An unknown Provence... Among Middle Age and caverns

Visit caves and fortresses of Provence

 

From Costa Brava to France

After 10 days of beach life is now returning home, or rather, it's time to see something a little 'of Costa Brava, Spain, and France.
In the morning at 8 am leaving from Playa de Aro (Costa Brava north of Barcelona), visit Palamos is a pretty seaside village tourism, with a beautiful long promenade. The country is on a hill ’ being of medieval origin, and the road is nice and full of craft shops. In recent years there is definitely dedicated to tourism, and, in fact, they take advantage to make the last purchase (from clothing to liquor ’ - Carlos III and Fundador). On the road we stop to Gerona in the country for excellence in ceramics: La Bisbal d'Empordà. I believe that 99% of the shops along the main road, is dedicated to the sale of pottery of all shapes and colors produced in the area. Buy a jar and we continue the way but come to Gerona for 12.30 and the shops are already closed, reopen to 16:30!
Crucial, therefore, to proceed to France via motorway to Carcassone Mezamet towards the road is winding but beautiful landscape and long climbs: go for the thick forest of the Montagne Noire, in the rain and Mezamet down before we make a sudden stop in an open space: Patè craft! Will be that I worship the Patè … but the area is just the right one.
Come to Albi to 19, and we stop at a campsite on the outskirts of the city, Camping Caravaning du Languedoc, 93 Ff, in a beautiful forest of trees. The park is connected to the indoor pools of Albi, a crystal structure of steel and wood deep in the woods …. Incredibly charming!
After dinner at the reception we retrieve the map of the city and information on the road that we face, the owners, dear, we recommend to visit the village of Cordes.

Cordes sur le Ciel ande Rocamadour

Departure from the campsite at 8:00. At the center, are to be parked in the square of the cathedral. Paid parking is available until 14th We visit the Cathedral of Santa Cecilia. Beautiful statue of the Saint and the frescoes of 500 Donella Carpi. Visit the palace of Berbère, tour of gardens and ramparts on the river Tarn, in a visit to Toulouse-Lautrec museum, very rich. Are exposed to most of their shows on the posters of the Parisian can can and more. The museum is also an exhibition of contemporary painters and sculptors. Come out, visit the town. And 'the period of balances and curiosity shops, there are so many postcards from the collection. Unfortunate that, despite what was reported by the guide, the historical part of the timbered houses is almost nonexistent. Risaliti the camper, then start lunch. Visit after a few kilometers to Cordes sur Ciel. The village is located on a hill in the middle of the plain and effect is just to stay above the clouds, certainly worth a visit. Admission to the country through an uphill walk on its steep roads (comfortable shoes recommended), visit the medieval city and the museum of art building in sugar. Cordes is famous for its sweets' bones from the dead ", truly fantastic. It resumed the trip to Figeac, Gramat and arrive at 19 to Rocamadour. Campsite 101 Ff, Relais du Campeur, separated by a wall as it is used in the mountains. Waiting for dinner we do a tour to go shopping. The camp is connected to the ancient city from a balcony and a romantic path ancient pedestrian with tatno of benches and lampiondicni the valley and Rocamadour illuminated. After dinner, walk down to the village and visit the shops that face the road that crosses the country. The shops specialize in production of the skin (from simple boxes to gunati and jackets) and paté. Then we visit the religious side of the city: the shrine dedicated to St Amadour while the castle, on the hour, it was not possible to inspect it internally. The ascent and descent was made using the lift. That the country leads to the shrine and then to the castle. Here during the day there are demonstrations of hunting with the falcon and the eagle that rose in the air over the valley from the whistle and called the instructor. The return of the night camping along the romantic road is quite crowded by couples and families.

The caverns

Departure from the camp at 8:00, so we have to descend into the valley. On the way we meet different herds of ducks and geese: here's where to get all those fantastic and terrines Paté de canard. Begin the caves, wear comfortable shoes and clothing to submit less summer in the bowels of the earth.
The first are the "grottes La cave", (Ff 120), are among the first visitors of the day. The descent is done by train and electric lift. It 'a huge cavern with lakes and trails, with stalactite shapes of animals: the elephant, the crocodile, the butterfly, the spider, there is also a cave illuminated by black light, which receives the light from the outside at sunset . The guide speaks in a French very closely.
Return to Rocamadour to reach the "Guffre de Pedirac, arriving around noon, in the huge open spaces where lunch fritas with the kiosk. After the quick lunch we put ourselves in the queue, thankfully smaller than the old (140 FF). To reach the cave you dive into a chasm of 35 m in diameter covered with vegetation, which descend in an elevator at 103 m depth is truly impressive. You can reach the underground river and a boat along the river, then proceeding on foot. It reaches the salle du Grand-Dome 91 m high. The cave really worth a visit. Unfortunately you can not take pictures and when we failed to find decent material.
Resume their journey in the direction of Brive-la - Gaillarde in the middle of traffic, very chaotic in the city. Let us pause to make some oil and spending down the road. Will then continue to Eygurande We stop at a campsite alongside the road between golf and horse riding lake of the river Dordogne, VAL - Les Vacances 123Ff Nature.

The extinct volcanoes

Departure from the camp at 9 in the direction of 'le Mont Dore'. The landscape is very beautiful and relaxing. A Mont Dore to provide supplies and take advantage to ask the Company Tourist information and documentation on the Puy de Sancy Sborgi from where the famous French mineral water. We decide not to climb the Puy as less distinctive than the Dome. The volcanoes have been excavated by glaciers then losing, then the characteristic conical shape. Turning into the local mountains up to the very beautiful, incomplete, which Clemont-Ferrand goes towards Montpellier. A St-Germain-du-Teil find long queues, and decided to follow the road that crosses the Cevennes National Park. The road is terrible for the tortuosity, the slope and the traffic so that we come to Alès upset. Take the highway in Nimes and we stop at the first motorway service area to dine and sleep.

Nimes, Arles, Avignon

At the first exit of Remoulins, we return to Nimes, to highway, to visit the Pont-du-Gard, beautiful testimony of Roman construction.
In Nimes, having parked in the center square in the shade of trees, we would like to visit the Roman Amphitheater Arenes but, because of the rock concert night before is unusable for cleaning. Remake us by visiting the temple Maison Carre and gardens of Fontaine, the Tour Magne, a watch tower at the time of Augustus, from where it dominates the whole city. We visit the gardens, swimming pools and roman baths. To return to the campers, lunch. Arles to do an exterior of the theater and amphitheater, is the bullfight in the afternoon. Bello the portal and the facade of St Trophine. Buy a T-shirt with pictures of Van Gogh, many are, in fact, the paintings inspired by this region at the edge of Camarque. Gardens dell'Alyscamps waive visa to enter the abandonment of the place were the gardens that had inspired poets and painters. Then for Avignon, Near the town, on the other side of the Rhone, we stop in the municipal campsite Ff 110.80 per day, Camping Municipal Saint Bénezet. After dinner I take a quick tour of the city from the palace of the Popes follow the sunset.

Avignon

Visit to Avignon: Rocher des Doms gardens, steps, ponds, birds, scenic squares. Visit the Palace of the Popes with the Italian guide. We buy in the souvenir shop of the museum, in a city tour of the shops and Buying Provence.

Valence, Grenoble,Chambéry, Albertville, Megève, Chamonix

Staying in the morning from camp
Valence, Grenoble, Chambery, Albertville, Megève (very beautiful), Chamonix.
Camping in Ile des Barrats 152 Ff / day.
In the evening, after dinner we do a tour in town, visit shops. Lighting of the glacier. You plan to visit the Mer de Glace, but the weather is bad, Drizzle and continues to flash and thunder.

Chamonix

Spesucce around Chamonix buy salami and cheese.

Chamonix, Courmayeur, Torgnon

Departure from Chamonix, Mont Blanc Tunnel Ff 175, turn Courmayeur, Aosta motorway before. We go out to the village where Torgnon we park to Pic Nic. Stay here.

Torgnon

Spending in the country on foot, walking and sunbathing around the soccer field

Torgnon

Let's go for mushrooms, the soil is too dry and the moon is wrong, mushrooms that are very old

Back in Piedmont

by Torgnon we go to find the grandparents in Piedmont.
thus ending the holidays