Ferry booked! Now for the planning!

[Paul Rochdale]

Understandably Katy, Oradour is utterly utterly depressing. Not a bird sings. It's a National Shrine. Read up about the circumstances of the tragedy before you go as this will help you understand it better. It was horrific what man could do to his fellow man.

 

[katyotter]

Understandably Katy, Oradour is utterly utterly depressing. Not a bird sings. It's a National Shrine. Read up about the circumstances of the tragedy before you go as this will help you understand it better. It was horrific what man could do to his fellow man.

Yes - we know all about it. That's why we're going. Do you think Germans visit?

 

[Steptoe]

Yes - we know all about it. That's why we're going. Do you think Germans visit?

I thought i'd stumbled into a thread about the philisophical doctrines of Friedrich Nietzsche and Nihilism, but without all the laughs.

 

[katyotter]

I thought i'd stumbled into a thread about the philisophical doctrines of Friedrich Nietzsche and Nihilism, but without all the laughs.

Too right a few posts a tad off thread - let's get back to the fun planning.

 

[katyotter]

I thought i'd stumbled into a thread about the philisophical doctrines of Friedrich Nietzsche and Nihilism, but without all the laughs.

Too right a few posts a tad off thread - let's get back to the fun planning

 

[Wapping]

Happy riding his 800 I would think.

Tell him to come in and apply himself to some planning.

 

[Wapping]

Understandably Katy, Oradour is utterly utterly depressing. Not a bird sings. It's a National Shrine. Read up about the circumstances of the tragedy before you go as this will help you understand it better. It was horrific what man could do to his fellow man.

Pass the sick bag, Alice.

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

Oradour

Yes - we know all about it. That's why we're going. Do you think Germans visit?

It's been turned into a grotesque tourist attraction, with a visitor centre et al now

It's now gone commercial - give it a miss

 

[katyotter]

It's been turned into a grotesque tourist attraction, with a visitor centre et al now

It's now gone commercial - give it a miss

Thanks for your input, I'm horrified that you're probably right.

 

[katyotter]

Pass the sick bag, Alice.

Are you short of things to do Wapping?

 

[Deleted account 210609001]

Oradour is worth seeing once, but it only takes a sombre and reflective 30 mins to wander round. Understanding the horror of what went on doesn't take any longer than that. While it is a reminder of man's inhumanity to man, it's not like it's the only place or occasion in WW2 where unspeakable things happened.

Make sure you get the right Oradour. Those cunning French had the whole of bloody France to separate their two Oradours, but put them within a few miles of each other to catch out the unsuspecting British tourist.

Head South East from Limoges and the roads and scenery will amaze you.

 

[Deleted account 210609001]

Are you short of things to do Wapping?

No wild flowers to press at this time of year, so he gets his kicks baiting people on here!

(Don't piss him off, though, as he knows an awful lot about biking in France and will come up trumps when he cheers up a bit.)

 

[Wapping]

Are you short of things to do Wapping?

Not particularly, what would you like to do?

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

Thanks for your input, I'm horrified that you're probably right.

I first went 25 years ago and it was a proper memorial to the the wretched place, not many people about and a very sombre experience

Latterly I went about 8 years ago, only to find it had nearly been turned into a french tourist attraction, truly sickbag inducing

All I'll say is, it's not what it was and is all the poorer for that and no memorial to the poor souls who perished there

 

[Deleted account 210609001]

I first went 25 years ago and it was a proper memorial to the the wretched place, not many people about and a very sombre experience

Latterly I went about 8 years ago, only to find it had nearly been turned into a french tourist attraction, truly sickbag inducing

All I'll say is, it's not what it was and is all the poorer for that and no memorial to the poor souls who perished there

I must admit it was at least 20 yrs that I went and there was no visitor centre, no memorial (it didn't need one) and a handful of small noticeboards around the place. Sounds like it's not the same any more.

 

[katyotter]

No wild flowers to press at this time of year, so he gets his kicks baiting people on here!

(Don't piss him off, though, as he knows an awful lot about biking in France and will come up trumps when he cheers up a bit.)

I'll pass.

 

[Wapping]

I'll pass.

But it was high on hubby's list. What'll he do on his 800 now, to kill a day?

I know, make it up to him.

You'll not be far from Poitiers and the site of Edward (The Black Prince) Prince of Wale's great victory over the French in 1356. Not enough is made of this.

 

[Steptoe]

. While it is a reminder of man's inhumanity to man, it's not like it's the only place or occasion in WW2 where unspeakable things happened.

.

If you like bathetic journeys the germans are your saviour.

It's europe, the theme park for german atrocities. Usually to be found in every village square.

 

[Wapping]

If you like bathetic journeys the germans are your saviour.

It's europe, the theme park for german atrocities. Usually to be found in every village square.

I am reminded of Richard II (and more recently, Percy in Blackadder)

"For God's sake, let us sit upon the carpet and tell sad stories..."

 

[Paul Rochdale]

Katy

As for being a tourist attraction, all I can say it may depend on what time of the day or year you visit. It was deadly quiet when I was there five years ago. Still, it's your choice. The ruins is just a tiny village so a coach party could easily swamp the place.

Some further tips for France/Spain. I rode down from Calais and stopped the nights in Saumur and Flourence before arriving in Barcelona. Parked up, got a B&B then caught the bus out to the airport just as my wife flew in. After a couple of days in Barcelona (I've read it's now become a den of pickpockets) we rode north to Manresa and Andorra. Andorra apparently sells white goods tax free to the border controls are strict which resulted in massive tailbacks of traffic. We then rode NW along the spine of the Pyrenees visiting the Col du Tourmalet (one of Europe's highest passes) before dropping done to Argeles-Gazost. Many of these roads are used in some of the Tour de France event with the roads marked with the riders names. Utter beautiful countryside. Once we reached Lourdes we rode west towards the coast and Biarritz and San Sebastian. The summer heat by this time became a big factor with my wife and we finally called it a day and stayed in the coastal town of Ondarroa where we relaxed for a few days before catching the ferry back from nearby Bilbao.

Because of the heat we saw very little of Spain but will be returning next summer with our 2CV to visit the World 2CV Meeting at the MotoGP circuit in Aragon. This time we'll hopefully be cooler and hpe to drive down to Valencia and Granada as well as seeing Madrid. As my wife prefers to lay by the sea sunbathing and I enjoy visiting historic places, it will as ever be a compromise.