Day 3, 7 Oct. Long motorway/peage driving day. Cloudy and increasingly windy with the odd shower. Through the centre of Lyon which was very busy, past Aix-en-Provence and onto Camping Sainte Victoire just to the east of Aix. On the motorway we listened to an audio book, Precipice by Robert Harris which is very good (the romantic affair of Henry Asquith and Venitia Stanley). Campsite OK, a bit tired but with new toilets and showers
Day 4 and 8 Oct. A day in Aix taking a bus from directly outside the campsite. Mostly famous as the stamping ground of Paul Cezanne who lived in and around Aix. Many beautiful doors but called gates. Multiple fountains, some of them warm. Visited Hotel de Chaumont which is now an arts centre. https://www.caumont-centredart.com/en. Akso Musee Granet with some fine Cezanne's but also some rubbish !!. Cours Mirabeau is the main thoroughfare. Lots of squares and typical Med streets. We like it. After a very wet thundery night the day turned out warm and sunny. Very easy getting in and out of Aix from the campsite
Next day, 9 Oct we walked from the campsite along the southern flank of the Sainte Victoire mountain, basically following parallel ton the avenue Cezanne. Glorious sunny day and the walk takes you past the Cezanne bothy/hut/cottage with views over the forests and the bleak Victoire. Plat de Jour (octopus pie !!) at Maison Saine Victoire. Short walk back along the road then caught the bus back to camp. Clouding over in the evening
2025-02-16