July 25th, it is 2 p.m. and we cross the border without stopping. Finally, after a three-hour drive, we arrive at our Ibis hotel in Saint-Dizier, France. We just say goodnight to our pillows and fall asleep quickly.
July 26th, after about 6 hours in our car, we arrive in Draveil, a suburb city of Paris. Here we spend the next 3 nights in a B&B with a French / Portuguese family. The garden, with its play kitchen, tree house and slide, is suddenly occupied by our children. We settle into our room and after awhile, we talk with the adults about our adventurous journey. For dinner we eat all our leftovers.
July 27th. Today we spend the first day in Paris (that's why we came). Since we don't have a bus / metro / train ticket yet, we walk to the next train station (about 30 minutes). There is only one ticket machine, no salesperson nor a counter or any help in a person. It takes a few minutes until we got our tickets, then first we must tap the screen a several times to find out which services are offered and are best priced. Now the journey starts: Paris centre here we come! We sit on the train for about 10 minutes until we get off at the Austerlitz train station and manoeuvre into the metro.
First, we go to the famous Sacré-Coeur and Montmartre. Then, we take the metro to the Arc de Triomphe, walk on the Champs d’Elysées, then Place de la Concorde. We walk through the Tuileries Garden to the Louvre and the Pont Neuf. In the Latin Quarter C. gets something to eat, because the picnic wasn't enough 😊. After a short walk through the area, we take the bus to “Bibliothèque François – Mitterrand” and then the train back to the B&B.
First, we go to the famous Sacré-Coeur and Montmartre. Then, we take the metro to the Arc de Triomphe, walk on the Champs d’Elysées, then Place de la Concorde. We walk through the Tuileries Garden to the Louvre and the Pont Neuf. In the Latin Quarter C. gets something to eat, because the picnic wasn't enough 😊. After a short walk through the area, we take the bus to “Bibliothèque François – Mitterrand” and then the train back to the B&B.
July 28th. The discovery of Paris continues. However, it starts a bit unusual, the first stop is a toy store: C. still has some money and would like to buy a “Schleich®” animal. In the same area, we visit the Jardin du Luxembourg. We continue to the direction of Notre-Dame de Paris and Les Halles (we wanted to see them because Pablo's mother lived in Paris in the 1960s and designed a part of the plans for this large building). With the next bus, we drive to the Place de la Bastille (a little nap for Pablo). Hoop on to the bus, which drives along the Seine, we finally arrive to the Eiffel Tower. We're too tired to wait until sunset to climb up, so we get to the entrance at 6pm. The view is extraordinary, it is a ocean of houses. We enjoy the atmosphere and the warm evening on top and then make our way back by bus and train. At 8:42 p.m. we treat ourselves to a kebab at the Orly train station, which we take with us and eat in the B&B (arrival 9:30 p.m.).
July 29th, 10:31 am, our horse (with 120 horsepower) is packed, and we drive on. At 12:00 p.m. we park our car in the street in front of the Palace of Versailles. Really impressive, those avenues and huge houses with their gardens with the ponds, which could pass as lakes elsewhere. After 2 hours of admiring this palace we go back to the car, then we still have 3-4 hours to drive.
17:49 we arrive at Freschines Castle. We will spend the next 2-3 weeks here as a workaway.
17:49 we arrive at Freschines Castle. We will spend the next 2-3 weeks here as a workaway.
July 30th - August 7th. Pablo's task is to distribute the Wi-Fi throughout the castle and in the annex houses, so that all guests can access the Internet. I'm currently helping in the laundry. Maria (from Venezuela) needs my help, she takes care of the rooms and has no time to wash and iron 😊. The children can finish their schoolwork. T. has all her schoolbooks finished, so she helps me iron the pillows cases.
On August 4th, after an eternity, I finally go to the hairdresser, I also get Pablo an appointment for tomorrow. His beard is certainly too long now.
On August 4th, after an eternity, I finally go to the hairdresser, I also get Pablo an appointment for tomorrow. His beard is certainly too long now.
August 8th. Today we visit Orléans, a pretty town on the Loire.
August 9th. After sleeping in and having breakfast, we go to Chambord. A large castle nicely situated at the river Cosson. On the way home we drive through Blois and discover a small old town.
August 10th-16th. We help where we can (laundry, cleaning rooms, serving dinner, cooking for the team and refurnish furniture). The B&B is well booked, it is high season, no wonder! Every now and then after work we just go cycling and discover the area.
August 17th. Yesterday we packed everything, and today we continue towards the Atlantic. We'll be spending the next week at a campsite in Hourtin. The children are very happy, because it was their wish to camp and the weather looks good 😊. On the way, we stop in Chenonceaux (Pablo was here with his parents about 30 years ago). At 5:52 p.m. we stop at the campsite reception. At 6:30 p.m. the tent is up, and we are ready. The pizza is fetched from the snack bar on campsite, the today I don't cook anymore😉. At 8 p.m. T. & C. go climbing, a camp activity.
August 18th. After a reasonably good night, we visit the little sister of the Statue of Liberty in New York, and a bunker system used by the Germans from WWII. On the beach, we go for a walk and bath our feet (the Atlantic is cold). In the afternoon we cool off in the swimming pool. T. & C. are asked by a young lady (her name is Emma, and she is 19) if they would take part in the water polo game! The 3rd place is the proud result!
August 19th. This morning we're trying to cool off at Hourtin Lake. The water is cool and somehow, we don't find beaches so great anymore or it's just that we are so spoiled from Crete that they just can't keep up. Luckily Emma comes by and takes the girls to a water park this afternoon. After lunch has been devoured, T. & C. go with their bikes and Emma to the Splash Park and have fun on inflated plastic castles on the lake. We enjoy the afternoon reading.
August 21st. There is nothing on the agenda, so we enjoy the hot day at the campsite and by the pool. In the morning, C., T. And I try to catapult our arrows onto the target in an archery course. It's fun and at the end, I'll be able to hit the middle 😊.
The children spend the afternoon with Pablo at the pool and they take part in a water Olympics. Pablo shows everyone how to swim fast, he beats everyone, great! At the end of the day, they win 2nd place (a bottle of rosé and a woodcut board as a prize).
On August 22nd, we visit the “Plage de Hourtin”. Unfortunately, it is 8 kilometers from the campsite, if we had 4 bikes, we could even get there in an environmentally friendly way. Unfortunately, we only have 2 folding bikes, so we take the car. The beach and its famous dunes are heavenly. The children go swimming in the high waves, the water is, as always in the Atlantic, rather cold. At 9 p.m. we are still not tired and we turnup into great table football players, that was fun.
August 21st. There is nothing on the agenda, so we enjoy the hot day at the campsite and by the pool. In the morning, C., T. And I try to catapult our arrows onto the target in an archery course. It's fun and at the end, I'll be able to hit the middle 😊.
The children spend the afternoon with Pablo at the pool and they take part in a water Olympics. Pablo shows everyone how to swim fast, he beats everyone, great! At the end of the day, they win 2nd place (a bottle of rosé and a woodcut board as a prize).
On August 22nd, we visit the “Plage de Hourtin”. Unfortunately, it is 8 kilometers from the campsite, if we had 4 bikes, we could even get there in an environmentally friendly way. Unfortunately, we only have 2 folding bikes, so we take the car. The beach and its famous dunes are heavenly. The children go swimming in the high waves, the water is, as always in the Atlantic, rather cold. At 9 p.m. we are still not tired and we turnup into great table football players, that was fun.
August 23rd, Sunday, and it's raining a little. Luckily, we booked one more night to dry pack our tent 😊. We spend the day reading, playing, and cycling.
August 24th. Getting up in the sunshine, wonderful! The tent will be dismantled today, and the journey will continue to the next campsite in the south of France. Our things are packed dry and clean and we have a good 5 hours' drive ahead of us. Tonight, we want to check in at the “Montpellier - Plage” campsite. At 5:30 p.m. we enter the tourist resort “Palavas les Flots”. It feels like we've landed in Florida.
At 17:53 we park at the assigned space. The tent bag on the ground next to the car but somehow, we don't like the space. I propose Pablo to go for a walk at the campsite, to clear his head from the drive. On our walk, we find much nicer places that are not fully shaded, but much better located and above all quieter. Upon request at the reception, we change our camping spot. Everyone is happy to live in place O72. At 6:40 p.m. we start setting up the tent and are finished 20 minutes later (we are slowly getting faster). At 8 p.m. we eat, food we have ordered (hamburgers, mussels, kebabs).
August 24th. Getting up in the sunshine, wonderful! The tent will be dismantled today, and the journey will continue to the next campsite in the south of France. Our things are packed dry and clean and we have a good 5 hours' drive ahead of us. Tonight, we want to check in at the “Montpellier - Plage” campsite. At 5:30 p.m. we enter the tourist resort “Palavas les Flots”. It feels like we've landed in Florida.
At 17:53 we park at the assigned space. The tent bag on the ground next to the car but somehow, we don't like the space. I propose Pablo to go for a walk at the campsite, to clear his head from the drive. On our walk, we find much nicer places that are not fully shaded, but much better located and above all quieter. Upon request at the reception, we change our camping spot. Everyone is happy to live in place O72. At 6:40 p.m. we start setting up the tent and are finished 20 minutes later (we are slowly getting faster). At 8 p.m. we eat, food we have ordered (hamburgers, mussels, kebabs).
August 25th. The day starts well. The night was reasonably quiet. Today, we're going to the village, the girls want to register for a surf course. We are lucky, there are still places available for today and the next 2 days too, great! 3 days of surfing for 2 hours, yes! We wanted to keep our promise that the children could learn to surf.
August 26th. Surf, swimming, drink coffee, read in the hammock and soak up the sun.
August 26th. Surf, swimming, drink coffee, read in the hammock and soak up the sun.
August 27th. Unfortunately, there is no wind today, so no surfing, but stand-up paddling. Otherwise we spend the whole day with “Sun, fun and nothing to do” at 32 ° C, that feels good.
August 28th. The pool facilities in France can only be visited with appropriate swimwear, means no swimming shorts nor shirts. This will be difficult as the children only have swimming shorts and shirts. Around noon, we walk to the village and search one shop after the other to find a bathing dress or bikini bottom.
August 28th. The pool facilities in France can only be visited with appropriate swimwear, means no swimming shorts nor shirts. This will be difficult as the children only have swimming shorts and shirts. Around noon, we walk to the village and search one shop after the other to find a bathing dress or bikini bottom.
August 29th. This week here in Montpellier – Plage went by quickly. It rained last night. While the tent dries in the wind and sun, we go to the camping restaurant for breakfast. At 12 p.m. we slowly leave the campsite. Our next destination is only an hour's drive away. Why only such a small distance? We're not ready to leave the sun and sea yet. At 2 p.m. we arrive at “Les Saintes Maries de la Mer”. Groceries at Spar, a short tour of the village, lunch by the sea and at 3:30 p.m. check-in at the campsite. We move into our rented tent and walk through the camping area.
August 30th. Sunday! I walk along the sea in the morning while the laundry spirals around in the machine and can be taken out clean after 34 minutes. After the hot midday sun, we go swimming at the pool.
August 30th. Sunday! I walk along the sea in the morning while the laundry spirals around in the machine and can be taken out clean after 34 minutes. After the hot midday sun, we go swimming at the pool.
August 31st. We visit Saintes Maries, have an ice cream, and buy some souvenirs.
September 1st. Ah! We are very happy because we 3 (T., C. and I) are going on a 3-hour horse walk. Riding in the Camargue is a dream. The 3 hours are wonderful, only that I (the only one) feel muscle pain in my butt and inner thighs 😉.
September 1st. Ah! We are very happy because we 3 (T., C. and I) are going on a 3-hour horse walk. Riding in the Camargue is a dream. The 3 hours are wonderful, only that I (the only one) feel muscle pain in my butt and inner thighs 😉.
September 2nd. Morning stroll and swim in the Mediterranean Sea. The afternoon we spend at the pool, as the water hear is 26 ° C 😊.
September 3rd, we stay at the campsite and by the pool all day long.
September 4th. Collect mussels, swim by the pool and an evening dinner at the restaurant tops the day. I'm freezing on the terrace; I forgot my sweater.
September 3rd, we stay at the campsite and by the pool all day long.
September 4th. Collect mussels, swim by the pool and an evening dinner at the restaurant tops the day. I'm freezing on the terrace; I forgot my sweater.
September 5th, clean, tidy up, pack and the journey continues. Today we will drive to our friends in Essert-Romand in der Haute - Savoie, it is our last stop before we will come back home. It's a strange feeling. After such a long journey, you are looking forward to an apartment with heating (especially the floor heating in the bathroom), hot water and the toilet a few steps away from the bedroom. The other eye mourns at the end of the journey. So many cool, adventurous, unusual, but also unsafe moments should simply be over now. We look forward seeing our friends after a year and exchanging thoughts.
Today the journey takes a good 5.5 hours again. On the way north, we visit a sight, namely the “Pont du Gard”. At 6:23 p.m. we park our car in a very well-known area. The mountains just belong to us. Our friends are still out, driving around in Switzerland, so we go to the apartment, which is always open, and I start preparing dinner. The reunion is cheerful, and the evening lingers with conversation and wine.
Today the journey takes a good 5.5 hours again. On the way north, we visit a sight, namely the “Pont du Gard”. At 6:23 p.m. we park our car in a very well-known area. The mountains just belong to us. Our friends are still out, driving around in Switzerland, so we go to the apartment, which is always open, and I start preparing dinner. The reunion is cheerful, and the evening lingers with conversation and wine.
September 6th. We can spend the night in a small apartment across from our friends. They maintain the large house for the English owners, but they can use the pool and sauna. After a long time only with the sea around and short walks, we go on a hike and stop in an alpine cottage, eat good food and buy excellent cheese.
September 7th & 8th. Antoine and Anne have school, so we stay in the village. I write, read, the children play billiards and Pablo reads and sorts photos. I go to the sauna on two afternoons, it feels good.
September 7th & 8th. Antoine and Anne have school, so we stay in the village. I write, read, the children play billiards and Pablo reads and sorts photos. I go to the sauna on two afternoons, it feels good.
September 9th. The day has come, and we are going home. We clean the apartment while the kids play in the pool again. One last lunch together before we leave at 1:30 p.m. At 4:50 p.m. we arrive at our house in Switzerland. We can hardly believe it: we are home.
We have 327 days, 17,743 km, a car service, 2 new tires, gastrointestinal flu (Pablo), cold (children) and countless experiences behind us.
Many thanks to the readers and the comments that have accompanied us over the last 11 months.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/qg24GSqEpCvrBz5w8
We have 327 days, 17,743 km, a car service, 2 new tires, gastrointestinal flu (Pablo), cold (children) and countless experiences behind us.
Many thanks to the readers and the comments that have accompanied us over the last 11 months.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/qg24GSqEpCvrBz5w8
