Grandpa's 90th Birthday. Happy Birthday!
The less optimistic forecasts of thunder overnight have been proved incorrect and it is now warm, sunny and breezy with high clouds. It could still rain, but we'll see.
T's knee seems a little better. A has been posting her photos from airport stopovers on her way back from the States on Facebook, so hopefully we'll hear from her later.
Lazy Sundays must be a pan-European concept as everybody seems to be slow today with the exception of the Danish uber-campers Henrik and Eva, now with their son Benjamin and his girlfriend Camilla. They were away before we got up.
We decide to aim for a rest day today, so perhaps I will go and photograph some castles or churches. T has worked out that our passes allow for non-consecutive days, so we won't lose any biking time. Although it is unlikely we will ever do this four week stint again the lack of decent chairs is an issue - something with a high back (for a snooze) and being able to all sit around a meal table. Space in the Landy meant we had to leave some stuff behind. Being in the shade at Arvier for most of the day is a good thing, but getting good shade at Chatel was more problematic. The front door of the tent can be extended outwards with two poles and some guylines, but that is more rain than sun protection. Two sets of Dutch campers nearby have professional looking hammocks which are strung between trees. Nice. Having said that, sitting in the very back of the Landy in the shade, doors open to let in the breeze with sunlight dappling the ground whilst reading and lsitening to music is pretty good.
The executive decision seems to make itself that we will not use the car today, for the first time in three weeks, except for hanging some wet washing on the roofrack. Driving the Landy like this is awesome, but everybody has been patient and a star - F for sharing the driving (and coping with the Italian contraflows), T is happy with in the back listening to music and reading or chatting in the front to keep the driver alert (and on the right side of the road) and E sits in the back with his headphones on (but wishing he wasn't in the car quite so much).
After lunch I went to ask site-owner, Franco, for suggestions for a walk. "From here?" was his rather bemused response. There is a chapel visible in the distance up on a hill top above the next village, so I guess a route and head off.
I take a side road to avoid the main drag up to the Mont Blanc tunnel and soon reach the village of Leverogne.
I skirt the sprawling metropolis to the south and find the start of the winding hairpins up towards the chapel.
It is called the Rochefort Shrine and boasts an annual pilgrimage. The final 100 yards or so is signed through the village, but it does feel as if you are intruding on their paths and gardens.
A nice lady directed me to the final climb before the views opened up around me and I was there.
The Shrine itself is, sadly, locked. If this was an Anglican Church there would be a hand-written note telling me where to find a Churchwarden happy to come and unlock for me. The chapel looks beautiful at night across from the camp site all flood-lit and I notice that the floodlights are actually on all the time. There is a slot in the door for me to leave an offering. Classy. I sit in the shade on the front step and jot some notes and take a photo looking back to the village around the campsite.
The hilltop Church across the valley from the campsite still looks impressively aloof from a different angle but further up towards Mont Blanc ever more precipitous hamlets and Churches are visible. Back to the east above Arvier (and Aosta invisible beyond) I can make out the red and white transmitter tower on the long telecabina ride up to Pila. From this angle the mountains above it look enormous.
I return via the cobbled streets of the village of Leverogne, but the Church there too is locked - on a Sunday?
Back at the campsite a quick cup of tea and then a dip in the pool, although the boys prefer to keep dry. We ring Grandpa and leave a Happy Birthday answerphone message.
The nice Dutch teachers opposite are packing to go home tomorrow and their new neighbours are also Dutch and have just produced the most enormous bell tent out of the back of a Golf. The intrepid Danes have been out since before we got up and return having spent the day canyoning. Sadly, Eva has twisted her back and so is in some discomfort. Henrik still says Italian driving is more dangerous. Pasta for supper washed down with a couple of Birra Moretti's. Lovely.
Our third week on the road draws to a close and our thoughts turn to home. E is getting a bit bored away from home comforts. T and I are both still chipper about 3 more full days of biking and then travelling back through France. Dijon and Reims are known stops (and we are particularly looking forward to our stay at the Tip Top in Tinqueux near Reims with a Flunch for supper). Douai, our stop beyond that, is unknown territory and we hope to see some of the WWI battlefields and cemetries.
Miles today - 0!
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