It was almost totally quiet at Champagne Néret - Vély in the hamlet of Fontaine au Bron to the south of Epernay. There was a loud "snaffling" outside which I think might be a badger sound and definitely a fox just before daybreak. Otherwise it was quiet until the guy across the road went to work. First the big gate slid back on its rails and then his van started and he was off. Peace returned once the gate was back in "fortress" position. I thought it funny that here, as in most places across France, the gardens are fenced, drives gated and you can't get in. Yet the Farmer had masses of equipment in an open sided shed - three or four high spec. tractors, a van, newish Land Rover crew cab and a tri-axle Ifor Williams trailer, as well as the old Landy.
We didn't buy any champagne as the place was deserted during the previous evening. Most people were inside watching France women only just beat Nigeria 1-0 in the group stage of the World Cup. So it was a completely free overnight halt. Perfect.
So we ambled along the mainly D roads, as we do, avoiding motorways and expecially where there are tolls to pay. We are in no rush. Things have changed a little since we were last here in 2014. Most roads are classified at 80km/h with villages no more than 50. However, many of then have a 30km/h central zone and this feels slowwwww. It must be a Macron thing. It is usually marked with a hump up and then a hump down. It's a bit frustrating with our beam axles Land Rover which doesn't like simultaneous bumps across an axle. I have to approach at a slight angle to avoid a bang or a thud. The distance between these can be as short as 20m or as long as 100m. HGVs and all have to slow.
If that's not enough to slow the traffic, the entry into many of these villages and towns is usually marked with a chicane, planters, gates and other attractive constructions that force speeds down. Also every place has a speed indicator with a smily or frowning face flashing up, depending on the speed of approach. They are hung everywhere and don't look expensive. Why isn't it easier to install them in the UK?
The result is that travel along these roads takes time and the journey to Nice will span the week. We don't mind. The scenery is pleasant and the locals are totally consumed with haymaking which we watch as we drive past. There is some silage but as the temperature rises I think hay is what they have to make. It all looks very dry.
We didn't buy any champagne as the place was deserted during the previous evening. Most people were inside watching France women only just beat Nigeria 1-0 in the group stage of the World Cup. So it was a completely free overnight halt. Perfect.
So we ambled along the mainly D roads, as we do, avoiding motorways and expecially where there are tolls to pay. We are in no rush. Things have changed a little since we were last here in 2014. Most roads are classified at 80km/h with villages no more than 50. However, many of then have a 30km/h central zone and this feels slowwwww. It must be a Macron thing. It is usually marked with a hump up and then a hump down. It's a bit frustrating with our beam axles Land Rover which doesn't like simultaneous bumps across an axle. I have to approach at a slight angle to avoid a bang or a thud. The distance between these can be as short as 20m or as long as 100m. HGVs and all have to slow.
If that's not enough to slow the traffic, the entry into many of these villages and towns is usually marked with a chicane, planters, gates and other attractive constructions that force speeds down. Also every place has a speed indicator with a smily or frowning face flashing up, depending on the speed of approach. They are hung everywhere and don't look expensive. Why isn't it easier to install them in the UK?
The result is that travel along these roads takes time and the journey to Nice will span the week. We don't mind. The scenery is pleasant and the locals are totally consumed with haymaking which we watch as we drive past. There is some silage but as the temperature rises I think hay is what they have to make. It all looks very dry.
There's no need for the heater. This is the ambient temperature so it will be on fan-only mode, if on at all. The interior layout is working well, although in warm and dry weather, almost anything does.
This is the view up into the cockpit with the bed in the stowed position, which means that it has been pushed up at the angle, into the underside of the roof. There's loads of space to stand.
As for these new chairs made by Front Runner, wow. We bought them based on the reviews saying that they are very robust, yet fold-up to 1/16th of their size. They are great, especially for space-saving campers.
As you sit on them the legs spread, so they are much more stable than they look!
So the journey towards Nice continued through village after village, with June clearly a time of verge tidying as everywhere there are contractors working to mow the verges, even between villages. Workers were pruning, cutting and tidying flower beds, planters and grass, in what seemed to be every village and town. There's a real pride it seems, in making these place look beautiful.
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