Thurins (back in France for a few days)

Mont Blanc in its summer clothes

We were sad to leave Lago d’Orta as it was such a beautiful place, a smashing campsite too and the weather was glorious.  Anyway, we still have other places to visit on our way home and after a leisurely two hours packing (it normally takes an hour max.) we set off for a place called Thurins, a village about 30 minutes to the south west of Lyon.  We also have an appointment on Monday with the vet at Saint-Martin-en-Haut for the treatment Buddy needs before he’s allowed back in the UK so that’s another good reason to get on the road again.

Our route took us past Turin and then into the Alps and through the Mont Blanc tunnel into France.  It wasn’t as far as our journey to the lakes earlier in the week but it was still 300 miles.  We found the road up to the tunnel surprisingly quiet and when we paid for the toll we realised why – it’s 44.40 euros to go through!

Heading to the famous ski resort of Courmayeur on the Italian side of Mont Blanc

A couplke of miles before the entrance to the Mont Blanc tunnel we could see the Brenva glacier which, like all the glaciers on Mont Blanc and the Alps is steadily retreating a few metres every year.

The Brenva glacier

After passing through the 7 ¼ mile tunnel we stopped in a lay-by for our picnic lunch and to take in the spectacular views of the alpine mountains.  They are just as stunning as they are in the skiing season, but in a different way. We were surprised at the high toll charge especially when you consider how many dozens of tunnels there are on the Italian and French roads (and several we went through approaching three miles in length) where there is no charge other than a toll charge where they are on a toll road.

About 30 miles into France we came out of a tunnel into fog (brouillade) and the temperature dropped by ten degrees. It stayed like that until the outskirts of Lyon when it suddenly lifted and we were back in sunshine and in the mid 20s.  The roads were really busy in Lyon, as they always seem to be, and we had to keep our wits about us to get through. All went well and we were soon back in the country heading for a farm a few miles outside of Thurins. We have taken an Airbnb in a converted barn for a couple days and, other than going to the vets, hope to get some good Lyonaisse country walks in.

Looking towards Thurins from our bedroom – note the polytunnels (clearly not just the scourge of Kent)

The unusual entrance to our Airbnb

When I checked my emails in the evening I found that the document (just four sheets of A4) I had sent one of my brothers on 3^rd October had arrived on the 19^th.  He had made the wry comment that it had travelled at an average of 2.6 mph.  This rather substantiated the notoriety that the Italian postal has had and still has.

To keep up with my desire to only drink local wines I had bought a bottle of red Piemonte Barbara before we left the lakes and I must say that I really enjoyed on Sunday evening and it was only just over 5 euros.

We had our appointment with the vet at nine on Monday morning in Saint-Martin-en-Haut, about 20 minutes away, so it was an early start for us.  This was to get the treatment necessary before Buddy is allowed back in the UK.  Having had the treatment, we now have to be back in the UK anytime in the next 24 to 120 hours.  We have to time it right and be thankful that the French aren’t on strike or that we are not hit by delays at Brexit time.  We were a bit shocked by the 50 euro bill for two tiny tapeworm tablets, a cursory examination and a couple of stamps in a passport.  Karen raised the cost in a Life in France forum and from the responses she has received so far it seems a little on the high side but not far off the norm.  Something else to add to the budget for each time we return to the UK when living over here ☹

When we had been to the vets we had a wander around the town and bought some bits and pieces from a couple of shops and a fruit and veg stall in the market.  We both felt quite at home, language-wise, and were quite happy to use our poor French and still be understood by the shopkeepers.  We never really felt happy having to converse with Italians I’m afraid ☹

When we got back, Karen went for a run and I laid out the tent and other things that needed drying.  Unfortunately, when we packed up in the Italian lakes there had been a heavy overnight dew so we had to put the tent and its innards away in a rather wet state.

After lunch we went for a good circular walk to take in Lac de Thurins. A man-made lake in the hills providing water to the local area.

Heading off to the lake which is the other side of the hills in the distance

We walked up through the woods on the right following a track the whole way.  The return route took in a couple of miles of road but it was so small and unused that we only saw one vehicle so we were quite safe walking along the road.

Once in the woods, the surface of the track changed from dirt track to rock and we noticed dry stone walling on the side.

Change in track surface

After about a mile we came upon a house that was all locked up but, because of the track surface, could only be reached by a tractor.  There was also a road traffic sign outside the house which was pretty strange.

Couldn’t understand why there was a road traffic sign in such an inaccessible place

The walk was uphill practically all the way, and quite steep at that.  We soon realised that the area we were walking through used to be terraced as there was evidence of dry stone walls running parallel to us.  The terracing is all but gone now and covered by the trees but at least a path has been maintained on one of the levels.

The lake – looking like the reservoirs in the UK this summer

Buddy and sheep showing some interest in each other

On our walk back, we could see over to the woods we had walked through and at one point we saw the inaccessible house.

The white square is the inaccessible house

With yet another glorious day there were plenty of butterflies around with clouded yellows, red admirals and speckled woods being the most numerous.  We also saw several fresh small coppers as well as other species including pale clouded yellow, large, small and green veined whites and a couple of commas.

We will be leaving Thurins on Tuesday and heading for a village outside Reims for our last few days.