Retirement Odyssey
Sunny morning in Bourges and the good weather held all the way to Clermont- Ferrand, birthplace of Michelin tires. Turns out, it's really 2 towns; Clermont and Montferrand. It's the second to last weekend in August, so the roads and rest stops were very busy today with some delays for the first time.
We're in the Massif Central now, lots of old volcano cones around. The roofs have suddenly changed from black slate to red tile and the half timber houses have disappeared
Checked into Hotel the Lion which has a restaurant on the first floor. We face the Place du Jaude with the opera house, an equestrian statue of Vercingetorix and a beautiful old department store right in front of us. The Puy du Dome volcano is visible just around the corner to the left. Visited a park which might be the one we slept in 45 years ago!!
Paid a visit to the Cathedral of Notre-Dame de l'Assumption, famously black as it is made of volcanic stone as opposed to your "standard" white cathedral. It's another very large structure built 1248-1295 with very colorful XIIIth century stained glass windows and frescos in the multiple chapels that surround the apse.
I walked to Notre-Dame du Port while Tina rested. It's very old and Romanesque, but quite small with limited decoration.
Decided to switch to Italian food tonight for a change of pace. Very nice mesl and ambience at "Le Venitian"
Walked - 6.4 miles
Drove- 191 km
A Change in Roofs; Saturday Traffic
August 19, 2017
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Clermont- Ferrand, France
Sunny morning in Bourges and the good weather held all the way to Clermont- Ferrand, birthplace of Michelin tires. Turns out, it's really 2 towns; Clermont and Montferrand. It's the second to last weekend in August, so the roads and rest stops were very busy today with some delays for the first time.
We're in the Massif Central now, lots of old volcano cones around. The roofs have suddenly changed from black slate to red tile and the half timber houses have disappeared
Checked into Hotel the Lion which has a restaurant on the first floor. We face the Place du Jaude with the opera house, an equestrian statue of Vercingetorix and a beautiful old department store right in front of us. The Puy du Dome volcano is visible just around the corner to the left. Visited a park which might be the one we slept in 45 years ago!!
Paid a visit to the Cathedral of Notre-Dame de l'Assumption, famously black as it is made of volcanic stone as opposed to your "standard" white cathedral. It's another very large structure built 1248-1295 with very colorful XIIIth century stained glass windows and frescos in the multiple chapels that surround the apse.
I walked to Notre-Dame du Port while Tina rested. It's very old and Romanesque, but quite small with limited decoration.
Decided to switch to Italian food tonight for a change of pace. Very nice mesl and ambience at "Le Venitian"
Walked - 6.4 miles
Drove- 191 km
1.
Preparation
2.
Our Journey Begins
3.
Arrival in Normandy
4.
Recalling the life of Jean d'Arc
5.
Farewell Rouen, welcome sunshine
6.
La Route des Ancienne Abbayes
7.
La Jour de Lessive
8.
Continuing west in Normandy
9.
En vacances
10.
Lazy Sunday; Dimanche en France
11.
Brittany, Bretagne, Briezh
12.
The Coast Beckons
13.
Down To the River
14.
Our First Excursion
15.
Another Excursion
16.
Westward Ho!
17.
Touring North Brittany
18.
Channel to Mountains to Atlantic
19.
Hello Birthday Girl
20.
A Change in the Air In Quimper (Kemper)
21.
On We Go!!
22.
Daytripping
23.
"Breaking News"
24.
Medieval festival
25.
Apocalypse Tapestry
26.
"Sunday" on a Tuesday
27.
Visite Guidee avec Sylvie
28.
A Visit To St Etienne
29.
Gloomy Day
30.
A Change in Roofs; Saturday Traffic
31.
Volcano Day .... Up and Away
32.
French Hill Towns of the Massif Central
33.
Je Viens a Vienne
34.
The Grandeur of Roman Vienne
35.
Vienne- continued
36.
2000+ years ago in Roman Vienne
37.
Approaching Provence
38.
The Heat Is On
39.
Vaucluse and Ventoux
40.
Baking with the Romans
41.
Cote de Rhone loop drive
42.
The Red Rocks of Roussillon
43.
Inclement Weather in the East Luberon
44.
Bright Sun in the Western Luberon
45.
Mini-Mistral; Venice of Provence
46.
A Day In the "New" Avignon
47.
An Audience With the Pope
48.
Over the Mountain to Arles
49.
Around and About Arles
50.
Ancient Arle; Coupes des Cheveux
51.
Water to Nime, Birthplace of Bluejeans
52.
Cool and Damp in the City of Denim
53.
Nime's 1st Water Source
54.
Sleeping Like a Monk
55.
Day Trip to Aix en Provence
56.
One Last Trip to the Luberon
57.
Blowing Onto the Cote d'Azur
58.
Cloudy Day on the Cote d'Azur?!?!
59.
Surf and Sun in Golfe-Juan
60.
Souffle Encore
61.
Leaving the Coast; Inland Cote d'Azur
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