Lake Annecy 9th July

We went to Lake Annecy on 9th July, cycled round the lake and also had a swim in the lake. Lake Annecy is beautiful. Here are a few photos of our trip there.

We also met up with Ian's sister Margaret and her friend Linda who were on holiday in Angon, on the lake. We had a lovely meal with them at their hotel. We will meet up again with Margaret in Cahors.
On 12th July we went to Chamonix, Mont Blanc. When we arrived there it was very dull and rainy but this soon cleared away and we had a beautiful day there. We went up 1000m on the little red cog-wheeled train to the Mer de Glace, the glacier under Mont Blanc. We then walked about 500 feet down to the ice caves.

St Julien en Genevois 1st July - 22 July

Our camp site is very near Geneva (only 10 minutes away). Behind the camp site is a range of high hills, The Saleve. We had some fantastic walks up there. Here is a photo of one of the views looking over towards Geneva. Lake Geneva or Lac Leman is huge about 200 miles around it. We went into Geneva and had a great time there. There is a huge fountain in the lake - Jet d'eau which you can see from the camp site.
While we were up in the Saleve we watched lots of handgliders jumping off the mountain. I do wish I had the
courage to attempt it!!




As you can see from this photo Ian has had his beard cut. I managed to get hold of it and "trimmed" it for him. I think he looks good. He is also working on his tan!!







We have had some amazing weather very hot and sunny but also some very fierce thunder storms and heavy rain. This is a view from Cicely when it was raining!!

Chantemerle les Bles - week two

On Monday we went to the home of Bruno and Patricia and their 7 children in Tournon, for lunch. We had a wonderful time and the lunch was fantastic. Bruno had also invited a friend, Helena who could speak perfect English which helped us all a great deal!! Thank you to Bruno, Patricia and Helena for making us so welcome. They were able to come to the camp site on the Wednesday for drinks and a sing song with Bruno's guitar. We were so pleased that they could make it seeing they have such a busy life with two full time jobs and 7 children.


After our lunch which lasted four hours they took us swimming in the River Doux. It was amazing, the weather was perfect and the water was very cold but refreshing. Ian and I managed to go back to the river a few times during the time in Chantemerle.

This photo shows a mountain range we visited near Chateauneuf sur Isere. There are very high cliffs and we had to drive through this little tunnel cut into the rocks.




We loved the camp site at Chantemerle les Bles. The owners were very friendly and helpful. They could not speak English and as we speak very little French we were able to learn fron each other. We recommend visiting this site and area.

Chantemerle les Bles 16 June - 1 July

We left Sommieres safely with the help of a very friendly Dutch couple who helped us through the trees that had caused us a problem when we arrived. Thank you Zandra and Demis and their little boy Vincent and Grannie.



Our next stop was Chantemerle les Bles near the Rhone. This was a beautiful site used mainly as a stop over by the Dutch and Germans going south. We loved it so much that we decided to stay for two weeks, which wasjust great as we were in no hurry to get anywhere. The site a beautiful pool which was unheated and very cold when you first went into it, but just fantastic after a lon bike ride in temperatures of 30 degrees+. At the end of our stay the water was much warmer. We were the only British on the site and we had to try and improve our French!!



In the two near by towns Tournon sur Rhone and Tain L'Hermitage there was a Music Festival which lasted all day outdoors throughout the towns. There was a variety of music styles. This was a music school concert which was excellent with dancers. The little ballet dancers were great. At the festival we met a French Canadian over in France on tour with his group Deuxieme Take. We went along to one of his concerts in a hilltop village, Chateauneuf de Galaure. It was great sitting outside listening to them with a fantastic view and swallows flying overhead.
Guy indroduced us to a guitar player who, although he could only speak a little English invited us to lunch at his house with his wife and seven children.