Tag: holiday

Saint Tropez – Final days #8

Tuesday 20th July

We waited in for John Denton to arrive, from Quarry Garage.  I waited outside the camp site for two and a half hours, so I could let him in.  He arrived1 at 12:30pm.  He then checked the car over, drilling holes here and there as he went and then handed us a big handful of cable-ties.  These could now be used to secure the boot and the bonnet whilst travelling2.  Then we all had lunch.  John had brought his four-year-old son Lewis along with him.  Sue had found a turtle whilst I was away this morning and caught it on film.

By the time we reached the beach today it was very windy again, but we were able to set the brolly up as an igloo, so it had less chance of blowing away.  Despite the wind, the sea was very calm, although the surface was cold, with the wind.  It was easy to swim in today, much easier than any other day.  The wind eventually drove us home (via Ramatuelle, after yesterday’s traffic).  After tea we went for a drive and because of the traffic elsewhere, we tried Port Cogolin. Crap!

Wednesday 21st July

We had a straight forward sort of day today, arriving at the beach before 10:00am and leaving when it clouded over around 15:30pm. We then drove up to Ramatuelle for afternoon tea (well you know). We called at Le Cave Minute after this but didn’t get shown around or offered a taste.  We stopped then at Cave Bourrian and bought a red wine which turned out to be NOT very nice.  After tea, Ben did some videoing and we drove to Cavalaire, but couldn’t find anywhere to park.  http://vignoblesderamatuelle.com/.

Thursday 22nd July

We went to the Casino at 08:30am, hopefully for the last time this holiday.  We went for all of the things we need for the journey home tomorrow.  Filled up, checked oil and topped up and then we had breakfast in the café there before driving to the beach via Gassin and Ramatuelle.

Friday 23rd July – Departure

We were up at 07:00am and ready to leave by 08:45am. By 11:35am we were at Montelimar. We set off again at 12:25pm and stopped at a service station south of Mâcon but filled up at a service station just south of Beaune (15:50pm). Stopped again north of Dijon to phone Troyes.  We arrived in Troyes around 18:10pm but took another 30 minutes to find the Formula 1 hotel, which turned out to be miles and miles out of town.

So, we had driven all day.  08:45am to 18:30pm almost 10 hours – 512 miles.

A lot of time was taken up trying to find this place, but we’re here now. Right next door is a place called Fasthotel and they only charge 150ff.  Ours cost 130ff as it is a special offer, nationwide. The room is adequate. It had a clock, a telly and a sink (plus one double bed and a single bunk)3.  We went to the Fasthotel for dinner – they have two horseshoe shaped bars, which turn into dining tables at the suggestion of customers (??).  Two basic menus are offered. The service was good, quick and cheerful and the food was so-so – adequate at the price.

Saturday 24th July

I woke early and couldn’t get back to sleep, so I went for a walk.  We intend to go down for breakfast at 08:00am.  We were on our way by 08:40am.

We’re driving up the A26 now, from Troyes towards Chalon sur Marne4 and we’ve reached Sommesous (Sue must have been driving).  The fields at either side of the road are no longer the colourful patchwork of wheat, sunflowers, sweetcorn and beet but now JUST wheat (or Barley) as far as the eye can see, just like I imagine the prairies to look like.  Also, here and there, there are enormous silos, presumably for storing all this grain, which is being harvested as we pass.  Some fields have already been cut, but others are still ripening in the sun. Perhaps the grasses are barley, because as we pass the Epernay turn off, there’s a strong smell of malting.  We arrived in Calais at 12:40pm. The ferry was at 15:45pm

So, before boarding, we went to the Continent Hypermarket and bought 5 cases of beer and four bottles of wine5.  We also had a really crap lunch at the Flunch bar, re-packed the boot and drove back to the ship.  On board, I bought 1ltr Asbach and 1ltr Gin and a pack of lighters.

And, that’s it – I have no news of the journey through the UK or what happened upon our return with the car.  I do  know that Quarry Garage were brilliant and that they loaned us a car while they sorted the repairs and dealt with the insurance company.

Thank you for reading.

1 – He didn’t have to come at all, it was really kind of him to pop along and help us make the car safe. He’d been in England, at the garage when I called last week (after the crash), to seek advice on how to make the car safe to drive home. He was coming down to Stay with family on holiday in Saint Raphaël anyway and simply offered to pop along and help.

2 – It just meant that we had to take everything out of the boot each night on our way back, and leave the parcel shelf off, so it could be seen as empty.

3 – I don’t know what Formula 1s are like these days but back in the day they were VERY basic. The toilets and showers were communal and down the hallway. Mostly, I seem to remember that they were also automatic. Since those days (when we were financially disadvantaged), we have progressed up through Premiere Classe hotels and on to Campanile hotels, which offer more comfort and more than adequate dining. We’ve also stayed in traditional French hotels over the years but it seems the we did not on this holiday.

4 – Now Chalons en Champagne – ‘Formerly called Châlons-sur-Marne, the city was officially renamed in 1998.’

5 – Such things were very much cheaper in France at that time.

Saint Tropez – Cloudy Sky #5

Tuesday 13th July

Our first concern today was to go an cash some traveller’s cheques1, as yesterday’s events had cost us over £120.  We then went up to La Croix Valmer, where we spent about an hour.  Phoned Quarry Garage2, and others at home before going to the beach, where we stayed until 16:00pm.  Had showers, made tea and then looked in on the crappy circus at the camp-site entrance.

Wednesday 14th July (Bastille Day)

We went to the Casino first thing and spent £60 on almost nothing.  However, we now have almost the same stock of soft drinks and beers that they have (at the supermarket).  Ours is under the caravan and in the fridge. I don’t think that we need to buy any more before we leave.  We then went to the beach, where the weather was pleasant and the sea a bit warmer than recent days.  Sue is now down to factor 8 on her gentler bits and factor 5 on the rest. Today I used factor 4 first and then factor 2 on the second application and neither of us ended up being sore3.

We left the beach just after 15:00pm as it began to get cold.  A large cloud was moving slowly across the sun that made all the difference.  By the time the washing was done and we had had our showers, the cloud had passed and the evening was quite pleasant. After tea, Sue and I had a game of boules before going out for a drive. We filmed people bungie jumping at the Luna Park and then tried to get into Saint Tropez, but it was simply too busy – we therefore looked at Grimaud and Cogolin instead, but didn’t stop.

We opened a second bottle of gin tonight. The stuff here is much cheaper than at home but still only 37.5%.  I bought a bottle of Ballentines whisky for less than £10.  Famous Grouse is about the same price as at home.

 Thursday 15th July

We were off and out by 10:00am again this morning but didn’t fancy either of the closer markets, so we went back into Saint Tropez.  Parking was easy enough, but there didn’t seem to be any ‘life’ here.  We got to the beach around 11:30am and later, having just finished lunch, an enormous cloud passed over and blocked out the sun. Now, this happened yesterday too, but today we couldn’t see an end to it.  It had been so hot in the sun that it was quite cold now that it was hidden by the cloud.

We therefore decided to drive on round to Le Lavendou. This took quite some time as we had to go the slow route to La Croix Valmer first. However, the sun did come out again as we were passing a place called Le Rayol – so we decide to stop here.  There was a winding road that led to a sort of cliff top and we were able to park just at the top of some steps. The sun belted down on this sheltered bay and the sea was calmer, so it was quite pleasant.

Home for tea and a game of rummy.  We’ve a week left here now and the weather still hasn’t come up to last year’s super heat – but of course it may well do so yet.

1 – Remember traveller’s cheques? That’s one thing the Euro € helped us to do without, when travelling in Europe. It’s also much easier these days to pay bigger bills (supermarket, petrol etc.) by ‘card’ and to simply keep the €€s from one trip to the next.

2 – Quarry Garage is where we had just bought the car from.

3 – I used to come home from these holidays as brown as you like, but wouldn’t dare use less than factor 15 these days. That’s due to a combination of cancer awareness and less time in the sun.

 

Saint Tropez – 1st weekend #4

Saturday 10th July

We were at a garage suggested by someone yesterday, Garage Ford on the Z.I. St. Claude, by 09:00am.  It was closed.  It didn’t look like a main Ford dealer either.  So, we then tried phoning GESA who deal with Green (insurance) Card problems.  Their system is such that they put you on hold as soon as you are connected and then allow the ringing tone to continue.  This eats up the French coinage, of which we have a limited amount.  We then asked at reception if we could have their number – but they told us that they wouldn’t take incoming calls. We tried the site next door, but their phone was out of order1, so we drove up to La Croix Valmer and found a ‘card’ phone in La Poste.  So we dealt with the problem of reporting the accident here.  We had called at the Casino for shopping between looking for the garage and coming back to site, so we drove back and had lunch.

During the afternoon, it rained quite heavily, so we read and slept all afternoon.  Sue and I are now complaining about sore necks.  I filled in the claim forms and wrote more postcards2 ready for Sue to post when she went to phone her dad.

Sunday 11th July

We set off early to go to the beach. It was very windy this morning, but sunny and dry. The beach was quiet but hellishly windy.  We stayed until 15:00pm, came back and had a quiet read, tea, boules, Cluedo, read and bed.

Monday 12th July

Today’s big job, after the weekend, was to get the car seen to3.  We went along to the Garage Savall (Ford) in Cogolin. As was our experience in France previously, we were dealt with kindly and with care.  The boss here said it would be impossible for him to repair the boot as the job would need specialist work and would possibly be too expensive for us here in France. What’s more it would take too long.  Nevertheless, they agreed to secure the boot and bonnet, and to replace the front n/s light, for approx. 1,000 francs (around £117). We agreed to this, and to return at 17:00pm when he had the parts.  We then had lunch with Ben and Emma at the caravan.

We phoned both sets of European Insurance assistants and I phoned Stephen and his guests (staff barbecue)4.  I spoke to Diane, who read out the ‘postcard from France’.  We then went to the beach. It would have been a lovely day for a walk.  The sun was hot, but it was also as windy as yesterday – and the sea was VERY cold.

We went and had the car sorted at 17:00pm and had a walk around Cogolin while we waited. Came home for tea, read, played Boggle with Ben and read.

1 – We often forget how different life was before mobile phones and almost universal connectivity.

2 – Remember postcards? We used to send them to parents, friends and family – as a matter of course.

3 – The boot had been properly stove in (at this point I cannot remember whether we could open it or not) and the bonnet was a big dodgy because the front end had been bent – not enough to break the radiator, but enough to buckle the bonnet.

4 – I was employed part-time at this point and although I was kept busy during most of term times, at this point I was able to depart on holiday almost any time after the last week in June. My Dewsbury College, catering department colleagues were having a BBQ at Stephen’s home in Mirfield.

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