Belgium, Luxembourg and France 2018

Belgium. Pleasant without being spectacular. We camped near the town of Dinant on the river Meuse then moved to Camping Ile de Faigneul. Lots of trees and limetone crags that looked like something from the Peak district. Not all walks were easy though. The 13th century Gothic cathedral of Our Lady collapsed in 1228 leaving only the North door.

1. The Church of Our Lady, Dinant.
2. Dinant is where Adolph Sax invented the saxophone.
3. From the castle in Bouillon
4. Paddloes, Bouillon.
5. Near Poupihan
6. Tricky footpath.
7. Ford near Poupehan.

Luxembourg. We moved to Camping bon Accueil near Alzingen which was immaculate and from there took a bus into Luxembourg City. We visited the cathedral and pottered around the pleasant old town. The city is built on an interesting escarpment.

1. Luxembourg cathedral
2. Inside the cathedral
3. Stained glass windows were superb.
4. Pottering.
5. Below the city.
6. On the pavements.

The Mullerthal Trail. On the Eastern border of Luxembourg with Germany we stayed at Camping Officiel Echternach which was an exellent centre for exploring the locality and conveniently near to the bus station. Buses were frequent and cheap and went all over the place. Much of the 112km Mullerthal Trail follows a long sandstone escarpment and is very attractive.

1. Echternacht has a splendid ice cream parlour.
2. Mullerthal trail.
3. Waterfalls
4. Echternach 10.1km! You said that we were nearly back!
5. Lots of canyons
6. Climbing is allowed in certain controlled areas.
7. On the trail.

France. Eventually we crossed the border into France, overnighting at Langres and Balbigny on our way to the Puy area West of Claremont Ferrand. We eventually settled at Camping les Verniers just outside of the town of Bourboule near Mont Dore. From here we did several long walks although the weather remained unsettled.

1. View towards Mont Dore
2. Sign maintenance
3. Detail inside of the Church of St. Nectaire
4. Grande deluge, so we hid in a bar.
5. Red helleborine
6. Lizard orchid.

Languedoc. We stayed at Camping les Claps near the bridge over the river Orb. There were several good walks to be had around here.

1. Resurgeance in St Pons de Thomieres
2. Chequered Skipper on Meadow Scabious
3. Bridge over the Orb and the Gorges de l'Heric
4. In the Gorges de l'Heric
5. Market day at nearby Fete de Cerises, Sans Gluten? Non madam, je me desole.
6. Frogs beware, hang onto your legs.
7. The old village of St Martin de L'Arcon

The Carmargue. White horses, bulls and Flamingos. We stayed at a campsite near to the town of St Maries. Pleasant but 2 days was enough.

1. Typical Carmargue landscape.
2. Bull running at certain times.
3. White horses and black bulls
4. The horse mistress
5. Flamingos
6. Flamingo
7. Flamingos.

Aix en Provence. We stayed at Camping Arc en Ciel and visited Aix en Provence for a day. It's a preasant town with an interesting cathedral and an old town to explore.

1. The Cathedral of Saint Sauveur, Aix en Provence.
2. The famous Triptych of the burning bush, comissioned for the cathedral in the late middle ages.
3. Down the market
4. In the square
5. Infant school mural with risque rabbit
6. Digne-les-Bains, Black-veined whites on a Pyramidal orchid.
7. Woodcock orchids, Digne-les-Bains.

Digne-les-Bains.

We stayed at Camping Eaux Chaudes which was in the trees and a bit muddy. Lots of good walks from here, out all day on a long walk to climb Le Cousson (1511m) with an ascent of 950m.

1. En route to Mount Cousson
2. The Chapel of St. Michel, Le Cousson.
3. The chapel of St Pancras just visible on the top of the rocks.
4. Late Spider Orchid.
5. Leutzia conifera
6. Bee Orchid.

Sault and Malaucene . Within sight of Mon Ventoux. We stayed at Camp Municipal du Defends in Sault and Le Basquet in Malaucene. Lots of great walks and gorges in this area.

1. Gorge de la Nesque
2. Chapel of St. Michael at the bottom of the gorge.
3. Gorge de la Nesque
4. Home sweet home
5. Mont Ventoux, long telephoto shot.
6. The Dentelles de Monmirail
7. Gorges de Curnier, a cave without a roof.

The Vercors, Gorges de la Bourne.

1. Our idyllic campsite at Choranche in the Gorges de la Bourne.
2. Pont-en-Royans at the lower end of the gorge.
3. Crossing the ford, sharp underfoot and Sue was taken pity on by a young couple and helped across.
4. Large Grizzled Skipper, Six-spot Burnet Moth and bee, on Field Scabious.
5. In the Grotte de Choranche. There are over 30km of passageways in this cave. We didn't do them all.
6. In the Grotte de Choranche

We made a couple of long walks starting from the campsite. The weather became hot, mid 30s. After a few days we made the narrow passage up the gorge through tunnels and sharp bends to the small town of Autrans where we stayed at Yellow Camping 4. Excellent facilities.

1. On route to the Belvedere du Ranc.
2. Belvedere du Ranc, 1000m climb from the campsite.
3. View into the Gorges de la Bourne.
4. It looks a long way to anywhere.
5. From Autrans, heading for the Bec de L'Orient, very floral.
6. Bec de L'Orient.
7. Swallowtail on Alpine Coltsfoot.

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