Au Revoir Le France

For our last night we feasted on steak, Marmite potatoes and salad.  Accompanied by champagne (well we were in the right place🤣).  We toasted Mootle and our fabulous trip - and the fact we are still talking after being in a confined space for nearly 4 weeks 🤣🤣🤣.

It is still raining and grey - kind of reflects our mood.  😭😭

Cheered up a bit by a visit to the hypermarket.

Going sober for October, so hopefully this will last for Christmas 🤣.

A mention must go to Alfie who has taken care of the very needy Basil (who has developed very bad separation anxiety and is on Prozac 😬) and the not so needy Connie and also looked after the house for us❤️❤️.

Big thanks also again to Big Stu for stepping in when I was surprised by Alfie, Jake and Molly in Sicily ❤️.

Also thanks to Kate & Gracie for dog care.

And big thanks to my mum, to Lily and to Lucy, who have all helped and supported with doggies too. 

Obviously also I am so lucky to be married to the best driver and chef extrordinaire. ❤️❤️❤️

Avenue de Champagne

Got the bikes out and took the cycle path by the River Marne into Epernay.  

Walked down the famous Avenue de Champagne.  Weather not brilliant - poor Jon is feeling very cold.  We're also a bit unhappy the trip has ended 😞.

Popped into le supermarche on the way back - bought this bargain, just about got it back - with some very funny looks🤣.  Also bought bottle of champagne to toast the good times we've had 🍾🍾🥂

Epernay - The home of Champagne 🍾🍾🍾

Long drive for Jon today.  210 miles.  We were going to stay a night at Nancy but the weather was foul.  Pushed on - lunch in car park of Leclerc hypermarket.  We love a French supermarket 🤣🤣.  This one was so impressive 😍.  Bought nice stuff for supper 😍.

Drove north and are now in the Marne region.  The home of Champagne.

Anyway we're at Camping Epernay - lovely site on the River Marne and we will stay 2 nights before leaving for Calais on Wednesday morning, so this will be our last campsite 😭.  

Although not quite as foul, it is still raining unfortunately and around 15 degrees colder than we have been used to.  I have jeans and a sweatshirt and trainers on.  My feet would prefer to be in flipflops, thank you 🤣 🤣 🤣.

We will explore Epernay tomorrow (in our raincoats 🤣🤣).

Campsite

Our pitch address

Turckheim

The site is really lovely - unfortunately the weather has been monumently disgusting 😬.  

Turckheim is in the heart of the Alsace wine region - surrounded by vineyards.    It's very pretty and Germanic on style.  

The resident Mootle chef rustled up some tasty supper under the makeshift shelter. 

 Marmite potatoes are the new dish of the day🤣

Supper with Strictly 

It literally poured all night long.  So much so, we've even developed a little leak 😥.

Ordered fresh croissants and pain au Chocolat for breakfast - was delicious 

Heading onwards to try and find somewhere at least a little less damp before finally getting to Calais.  

Alsace

Well we hotfooted it across Le Suisse in just one day. There's stunning scenery, it's a gorgeous country.  Expensive but truly beautiful.

Passed Lake Lucerne.  Went through the world's 5th longest road tunnel - nearly 16 km long😮

No border control into France as usual.

We've arrived in the Alsace region - Turckheim.  All very Germanic as the border is quite close.  We failed on the first 2 campsites - one only had a muddy pitch available by the river (there's a wet weather warning 😬), second was closed, but then we found Le Medieval campsite - it's great, lovely facilities too🤣🤣. And about a third of the price of yesterday 😬.

Only problem is - il pleut beaucoup🤣🤣.

Cosy night chez Mootle.  Chef says he may cook outside under our makeshift shelter.

To be honest we have been incredibly lucky with the weather so shouldn't complain.

Tomorrow we will head further north towards home ...  Where in fact the weather is better currently.  

Rain

😭😭😭

In the rain, in a long traffic queue in Switzerland, the reality of returning to reality is setting in🤣🤣🤣.

If Carlsberg did camp sites.....

That's the review Jon left😂😂.

The best campsite we have stayed on.  Spotless and with facilities better than home🤣🤣.  Plus that spectacular view.   It was also the most expensive to be fair.  Sorry to leave it ....  But we're off and heading towards France - long drive today.  The flipflops are off😭😭😭.  We've had amazing weather but today obviously heading north, it's not only significantly cooler, it's looking a bit rainy.  The driving in Switzerland is soooo much calmer than Italy 🤣🤣 - oh god, they're as mad as can be.

Long commute to restaurant 

Now driving through the most stunning scenery.