FALL  1999

Brittany,Dordogne,Cathar,Esterel, Val d'Aosta,Rhine,Brussels with Thor

In 1999 we sold our blue Westfalia, but with an urge to travel we turned around & in September rented a Eurovan homebrew camper from Campanje in Utrecht. We met up with the new owners of our old Westy in Gaasper camping (Amsterdam) before setting out on our journey. Next we headed across Belgium into France, making our first notable stop at Mont-Saint-Michel. From there we strolled around St. Malo, eating galettes & viewing the Channel from the ramparts. We then toured through Brittany, visiting Carnac & staying at our first France Passion site. From there we travelled past the mouth of the Loire, through Nantes to camp at Niort. Next day we entered Perigord & visited Nontron, picking up a Laguoile sommelier.  Then we visited a few Cognac houses in the town of the same name & explored the Dordogne for several days, visiting Domme, La Madeleine troglodyte village, Excedeuil, Hautefort, Cordes-sur-Ciel, eating at Le Colombier & the wonderful Auberge de la Truffe in Sorgues... Heading south we camp across from the 4 ruined chateaux of Lastours & tour the cathedral at Albi, before heading to Limoux for  a great lunch and some wine. We stay at a vinyard France Passion in Cathar country before looping up to Avignon via Aigues-Mort. Then along the Esterel to Port Grimaud, where we camp on the beach overlooking St. Tropez. Eating & shopping our way up the Riviera,we land in Menton for the night, before heading into Italy on a small highway between Menton & Torino, freecamping for the night in Aosta, before driving the St. Bernard Pass into Switzerland. We drive right up through Switzerland & Germany to Bacharach on the Rhine, resting for 3 days, then head back to Brussels via the Mosel. After a predictably great supper at Drei Fonteinen, we headed back to Utrecht to return the camper.

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