Tuesday 18th February

So we are now off plan; we should’ve stayed two nights in Orcet but decided to move on.

Today we needed a food top up and some fuel. I found an Intermarché located immediately off the motorway in a town called Massiac. We easily found somewhere to park and went in to our first French supermarket to buy food.

When we came out and looked at their temptingly cheap fuel, we realised there was a height restriction and it was not possible to enter. We really did need fuel as there can be long gaps on French motorways between services. On Google Maps I spotted an independent garage further into the town just half a mile away. JW was driving. The fuel cap is on the passenger side. See photo – there is no way I would’ve squeezed it round the inner side of the pumps(!) with all those posts and hazards, but he did it! And relax ……

The drive today down the A75/E11 has been FAB-U-LOUS and also free of péage tolls. The road goes through some stunning scenery, with snow-capped mountains to the right; the road climbs to a height of 1110m – higher than Snowdon and the views on the rolling way down we’re equally lovely. I would definitely recommend using that central route if you’re on your way south; it’s just a jiggle to get past Paris without going too near it!!

We stopped at an Aire de Repos (services) with an amazing view of Le Viaduc de Garabit, built by Gustave Eiffel who – you guessed it – built the Eiffel Tower.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garabit_viaduct

However, the main benefit of taking the central route is that it gives you the chance to stop and look at and then drive over the wonderful Millau Viaduct – what a beautiful sight it is – designed by Norman Foster – it crosses the river Tarn valley and is simply an outstanding feat of engineering. Details about it here:- https://www.leviaducdemillau.com/en/understand/presentation-viaduct

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After our breezy stop at the Millau Viaduct and visitor centre we continued to our newly booked site – Camping Altea, part of the Flower Camping chain. The benefit of this site was that it was open all year and our pitch was fine. The downsides of the site were it was on a noisy main road; the toilets were a bit dark and dodgy with, intentionally, no toilet seats; also you have to estimate how much toilet paper will be required BEFORE entering the cubicle; sufficient to be taken from one gi-normous roll. 🧐😱 But still, a fine overnight stop …….. if you have some earplugs with you!

https://en.flowercampings.com/campsite-herault/camping-altea

The motorhome went over 10,000 miles today.

Mileage – Orcet to Vic-La-Gardiole = 213 miles