might be able to tell Mike this one!) and the sun made its appearance for the day, unfortunately the wrong side of the cathedral which was the main sight according to my book. It was also closed for lunch….
We looked at the neighbouring tower – not another tower with steps? No, this one is not open to the public and had a crane next to it (still collecting those). It stands at the top of a set of “monumental steps” , also being refurbished and the statue we wanted to see was, you’ve guessed it, at the bottom. So having cleverly avoided the need to go up them by parking at the top (I knew they were there) – we had to go down them and so back up them anyway!!
D’Artagnan was at the bottom (well nearly). It turns out that this fictional character is based on a real man, de Batz, who was a royal bodyguard to Louis XIV and a Gascon – we are now in Gascony by the way. The photo is at a strange angle to miss the crane. I am determined to keep them out of the photos at least!
Back up the steps and the cathedral was still closed. We gave up and went to the supermarket to replenish the wine stocks which just keep evaporating, along with the tonic…
Back at the campsite we went for dinner at the restaurant there following the fab lunch we had on Friday. Dinner was also to die for. On a campsite!! They really know how to eat in France. I so get why people move here – although the weather part is proving a bit of a challenge so far!!
PS – I mislaid my watch again – B just found it – less than 24 hours this time!
The tower in Auch
D'Artagnan - with the swagger too!