See The World

with BILL'S EYES

A view towards Notre-Dame de Fourviére.

Irish Coffee a must before stair climbing.

There are two rivers running through Lyon the Rhone and the Saone this is the Rhone.

Chablis's local river.

Late lunch also a must before stair climbing.

Only a few ore steps to go and Notre-Dame de Fourviére awaits - as Lee says : Are we there yet?

After a hard day walking, shopping, walking (all the same thing) beer is in order.

One of the many hillside chateau's we saw from the tollway. No time to see them all.

No comment needed.

None here either.

Lee's thinks it's the Irish Coffee cream that has made her legs go to jelly.

Chablis is a working village

The setting sun provides lots of picture opportunities most of which are on Lee's new camera.

Day 11 - Remember the number 746. Today we started out with the plan of getting to a caravan park near Lyon and getting into Lyon to do the touristy thing. Well today all went to plan.

It always seems to take more time than you think to do the things you plan but the plan happens none the less, so we find ourselves at the caravan park in Dardilly near Lyon at about 11:30 am and ready to walk out the door to venture to downtown Lyon. The caravan receptionist is very helpful as is the single A3 sheet of information and maps provided to us. In particular the information about how we catch the 89 bus to a metro station and then the metro into the center of Lyon. We even buy our tickets at the caravan park. Luckily the bus comes along within 5 minutes of us getting to the bus stop. The caravan park is located some 9 kms out of Lyon, so the bus winds its way through residential areas - all very well manicured and green with lots of colourful flowers beds along the way. There are also a smattering of tall apartment blocks and many people out and about, including some catching our bus into town. Lee sat next to me when we alighted the bus but then took the seat behind me as I took off my heavy coat but no sooner had she done that and a lady sat down next to me and stayed there until we stopped.

Within 20 minutes of starting our bus trip we are dropped off at the metro line and a train is awaiting me, not so much Lee, as she temporally became stuck in the doors as the they closed. We drag the door wider and Lee pops into the carriage worst for wear as the doors shut quite quickly and hard onto her sides.

About 10 minutes later we get off the metro carriage at Bellacour Square. Up two levels and into the bright sunshine and we are rethinking our decision to wear thick coats and three layers of clothing. This is a pleasant but unexpected turn in the whether, but take note we did appreciate the coats later in the day.

Lyon is a pretty city with a mixture of wide and narrow streets, mostly narrow, and vast public areas and wide boulevards where cars are not allowed and the people rule, so they can access the many shops along them.

I am on holiday and it is nice to not be aware what the day of the week it is but I at least know it is a weekday, so the crowds are a mixture of tourists and workers, but in my estimate there seem to be more tourists than workers.

We begin our exploration of Lyon by walking about aimlessly which is what you do when on holiday and includes walking the popular streets with shops aplenty, including novelty shops, touristy thing shops, restaurants, and patisseries and then looking across the vast Bellacour Square we are taken with the impressive Notre-Dame de Fourviére, high on a hill East of the square. It looks like it is miles away and very high but undaunted we begin the trek to the summit. Many footsteps but mainly steps, 746 to be exact, we make our way to the stunning views of Lyon and the surrounding areas to the North, West and South.

We took many pictures including a number of panoramas and pictures using the long lens (technical term) to take in details the eye could not, to assist our memory in the future. The basilica also beckoned and although we have seen many grand churches in our time this was up there in terms of impressiveness. I particularly noted that there were fewer columns but just as large a canopied area and the wall murals appeared to be gold and silver encrusted to provide great detail that was best seen through the lens of the camera. I am reminded though that many of the grand churches I have visited have murals devoted to victory in war and the persecution of followers of the church which upon reflection is a dour theme to be perpetuating in a house of faith and good hope.

We make our way down much more easily than our way up and comment to each other that there are some people walking up that will need a day or two to make it up to the church at the pace they are going. 

We are soon in the thick of the shops again and Lee is on a mission to get me some dressy casual shoes and as it also turns out, a light weight casual jacket. Well as much as some people think that physical fitness training is akin to torture and best foisted on their enemies and act like Dracula in sunlight if they were to even get close to actually doing exercise (not referring to anyone in particular of course), then I have a similar reaction to shopping for shoes and clothing. I am happy to wait for hours as others shop while I drink coffee, watch the world go by, read the paper or a book on my phone- see there are so many things one can better do with their time than shop. As it turns out we do spend an inordinate amount of time SHOPPING and only buy a jacket, Oh and a belt I am sure I must have needed. Too much do I complain though since I am grateful for Lee's impeccable taste and I do appreciate looking smart at times.

After all that effort my body feels as though it has been workingout, since I know it is not built for shopping. We soon find a sidewalk restaurant to first have a beer and then enjoy a meal. Lee deserves going out tonight as she has done so well cooking on this trip. 

One of the great delights of travel is having meals that are out of the ordinary but knowing what you are ordering can be both a curse or a reward. This is where technology can and should help - so onto the Translation application and start with: 'galette' which we work out are savory crepes (typically buckwheat); then 'rouges en chemise' translates to 'mullet shirt' which depending on your taste could be dressed mullet (formal or casual yet to be determined) or garish and unappealing mullet - we passed on this one; 'enchalotes et persil' which is 'enchalotes and parsley' -which is simply onions and parsley with the dish, then finally 'bleu des causses' which translates (loosely) to blue something with yellow pigeons' we think. I wonder what the French have against yellow pigeons'. 

Lee orders Mussels in white wine, onion and parsley and she has to be reminded not to pick up the pot and drink the sauces as it tasted devine. I have the house speciality beef burger since I was not convinced that I was ready for pigeon.

As we sat outside the sun was setting and we watched the people go by and reveled in our freedom to eat when we wanted to, walk when and where we wanted, and enjoy each others company without interruption or the distraction of electronic devices (both our phones had gone flat).

The reverse trek back to the caravan park is smooth and uneventful and the van soon warms up and we spend the evening checking out the next location to stay and where exactly we are going to drop off the Camper Van in Paris in other 18 days. What interesting problems to have.

One last picture of our wine stay outlook.

A topographical map of the various cru owned by William Fevre.

Feeling very French with baguette in hand.

Worth the exertion- just like a good workout.

Doesn't look too many.

We tasted a few.

Our home for the night.

Day 10 is dedicated to heading off in the direction of Lyon which is some 300 kms away. This will be the farthest we have travelled in one day this adventure in France. We want to make some ground in a relatively short time so we choose to travel by the freeway/tollway this time, rather than the Back Roads of France.

Our start is delayed by our desire to visit the township of Chablis some 18 kms from our start point in the most northerly region of Burgundy known for its Chardonnay. It is a small villiage and we know it has an Aires so we can also fill up on the much needed water and have a quick breakfast including croissants and confiture (jam) with brewed coffee and I finish off with some 'Madeleines' which are a French cake fingers with chocolate centers. We then venture into the village and this village seems very busy compared to many of the other wine villages we have driven through. 

A particular wine label attracts our interest, solely because of its name, William Fevre, and although it is very difficult to find a park, we do and walk some 300 metres to the tasting room. We are greeted by a young man who is soon speaking English to us and providing some great information about their wine and vineyards and we buy a bottle of the Domaine William Fevre (the Domain part of the name means that it is derived from grapes vines owned by the maker).

At last we are on our way and the entrance to our first tollway is soon upon us. We know that there are different operators and that they have their different ways. This operator issues a ticket at the beginning and once we get off we presume we pay for the kilometers travelled and maybe for the type of vehicle we are. We are expecting the cost to be 8 Euros as that is what the various books tells us.

The tollway is the same as most highways and the three lanes on our side carry trucks, camper vans, vans, cars with caravans and cars where the speed limit is 130kph but the cars and vans whiz by doing at least 140kph while we tootle along doing 120kph. There are stops about every 30 to 40 kms most with Petrol and Food outlets and one of them was called On The Run.

We stop about halfway for lunch and decide to not go into Lyon but head for a France Passion winery and condiments overnight stay. 

We eventually leave the tollway but it costs 32.10 Euros much more than we expected. 

The French Passion is an association of farmers and wineries that make overnight stay spaces available at their locations and in return it is nice if the Camper Vaners purchase some of the goods on sale. We are headed for Domain Saint Cry near Anse but up a very steep hillside near the town of Anse that again freaks out Lee a bit. 

We arrive about 4:30 pm and the winery tasting area is still open and are greeted by one of the owners who is able to speak excellent English (one of the reasons we choose this location) and it turns out that she has travelled Australia for 12 months and worked in the McLaren Vale during harvest and wine making season) and travelled more of Australia than we have. She revels in the opportunity to speak English and we gratefully appreciate the opportunity to ask lots of questions about the French wine industry and learn that it is very traditional and that hand harvesting grapes although expensive is considered the only way to harvest. We also learn that Aussie meat pies are something that she liked about Australian food.

We are the only occupants of the allocated Camper Van area and the outlook over the vineyards, towns and hills in the distance is a sight to behold as we drink a bottle of Beaujolais Blanc au Domain Saint Cry with smelly blue cheese, terrine au foie gras and a crusty baguette.

Part of caravan park near Lyon.

Tourists so spoil the view.

Great way to finish off a day and the Beaujolais Blanc.