August 2024 - Blasdale Home

French Camping 2024, Day 10 CERN

Posted on August 31, 2024 by SteveOctober 6, 2024

31st August 2024

Today we drove into Geneva. Stopped at the CERN car park. We arrived 10ish and booked onto a 11.30 tour. Spent a little time checking out the exhibitions, which are highly interactive. We then joined the tour. This was led by a researcher. We were taken into the grounds and shown the old Cyclotron which was started in the 1940s, when CERN was created in 1947. A collaboration of 10 countries working together on physics. Here the history was explained, the creation of the first Synchrotron, and then onto the circular accelerators and finally the 27km one.

Next stop was across the road where the detector was housed. Here you could look into the control room. There was also a set of educational screens showing how these detectors worked. There were two counters, one counting collision events, and another counting the number of Higgs Boson Particles detected.

The hour tour ended.

We then did what we should not do, left the vehicle parked at the visitor centre, and caught a tram into the Geneva. This appeared to cost us 10 CHF for an all-day ticket for both of us. We headed to the main station on the 18 line. Arrived and then walked towards the lake. Hunger and a beer beckoned, so we stopped at a Turkish restaurant and ate 5 tapas between the two of us. They were delicious. Two aubergine, 1 hummus (very sesame seed based), a cheese dish with hot spices. (the best dish), and another vegetable one.

Waiter was very chatty, from Istanbul. Asked where we were from and what we were doing. Thought we were hikers from our footwear. Was very scathing about CERN. Over 3000 scientists were employed there, who was paying for it? What were they all doing? God particles? Load of BS, he declared.

We walked on to the lake and saw the jet spout “fountain”, which I recalled from the title sequence of 1960s tv show (The Champions.). We walked back to the tram. Yes, it was getting very hot.

Tram back was crowded. Arrived at CERN. The carpark was 5CHF.

We drove back to the campsite, but on the way stopped in Gex, and visited the Musée Départemental Des Sapeurs Pompiers a fire fighter museum. Equipment from the 1800s, 1900s and 2000s was on show. Not just from the region but all-around France. Upstairs there were the uniforms and helmets from all the EU countries, from early ages to now. I wonder where the UK uniforms had gone.

It was now terribly hot, and R was suffering.

Back at the campsite, some beers and water. Supper of bread and cheese.

French Camping 2024, Day 9 Walking in France and Switzerland

Posted on August 30, 2024 by SteveOctober 6, 2024

30th August 2024

R worked on S’s thesis; I went for a walk into the hills above the village of Divonne-les-Bains. The entry to the walks was a the top of the campsite. Climbed 600 meters and walked 17km. Some walking on roads, some on short cut paths and the rest on overgrown paths. Most of the walk was without anyone around. A couple of cyclists climbing the hills on the tracks.The walk took me into Switzerland, which I realised ony when I came across a house flying the Swiss flag. The day was sunny and warm, some cattle were spotted sheltering from the sun under a tree. I felt quite exhausted and probably dehydrated. Should have taken more than 500ml of water.

Salmon for supper.

French Camping 2024, Day 8 Luge Run

Posted on August 29, 2024 by SteveOctober 5, 2024

29th August 2024

A Leisurely break down of the camp today. We had only an hour’s drive to our chosen campsite near to Switzerland and Lake Geneva.

We stopped at a smallish Intermarche on the N5 just beyond the glass frame town of Morez we had visited yesterday. Purchased stocks for the next few days. We continued onwards and upwards, stopping at a ski resort, Col de La Faucille. Here we looked at the views into the valley. So that we could match the displayed maps to the valley floor, a few trees really needed to be removed.

In the resort, some clothes shops were open, but the Hotel appeared closed. There was one small café open where we had a very nice crepe each and a beer. After this I took the luge run. Nine Euro, you get towed to the top of a hill and then are let loose on a captive luge, powered by gravity. You have a brake, to slow yourself down. It’s all safe, you tell yourself! A few screams on the way down, some initial braking because of fear, but no more after that. A fast run, but soon over.

We left the resort and continued to the campsite. We drove down an escarpment, stopping at the viewpoint Belvédère du Pailly.

We then continued to the campsite. The campsite, Camping Huttopia Divonne Les Bains was located, unsurprisingly, at Divonne-les-Bains. A very natural site with some quite wild areas high up. We arrived quite early. 2.30.

Some unusual aspects, there seem to be no loos by the bar. Good Wi-Fi by the bar, but not on the rest of the site

Near us is a very small wash block, but it was very neat and well-designed, quite cute.

Some bats spotted and heard on the bat detector. Probably pipistrelles.

French Camping 2024, Day 7 Museums

Posted on August 28, 2024 by SteveOctober 5, 2024

28th August 2024

Today we headed off on a tourist trail, to visit museums. First was the Musée de la Lunette in Morez. The drive to Morez on the N5 was spectacular. Lots of sharp corners, with the road built into a steep valley. There were rail tracks and large viaducts passing through the valley. Morez was the centre for the manufacture of glasses frames. Seemingly spectacle frames manufacture was a cottage industry, which grew into a larger industry, but focussed on this town. Eventually most of this industry moved to Asia. Seemed to be a new museum. Only one other group of people visited while we were there for more than two hours. There was a wonderful clock in the museum, alongside the spectacle making equipment. We did spot a glasses factory in the town, but part of it looked derelict.

The museum had a collection of glasses through the centuries, showing how fashion changed over time. It also showed glasses from around the world and specialized ones such as protective glasses used in the snow which were just slits in pieces of wood.

We left, looking for a place for a picnic lunch, continuing to our next museum. We stopped at a small waterfall where we ate lunch, before heading to the Lapidary Museum in Lamoura. Here we were told we must watch the 20-minute French film to get an understanding of how gemstones were cut. A French woman from the audience then gave us a brief overview of what we had seen and heard. This area was the centre of gemstone cutting. What else have farmers to do in the long winter evenings? They cut gemstones & made glasses frames. Now the industry has gone, with most stones now cut in Asia.

Afterwards headed back through winding upland hills, all the way back to Morez and then onwards to the campsite.

R did some more work on S’s thesis. I cooked supper, duck breast and potatoes fried in duck fat.

While R was working on the thesis there was a huge cloud over us. It was attempting to rain; a few large water drops. The sun continued to shine. The rain never came to anything. I sat outside in it.

We discovered we had one can of beer in the back which had sprung a leak. A small pin hole in the can. Not the first time this has happened. Very annoying, but luckily not too much mess.

French Camping 2024, Day 6 Waterfalls

Posted on August 27, 2024 by SteveOctober 5, 2024

27 August 2024

Another warm day. Today our theme was to be gorges and waterfalls. We started off visiting the Cascades du Hérisson (Hedgehog Falla). We had been here several years ago and walked the whole of the cascade down. I had to walk back to the van and drive around to the bottom to pick up R. Today we just visited the first fall. It was easy walking to this fall, and there was a café there. We wanted to see the waterfall with some water flowing through it. The previous visit it had been particularly dry, and there was only a trickle. This time we were in luck and there was plenty of water. We had an espresso each.

Next, we drove to see the Gorges de la Saine, stopping at a viewpoint on the road, then continued to the village of Les Planches-en-Montagne and parked in the cemetery carpark, to see the falls in the river La Saine. Here we took a walk alongside the gorge and waterfall. This waterfall had once been used to generate power for the village. The gorge was incredibly deep and narrow. Many signs asking you not to participate in the sport of canyoning. We walked along the gorge. We arrived at the other end where there was a large carpark, which perhaps was where we should have parked.

We then headed to near the N5 where there was another waterfall, the Cascade de La Billaude ou Saut Claude Roy. Smaller waterfall in a ravine. This waterfall had a long metal stairway down to the bottom, where you could go and bath in the river. Plenty of kids bathing in the water. A very idyllic spot.

Drove on back. The village where they were resurfacing the road was still being worked on. Most of the road surface had now been cleaned away ready for the new surface. The French certainly want to keep their roads well-maintained.

Back at the campsite, R worked on S’s thesis, while I walked to the local Bricomarche in the hope of buying a plug for the 16 Amp Euro connector, so I could wire this onto a UK 13 Amp socket. My idea was that R could stay and work on the thesis while I went to the Hedgehog Falls and completed the whole walk. No luck, so we would have to do something together tomorrow.

Visited the bank for some cash, and then the boulangerie, where they had only that plain French bread that goes soggy in an hour. Be careful which bank you use to withdraw cash; Credit Agricole wanted to charge me 6 Euro. Thankfully, there was another bank nearby which had free withdrawals.

French Camping 2024, Day 5 Saint-Laurent-en-Grandvaux

Posted on August 26, 2024 by SteveOctober 4, 2024

26th August 2024

We packed away the van in the nice dry morning and set off to the Jura, specifically we were headed to a campsite called ‘Les chalets Huttopia des monts Jura’. It is on the Swiss border near to Geneva and CERN.

We made good progress down the autoroute and at Dijon headed towards our destination. A planned stop at Champagnole, just of the N5 to buy some groceries and refuel the van, the first fuel stop since leaving home. I knew the N5 was closed on the final part of the route a little beyond Champagnole, Google had put in a bypass around the road closure. Oh no, the road closure started many miles before where Google thought it was! We ended up driving up and down the same part of the N5 following signs to Geneva and realising this was not the way to go. (R maintains I got v tetchy; obviously not true.)

Change of plan, let’s set course to another campsite we had stayed at before, not quite the same direction, but near enough and it would avoid the N5. So off we set to Camping de l’Abbaye. We arrived there, intending maybe to stay a few nights. We went to check in at campsite. Full, well one pitch with no electric. So, we headed off again to another ACSI site 20 minutes away. This was a municipal in the town of Saint-Laurent-en-Grandvaux and had plenty of spaces. Outside of ACSI season, it was still only 19 Euro a night with electricity.

We paid for three nights, decided to put up the awning in ‘shed mode’ (most of the pitch was tarmac) and prepare supper). We will stay here for three nights, and then maybe move on to the site near CERN. Still an hour away. Not a busy site. There do seem to be lots of walking and ski resorts to visit around here. We will the use the van during the day to visit some of these.

This campsite is open all year round and is quite high up. You can see that by the way the loo block and dish-washing facilities have been built. They are well insulated and double glazed.

French Camping 2024, Day 4 Châlons-en-Champagne

Posted on August 25, 2024 by SteveOctober 4, 2024

25th August 2024

Another sunny day, but very much cooler day. Some clouds around. Yesterday’s campers virtually all left again. New ones started to arrive in the afternoon. We are definitely in the area where people come for one night only. A Dutch van staying near us borrowed our European to 16Amp adapter. He then passed that through a 16amp adapter which spil into two, so both of us could plug in. I was surprised he did not have a European adapter. Wrong he had one, but not one that accepted the earth pin from the socket on the post. That surprised me, his van could potentially have been live, and only earthing when someone got in and out. How dangerous is that?

Today R started proofreading our daughter S’s thesis. I started reading the kindle version of the second volume of the Three Body Problem, the Chinese sci-fi book. So not a lot happened today. A couple of walks around the pond. Saw a Kingfisher on the pond, managed a photograph of it with the phone. Went back a couple of times with the big lens and no further sighting of the bird of the bird. Unfortunately, a few fishermen on the banks now.

Today’s hoard of travellers arrived in the late afternoon, usual commotion around the power points. One van wanted to lay the cable across the road, insisting he had been told he could. The site owners asked him to move elsewhere.

Planning to go to a site near to CERN. Still in France, but we will travel over the boundary into Switzerland and back into France.

French Camping 2024, Day 3 Châlons-en-Champagne

Posted on August 24, 2024 by SteveOctober 4, 2024

24th August 2024

Bought a baguette, and a couple of pain au raisin from the local shop. Excellent bread. Very hot day with temperatures in the 30s. I went for a fast walk and ran across two bridges and along the River Marne. 13k in 2 hours and 20 minutes. I know this is not marathon running! A few dragonflies on the walk. Geese seemed to be confined to the pavements of the suburbs!! Back at base lunch on the baguette and then a lazy afternoon finishing the first book in the Three Body series.

Prepared supper, and while we were eating it, the thunderstorm came in and drenched us. I put up the awning, getting wet, while R sheltered in the van remaining dry. After the awning was up, she came out to sit outside.

Interesting goings on in the site. One van packed up and left during the rain. The pitch next to us had a drying line and cloths drying out. So, no one parked there. We think the previous occupants might have left it by mistake. Chap from opposite came and begged us to charge his mobile for a few hours (he was on a no-electricity pitch). We duly obliged. His son came to collect it, bringing with him, as a thank you, a packet of very nice biscuits. Very sweet of them.

The honey seller is now ignoring us.

The town had a huge firework display tonight. Is this something to do with the Paralympics and the flame carrying?I know they are involved in this.

Discussion on whether to move on, going to head to near Geneva, but decided to stay on one more day before heading off.

French Camping 2024, Day 2 Châlons-en-Champagne

Posted on August 23, 2024 by SteveOctober 3, 2024

23rd August 2024

Today was cooler and cloudy. We set off to the town centre, walking. Google says 40 minutes, but we were a little slower. Our first destination was a sewing machine museum. Disappointment on arrival, it was closed, and if you wanted to visit, you had to make a booking. Two Saturdays a month, the 1^st and the 3^rd it is opened without appointment, so sadly no use to us.

Next into the centre for a coffee. That was a disappointment, nobody around, all the restaurants were totally deserted.

Then walked to the park, Le Grand Jard, where an offshoot of the river Marne appears. A few people were here, the cafes were opening up, so we had a beer and a lunch.

Looked around the cathedral, and then walked home along the canal.

Back at the campsite, pretty well everyone had gone to be replaced by a new set of people. Looks very much like this campsite is a stopping off point.

Bought some cakes from the baker and patisserie outside the camp site. They were very good.

It warmed up during the day, the later afternoon and evening were quite warm. The honey man came around again to try to sell us some honey. He has been here every time we have visited.

French Camping 2024, Day 1 Châlons-en-Champagne

Posted on August 22, 2024 by SteveOctober 3, 2024

22nd August 2024

The alarms woke us at 5.30 and we were away before 6.00. There was a little precipitation as we drove off on relatively quiet road. We were early enough to miss the queues on the M25/A41 junction.

The M25 was fairly quiet, though there were large sections with speed limits of 50 mph. Huge, sections of improvement work with nothing happening. I know it was early in the morning, but how can such large sections be worked on at the same time.

Crossing the Elizabeth bridge and we were on our way. A little rain and grey sky followed us down the road

Heading down to the M20, I saw there were some ‘Road Works’ and we would be down to 2 lanes, travelling on the wrong side of the motorway. Rosemary shouted that the Channel Tunnel crossing route was on the left. So, I obeyed her, and then found we were in the truck queuing system, which had been resurrected. Only trucks in this lane, while all the cars on the other carriageway stormed past. This section of several miles had a slow speed limit. There was stoney silence in the car. I have no idea why the queueing system had been instigated; in any case it had been removed by the time we came home in September. I drove all the way down the 10-mile truck queue lane on the M20 to join all the other cars.

Still, we arrived well ahead of the schedule and moved up two departures at no extra cost.

In France there was a strong wind, but the day was cloud free. The further we drove the warmer it became, necessitating the aircon to be turned on.

Our destination was the town of Châlons-en-Champagne. We booked into the site, Camping de Chalons en Champagne, for three nights, expecting to tour the town (and R fusses over me doing “too much driving”). We have stayed here twice, but not looked around the area. Before arriving at the campsite, a quick visit to buy some food at the huge supermarket, Carrefour Chalons En Champagne. We drove into the campsite behind a California VW, which was also blackberry coloured. Picture taken of the two blackberry-coloured VWs by the woman from the other van. They were staying one night.

At the campsite, there were loads of Brits passing through for the night. Bikers camping across the way, the female doing a striptease. Some lads next to us, they were working during the day and staying at the campsite. This seems quite common practice in France. They went off fishing in the evening.

The pond was still in existence, and bats flying around. The bat detector suggested they were Pipistrelles.

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