This morning it's raining heavily, postponing our walk into the old part of Beaune until the afternoon. Through the rain Nick's curiosity is aroused when, in the space of an hour, four Tesla cars drive through the carpark. Having never seen one of these ultra-expensive electric supercars before, four, each of different nationality, is a bit strange. Google reveals that Beaune has a Tesla Super-charge point where they can recharge their batteries quickly. It's...

Before leaving we check the address of Austreale Camping-car workshop and discover from their website that they're closed for holidays, so that's the fridge going unrepaired for now. We leave the CCP site and start what turns out to be a lovely drive north. The roads are smooth and straight as we pass through lots of small towns on the Cote de Nuits route. Open countryside with masses of vineyards, and grapes grown in different ways. Instead of leafy, spread...

Neither of us are feeling so good this morning, both slightly upset tummies, possibly a result of the fridge playing up. There is more thunder and rain and it's hot and oppressive. Intending to head north, we have to somehow get around or through Lyon. We explore all sorts of options, programming Snoopy 'til his chips hurt and we've bickered. Every route is a compromise between time and distance and in the end we opt for the default, assuming the through-traf...

Much cooler this morning, cloudy and the thunder still rumbles now and then. We get out and fix the rear light but changing the brake light bulb entails removing and dismantling the entire light cluster. Not long after it's all back together the thunder gets louder, there are a few flashes of lightning and some big raindrops. Within ten minutes it's raining lightly but steadily. Undeterred we put on waterproofs and go into the 'commercial centre', which consis...

We are awake at first light, in time to see the sky change colour and the sun climb out of bed behind the Alps. Ali sits out on the step, photographing every nuance, and idly remembering when we collected Mary*Lou that Paul warned us the step-well could be a hazard. Strange how the mind drifts. This morning the valley is grey with early mist and the river is a silvery ribbon. As Silvie told us last night, you can never tire of this view in all its moods. Ami...