Our Mad Dash South

Once we’d fulfilled our obligatory 90 days outside the Schengen Area (most of continental Europe), we were anxious to find some warmer, drier weather. The first step was to get across the English Channel. We chose to do so via the EuroTunnel, which proved to be interesting and expedient.

The terminal building included a special 25-year anniversary exhibit about the tunnel. The average depth of the tunnel is 150 feet below the seabed (not the surface). It has the longest undersea portion of any tunnel in the world  at 23.5 miles.

Here we are getting ready to drive onto what they call a shuttle, which is actually a train built to carry vehicles. Shuttle trains are 800 yards long – the same as eight football fields. One leaves England every 20 minutes for the 35 minute crossing. Every day an average of 60,000 passengers pass through the tunnel, along with 4,600 trucks, 140 coaches and 7,300 cars.

Once onboard you must stay in your vehicle. Al grabbed the opportunity to take a nap.

Here we are driving through to the exit.

We had no interest in staying in Calais, France so we headed south to Montreuil-Sur-Mer where I stretched my legs with a walk along the ancient ramparts that surround the town center.

Which habit would you prefer? Make mine dark chocolate!

Modern “art” superimposed over traditional advertisement.

We generally prefer to meander along back roads, but warm weather beckoned, so we hopped on the Motorway and paid the high price of French tolls. $$$

LeMans was our next brief stop. By shear luck our chosen overnight parking spot was within easy walking distance of the old quarter.

Another day on the Motorway brought us to a beautiful free camping spot overlooking the River Dordogne.

We had this lovely spot all to ourselves.

We also overlooked the tiny village of Asques.

This nearby stairway took be down into the village for a look around.

Not a lot to see, but I often wonder what it would be like to live in such a place.

Onward into Spain next!