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Road trip - day 12 - wednesday
Up & out a bit earlier today after the first breakfast of the trip to involve croissants! Praline croissants yum yum!
We decided to head off for Montbenoit & visit the Abby. First we went to Pontarlier as we had seen the signs from there & there was a small market near to the parking. We had a quick look around & decided it might be cheaper to get a few bits from the stalls rather than visit a supermarket!! Yoghurt, various breads, premier class strawberries & 3 grapefruits later we left!
We headed out of Pontarlier following the Doubs river; on reaching Montbenoit it was just 12, but the tourism was open & we were shown into the Abby cloisters & the ancient church. Beautiful. We spent some time looking around & taking photos, leaving to carry on the journey up the Doubs.
The scenery quickly changed dramatically to a steep sided valley much like Dordogne scenery. The river winding gently through the gorge. We stopped in a lay-by & had bread (spice bread, choc brioche & sunflower seed bread sticks) & the BEST strawberries I have ever tasted. So sweet they were almost too tasty!
We carried on to a sign for a grotte, Grotte De Tresor, G clambered up to have a look & came back with pictures of wild flowers that looked like orchids.
Further up the road we came across Grotte Chapelle de Remonot. This is a beautiful active church in a cave with 4 water sources that are believed to have miraculous properties. It was very atmospheric.
Carrying on up the valley we came to Morteau, we visited the Horlage museum set in a beautiful old place building. Very interesting!
Once again we carried on as far as Villiers Le Lac & just over the Swiss border to a wide part of the river Saut de Doubs. Looked like in season there would be boats & leisure activities around this area but today it was quiet.
We returned to Morteau in search of internet access, we tried a bar but no luck so we carried on homewards across the valleys towards Les Gras & Les Allies.
We passed the Gite & carried on to Pontarlier where back in the commercial district G bought some new sandals! We carried on to park in the tourism car park with the intention of visiting La Poste Hotel for the free wifi. We had already decided on soya steaks for tea so nipped into a lovely grocers on the high street before making use of the wifi.
I sent emails regarding our lodgers to Christiane & cottages4u & surfed a bit more. Gs phone was dead - unfortunately for him.
The high street at 6.30pm was more lively than we had seen it previously!!
Back at the Gite we listened to a message from Cottages 4u & had tea debating what the next move might be. In fact Christiane turned up at the Gite a short while later & we actually had a really good chat! Turns out that the lodgers are her son (??) & friend who live in Jura but work in a bank the other direction. All sorted .... apart from Cottages 4u!!
Another bit of interesting info - tomorrow - thurs 1st may - is a French bank holiday .... Not Monday as in the uk!!
Early night tonight in preparation for our train ride tomorrow!!
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