Monaco – Aix En Provence
We left Italy after our visit to Cinque Terre and travelled by motorway to Monaco - an incredible road with 170 tunnels and countless bridges, quite often interchanging between tunnel and bridge several times without any conventional road in between.
The Monaco Grand Prix track was not built for motorhomes. We paused for some spectacular views overlooking Monaco where the wealth of the city meets the beautiful blue of the Mediterranean Sea, with numerous ‘large’ boats floating on the water.
Parking our home on wheels eluded us in Monaco, and when we had no luck in Nice either, we decided to try our luck at grocery shopping. We had a fight with Mrs Tom-Tom’s directions and ended up going through the same toll three times ... frustrating. However, about an hour later things really got frustrating - we all bundled out of the motorhome at the grocery store, found a trolley and headed towards the shop when suddenly it dawned on us it was SUNDAY and nothing was open ... "aaarrrrggggghhhhh".
The Monaco Grand Prix track was not built for motorhomes. We paused for some spectacular views overlooking Monaco where the wealth of the city meets the beautiful blue of the Mediterranean Sea, with numerous ‘large’ boats floating on the water.
Parking our home on wheels eluded us in Monaco, and when we had no luck in Nice either, we decided to try our luck at grocery shopping. We had a fight with Mrs Tom-Tom’s directions and ended up going through the same toll three times ... frustrating. However, about an hour later things really got frustrating - we all bundled out of the motorhome at the grocery store, found a trolley and headed towards the shop when suddenly it dawned on us it was SUNDAY and nothing was open ... "aaarrrrggggghhhhh".
Aix En Provence – Nimes
Forgetting the trials and tribulations of the previous day, we awoke to a beautiful blue sky morning and headed off to explore Aix en Provence and Avignon, two French cities with a wonderful ambience.
Avignon was the home of the Catholic Church for about 60 years when Pope Clement V moved the papacy from Rome in 1309.
A later pope moved it back to Rome but Avignon installed its own rival pope and for about 40 years there were two disputed popes.
Avignon was the home of the Catholic Church for about 60 years when Pope Clement V moved the papacy from Rome in 1309.
A later pope moved it back to Rome but Avignon installed its own rival pope and for about 40 years there were two disputed popes.
Our next stop was Pont du Gard (bridge) which was part of a Roman aqueduct that ran from Uzes to feed the Roman city of Nimes. The 50km long system of canals dropped on average 24mm every 100m, and 20,000 cubic metres of water flowed per day (about an Olympic swimming pool every hour).
It was an incredible feat of engineering brilliance - the bridge is amazing with its three lines of diminishing arches, the main arch measuring 24 metres across.
Nimes – La Roque Gageac
The old Roman city of Nimes has the world’s only fully preserved Roman temple. Raised up on its podium, La Maison Carree would have dominated the forum of the ancient city with its columned portico and spacious square.
The temple was built in the 1st Century AD and was dedicated to the adopted grandsons of Emperor Augustus, the first Roman emperor. It stands there still today in remarkable condition, showing the finesse of its architectural finish.
The temple was built in the 1st Century AD and was dedicated to the adopted grandsons of Emperor Augustus, the first Roman emperor. It stands there still today in remarkable condition, showing the finesse of its architectural finish.
Nimes’ amphitheatre, similar to the Colosseum in Rome but much smaller in size, is also well preserved.
Inside, spectators numbering 20,000 were able to watch the clashes of the gladiators against man and beast. Today the amphitheatre is used for spectacular bull fights.
Also worth visiting were the centrally located Nimes Gardens, dotted with old Roman buildings and displaying the abundance of water brought about by Roman engineering.
Inside, spectators numbering 20,000 were able to watch the clashes of the gladiators against man and beast. Today the amphitheatre is used for spectacular bull fights.
Also worth visiting were the centrally located Nimes Gardens, dotted with old Roman buildings and displaying the abundance of water brought about by Roman engineering.
La Roque Gageac – Les Eyzies
The beautiful village of La Roque Gageac is perched above the Dordogne River and has been inhabited since prehistoric times.
The troglodytic (cave) dwellings some 40m up in the cliffs and most of the honey coloured stone houses date back to the 12th century. The village’s location turns it virtually into a natural solarium and this has made possible the creation of extraordinary exotic gardens filled with such plants as bananas and passionfruit.
It was a lazy morning wandering through the tiny laneways absorbing the ambience of the village. Vid, Georgia and Tom went for a canoe adventure in the afternoon paddling up and down the shallow but fast flowing Dordogne River.
The troglodytic (cave) dwellings some 40m up in the cliffs and most of the honey coloured stone houses date back to the 12th century. The village’s location turns it virtually into a natural solarium and this has made possible the creation of extraordinary exotic gardens filled with such plants as bananas and passionfruit.
It was a lazy morning wandering through the tiny laneways absorbing the ambience of the village. Vid, Georgia and Tom went for a canoe adventure in the afternoon paddling up and down the shallow but fast flowing Dordogne River.
The next morning we travelled through more of the picturesque countryside of the Dordognes and spent the day in about 15,000 BC. The area is rich in prehistoric findings including caves, skeletons, tools, cave paintings and sculptures.
After visiting a prehistoric park we learnt about the inhabitants of this region, from prehistoric times right up until the late 1900’s. Walking amongst cave (wo)men, woolly mammoths and wolves, we saw ancient cave sculpturing of horses and cows, and cool limestone caves of stalactites and stalagmites.
There was a magnificent display of 17,000 year old cave paintings at Lascaux II, although it is now only possible to view the replicas. The original cave was closed in 1966 to the public as it was discovered that micro-organisms being brought in by humans were destroying the paintings. The copy of the original cave has been produced with absolute precision, using the same painting materials and techniques in a cave moulded to the same shape as the original.
After visiting a prehistoric park we learnt about the inhabitants of this region, from prehistoric times right up until the late 1900’s. Walking amongst cave (wo)men, woolly mammoths and wolves, we saw ancient cave sculpturing of horses and cows, and cool limestone caves of stalactites and stalagmites.
There was a magnificent display of 17,000 year old cave paintings at Lascaux II, although it is now only possible to view the replicas. The original cave was closed in 1966 to the public as it was discovered that micro-organisms being brought in by humans were destroying the paintings. The copy of the original cave has been produced with absolute precision, using the same painting materials and techniques in a cave moulded to the same shape as the original.
Les Eyzies – Montresor
The 16th century Chateau de Chenonceau (Chenonow), in the Loire Valley, is surrounded by a moat, turrets, towers and beautiful sweeping gardens.
Sarah and Georgia had a fabulous time wandering the grand halls and rooms of the chateau. Many snippets of French history were learnt about King Henri II & his wife, Catherine (parents-in-law to Mary Queen of Scots), and the affair that the King had with a lady Diane de Poitiers.
The king gave this chateau to his ‘girlfriend’ which one can imagine may not have gone down too well with his wife. Hours were spent walking through the symmetrical gardens, a 16th century farm, an enormous vegetable garden and having races through a hedge maze.
Sarah and Georgia had a fabulous time wandering the grand halls and rooms of the chateau. Many snippets of French history were learnt about King Henri II & his wife, Catherine (parents-in-law to Mary Queen of Scots), and the affair that the King had with a lady Diane de Poitiers.
The king gave this chateau to his ‘girlfriend’ which one can imagine may not have gone down too well with his wife. Hours were spent walking through the symmetrical gardens, a 16th century farm, an enormous vegetable garden and having races through a hedge maze.
_
hey kirra here from school we all miss you and all hope you are having a great time we all miss you and hope you are having fum=n
ReplyDeletelove kirra
ps (mayday mayday mayday)
have fun