The building site starts work at 08:00. Ali and Grete go to the minimarket. Last time we left Eyzin Pinet, the route through Lyon was awfully slow and ugly so we programme a scenic route to the east. We use the service point and set off around 11:00.
It's all cross country on D and C roads through pretty, ever changing landscape of farmland and villages. Tractors work the fields and hay is baled in large rolls. There are fields bright red with poppies and we cross a couple rivers including the Rhone. All very varied andv very pretty.
Nearing the end of our journey we skirt south around Macon and enter vineyard country once more, then have a few miles of dual carriageway to Cluny.
We drove through here last year but didn't stop. The camperstop has moved and takes us a while to find, and it appears quite new. Right opposite Hippodrome de Cluny, [the race course] Ali iis happy seeing a few horses being riden past the van.
A footbridge takes us from the aire starting the 5 minute walk to town. Although we can see the abbey tower and bits of the grounds through gates admission this side is reserved for 'authorised persons'.
The town's streets are narrow with old and faded terraces and some buildings show clearly where reconstructon and renovation took place following heavy bombardment in August.
In the main square is the abbey facade and remains of former citadel walls. Stumps of the former cathedral now form part of a walkway to the higher part of town. Near the tourist office is the tour de fromage, or cheese tower''. We don't know how it got it's name but we wonder if there are any BabyBels at the top.
Cafe du Nord in the main square is open so we decide to eat out this evening. The meal is good, with red Macon wine, and the evening is beginning to cool from 32C to 28C.
Something we noticed is the number of young people walking about in white lab coats with cartoons on the back and lots of marker pen writing. These are students at the abbey's university campus and always wear these coats around town.
It's a slow walk to the aire and an early night to bed.