Day 12 – To St. Flour

Canoist

Hey, the sun is shining! Yesterday afternoon a group of dutch canoists emerged from the mighty Loire and made camp at the bottom of the field. They were very friendly and we engaged in a spot of mutual regarding. They explained (actually it was a Frenchman doing the explaining) that they take their tents with them in waterproof bags and canoe / kayak down the river from one spot to another. They are making their way to st. Nazaire on the Atlantic coast. Since most campsites and towns are by the river there is no shortage of places to stay. The journey would take them a month in total. I was impressed and promised to blog about them tonight.


I realised that the cross cables I use to strengthen my tent for high winds come in handy when you have wet clothes to dry!

So today I said goodbye to the acquaintances I made during my extended stay and was on the road again by 9.30. Feels so good to be moving again!


I also discovered that using the sat nav application on my phone allows me to notice the countryside more rather than constantly checking the map. Im quite proud of my navigating skills and kind of regard the sat nav like mathematicians might once have regarded the calculator. However for now, it seemed like progress! I also realised that using my extension lead I can have the phone plugged in and charging while I’m using it and driving so the sat nav wont die in the middle of poo creak.

The Auvergne

Today was a very special day. The Auvergne (pronounced or-verne... I think!) is without doubt the most beautiful region of France. So anyone who has explored France will tell you. Today I saw it for the first time! Not far from Clermont Ferrand, the industrial heartland of France (a bit like our Birmingham) is where the Auvergne starts. It is also where the Volvic water comes from.


I stopped in a small village for a coffee and a croissant and then continued south approaching the Auvergne. After climbing uphill for quite a while the road levelled. What I saw next the photos really didn’t do justice so I will try and describe it; Way below me the road dropped into a valley and the panorama opened on both sides. Spread out in front were the lush green pastures of the Auvergne rising to the volcanic peaks of the Massif Central mountains 50 miles away on the other side of the valley! Wow!

The wind is really picking up now too. From here on in the winds regularly gust at gale force and its giving me some concerned over the stability of my tent.

Sat Nav

Half way across the valley the sat nav reminded me why I shouldn’t use it. It directed me onto the motorway / toll rd, which was ok – I wanted to make good progress today. However after picking up my card at the toll booth, the motorway split – one way north, the other south. But which way? I squinted at the confused picture on the sat nav screen but it was a jumble of lines and arrows. I went left. The wrong way! Had I been studying the map I would have known which of the two clearly marked towns was behind me and which one was ahead. Having gone the wrong way the sat nav then helpfully informed me that the next exit was precisely 31.5 Km in the wrong direction!

My cool deserted me and I deployed the full power of my mighty chip fat. All 75 Mph of it! For a full 25 minutes! I then had to pay the lady 3 Euros at the other end for the privelage of using their fantastic road and then drive back again (another 3 euros!). I have to admit the view didn’t quite do it for me the second time around.

Picnic

Once I recovered my ground I stopped at a picnic area for a sausage break. Beautiful spot, great view, lots of sunshine. So why is everyone sat in their cars eating? I’ll show them how a picnic is done. The wind was bad but until I laid out my picnic on the bench I hadn’t realised quite how bad. I nticed a pair of magpies struggling to stay airborne. 'Why don’t they just sit down?' I thought. Picnic assembled, the salad leaves were the first to go. Lofted high into the stratosphere. “Cool” I chuckled... “didn’t want them anyway”. Next my ham made for the trees. Not cool! I managed to weigh down most of my food with lumps of gruyere, but it soon became a race to get as much in my mouth as possible before the gods claimed it. Now I’m very worried about the prospect of setting up camp in winds like these.

I noticed the magpies attacking the remains of my dinner. Why is it everyone seems to know something I don’t?... even the birds!

I got to St. Flour and set up camp. I made sure everything was extra secure. I deployed my wind flap, my tension cross cables, I pegged the canvas to the ground and put rocks under my wheels. I’m going nowhere till the morning. I also decided to save myself the electric fee. I have plenty of charge in my leisure battery. As I write this, I am totally off grid :-)

View from a pub in town