Autumn in France

In between two projects on the house in The Hague we made a last minute decision to drive to France, to enjoy the usually beautiful autumn weather there. The outside painting was finished and some work in the front garden was scheduled to start, but with the unpredictable weather timing was uncertain. Instead of waiting in The Hague we took the opportunity, and had our yearly October break in France. Piet had to work a few days, but for the rest we enjoyed great weather, hiking, cycling and doing some work in the garden. We also did our yearly pelgrimage to the Gigondas, this time without Piet's friends, for some hikes and to stock up on red wine, with an overnight stay at our favourite hotel Les Florets.

Once the call came that the gardener was ready to start we closed up the house, and drove home to manage the (hopefully) last project of our 2023-2024 renovation.

We spend most afternoons in our garden

Mary arriving on Col d'Ornon

Pippin overlooking the Veneon

Lunch near Beaumes de Venise

Buying wine at Domaine de Cassan

Hiking near Gigondas, at Pas de l'Aigle

Beautiful autumn colours near St Christophe en Oisans

Wrapping up the holidays

During the last few weeks of our extended holiday Dorien and Lars came to France with Ollie, to take a break from their busy working and new home owners life. They were joined by their friends Luuk and Nienke for several days. Unfortunately, Piet had to go back to The Hague to start working again, before coming back for a final week of leave.

The main event was the Tour de France Femmes, with a finish of the final stage on Alpe d'Huez. In the morning Piet cycled up with the local cycling club, and in the afternoon we walked up to see the race. Although not as busy as the men's race there were many spectators, and it was a very exiting and close race with a few seconds difference between the first three riders in the final classification.

The last days were spend hiking, cycling and organising the house and garden after nearly four months in France, and preparing (mentally) to return to a regular life. Mary used the regular bike rides she did during this time to get in good shape, joined the local club, and as a reward smoothly cycled up Alpe d'Huez for the first time in several years. This whole period gave a good taste on how retirement could look like! We are looking forward to more of this....

Playing badminton in the garden

Col Series: the road to Col d'Ornon was closed for cars

Dorien, Lars and their friends Luuk and Nienke made it up Col d'Ornon

Pippin and his best friend Ollie

UC Oisans gathering in Bourg, before cycling up Alpe d'Huez ahead of the Tour de France Femmes; note that Piet apparently doesn't like pink shirts

It was cold and grey on Alpe d'Huez, and still quiet around lunch time

Tour de France Femmes on Alpe d'Huez: Demi Vollering and Pauline Rooijakkers in the lead

Kasia Niewiadoma, in the yellow jersey, is chasing the leaders

Marianne Vos (in the green jersey) and friends

SD Works has done their work for Demi Vollering: Christine Majerus, Lorena Wiebes and Blanka Vas

The grupetto

Beautiful Tour weather in the Alps

Along the Romanche, near our house

Preparing to cycle up Oz Station, with the local club UC Oisans

After training all summer Mary made it up to Alpe d'Huez, for the first time in several years

The last hike, along the Veneon

Sabbatical (II)

After spending two weeks in The Hague we returned to France for the second part of our sabbatical. We didn't have any plans, and just wanted to have a long holiday. We arrived at the same time as our friends Jochem and David, who were registered to participate in the Marmotte, the gruelling 175 km cyclosportive with three long climbs, and a finish on Alpe d'Huez. Piet spend the first days cycling with them, and during the event we supported them on Col du Glandon (the first climb), and Piet cycled up the Alpe to the finish with Jochem. The whole group completed the event without major problems.

Paula and Jasper also arrived and used our house as home base for 5 weeks, and made several trips in the Alps. They have a shared passion for hiking, cycling, rock climbing and alpine tours, and maximise their days off for these activities. The last week Paula worked from the house, while Jasper, who just completed his MSc, was enjoying his last weeks of pre-working life freedom.

The last week Piet's colleague Cameron, with her family, was staying at a nearby camping ground. Piet took her along a few bike rides to show her the beautiful surroundings, share ideas on things to do with young kids, and to take her up some classic climbs.

For ourselves we settled in a nice routine of waking up without alarm, have breakfast, drink coffee and read our book, before deciding on activities for the day. We also had some fixed point during the week: agility and man trailing with Pippin, and bike rides with the local club UC Oisans once or twice a week. And every day there was a short or longer walk with Pippin. In short, time flew past, and before we knew it the 3 month sabbatical was gone, and Piet had to return to The Hague to start working again.

Jochem cycling up Alpe d'Huez, for his final kilometers of the Marmotte

A classic picture: Paula and Mary cycling along the Romanche

Pippin at Plan d'Eau in Valbonnais

Lac des Quirlies, with Paula and Jasper

On top of Col du Sabot; Col Series cycling event

Sunday morning ride with UC Oisans

Major flooding end June: the Voie Verte cycling path is gone

Piet and Cameron on Alpe d'Huez

Corsica

Once Piet's sabbatical was approved we started looking at a trip to Corsica. Our original plan was to do a long, multi-day hike with luggage transfer, but that proved to be impossible as most accommodations didn't accept dogs. We quickly adjusted this and organised three very different places to stay, spread over the island, and booked a ferry from Toulon for a 2 week trip.

We drove to Toulon, some 4 hours from our house, and had a smooth check-in to the ferry; this is a well-oiled machine that can board many cars, campervans and trucks in little time. We booked a cabin for the overnight sail, and settled there with Pippin. Most people just hang around for the night, but we preferred some luxury, and, although we didn't sleep well, we arrived somewhat rested in Ajaccio, at 6 AM. Pippin's highlight was that he could sleep on Mary's bed!

After a rainy and misty drive to the centre of the island we arrived in Lozzi, where we had booked a small wooden chalet on a mountainside, overlooking a small lake. This turned out to be a perfect starting point for several beautiful hikes and some nice bike rides (yes, Piet too his road bike along!). One common feature of Corsica was very obvious here: cows and pigs are wandering freely on the roads, in fields, and in villages.

After 5 days we moved further south, to Vivario, still in the mountainous centre of Corsica, where we had booked a room in a very small family hotel. Again this was our base for several long walks in the area, and we also did a short stretch of the famous GR20, one of the toughest long distance hikes in Europe. We then drove to Serra-di-Ferro, where we had arranged a little bungalow in a small holiday resort, close to the beach. Here we could combine easy hikes, bike rides and even swims in the Mediterranean. Even Pippin loved swimming in the sea! These last few days the weather was perfect, and it was good to end an active holiday this way. On our last day we took a scenic seaside route back to Ajaccio, where we boarded the ferry for another 'cruise night'. The next morning we first drove to Montjay, where our French neighbours have a holiday house, and we had some coffee and a catch-up. In the afternoon we arrived home, to our garden that had grown significantly in the rainy spring weather. back to work!

Waiting for the ferry in Toulon

On the ferry, in our cabin

First hike on Corsica, near Lozzi

Cows in front of our chalet in Lozzi

We did a long hike in direction of Monte Cinto, the highest point on Corsica

Passing a shepherds hut on the way down, in the rain

Cows in the mist, track between Lozzi and Monte Cinto

Lozzi, with free roaming cows everywhere

Taking the train from Vivario to Venaco, before hiking back

Buying a baguette in Venaco

Hiking back from Venaco to Vivario

Cascade des Anglais, on the GR20, near Vizzavona

A very scenic spot, and the only hike where we encountered other people

Ruins of Pasciola fort, above Vivario

Pippin is relaxing on the balcony of our hotel in Vivario

Pigs are roaming everywhere along the road

Cascade Sant' Albertu

Walking near Serra-di-Ferro

We also tasted and bought some nice local wine

Cupabia beach, walking distance from our bungalow in Serra-di-Ferro

Gulf of Ajaccio

On the beach near Ajaccio

Waiting for the ferry in Ajaccio

Arrival in Toulon, early in the morning