Buggered old geezer does France...

Church bells donging away at 7am...Bastille Day, 14 July, French folk take it very seriously.
Just think, if it wasn't for Joan of Arc, most of them would still be English...
Not that Bastille Day has anything to do with the 100 year war..
 
If it wasn’t for the English, they’d be German. I read it here.

PS If it wasn’t for the Maid of Orleans, they might well have been (sort of ) Flemish, the Duke of Burgundy being our big mate, when it came to fighting Frenchies.
 
gerarddwatts said:
Church bells donging away at 7am...Bastille Day, 14 July, French folk take it very seriously.
Just think, if it wasn't for Joan of Arc, most of them would still be English...
Not that Bastille Day has anything to do with the 100 year war..
Click to expand...
And the Scots who fought alongside her. Just sayin', before any Dundonians barge in!

Any cold shoulder to go with that hot tongue Gerry? :augie
 
Redboots said:
Quite common the the southern half of France. This is one of "ours".
Only here to breed and then bugger off from whence they came.
View attachment 273097
Click to expand...

It seems they fly south for winter. Spotted this by the roadside last Christmas in Tenerife.
Similar migration habits to the British apart from the cheap beer.:D

original_9620734a-063f-41a5-8c73-0e6a9b5095c3_IMG_20221222_173543276~2.jpg

Enjoying your civilised and gracious 4 wheeled tour Gerrard.👍
Will you ever get back on 2 wheels to rejoin the sweaty savage brigade?
🍻
 
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Redboots said:
Quite common the the southern half of France. This is one of "ours".
Only here to breed and then bugger off from whence they came.
View attachment 273097
Click to expand...
We had one hanging around in our garden several years ago, think it maybe had a nest nearby, only ever saw it that one year

we’re not as far south as you though
 
brut33 said:
It seems they fly south for winter. Spotted this by the roadside last Christmas in Tenerife.
Similar migration habits to the British apart from the cheap beer.:D

View attachment 273105

Enjoying your civilised and gracious 4 wheeled tour Gerrard.👍
Will you ever get back on 2 wheels to rejoin the sweaty savage brigade?
🍻
Click to expand...
I very much hope so. The hip is as good as new....really...it is brand new..., but all the nerves got a right good jangling, and conspired with the plates across my lower spine from previous escapades, leaving me with limited mobility in the back and other leg. It is much better now than it was, so I will have another go at heaving my leg over when I get back. I can get on by standing on the left footpeg, and I know lots do that anyway, but I hate it! People....yes, you Micky...keep telling me I need a smaller bike....I DON'T WANT A SMALLER FACKING BIKE.....
So we'll see.... The euro 2 up trips are definitely finished now.
In the meantime we are greatly enjoying our old folks tour of France profonde...no worries about gravillons, camber, holes, buses coming round hairpins, rain, packing, peages, spare skiddies, carrying duty free....2 more cases of Sancerre and Pouilly Fume today.....greasy decks, greasy sraps, greasy stokers and all the other things that make foreign bike trips such a joy...
 
Our expedition continued, after some shopping in Sancerre...guess what?
Lovely part of the world this, heading gently across to the Loire through lanes and villages. Cracking.20230714_102846.jpg20230714_094429.jpg
A 'Route Barre' buggered miss MRA completely but the fine Michelin French road atlas soon saw us at Briare, where the Canal Lateral a la Loire cosses the Loire in a fine aqueduct...20230714_115150.jpg
 

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The aqueduct also crossed over the road, which meant the road dropped to go under which meant it was low enough to allow the Loire to flood the nearby village....so they put some flood gates on the bridge...nothing if not bright these frenchies...20230714_121616.jpg

On to a chateau at Gien...very photogenic...20230714_123324.jpg
 
Further down the Loire at Saint Benoit sur Loore, we spent a few minute looking at and in the Abbaye de Fleury.
Goes back to the 7th century and well worth a look if you are passing...20230714_144852.jpg20230714_151319.jpg
 
And on to our lodgings in Orleans...

Check out Novotel Orléans Saint Jean de Braye on Booking.com! https://www.booking.com/Share-NfHqS77

Yes its a Novotel. A very smart one too....robes, slippers, proper coffe machine etc....and a restaurant open on Bastille Day. Although it must be said that I saw much more open this trip than on a trip on 14 July some years ago....probably need the money now the UK isn't subsidising them :D
 

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gerarddwatts said:
I very much hope so. The hip is as good as new....really...it is brand new..., but all the nerves got a right good jangling, and conspired with the plates across my lower spine from previous escapades, leaving me with limited mobility in the back and other leg. It is much better now than it was, so I will have another go at heaving my leg over when I get back. I can get on by standing on the left footpeg, and I know lots do that anyway, but I hate it! People....yes, you Micky...keep telling me I need a smaller bike....I DON'T WANT A SMALLER FACKING BIKE.....
So we'll see.... The euro 2 up trips are definitely finished now.
In the meantime we are greatly enjoying our old folks tour of France profonde...no worries about gravillons, camber, holes, buses coming round hairpins, rain, packing, peages, spare skiddies, carrying duty free....2 more cases of Sancerre and Pouilly Fume today.....greasy decks, greasy sraps, greasy stokers and all the other things that make foreign bike trips such a joy...
Click to expand...

Sounds painful, and I hope you manage to get your leg over when you get home.👍
Some nice cases of wine there. I see you've be in the Dordogne area, Saint Emilion country.
Wonderful stuff.🍷

Loving your luxury tour.🍻
 
gerarddwatts said:
I very much hope so. The hip is as good as new....really...it is brand new..., but all the nerves got a right good jangling, and conspired with the plates across my lower spine from previous escapades, leaving me with limited mobility in the back and other leg. It is much better now than it was, so I will have another go at heaving my leg over when I get back. I can get on by standing on the left footpeg, and I know lots do that anyway, but I hate it! People....yes, you Micky...keep telling me I need a smaller bike....I DON'T WANT A SMALLER FACKING BIKE.....
So we'll see.... The euro 2 up trips are definitely finished now.
In the meantime we are greatly enjoying our old folks tour of France profonde...no worries about gravillons, camber, holes, buses coming round hairpins, rain, packing, peages, spare skiddies, carrying duty free....2 more cases of Sancerre and Pouilly Fume today.....greasy decks, greasy sraps, greasy stokers and all the other things that make foreign bike trips such a joy...
Click to expand...
You’ll need to get yourself a traditional mounting block Gerard or one of those lovely step through scooters, failing that just get used to the embarrassment of using the footrest to climb over and hoping the side stand will take an extra 19 stone.

You could have another six sessions with the Physio lady to work on restoring your other leg to fine fettle.

Great trip report !
 
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