Well let me jump in and let you all know where I have been over the past few days. Monday was a run down to Portsmouth for the overnight ferry to Caen.
It was dark and misty early on Tuesday morning but all was good until the rain started. First day in France and I am heading for Nevers, I am only on the road for an hour before to rain started! It absolutely hammered down for almost 150 miles and as I wasnt using Autoroutes, it took longer! Still, just outside of Nevers to sun started shining and after a shower and a beer, all was good.
Oh yes, and just outside of Nevers, I had a brush with the local Gendarmes. There was a white van in front of me as I approached a T junction. The van stopped and so did I, the van pulled away and after checking for oncoming traffic, I pulled out. The Gendarmes were on the opposite side of the road and on came their blue lights. I waved them in front as I thought they were on a call. But no, it was me they were after! Apparently, in France, when you approach a T junction and it says “Stop”, then you should stop even if nothing is coming then pull away. The Gendarmes were very nice about and my British/Welsh number plate confused them as I don’t have UK stickers, just the European blue flag with stars on and a British number plate with Cymru, (that’s Welsh for Wales). So they said thank you and I was free to go on my way after we had all shook hands!
Wednesday saw me starting off in sunshine on my way to Grenoble. The sunshine wasn’t meant to last! If yesterday was “a bit heavy” then today was real wrath of god stuff! Impossible to see the road surface and flash flooding which stopped a couple of lorries with water almost 8” deep! My S10 got me through all the way to Grenoble and another shower and more beers!
Thursday started overcast but dry and I headed up the N85 to the Route Napoleon. Temperatures were in the low 20’s so very pleasant riding weather. As the day wore on, the temperatures climbed to 30C and so I was glad to get to my hotel in Digne les Bains. Another shower and beer made everything alright but the food in France is becoming either British pub fare, burgers or pizza and I chose a restaurant which I would never go to again!
Today started sunny and pleasant as I rode the second part of the Route Napoleon to Grasse and then onwards to Sollie Ville near Toulon and a lovely hotel in a lovely village! Another shower and a couple of beers and the promise of real, proper French cuisine at last!! Watch this space for the homeward ride.
By the way, the only other S10s I have seen was one in Digne les Bains and a couple ridden by Gendarmes also in Digne les Bains!