The torrential ran has dwindled to sporadic showers but the gales continue unabated. There's no chance of going to town to meet our boating friends, Michael and Chris, this morning. By lunch time the wind has eased a bit and they phone to say they will walk over to us in the aire. They arrive mid afternoon, wind-blown but brandishing a baguette and a bottle of wine so we get out some nibbles, cheese and rillettes to pick on as we chat our ay through the after...

The day starts well enough with weak sun and clouds. We watch the sparrows flitting in and out of the long grass in front of us. Before they land, they all stop and hover a few seconds then plunge into the cover. A few fishermen are out on the banks, and the canal and lock house look good. We service the vans, say goodbye to Nick and Grete and go our separate ways. First stop for us is fuel at the nearby supermarket. There is a laundromat here too with a hu...

Parked as we were we didn't need to close the front curtains so we wake to a lovely sunrise and watch rabbits running about. We also see a couple of green woodpeckers and various finches, plus of course the beautiful deer. Today we have a 150 mile drive but a good bit of it is either dead straight main roads [wake me up when you see a corner coming] and dual carriageway past Orleans, Le Mans and Rennes. At 16:00 we cross the canal du Rance, turn in by the lock...

This morning there are a few showers and it is cooler but brightens mid morning. Nick stays with the vans while the others go for a look around St Fargeau before heading off. As we leave town a line of classic American cars passes by. Soon after we start off the showers return making the journey fairly uninteresting until our lunch stop in Briare. We drive over the narrow bridge crossing the canal and find another group of American cars. They are on a weeken...

Although we planned an early start none of us get moving very quickly this morning. Ali and Grete pop across to Leclerc for a few things then we drive there to refuel at €1.18. There is another surprise when we get cash from an ATM @ €1.23 [Trump has just pulled out of 2015 Paris climate agreement] so fuel down, euro up, nice work Donald! We have a 30 mile ride to another place we visited last year, Chantier Guedelon, where a medieval castle is being buil...