# Where has everybody gone?



## barryd (May 9, 2008)

Yesterday we drove from Cordes sur ciel via Albi in southern France down into the Languedoc Roussillon (well we think that's where we are). After Albi there was just miles of empty roads through valley after valley of greenery not unlike the North Yorkshire dales where we live just warmer.

We stopped the night at the tiny village of Rayssac (aires book, page 393) where there was only us there (free water and leccy) and it must win the award for the quietest aire in France. Apart from some distant howling which sounded like something like a warewolf, a massive explosion about 5 miles away late afternoon and a sheep stampide there was nothing to break the silence . I don't think we passed a single vehicle all day.

Today we ended up at Lac Du Lauzas (aires book page 378) and are parked in the exact spot in the photo. It looks like it's on a road side but it isn't. It's the dead end road that only campers In the aire are allowed on. There are a few vans here but not many.

The weather has been lovely and it's forecast to be 30 degrees for a few days. There is a campsite and some holiday places but they are completely deserted and shut up! I don't understand it though. If the weather can be so good down here why such a short season?

I'm not complaining after the busy hectic throng of late July and early august but it just feels strange.

Off for a row in the morning then to a Market on the bike and to check out the aire at fraisse sur agout which we might move the van to at the weekend. If I can be bothered.

Hard life.


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## geraldandannie (Jun 4, 2006)

barryd said:


> The weather has been lovely and it's forecast to be 30 degrees for a few days.


Don't use up all the sun - save some for us for next month.

It's currently 17.6°C here on the UK East coast 



barryd said:


> If I can be bothered. Hard life.


About those plans for early retirement ... :wink: :lol:

Keep on enjoying it, Barry :wink:

Gerald


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

Cheers Gerald but I've already started to worry about how long we have left. 

They say all good things come to an end but I think Mrs D may have to drag me kicking and screaming back to the UK.

She started talking about jobs around the house on the way here. I nearly pulled over and threw her out!


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## icer (Dec 11, 2006)

barry 

We went on 4th July same thing, recurring thought was that they had shut France, some places were like a morgue. 

T'was lovely though. 

Ian


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## geraldandannie (Jun 4, 2006)

barryd said:


> She started talking about jobs around the house on the way here.


Tell her you've got a great solution to that - sell the house, and tour France full time! :wink:

Gerald


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## rolla (Aug 14, 2010)

School holidays at an end??


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

Cheers

come on down the drinks are on me.

Haven't spoken to an British person for 6 weeks and he was as mad as a box of frogs In his converted library van. 

My dad was a headmaster and he used to promise his pupils an ice cream if they spotted him on holiday. In those days you either went to Scarborough or Blackpool unless you were posh like our next door nieghbours who flew mind you to Spain so he always met loads if kids and had to buy ice creams. So if you see us then th ice creams, leffe or vino are on me.


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

The French schools started back on Monday (our builder had to arrange to drop his son at school!), yes the roads are very quiet now as are the towns.

They will be a little busier at the weekend but for most French people they are now back in "work mode".

We will be bringing our MH back to France at the end of the month and will take a few days to travel from St Malo to our home, the weather for the next few days in the Dordogne is a little overcast and some rain tomorrow but we had some today - it was light drizzle and lasted about 20 minutes only. The meteo forecast for today was for rain this afternoon, and overnight.

Next week looks OK - most days are 26C;

http://france.meteofrance.com/france/meteo?PREVISIONS_PORTLET.path=previsionsville/470370

Saturday forecast is for 32C !  

Retirement is great, can't think why I didn't go forty years ago........

Oh yes I can  

Dave


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## alhod (Nov 1, 2010)

We have been here now for 4 months. Sold our house in England last autumn and bought here. Summer has been a continual stream of visitors from UK and all of them vow to join us asap! I even have a son-in-law who is planning how to work in London and commute weekly.
It is certainly a very different life style and the ambience is beyond compare - as is the weather!
We have a small house still in Devon to which we will return shortly but only for a few weeks. 
It is a big advantage being able to work from anywhere - my business goes on unchanged except that my clients when calling ask "are you abroad?" (different ring tone, even on diverted calls, which unfortunately cannot be avoided) so I have to confess! But I don't tell them that I am sitting by the pool with the computer on the table under the parasol and a cool glass of pineau at my elbow. (Anyone who has not tried Pineau, you just do not know what you are missing - one of the greatest undiscovered secrets of La Belle France
:wink: )


Based on experience so far, I would recommend to anyone who does not have to rely on local economy for income. If you cannot avoid that it maybe needs more careful consideration as we know several people who have had great difficulty finding gainful employment. But still not impossible.

The only down-side, Barryd, is that even in France there is still a list of jobs from you know who :roll: 

Alan

8)


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## HarleyDave (Jul 1, 2007)

barryd said:


> So if you see us then the ice creams,* leffe * or vino are on me.


That Leffe in the big 750 ml bottles for about 3 euro is spot on isn't it (You only need one a night to set you up...)

Cheers

Dave


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## lesanne (May 1, 2008)

we will be on the air in Clisson just below Nantes on Friday if anyones around


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

Thanks everyone for the replies and safe travels to you all.

Dave. The problem I have is I'm dieting but I do love leffe beer, French cheese and French markets and there everywhere!!!

I try not to keep much in the van as I'm a bit like a goldfish and will gulp away at it until it's gone.

Good thing about this region is there appears to be no shops whatsoever. Sadly there is a Market up the road tomorrow.

The lidl leffe copy is pretty good as well.


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## 747 (Oct 2, 2009)

So you are not seeing anyone........

......and you are announcing your next destination.  

Methinks there may be a connection. 8O 

Remember when you said last week that you do not bathe properly any more?

:lol: :lol: :lol:


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## DTPCHEMICALS (Jul 24, 2006)

Bary bu99er off and stop making us slightly jealous.
Winter is just round the corner here.

Cheers mate .

Lucky b`stard

Dave p


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

Don't worry dave I'll have to come home eventually as mrs d is going to run out of lemon tea despite me writing to typhoo trying to blag some.

747. I'm going for the early bath in the morning in the lake so it should be safe to approach. Van looks like it's been on the Paris Dakar though.


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

Found them all!

Everyones at the coast. We rolled into Frontignan Plage near Sete today on the med and decided to try one of those campsite things everyone goes on about.

Oh how we laughed as we drove down off the hills towards the sea at the thought of an empty site with just us on it.

None of it. We got one if the last few pitches. The place is full of Germans, Dutch and quite a few Brits. There is nothing here. It's a pretty flat boring landscape and Frontignan and Sete don't appear to be anything special. However the forecast is good and I have to say I quite like the campsite.

The staff have been very nice and even gave me some free books as Im running out of reading matter, the pool is superb and I had a fantastic time surfing (on a LILO) in sea which had some very big waves until it went wrong and I got battered and ground into the bottom so my back now resembles a road map. Sadly it Was all to much for the LILO which has been with us since Switzerland and already been repared twice.

It's a bit wierd though. As we swam in the pool it felt like we had temporarily left our Motorhome life and gone on a package holiday.

So why is everyone here? Beats me.


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## Landyman (Apr 3, 2010)

SWMBO has just told me not to read out any more of your posts Barry. 
The wind is howling round the house and it was drizzling and damp this morning and all I do it tell her about your adventures and the weather there.

Now the good news (for us anyway). We are off on Sunday and heading south for about four weeks. No fixed plans yet, haven't even booked a ferry yet, but we will turn right at Calais and keep going until we find some decent sun. 

Landyman.


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

Just for information;

the Dordogne area is sunny and about 27C today, forecast for the week is improving!!!!

the only wet stuff we have seen for the last week, is about 10 minutes of very light drizzle yesterday,

Dave


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

Plenty of sun down here Landyman. 32 right now. You can tell the mrs that it's not all fun as I have just spent an hour googling dentists in frontignan before visiting 6 before finding one that was Either open or could be bothered to stick mrs d's crown on which fell off in a bit of chicken yesterday.

Sat In waitnig rm now


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## GEMMY (Jun 19, 2006)

The Tesco dental repair kit should have been in your suitcase Barry.

tony


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## Landyman (Apr 3, 2010)

barryd said:


> Plenty of sun down here Landyman. 32 right now. You can tell the mrs that it's not all fun as I have just spent an hour googling dentists in frontignan before visiting 6 before finding one that was Either open or could be bothered to stick mrs d's crown on which fell off in a bit of chicken yesterday.
> 
> Sat In waitnig rm now


After making us all green with envy over the last few weeks I think you must deserve a bit of 'pay back'.  :lol:

Landyman.


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## motormouth (Jul 3, 2010)

barryd said:


> Plenty of sun down here Landyman. 32 right now. You can tell the mrs that it's not all fun as I have just spent an hour googling dentists in frontignan before visiting 6 before finding one that was Either open or could be bothered to stick mrs d's crown on which fell off in a bit of chicken yesterday.
> 
> Sat In waitnig rm now


Well I only hope the chicken is all right. I can think of easier ways to catch one. :lol:


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

Ha ha! Very funny. We have turned a bit wild over the weeks but hunting live chickens isn't quite our thing just yet.

An Interesting it slightly frustrating day. Campsite quite helpfully phoned 6 dentists and 4 were on holiday and the other two couldn't take any appointments till October! Mr google however picked up a couple more and I figured turning up and thrusting the crown under the receptionists nose, smiling and using my unrefusable charm would so the trick. Sat nav programmed dentist number 7 who was about to bugger off came up trumps.

Tip of the day. Don't try to balance a sat nav on a scooter handle bars in a busy French town.

Technology has it's uses.


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