October 31, 2016

Today we traveled from Zaragoza to Pamplona (185 km). But first we visited Zaragoza. The picture shows the Ebro river, the Basilica de Nuestra Señior del Pilar and the bridge Puente de Piedra in Zaragoza.

October 30, 2016

Today we traveled from Andorra la Vella to Zaragoza in Spain (302 km). The weather was nice the first hours of travelling. The landscape was interesting too. But then everything was hidden under a thick fog. Nevertheless we did some sightseeing in Lleida. The picture shows a village and landscape at Coll de Nargo between Andorra la Vella and Lleida.

October 29, 2016

Today we stayed in Andorra La Vella. In the afternoon I climbed up the hill to find a spot to take a picture of the town. I was not very successful. The attached picture is the best I could do. Since Andorra is a tax free country goods are very cheap. Today was a Shopping Festival. Thousand of people from France and Spain came to shop. And we joined them in the evening.

October 28, 2016

Today we traveled from Toulouse in France to Andorra la Vella in Andorra (184 km). With this we ended the trip through France after six weeks and entered the new country Andorra. The picture shows the way to Andorra just some miles before the border.

 

 

 

 

October 27, 2016

Today we traveled from Lourdes to Toulouse (181 km) and we did some sightseeing in Toulouse. The picture shows the Capitole, the town hall of Toulouse.

October 26, 2016

We traveled today from Saint-Jean-de-Luz to Lourdes (175 km). Lourdes is famous since in 1858 the 14 year old girl Bernadette Soubirous has seen some Marian apparition. This was in the little cave on the right side on my picture. During these apparitions a water source was build. This water can heal sicknesses. Therefore many people pilgrimage here. Lourdes became the most important pilgrimage site in Europe especially for Catholic people. Over the years many churches were build around the place.

October 24 - 25, 2016

On October 24 it rained and we stayed at Labenne. On October 25 we traveled from Labenne to Saint-Jean-de-Luz. On the way we visited Biarritz. The picture shows the beach of Biarritz. There was the French Surf Championship running. Maybe therefore are so many people at the beach. But the temperature was very nice, like summer. Maybe therefore people come to spend vacations here

October 23, 2016

Today we traveled from Arcachon to the region of Biarritz in the southwest of France. On the way we climbed the biggest wandering sand dune in Europe the Dune de Pilat. It is about 110 meters high.

October 22, 2016

Today we traveled from Bordeaux to Arcachon in France (77 km). The picture shows a street scene in Arcachon.

October 20 - 21, 2016

Today we traveled from a place near Périgueux to Bordeaux. Here we stayed two days. The picture shows the Stock Exchange Buildings of Bordeaux.

October 19, 2016

Today we visited the Lascaux Cave. There are these world-famous 17000 years old drawings to see. The original cave can't be visited since 1963. But there is a copy of the cave made, which can be visited. The attached picture is one of the animals, which are painted in this cave. The picture is copied from the internet.

October 18, 2016

Today we visited the Cave de Lacave. They drive you into the cave with a little train. Then you walk about an hour through caves with nice lime stone figures and some little lakes. When we left the place I found this view to the broken bridge and the castle just 500 meter away from Lacave.

October 17, 2016

Today we visited the medieval town of Rocamadour.

October 16, 2016

Today we visited the medieval city of Salers. Then we drove up the Col de Pas de Peyrol (1589 m/ 5213 ft). The «Tour de France» did run over this pass this year too. Then I climbed up to Puy Mary (1783 m/5850 ft). From here I had a wonderful view over the mountains in the region.

October 15, 2016

Today we climbed the Puy de Dome. No we didn't hike up but we took the train. It was a nice view from up there. The Puy de Dome is an old volcano. And there are many more in this region.

October 14, 2016

Today we just moved from one side of Clermont-Ferrand to another. And we visited the Museum of Michelin, the French tyre producer, whose head office in this city is. We learned a lot about tyre making and what Michelin does besides of tyres. The picture shows the biggest tyre Michelin ever produced. It's 4.03 m in diameter.

October 13, 2016

Today we traveled from Treteau to Orcet, which is just outside of Clermont-Ferrand (100 km). On the way we visited the city of Vichy. Vichy has some hot and cold water sources. These waters is used as spa and drinking cures since the Roman times. The picture shows one of the spa buildings.

October 12, 2016

Today we traveled from Gien to Treteau (200 km). On the way we visited the canal bridge of Briare. Here the lateral canal of the Loire crosses the Loire river. The bridge was opened in 1896 and is 662 meters long. It was the longest canal bridge in Europe for 100 years.

October 11, 2016

Today we traveled from St. Laurent-Nouan to Gien. On the way we visited the town of Orléans and the castles of Sully-sur-Loire and Gien. With this we have seen all the Loire castles we wanted to visit. The picture shows the castle of Sully-sur-Loire.

October 10, 2016

Today we started our day in Crouy-sur-Cosson. From here we visited the castles of Chambord, Beauregard and Cheverny. Then we drove to St. Laurent-Nouan to stay over night. The picture shows the castle of Chambord.

October 9, 2016

Today we visited the castles of Chaumont and Blois (57 km). The picture shows the castle of Chaumont.

 

 

 

 

October 8, 2016

Today we traveled from St. Aignan-sur-Cher to Chenonceaux, Amboise and Seillac (70 km). In Chenonceaux we visied the castle and in Amboise the city center and the castle. The picture shows the castle of Chenonceau.

October 7, 2016

Today we traveled to visit the Royal City and castle of Loches. In the evening we traveled to St. Aignan-sur-Cher to camp there (77 km). We visited the little town and found a nice castle and church, which my picture shows. Cher is here not the singer, but the name of the river.

October 6, 2016

Today we traveled from Saumur to Tours (75 km). On the way we visited the castles of Saumur, Chinon, Ussé, Azay-le-Rideau and Villandrey. The picture shows the fortress and castle of Chinon.

October 5, 2016

Today we traveled from Nantes to Saumur (150km). With this we started to visit the castles in the Loire valley. There are about 400 castles. We have the plan to visit 12 of them. Today we visited already the castles in Nantes, Angers and Saumur. The picture shows the Castle of the Dukes of Brittany in Nantes.

October 4, 2016

Today we visited Quimper and then traveled to Nantes (230 km). The picture shows a street scene of Quimper. Quimper has a nice old town with cathedral.

October 3, 2016

Today we visited Brest and traveled to Quimper (84 km). The picture shows the lifting bridge, the Tanguy tower and the Marine port at the Penfeld river in Brest.

October 2, 2016

Today we traveled from Pordic to Brest (150 km). We made a detour to the most western point of the mainland France the Pointe de Corsen. Farther out there are only some islands in the ocean.

October 1, 2016

Today we stayed at the campsite in Pordic. In the afternoon I did a bike tour to a little town at the sea called Binic. The picture shows the port of Binic.