{"id":15052,"date":"2018-10-09T16:42:00","date_gmt":"2018-10-09T16:42:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/michaelandpamstravels.com\/?p=15052"},"modified":"2019-05-28T18:17:03","modified_gmt":"2019-05-28T08:17:03","slug":"watten-and-home-france-2018","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/michaelandpamstravels.com\/?p=15052","title":{"rendered":"Watten and Home, France 2018 \ud83c\uddeb\ud83c\uddf7"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Date:  7-8th October 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Travelled:  151 kms from P\u00e9ronne via Nuncq Hautecote to Watten, in the Region of Calais.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Visited:  Albert<\/strong>.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stayed:   Watten municipal aire, free, limited services. N50.83151, E02.20842  <\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Budget:  127 days @ \u20ac92 per day.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Having enjoyed P\u00e9ronne\u2019s museum we continue north-west for Albert in the Somme valley.  Albert stands on a major crossroad, it was of strategic importance during the battle for the Somme.  Pozi\u00e9re to the north-east and Villers-Bretonneux to the south-west.  Tens of thousands of Australian marched through Albert to war. We have passed through it 2-3 times but never stopped.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As we had a late start from P\u00e9ronne, its lunch time as we drive in and find a parking spot in the old centerville.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The amazing Mairie or Town Hall in Albert.  The Flemish routes of this area reflected in its design.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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The old railway station, now partly a museum is a grand building as well.  We see lots of Australian flags as we wander.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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The Notre Dame de Brebi\u00e9res Basilica in Albert.  More famously known as the Church of the Leaning Virgin.  Built in 1897, it was the focal point of German shelling of Albert during WW1.  It was virtually completely destroyed, only to be re-built by the original architect\u2019s son in 1931.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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From the nave looking forward to the main alter and apse.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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The blurb describes the Basilica as being built in the Neo-Bysantine style.  Not sure exactly what that is, but the patterned mozaics certainly remind us of some Churches we have visited in Greece and Turkey.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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A closer look at the apse, the blue green tones works nicely with the pink stonework.  Mind you it\u2019s not a thousand years old, less than 90 in fact.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Back in the Hymer, we have lunch in the car-park.  Pam authorises \u20ac3 worth of chips from a nearby fritterie van, so lunch is a little special on this coolish afternoon.  Soon enough we are back on the road.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Driving the French D roads again.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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More pretty French villages.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Mountains of potatoes line the road-side.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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The grey skies clear as we pass through Doullens into the Pas-De-Calais region.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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We find this lovely little private aire in Nuncq-Hautecote.  At \u20ac10 including all services it\u2019s not as good as free, but it\u2019s very neat and tidy.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

We have a quiet night in Nuncq-Hautecote N50.30494, E02.29371.  It\u2019s a misty start to the day, but the sun brakes through and it looks like our last day in France will be a good one.  After a slow breakfast we service the Hymer (see picture above) and make for Watten.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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More D roads, line with French plane trees.  These ones still relatively immature.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Another village, another church.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Watten has become our \u2018aire of choice\u2019 prior to departing France on the chunnel.  It\u2019s free, feels safe, has an excellent boulangerie and a couple of nice bars.  Nearly forget, it\u2019s only 30 minutes from the terminal.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Arriving in Watten we are pleasantly surprised to find the aire has been expanded and is now twice the size.  We have organised a night here with Ian and Joe from Brisbane as they are crossing over to England and returning home as well.  So it\u2019s an afternoon and evening of talking about our various adventures since our last meeting.  We are joined later by David and Belinda from Western Australia, who have been travelling Europe in their motorhome for 4+ years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tomorrow morning it\u2019s the chunnel and a few days back in England.  We plan on visiting John and Linda from Kent (who we met in Malta), then catching up with family, before packing up and getting the Hymer ready for storage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So you\u2019ll be pleased to know this will be our final post for 2018.  I will add the budget spreadsheet when we get home and update the maps until then I\u2019ll leave you with a few final thoughts…<\/p>\n\n\n\n