An all-Australian cast for this week’s Blogger Round-Up. Wendy Hollands from Le Franco Phoney talks about a subject dear to my heart – the French language – and the apostrophe in particular. Susan from Days on the Claise takes us to back in time to one of my favourite châteaux – Chenonceau – which served as a military hospital during World War I. And to complete the list, ever-practical Jo Karnaghan from Frugal First Class Travel tells us what to expect in a 3-star hotel in Europe, often a far cry from what Australians are used to. Enjoy!
The French Love Affair with English Words
by Wendy Hollands from Le Franco Phoney, an Australian who writes about all things French in La Clusaz, Annecy and Haute Savoie as seen by an outsider …
Did you know that France is the world’s most popular country for tourism? Despite their reputed gruffness, the French population must be doing something right, right? France is a proud nation of people who (sometimes illogically) support regional food and wine, get a little arty farty at times, and make me feel like a complete frump in comparison to their natural chic.
Their approach to language is no different. Who doesn’t love the sound of a French voice whooshing effortlessly through sentences? The rest of the world loves it and the French know it. They’re keen to preserve their language, as I’ve mentioned before with the Talkie Walkie (seriously) and the Academie français. Regardless, there’s a growing love of mixing English words into sentences. Read more
A Hundred Years Ago at Chenonceau
by Susan from Days on the Claise, an Australian living in the south of the Loire Valley, writing about restoring an old house and the area and its history and running Loire Valley Time Travel.
1914, and Chenonceau became a military hospital.
2254 wounded poilus, for the most part very gravely affected by their injuries, were cared for at the chateau over the course of the conflict and up to 31 December 1918. (The French soldiers were known as ‘hairies’, because of their luxuriant facial hair, especially moustaches.)
From 2 August 1914, the day war was declared, the industrialist and Senator Gaston Menier wanted to participate in the national war effort. He suggested to the War Minister that he could set up a temporary military hospital, at his own expense, in the Chateau of Chenonceau, which he had recently become the owner of, after the death of his brother Henri, who had bought the building in April 1913. Read more
Your First Trip to Europe – What to Expect in a 3-Star Hotel
by Jo Karnaghan from Frugal First Class Travel, an Australian who loves to travel – especially in Europe – and who has gradually learned how to have a First Class trip on an economy budget, without missing out on anything!
You’ve decided to take your first trip to Europe – how exciting! Now you need to make decisions. What airline to book, what to do, and most importantly where to stay! It’s very tempting to stick with the familiar and stay at a chain hotel. You know what to expect, what the room will be like and how the plumbing will work. But because this is frugalfirstclasstravel, a Hilton or Ibis just isn’t going to do it. Small, locally-owned hotels typical of the location are what I actively encourage to add so much enrichment to your trip. So in this post I’m looking at what to expect in a three star hotel in Europe. I’m choosing a 3 star as it’s a good mid-point option for many travellers. Read more
Most of our time in Blois seems to be spent frantically gardening, restoring fireplaces and making laundries, but this time, I’ve checked the weather report and Thursday looks as though it will be bright and sunny. We have breakfast in the garden then, after much searching, unearth our Blois & Chambord bike maps. We decide on itinerary n° 11 & 11 B (total of 50 K) because Jean Michel says we haven’t completed the loop before.
Château de Chambord with more scaffolding
We drive to Saint Dyé sur Loire and park in the church grounds. It’s getting close to midday by the time we start out for Chambord. I’m a bit disappointed when we arrive to see there is more scaffolding.
Chambord reflected in the Grand Canal
After lunch at the Saint Louis (dish of the day and café gourmand) we cross the little bridge and set off along the Grand Canal because I want to take a photo of Chambord reflected in the water like my friend Anda from Travel Notes and Beyond. But clouds have appeared and the reflection is not exactly what I was looking for.
Chambord from the little bridge at the end of the Grand Canal
And what do we discover – a completely new view of Chambord from the other end of the canal. This time, the clouds are lighter and their reflection in the canal is spectacular.
Fontaine Saint Michel well in Thoury
We continue the cycle path towards Saint Laurent de Nouan, our final destination, and find ourselves in the little town of Thoury. I surprise Jean Michel by remembering it from a previous bike ride and he comes to the conclusion that we’ve already done the n° 11 loop (but not the n°11bis. The typical Sologne well of Fontaine Saint Michel has all been spruced up. You can see its little wrought-iron sculpture of a snake coiled around a tree branch.
Saint Martin de Crouy
Not long after, we come across the 11th church of Saint Martin de Crouy which coincidentally I published just a few days ago on Blois Daily Photo. Once again I astonish Jean Michel by telling him what’s inside the church! I also take a better photo of the sculpture of Saint Martin on the façade. By now, the storm clouds are looking more threatening.
Auberge des Trois Rois
By the time we reach Saint Laurent, we’ve ridden about 25 kilometers straight and I’m well and truly ready for a cold drink. The main street has a couple of interesting buildings, including Aux Trois Rois or the Three King Inn. Built in the 15th century, it welcomed such distinguished guests as Philippe le Bel, Louis IX, Charles VIII, Louis XIV, Alfred de Musset, Jean de La Fontaine, d’Artagnan and maybe even Joan of Arc. Unfortunately, it was dismantled between 1780 and 1781 and sold in several parcels. The mullion windows are copies of the original structure, I’m sad to learn.
Saint Laurent de Nouans nuclear power plant
To my disappointment, no friendly café comes into sight and instead we find ourselves on a 70 kph road taking us straight towards the Saint Laurent NUCLEAR POWER PLANT. Now why didn’t I realise that before when I looked at the map?
Saint Jacques windmill at Saint Laurent de Noans taken on a previous visit
I rant and rave about the inappropriateness of putting a nuclear power plant on a cycling itinerary and we eventually reach the beautiful Saint Jacques windmill we have already visited on a previous occasion. Still no café …
La potion muidoise which is a reference to the druid’s magic potion in Astérix, also taken on a previous occasion
We finally get to Muides after a very bumpy ride along the river thankful that it hasn’t actually rained. By then, we’re so near to our destination that the thought of the only somewhat decrepit café in Muides with its local bar supporters, no longer appeals. Also, it might be closed the way it was last time …
Loire between Muides and Saint Dyé also taken on a previous ride
We cycle the last few kilometers back to Saint Dyé but the sky is muggy and not nearly as nice as the last time. I surprise myself by going straight up the hill next to the church almost effortlessly. I don’t know where that energy suddenly came from. In the future though, we’re going to remember only to do itinerary 11 and ignore 11 bis. A nuclear power plant indeed!
We don’t often find ourselves in Paris on a sunny Sunday in August without our bikes, so after a leisurely lunch on the balcony, testing a new vinho verde, we went for a walk along Berges de Seine from the Orsay Museum to the Floating Gardens. I have to say we were a little disappointed compared with last year, perhaps because there was nothing new. But the sky was amazing.
Lunch on our balconyThe Tuileries GardensBoats on the SeineThe Alexandre III Bridge
I keep walking past this little grocery store in our neighbourhood and seeing the sign: “fresh drink inside – boissons fraîches” and wondering whether tourists really understand that he’s selling cold drinks.
Tu as de l’eau fraîche? does not mean “Do you have fresh water?”, but “Do you have cold water?” L’eau froide is used as opposed to l’eau chaude, that is, cold water out the tap and not hot water. You can also say l’eau glâcée (iced water) to mean cold water out the fridge. And fresh water (as opposed to salty water) is eau douce.
L’air frais, on the other hand, means fresh air while l’air froid means cold air, as you would expect.
You can have légumes frais (fresh vegetables), oeufs frais (fresh eggs), pain frais (fresh bread) and peinture fraîche (fresh paint). However, a fresh coat of paint is une nouvelle couche de peinture.
In fact, nouveau or nouvelle is always used when the intended meaning is new e.g. une nouvelle feuille de papier = a fresh sheet of paper, to make a fresh pot of tea = refaire du thé, to make a fresh start = prendre un nouveau départ, a fresh face = un nouveau visage (as in someone you haven’t seen before) and fresh fields and pastures are nouveaux horizons, which is rather amusing. I wonder to what extent it reflects French and English thinking?
Nouvelles fraîches means recent news – we’d hardly talk about fresh news, would we?
Je ne suis pas très frais ce matin means I’m not feeling the best today (probably as the result of a late night).
Argent frais can mean either ready cash or fresh money depending on the context.
To say it’s cool or chilly, we also use frais – il fait frais. And servir frais means serve cold or chilled.
In weather-related contexts, grand frais is, surprisingly, used for near gale while joli or bon frais is a strong breeze. But those are nautical terms.
If you’re talking about fresh coffee that has just been ground, you have to say café moulu and not café frais, which means freshly made coffee.
When fresh means cheeky, you never use frais, but rather impertinent or familier. I tried to find out from Jean Michel how to say “don’t get fresh” in French but he couldn’t think of anything. I can imagine a teenager responding with something like, “Ca va pas, non?”
I didn’t have much time to read other blogs when cycling in Germany, but now I’m home, I’m catching up! I’m starting with a very interesting post by Anda from Travel Notes and Beyond about what she has learned from travelling the world. It certainly got me thinking. Next comes some excellent advice from Maggie at Experience France by Bike about the best SIM card to use in France. And to finish off, a fun post by Mary Kay from Out and About in Paris who tested the self-guided Twiztour cars in Paris. Would you be game? Enjoy!
Ten Things I Learned from Traveling the World
by Anda from Travel Notes & Beyond, the Opinionated Travelogue of a Photo Maniac, is a Romanian-born citizen of Southern California who has never missed the opportunity to travel.
If you type “things learned from traveling” into the Google search, you’ll come up with enough reading material for an entire week. Before I sat down to write this post I was curios about other people’s approach to this popular subject. I noticed that in spite of the broad range of opinions, there is one common thread: people who travel don’t remain stuck in their own ideas. They change, they evolve and learn something from their travel experiences. So, with this in mind, here is my rendition of this subject:
1. High expectations may ruin your trip
We all have expectations, lots of expectations. It’s our human nature, whether we are aware of it or not. And when it comes to our vacation we feel entitled to have them. Read more
Using a Sim Data Card to Stay Connected When Bicycling in France
by Maggie LaCoste from Experience France by Bike, an American who loves biking anywhere in Europe, but especially France, which has the perfect combination of safe bike routes, great food, great weather and history.
We’re spoiled by how easy and affordable it is to communicate, text and tweet to family and friends, post to Facebook, get the latest news and restaurant recommendations and get directions when we get lost. Until we go overseas. Unless you have a European phone or SIM card, communication overseas can be difficult and very expensive. A Google search of anything having to do with saving money communicating overseas yields pages and pages of articles and advice. Regardless of how many of these you read, there really isn’t a simple solution. For phone calls, you can use one of several internet apps like Skype. But for me, the problem has always been data. If ever there was a time you needed data it’s traveling overseas. Read more
Whizzing around Paris in Twiztour cars: #EmbraceParis ice-breaker
by Mary Kay from Out and About in Paris, an American by birth, Swiss by marriage, resident of Paris with a Navigo Pass for the metro that she feels compelled to use
Ladies, start your engines! Or, in this case, turn on your electric, ecologically friendly Twiztour car for one of the most thrilling tours of Paris.
Only hours after meeting each other over a lovely afternoon tea at Le Meurice last Sunday afternoon, taxis whisked the #EmbraceParis ladies to the foot of the Eiffel Tower for our first activity — a Twiztour GPS guided tour of some of the most impressive monuments of Paris.
Assuring Brooke, who’s from Australia, that I had complete confidence in her ability to navigate the streets of Paris on the right side of the road, I squeezed into the back seat of the car with the walkee-talkee. True to their names, “Leader of the Pack” and “Jessica Rabbit” set off at a brisk pace. The four other Twiztour cars made their way across pont de Bir-Hakeim, one of my favorite Parisian bridges, behind them. Read more
We are well and truly back from our cycling holiday in Germany. It’s amazing how far away it already seems. Our next holiday, a six-day home exchange in Lisbon, is scheduled for September.
Closerie Falaiseau in Blois last time we were there at the end of our holiday
Now we have to get ready for our move to Blois at the end of October, which means we only have three months left. It’s a bit daunting even though I’m ready to leave Paris (though I might occasionally miss the view from our balcony). Closerie Falaiseau will be our own home, as opposed to our apartment in the Palais Royal which is part of Jean Michel’s job.
As we have guests in our gîte up until 6th October, we’ll be going down for a couple of weeks after that to get everything ready for the movers.
The current downstairs bedroom will become our combined study which means redispatching the furniture, putting some of it in the little house while waiting for re-use either in the future gîte or an investment I’m hoping to make in Tours.
The upstairs living room with its secondhand sofa
The furniture in the other rooms will also have to be moved around to take the content of our apartment in Paris. Some, such as the upstairs sofa and chairs we bought at Troc de l’Ile, will be resold.
I’ve been planning what will go where and I think I have everything sorted out. Despite the fact that it is a big house, the rooms are very large and we don’t have much storage space so I don’t want to take anything we’re not sure we’ll use again.
The view from our balcony which I might miss …
It’s a pity that I will still be working as a freelance translator for the next 5 years – I could have got rid of the entire content of my office! But I’m having a change of furniture and am resolved to only take what I really need.
Many people have asked me if I’ll miss Paris. I don’t think so. What I will miss is seeing my friends who live here and those from further away who will come to Paris but not to Blois. But we’re not that far away (less than 1 ½ hours by train) so we can schedule regular visits.
The overgrown vegetable patch when we got back from Germany
What I’m looking forward to is the garden and the nearby forest, less traffic and more friendly people in shops and restaurants.
I’d say that the only real drawback of Closerie Falaiseau is that it’s on the edge of town and there are no shops within walking or even cycling distance. I’ll have to plan more carefully. Since I make my own bread, it doesn’t matter that we don’t have a bakery close by. Even living in the middle of Paris, we practically never go and buy fresh croissants …
Catching up with Australian friends in Paris – Carolyn from Holidays to Europe in the Palais Royal Gardens
As I’ve always worked from home, I’m used to spending the day by myself, but it will be different for Jean Michel who will need to plan activities that involve other people.
We’ve already make several friends in and around Blois, especially through the Loire Connexion, so I’m not worried about our social life as a couple.
A drink with fellow bloggers and friends in Paris
We both love the house and garden and would presently much rather be there than in Paris, so I think that’s a good start, don’t you?
Back in Paris after a month’s cycling holiday in Germany, we’re having lovely weather so I’ve been catching up with friends especially in my neighbourhood, the first arrondissement, so I have some new photos of Paris.
Bourse du Commerce (commodities market) on rue du Louvre seen from the back opposite Sainte Eustache
You may remember another photo I published of the front of the Bourse du Commerce (commodities market) after renovation. If you go past, just drop in. It’s now the Chamber of Commerce. The dome has a wonderful series of murals and if you stand right in the centre of the room, your voice will be heard everywhere. Note the semi-circular building on the right, which has also been refurbished.
Sainte Eustache
Now that the area in front of Sainte Eustache has been renovated, its beauty is much more apparent.
Sunset over the Palais Royal from our balcony
Only 3 more months before we move to Blois and lose this view forever! On Saturday, to our great delight, we were able to have dinner on the balcony – the sun is usually too strong in the evening.
In a very amusing post, Abby from Paris Weekender talks about her new pet peeve as opposed to her previous one which is normalement that got me thinking about how it is used in French.
Totally irrelevant photo taken in Rue Tiquetonne. I wish my geraniums would grow like that!
Abby gives the example of normalement meaning that something should happen :
Le magasin est ouvert demain ? Normalement, oui. – The store is open tomorrow? It should be, yes.
Another context you’ll frequently find is normalement il vient jeudi – he normally/usually/generally comes on Thursday. Alternatives are d’habitude il vient le jeudi and en général il vient le jeudi.
C’est normal and ce n’est pas normal are also common expressions. The first means “it’s only natural” while the second means “there must be something wrong”.
Merci de m’avoir aidé ! C’est normal. – Thank you for helping me. It’s only natural. Or in Australian parlance “No worries, mate!”
Il est en retard. C’est pas normal. – He’s late. Something must be wrong/that’s not like him.
Ce n’est pas normal qu’ils soient libérés de prison si tôt. – It’s not right that they’ve been let out of jail so soon.
Note the use of the subjunctive soient and not sont (not that everyone uses it!)
Sometimes you can avoid the subjunctive without ambiguity, but it’s not always possible.
Il n’est pas normal d’attendre trois semaines pour avoir un RdV chez l’ophthalmo – You shouldn’t have to wait three weeks to get an appointment with the eye specialist.
(Unfortunately in France it always seems to be the case particularly in the country. Same for gynaecologists, I might add.)
So when would we say “normal” in English and not in French ?
He got there at the normal time : Il est arrivé à l’heure habituelle if you mean he got there at the time he usually does and il est arrivé à l’heure précisée/réglementaire if you mean that he got there at the time he was supposed to.
To get back to normal is revenir à la normale and not revenir à normal.
Which makes me think of norm. It’s the norm = C’est la norme.
Norme also has the meaning of standard e.g. normes de fabrication = manufacturing standards
Ce produit n’est pas conforme aux normes françaises : This product does not comply with/conform to French standards.
Have you heard normal or normalement used in other contexts ?
And, normalement, this blog will be back to it’s usual format next week!
We have now been on four cycling trips to Germany, first on the Rhine near Lake Constance, second along the Danube from its source to Budapest, third on the Moselle, Rhine, Elbe and Eiser Rivers through former East Germany and north-west Germany and fourth along the Romantic Road in Bavaria and the Neckar Valley. My preference goes to the Rhine and Danube for various reasons. Here are my suggestions and conclusions which mainly concern people who do not speak more than very basic German.
Meissen from the bike path – the best way to discover a town!
BIKE PATHS
In our experience so far, Germany is the country that offers the most possibilities to cyclists, not only in small and large cities but also in country areas. Bike routes are usually well signposted and cyclists are well-respected by motorists. They are mostly dedicated routes often separated from car traffic by a low concrete wall.
CYCLING MAPS
Bikeline, Kompass, Bergstrasse, Public Press and the ADFC all have excellent detailed maps and plasticised guidebooks, but only a couple are available in English which means that you lose a lot of the information. The German versions can be found in most tourist offices and bookshops. In some cities such as Bremen, there are Radstations which have a large collection on sale. However, it is best to order the English versions on-line. The local tourist offices often have free maps of cycling paths in their area.
Rhein-Radweg 2 Radwander Karte www.schwalbe.com
ACCOMMODATION
First, a note on what we are looking for: a good bed, a clean, quiet, reasonably spacious room, a good shower, a balcony or terrace, and if not a lounge corner with two chairs and a table, a good wifi connection, attractive but not luxurious furniture and furnishings, blackout curtains, easy parking and pleasant surroundings. Also, a good breakfast when it’s not a self-catering flat. We don’t need a TV or hi-fi equipment, toiletries or even a hair dryer. If possible, we like an electric jug. If staying in a town, we like to be in the centre so that we can walk everywhere as most town centres are pedestrian-only. A garage for our bikes can be useful.
The Bikeline and Public Press maps have accommodation suggestions, especially along the Danube. We often rode past signs for zimmer (B&Bs) and ferienwohnung (holiday flats) but were rarely able to obtain any lists that indicated facilities and prices. We did not want to knock on someone’s door, have them show us the room, then refuse. In the end, we preferred using booking.com which has two types of bookings: either your accommodation is guaranteed up until 6 pm and you don’t give need a credit card, or it is non-refundable usually with a special offer using your credit card. We also used www.hotel.de but one of my bookings wasn’t registered.
The Rad-Haus hotel
We found that you can usually book the night before unless it’s a weekend or a very popular venue (watch out for local events especially in summer) but we often had to spend a couple of hours searching with no real guarantee of results. In general, former West Germany offers more spacious and comfortable accommodation than former East Germany.
Our budget is 60 to 100 euros a night. The only time we went over that amount we were disappointed in the accommodation but it was a very touristy area.
LUGGAGE
We travel by car with a Thule bike rack that enables our bikes to be attached in such a way that they can’t be stolen (or stripped). We choose a half-way point where we stay 2 to 4 nights, fanning out in each direction, sometimes doing a loop, sometimes returning along the same route and sometimes taking the train back. As a result, we do not have to worry about luggage. On the Danube, special rad hotels, such as the Draxler, will take your bags from one place to the next for a fee but I imagine it would have to be organised beforehand.
Our bikes on our Thule bike rack which enables you to open the boot of the car with the bikes attached
WEATHER
The reason we go by car is that it means we can follow the good weather as we don’t like cycling in the rain! We choose mid-June to mid-July to avoid the crowds and benefit from the very long twilight. If it’s too hot, we can avoid being out in the midday sun and if the mornings are still a little chilly we can sleep late. An occasional rainy day gives us well-needed R&R.
MEALS
We try to alternate staying in B&Bs, hotels and flats. Most places offer a fairly copious breakfast, particularly if you like cold cuts (which we don’t). The buffet always includes bread, boiled eggs, cheese, cold cuts, fruit, sometimes yoghurt and juice, often tomatoes and cucumber. You can often ask for a fried egg (spiegel ei).
Most restaurants have bike stands. This one is next to a bike ferry across the Elb.
Except on our twice-weekly intermittent fast days when we don’t have breakfast and have a picnic lunch, we eat in a local restaurant in the middle of the day. The food is fairly standard with a lot of pork and potatoes, usually served with a side salad. We have a glass of wine each and the bill is usually between 20 and 40 euros.
We have a car fridge that we can plug into a wall socket in our room if there is no mini-bar, so at night, we usually have a picnic on the balcony of our room, consisting of raw vegetables such as tomatoes, cucumber, baby peppers, carrots and asparagus, in addition to cheese or smoked salmon, bread and fruit. We usually have a glass of wine with pistachios first.
CLOTHING
We have now discovered the perfect solution to the clothing and washing problem. We have found several brands of clothing in France and Germany that are specially designed and made to keep you dry and eliminate smells (Fusalp, Columbia, Wolfskin). You can easily wash them out at night and they are usually dry by morning. We make do with two pairs of ¾ pants and 4 shirts each without having to resort to the usual multi-coloured lycra cycling outfits worn by the cyclists in the photo above. I can highly recommend them despite the price (watch out for end-of-season sales). They are extremely comfortable and never stick to your body. They don’t look like cycling clothes so you can wear them when not cycling as well. We were able to wear the pants 2 or 3 days in a row and the shirts twice without any smells at all. We have long-sleeved “overshirts” in the same material.
I’m wearing a Columbia sun protection, keep-dry, quick drying shirt and my Experience France by Bike cap. Although I don’t usually wearing a cord on my sunglasses, I do when cycling. Photosun are the most practical.
I also use a “mechanical” washing machine I once read about in a book by Steinbeck called Travels with Charley. You need a small plastic rubbish bin with a secure lid. You add water, washing powder (buy the special travelling sort in a tube) and a couple of shirts and underwear and put it in the boot of the car. When you arrive at your destination, you rinse the clothes and hang them on hangers in the shower to drip. If they are not completely dry next morning, you can either hang them in the car or in the wardrobe. It is an extremely efficient method!
CASH AND CREDIT CARDS
We only have Visa cards which were often not accepted so we had to juggle with having enough cash to pay for accommodation and meals. Maestro seemed to be more widely accepted.
CYCLING DISTANCES
We usually cycle 40 to 60 kilometers a day, taking frequent breaks to visit or have refreshments. Many of the riverside paths are flat, which is good on the knees and bad on the rear end. Make sure you have been cycling regularly before you go. Due to bad spring weather on one occasion, we hadn’t done much cycling and I was saddlesore for two weeks. Take some nappy rash cream with you!
The bike paths sometimes have steps with bike wheel runners
BIKE EQUIPMENT
We each have a front bag with a Click Fix attachment and map holders. Jean Michel’s bag contains a full repair kit while I carry the first aid kit as well as our personal effects and a bike pump each. We also have a distance recorder and I have an iphone stand.
Jean Michel has two different-sized map holders, one that is attached to the handle bar bag by Velcro and the other attached to the handle bars by Velcro loops. He is wearing a Fusalp breathable shirt.
We then have expandable saddle bags that slide onto the bike rack, containing a long-sleeved shirt, a windcheater, a poncho and plastic trousers depending on the weather. We also carry sunscreen, biscuits and mosquito repellent. The poncho isn’t ideal but we haven’t found anything better. We use ½ litre plastic Evian-type water bottles with screw tops that we refrigerate overnight and put in stubby coolers inside the side pouches.
Jean Michel on a ferry on the Danube. You can see the saddle bag and front bag. The photo was taken last year before we bought our special outdoor wear.
We don’t wear helmets which are not compulsory in Europe but we always wear caps and use sunscreen. We wear MEINDL and TEVA walking sandals that seem to last forever, because we like to alternate cycling and visiting. If it’s a little frisky, you can add socks and look very German!
When it’s chilly, socks and a windcheater do the trick. I’m wearing Fuaslp lycra outdoor 3/4 pants.
FERRIES
In Germany, ferries that take people, bikes and sometimes cars across the river are very popular. They usually cost 1 or 2 euros per person with a bike. There is no set schedule. The ferryman crosses when there are enough people. Sometimes there is an intercom you can press if there is no one in sight. The car ferries are usually cable-operated while the people/bike ferries can also be motorised. Bridges don’t always have a dedicated bike lane.
Cable and winch system on the car ferry
You can read more about our cycling intineraries in Germany, France and other European destinations by entering “Cycling in Germany” or “Danube”, “Elb”, “Rhine”, “Moselle”, etc. in the search box. Another excellent source of information is the Bicycle Germany website. Below is some useful vocab. I’d love to hear about your own experience or answer any questions you may have. Happy cycling!
CYCLIST’S VOCAB
Rad, Farhhad – bike
Radweg – bike route
Radler – cyclist
Radfarher – cyclist
Radfarhen – to bike/cycle
Radtour, Radfahrt – bike ride
Radhotel – hotel that especially caters to cyclists
Fahrradabsteigen – get off your bike
Zimmer – B&B (literally means bedroom)
Ferienwohnung – holiday flat
Färhe – ferry
It’s the last day of our cycling holiday in Germany and we’re going to visit Germany’s oldest town – Trier – then cycle from Thörnich to Neumagen-Dhron. We’re not cycling around Trier itself because the bike paths in and out of the city look as though they go through industrial areas. On the way, we drive up a winding road near Piesport to have a view of the Moselle below.
We’ve been to Trier before, during a wonderful holiday in Luxembourg over 15 years ago but it was just for dinner one night and the only thing we remember, apart from an excellent entrecôte, is the Porta Nigra which today is the largest Roman city gate north of the Alps.
As we approach the centre, we see the ruins of three Roman baths. It really is astonishing that Jean Michel has no recollection of them at all, not so surprising for me though because I have such a terrible memory for places.
We park in an almost empty parking place not far from the baths and within easy walking distance from the centre through a lovely garden, the Palastgarten. From what I can work out, the parkschein (parking metre – see all this useful vocab I’ve learnt) is only for tourist buses. As there are other cars parked there, I assume it’s free if you’re not a bus.
After a welcome drink at the Zeitspuring Café which would have a perfect view of the almost obscenely baroque 17th century Kurfürstliches Palais, if it wasn’t being refurbished, we head for the Neolithic-looking Constantine Basilica behind it.
A basilica in the Roman sense, it was actually the 67 m long throne hall of the Roman Emperor Constantine. Today, it is used as a Protestant Church.
Next on the list are two churches, sort of interwoven. The 13th century Gothic Liebfrauenkirche is one of the most important early Gothic cathedrals in Germany but doesn’t look anything like a French Gothic cathedral with its little towers and no flying buttresses.
Inside it certainly looks Gothic though, except for the painted vaulting.
When we enter the 4th century Romanesque Cathedral next door, we’re pleased we saw the other one first because it would have paled in comparison otherwise!
It has several very eclectic features including a most unusual organ. Even with our binoculars, we can’t work out exactly what it’s made of. It looks like mother-of-pearl to me.
After leaving the church, we turn left towards marktplatz which is very crowded and lined with colourful façades.
From the square, you can see the Porta Nigra, built of grey sandstone in 200 AD. It acquired its name (black gate) in the Middle Ages because of its colour. It originally consisted of two four-storied towers and was one of four. I have a vague memory of it …
By then we are hot – it’s 33°C – and hungry so go back to a shady outdoor restaurant I noticed on the way. There is a card on the table explaining in English and German that you go inside and buy your drinks and order your food. You are given a flag with a number that you put in the flowerpot on your table and the waitress brings your order. Just like an Australian pub, says Jean Michel.
He comes back with two different glasses of Riesling and I go and order the pork steaks and summersalat. The restaurant also has a great view of the two churches – provided you know about the second terrace, which we only discover after we finish.
Just next to the Kesselstadt Weinstube is an unusual stone monument of a Neumanger weinschiff, or wine boat.
After lunch, we decide we’ve seen enough of Trier so return to the parking lot where we have a 10 euro parking ticket. I obviously misinterpreted the information!
We drive to Thörnich wondering why on earth we’re going to cycle in the heat. “Where are my binoculars?”, I suddenly cry. I look everywhere but have no recollection of when I last saw them. I phone the weinstube, having checked how to say binoculars in German (fernglas) but no one has found them. Ah, you were luckier with your sunglasses, I say, just in case Jean Michel is tempted to mention how often I lose things.
It’s very hot going, mainly through vineyards, with some occasional shade along the edge of the Moselle. Also, I’m feelilng very depressed about the binoculars.They were a present from my children and Jean Michel and are very good Leica binoculars. I try to put them out of my mind.
We arrive at Neumagen-Dhron which we didn’t even enter yesterday because it looked most unpromising and discover it’s actually a pretty little village with lots of places to eat, in particular an eis café.
Just in front, what do we see, but another weinschiff monument with an explanation in approximate English. It’s a winegrower’s tombstone, with 4 wooden wine kegs. I have to wait until a French cyclist finishes his mobile phone conversation before I can take the photo.
On the way back, I stop to take a photo of what looks like a children’s paddling pool. I later learn it’s a kneippbad after Dr Sebastian Kneipp, who may be one of my ancestors. It’s a therapeutic pool that you are supposed to wade through like a stork. What a pity I don’t know!
We’re hotter than ever when we get back to the car. I check the car for my binoculars again but still no sign of them.
After shopping in a little supermarket we found earlier that has the most surprising coffee shop at the entrance we go back to our flat.
We’re sitting out on the balcony experiencing end-of-holiday blues while drinking the wine we bought in Bernkastel the day before. It hasn’t been a real holiday, says Jean Michel. We haven’t had any time for relaxation. I can’t agree more. We talk about why. I think that we were expecting the same magic as our Danube trip last year but Jean Michel doesn’t agree.
However, we both agree that when everything is planned ahead of time, it’s less stressful. But we wanted to follow the good weather, which we accomplished pretty well.
Let’s not stay in for dinner, says Jean Michel. Let’s go and find something in Bernkastel. On the way we find a hotel with a garden restaurant. We have rumpsteak (not schwein!) and the waitress speaks real English which is somewhat of a relief.
After dinner we walk over the bridge to the old city and discover that there is another long street with lots of beautiful houses (and restaurants) we missed the day before. By now our end-of-holiday blues have disappeared.
It’s next morning and we set out early on our 6 ½ hour drive to Blois. As we’re packing up the car, I have another look for my binoculars. And there they are! They’ve half fallen into the top zippered part of my bike bag that I only use when we have a picnic. When we got back to the car after Trier I must have put them on the back seat on top of the bike bag and because both the binoculars and the bag are black, I didn’t see them.
Did you know that France is the world’s most popular country for tourism? Despite their reputed gruffness, the French population must be doing something right, right? France is a proud nation of people who (sometimes illogically) support regional food and wine, get a little arty farty at times, and make me feel like a complete frump in comparison to their natural chic.
1914, and Chenonceau became a military hospital.
You’ve decided to take your first trip to Europe – how exciting! Now you need to make decisions. What airline to book, what to do, and most importantly where to stay! It’s very tempting to stick with the familiar and stay at a chain hotel. You know what to expect, what the room will be like and how the plumbing will work. But because this is frugalfirstclasstravel, a Hilton or Ibis just isn’t going to do it. Small, locally-owned hotels typical of the location are what I actively encourage to add so much enrichment to your trip. So in this post I’m looking at what to expect in a three star hotel in Europe. I’m choosing a 3 star as it’s a good mid-point option for many travellers. Read more
