Rather gray today with a few spots of rain during the day and quite heavy by evening. Called at Coulons sur Gee but couldn't find the aire. Looks as if it no longer exists. Quite glad, really, because La Flêche is very nice. We've changed rivers. Last night it was the Seine and container ships - tonight we're on the banks of the Loire where it's canoes. Have now had our first café experience this trip. Two vin rouge whilst watching Wales win the Grand Slam. S...

No toll roads so far. This route to the south chosen to avoid Rouen and its infamous under passes. Nice little aire opposite Caudebeq-en-Caux with free parking for maximum of 48hrs. Tokens required for water and waste disposal. Huge container sailed by, so quietly we could barely hear it.

The sun has shone all day and we're now back in France in oh so familiar Gravelines. This time, however, we are not on the official aire but on the opposite side of the estuary at Le Grand Fort Phillipe. There is as yet no law, I believe, requiring motorists in France to carry breathalysers. The DFDS ferry had had a delivery of the one shot variety but were unable to sell us a couple as they weren't yet 'on the till'!. They did have a multi use variety so we b...

Can't remember where we were when last we blogged but think it may have been Thiers. If it was, we have since stopped at St. Pourçain-sur-Sioule on the 16th October, Sancoins - our second time this year - on the 19th., Rogny- Les-Sept-Écluses on the 20th., Gurgy, (a nice canal-side stop that we've used several times) on the 21st., Bray-sur-Seine (22nd), Epernay (23rd), Attigny (24th), Bavay (25th), Bergues (26th) and finally, Gravelines on the 27th, staying u...

15.10.11. Now at Thiers, capital of the French knife-making industry. Some wonderful, highly desirable - to me at any rate, D being somewhat less enthused - pocket knives but nothing worth looking at under 30€. I've resisted temptation, however, remembering that I rarely use my Opinel (also made here together with L'Aguiole et al) other than to open plastic packaging or the odd sellotaped box. Having said that I do recall portioning a sausage and cutting a piec...