Le Tour de France, July 2017

You know how it is - you have the means, the time and the opportunity to see the Tour de France, and you think “why not?” - when you were working you dreamed about doing this for so long, so make it happen!

It’s our 40th wedding anniversary this August (the 13th if you’re thinking of sending presents), so Glyn is busy shopping for the cruise around the Baltic Sea we’re going on to celebrate - Rostock, Stockholm, Tallin, St Petersberg and Helsinki.

I have taken the opportunity to escape the clutches of Zara et al to see some proper athletes doing the seemingly impossible.

I plan to ride up a couple of their climbs to confirm how bad I am at climbing, and to reinforce how phenomenal these guys are - let's hope for good weather!

TOTAL TOUR STATISTICS

• Distance travelled   2,108km
• Travelling time   32hr 35min
• Amount of fuel used   194.9 litres
• Cost of fuel used   €212.93
• Average fuel consumption   9.15litres/100km (30.87mpg)
• Nights away   8
• Nights in free aires   5
• Nights wildcamping   3
• Paid tunnels gone through   3 at a cost of €39.24
• Free tunnels gone through   14

You can see YouTube videos of the approaches to all the aires we have stayed in here, and an interactive Google Map of all the places we have ever stayed here.

Monday 10/07/2017   Home to Avinyó

N41°51’55.6’’ E001°58’29.5’’   Free aire on sand and gravel, water €1 (coin) for 50 litres, no electric.

680km in 8hr 45min

I plan to go a long way today, so I’m setting off at 8am - well that’s the plan!

I’m planning to see the stage on Friday 14th July - Bastille Day!!! The French will be celebrating in good style!

I’m leaving on Monday because I HAD to see the stage on Sunday 9/7/17 on TV which had 3 Hors category (mountains too high and steep to be given a category number - 4 is low and 1 is high, Hors is too steep to walk up, never mind cycle up!). How glad I was to have seen this action-packed stage full of drama.

As always, you have to be on the mountain early to get a parking place and see the tour pass, so I’m planning a long drive today. An 8am start and a stop for fuel in Tarragona meant I was at the aire in Vilafranca del Penedès for 3:30pm on some excellent roads.

Vilafranca del Penedès aire under shady trees

It was a great aire, but still quite early, so I thought I could “get a bit further” (as my mother used to say), so set off again for Avinyó aire, again a great aire with some superb views.

It was next to a municipal swimming pool that was quite busy (it’s 30° outside!)

All by myself in Avinyó aire

See the approach to both aires here and here
Tomorrow is planned to be 263km and 2 tunnels, so on paper an easy day, but it’s still the high mountains on unknown roads.

Tuesday 11/07/2017   Avinyó to Col de Latrape

N42°47’44.1’’ E001°18’47.4’’   Wildcamping on top of Col de Latrape

269km in 5hr 13min

It got a bit colder than home during the night, so a blanket was required.

I’ll be sorry to leave this aire on a plateau overlooking fields of cows and sheep, with a rock face in the distance. There is lots to see and do here, so we will be back.

Pressing on at 9am (after a mug of strong coffee) I was soon at the Tunel de Cadi which cut off a climb up a huge mountain pass for only €11.64 (class 2) 

It was a similar story with the Tunel de Puymorens, slightly more at €13.80, although still a class 2. 

Foix (where the tour stage finishes on Friday 14th) was absolutely packed with queueing traffic - it took 15 minutes to get through the main street.

St Girons was also very busy (it’s the start town on Friday 14th), but the roads I drove to the climbs (D618, D3 and D8) were excellent - wide, with a centre line, and a good road surface.

I chose a parking place 30 metres from the top of the first climb the Col de Latrape at 1110 metres, so should have a great view of the riders as they pass.

The Tour de France will be going full gas over the top of this

Unfortunately TV reception is non-existent here, so I am hoping that one of the two restaurants here has satellite TV so I can watch the finish of the race.

The flags are flying from the back of Cervantes, the cows (or sheep - I haven’t seen them yet) are bongling with bells around their necks over the hill in the next field, and we are a total of 3 motorhomes here up to now - I can guarantee that will change before Friday - soon it will be packed here with every available space taken.

Wednesday 12/07/2017   Col de Latrape

I’m parked half on the road (in a layby) and half on the grass, just before a restaurant.

The restaurant (closed) is raised up above the level of the road with it’s own access road and a steeply sloping grass bank between it and the road.

Parked just before the restaurant

The layby there is wider, so I moved the van further up so I could park fully on the road - this means I am now level with the restaurant (which is above me).

Out of courtesy I asked the Madame when I saw her if it was OK to park there. She said no, as she wanted a view of the race from her first floor terrace. I was on a public road, so could have stayed there, but decided not to upset the locals and moved further up to the top of the mountain sign - so an even better position.

A much better position 

If this place gets as full as every other Tour de France race I have been to, there will be motorhomes parked everywhere, so I am certain she will end up with a line of motorhomes outside her restaurant eventually.

I have the bike on the back so decided to make use of it by freewheeling down the 6km mountain I had come up in the van, then turning round and riding up it - sounds silly I know, but it’s what we do.

It was a very steep and long climb, and I was glad to reach the top, and the sanctuary of Cervantes.

All that way down just to come back up again!

Many cyclists stopped for a chat by Cervantes after spotting the flags - the majority of them from Yorkshire, so it was good to catch up with some cycling gossip (in a broad Yorkshire accent)

The sun has disappeared to be replaced with low cloud and fine drizzle - I hope this isn’t a sign of things to come!

Thursday 13/07/2017   Col de Latrape

After quite a cold night (which woke me up), I have come to realise how remote this road is. There are no dogs barking, there is only one streetlight so the night sky is amazing, and there is no traffic at all on this road during the night - all you can hear are wandering cattle and the call of owls.

As expected today was the arrival day of the motorhomes.

When I got here on Tuesday there were 3 motorhomes - now, at 8:30pm there is nowhere else to park with at least 40 motorhomes here, and some are parked very imaginatively!

It's busy at the top

Unfortunately it’s been quite dull today, and now it’s low cloud and raining - let’s hope for better weather tomorrow.

The flags have attracted many British motorhomers - the couple across the road have a Yorkshire flag too, despite living in France for 25 years!

Another one of us flying the flag

A text from Glyn told me the weather tomorrow will improve (hurray!), so it’s all systems go for an epic stage.

I’ve got a new editing tool on the laptop (Windows Moviemaker), so I’m now able to do a lot of the work involved in making the "Approach to aires" videos offline in the van, instead of doing it all online when I get home - much better!

Friday 14/07/2017   Col de Latrape to St Girons

N42°59’19.0’’ E001°08’20.6’’   Free aire, full services, no electric.

33km in 59min

I woke up to cold and rain this morning - it’s not looking good.

Cold and misty this morning

With the “park anywhere” behaviour at these sorts of events, I expected some fireworks this morning, and right on cue the Pompiers (firemen) turned up (closely followed by a street sweeper and a water bowser) to find their clearly marked alloted spot full of motorhomes.

The Pompiers must have been in a benevolent mood because all that was required was a bit of shuffling about by the guilty parties. In the past I’ve seen them make the motorhomes blocking their places move out of the way and find somewhere else to park (not possible because everywhere is full)

At last the rain stopped and the sun came out, improving the mood of everyone.

I had a great spot outside Cervantes all to myself until 5 minutes before the riders came past, when I was surrounded by a crowd of pushy, loud youths - sod's law I suppose.

On the positive side I got some great photos of the “eyeballs out” riders.

The Sky men are coming up fast

Once they’d gone I made a quick exit down the mountain - my destination was an aire in Seix. However I had to queue for 20 minutes to get into Seix, and by that time I was fed up of the place, so I pushed on to St Girons where I had already explored the aire on the way through to the Col de Latrape on Tuesday 11th.

The aire in St Girons

It's a small aire, but there is more parking alongside

As expected of a start town of a stage in the Tour de France, the aire was packed, but there were plenty of other parking spaces on the same car park - but on this one next door they definitely didn’t want any motorhomes to park! - I thought this was a bit extreme though.

Definitely NO motorhomes!!

There was (understandably) a queue of motorhomes waiting to use the emptying services, so I just parked up and waited ‘till everyone had gone.

I finally have TV here, to find the live action has finished and there are no repeats/highlights - thank goodness Glyn has recorded it for me.

Saturday 15/07/2017   St Girons to La Pobla de Segur

N42°14’19.3’’ E000°57’57.7’’   Free aire, full services, free electric.

272km in 5hr 5min

A really early start this morning after a suprisingly quiet night in this industrial setting.

A quick empty before I got going made sure I could have another shower tonight.

I called into a few aires on the way to update our Youtube playlist of "Approach to aires" and finally ended up at La Pobla de Segur - an aire by a railway line terminus that also runs vintage diesel-electric trains. There were 2 such trains (in tandem) in the station which set off with their carriages at 5pm with much blowing of whistles and horns. It was well supported by the locals too - a bit like the Settle - Carlisle railway without the steam.

A great aire for the train enthusiasts

Prior to getting here I made a cross-country detour from La Seu d’Urgell to Sort on the N 260 which involved climbing up a 1700 metre mountain, then almost abseiling down the other side.

However, the roads were good and wide and reasonably surfaced, so all in all it was an enjoyable drive.

The aire here is excellent - a total of 18 dedicated motorhome-only spaces with free emptying, water and electric in a cul-de-sac, so no through traffic, and just far enough away from the town to walk in if required.

Sunday 16/07/17   La Pobla de Segur to Morella

N40°37/26.0’’ E000°05’30.0’’   Free aire, free fill and empty, no electric.

281km in 4hr 32min

There are certain things that keep us awake at night, or wake us up in the motorhome - donkeys, sheep, pigeons, but mostly dogs.

It’s usually because of the Spanish “custom” of leaving at least 2 dogs (I think it’s so that when one stops barking, the other one starts!) roaming free in the grounds outside their property.

Sometimes the “owner” is there, sometimes the property is empty.

However, I now believe I have seen it all - the most inconsiderate motorhome I have ever seen parked next to me at 10:30pm last night (I was in bed by then)

I heard dogs barking quite near throughout the night, then when I opened the blinds I saw this:-

Yes, you're seeing it right - 2 dogs chained to the rear wheel all night!! I'm speechless!

 The first road of the day, the C13, is an excellent driving road through some gorgeous, stunning scenery - if you like driving and views, this is the road for you. Being a Sunday it’s also quiet, which is a bonus.

My destination today is Morella which has an aire just outside the town. It’s quite an uphill trek to get to Morella, but boy, is it worth it. Loads to see and do in this fabulous hilltop village, and the views from the top of the castle are unbelievable - this is one hilltop fortified village not to be missed.

However, I don’t recommend you try to drive through it, not in a car, and definitely not in a motorhome.

I was happily reading my Kindle at 10pm when an ancient, double rear axle Hymermobile chugged into the aire. You know how it is when someone new comes into the aire - you always watch them manoeuvring and wondering what factors make them park where they do. Then there’s always the possibility that they might make a total mess of it, or do as the enormous Swiss registered Morelo did earlier on - with consumate ease.

Anyway, after shuffling about for 10 minutes, reversing backwards and forwards on different pitches (there are only 2 of us here on this large aire!), he decided he would park next to me, so proceeded to reverse back towards the side of our motorhome.

He reversed back, and back, and back, and I suddenly knew - he’s not going to stop!! - he’s going to stove my passenger door in!!

I leapt from the passenger seat, out of the habitation door and hammered on the side of his van with my fist.

He stopped, and I swear you could not have got a fag paper between the bumper of his and the door of mine.

He drove forward and I examined my door - not a mark!

If you see this van - move!!

Why park here? - you've got the whole of the aire to choose from!

All I got from him was a grin and a shrug of the shoulders - he got a lot more from me!

Now I realise why we watch newcomers to the aire - to see if they can actually drive!!

Monday 17/07/2017   Morella to Jalance

N39°11’14.6’’ W001°04’34.6’’   Free aire, free fill and empty, no electric.

328km in 5hr 32min

After an almost sleepless night, most of it imagining the dozy ******** next to me running into our van, I got up very early and set off for my final destination.

First though it was time for coffee and toast in the bar at the bottom of the hill from Morella on the N232. I was so early the bread delivery had not yet arrived, so I settled for coffee and cake - not such a bad alternative.

Jalance is a town we have been to a couple of times. The town is excellent - built on a hill so it has some great views.

The aire is next to a municipal swimming pool, which we have used in the past to cool off in. 

Jalance aire, next to a restaurant and swimming pool

The approach road, the N330 is also excellent - a really fast, good-surfaced, wide road, swooping down the hill past the nuclear power station.

Prior to that I went up some interesting climbs today as I went cross-country from Morella to Teruel. There was some excellent scenery and some ferocious climbs which proved no problem for Cervantes - again, never missing a beat!

Tuesday 18/07/2017   Jalance to Home

195km in 2hr 29min

It’s been a great trip with some monster hills, making it a good adventure. It’s cost next to nothing, and I’ve met some nice people. As always, it’s good to be back home to Glyn, I’ve missed her, and her ace navigation skills.