It's been a while since I talked to/with you.

In the meantime I finished the work at Montmeyan and left there last Saturday.

Good thing that the bookings were stopped, because everything was already shut down. No more hot water at the new toiletbuilding, every now and then some hot water at the old building. Bar closed, swimmingpool closed. What to do anymore around here?

I was lucky that on Thursday there was still a Dutch couple with their own tent staying at the campsite, because I got locked up in the toilet!!! The first two toilets: not cleaned, no paper, the third toilet locked, so okay then I will use the last toilet, of which I know the door doesn't close....., ah there is toiletpaper, so why not....

Why not??? Because one windblow DID close the door and this was one of the doors with no doorhandle on the inside!!! Help, will somebody open the door from the outside to get me out? One of the rare moments I was not having my mobile with me....

Oh well, let my think: today it is Thursday late afternoon; Gert Jan is coming Friday late aternoon, so in the worst scenario I will be locked up in here untill Friday afternoon. Hmmm, well at least I have enough toiletpaper if I need a whee during those 24 hours....

But then, about 15 minutes later, I heard a car coming: the Dutch couple passed by coming back from shopping: Help, help, I am in here, it's Rita, I'm locked in the toilet. And there Esther came to open the door: 'I straight away saw your shoe under the door and because I also was locked up in that toilet I understood what had happened'. Thank you Esther.....

Friday afternoon GertJan came and he saw that most of the work was done, so he said: you can also leave tomorrow afternoon, after you've finished up with the last few tents.

Around 16.00 it was: Goodbye Danielle, Serge, Belle and cat, That was it than........ Montmeyan...

I drove to Castellane, to the campsite where Pierre and Petra are couriers and I had a lovely weekend over there. A nice warm welcome, staying in a mobile home, a hot shower, my own toilet, what luxury those little things are suddenly after a few months without the most simple things around you. Having a coffee in the morning and a chat, having dinner in the evening all together, for sure I did reload my battery for the last few weeks of work.

Tuesday it was time to start work again, so I made the drive to Clairvaux-les-Lacs in the Jura where Pieter and Miriam are the couriers and where also Suzan and Alan were there, to pack up the tents and make the mobile homes ready for winter.

Working steady on, but in a relaxed mode, a few hours work, coffee brake, a few hours work, lunch brake, another few hours work and then shower, short sleep, dinner all together and early nights, because around 21.00 it's getting humid and chilly. Reading a little and catching up with some sleep.

On Sunday, a day off, I went with Alan for a 'little tour' in the area.(at the end I think we made 100 km).

First we drove to Baume le Messieurs, which is known for the abbey and the special nature around it..

Baume-les-Messieurs is a picturesque village eight kilometers to the north-east of Lons-le-Sauniere in the Jura department of France-Comte. In a splendidly scenic setting, Baume-les-Messieurs is surrounded by steep wooded slopes rising to high cliffs - the Cirque de Baume, the meeting place of three impressive valleys.

Exploring Baume-les-Messieurs

Within the village itself the benedictine abbey of Saint-Peter is the main monument of importance. The abbey dates from the early 11th century (and replaced an even older abbey in the same location - the village was founded around 869).

The 13th century abbey church is a mix of roman and gothic elements, and also contains some remarkable decorative highlights. You can also see the chapel, and various of the other buildings associated with the abbey.

Given the isolation of the location we can well believe that it was a suitably quiet spot for monks to meditate - can well imagine how peaceful it was before the advent of roads!

The village itself is small and contains a perfect ensemble of unspoiled, not too renovated, streets and houses winding quietly into the baume gorges, and a small river runs through the centre of the village.

Baume-les-Messieurs is also classified as one of the 'most beautiful villages of France

The Abbey

Upto the French Revolution, the little village, next to the Baume-Abbey was called 'Baume-les-Moines', as there was not much more than that. With the revolution it changed to 'Baume-les-Messieurs' - and now, since it is one of the most beautiful villages in France ('Les plus beaux villages de France') - it could be changed to 'Baume-les-Touristes'.

Baume-Abbey is really old, going back to a settlement of irish monks around Saint Colombanus within the 6th century.

732 Saracens destroyed the monastry, that got refounded in the early 9th century during the reign of Louis the Pious by Saint Eutice, a disciple of Benedict of Aniane (see 'Aniane', 'Sélestat', 'Marmoutier'). End of the 9th century the Normans raided the whole of Burgundy - and Baume-Abbey was in ruins again. Berno refounded the abbey a second time - and had success. Actually he had such a wow, that in 910, William of Aquitaine asked him to be the first abbot of the new monastry in the village of Cluny, so by now he is known as 'Berno of Cluny'.

Looking across the nave from the aisle. Massive round and rectangular columns.

After the visit to the Abbey and the village we went to the View Point where you could see the village and the mountains surrounding it.

Then a drive along the small village roads ending up in Champagnole, where we had a coffee and a sandwich and a walk around.

??? Did we take the wrong turn, did we end up in London??? Big Ben Cafe....

and even the 'Big' Ben with a London cab....................

From there the road to Heronissos, the waterfalls, but the road was blocked, so we never saw the waterfalls.....

Around 17.00 we were back in Clairvaux-les-Lacs where we sat down on a terrace in the sunshine for a drink. When we wanted to order a second drink it was: Non, excuse moi, we are closed!!! The whole village shut down at 18.00.

So, back to the campsite, where we had pancakes made by the Pancake master Pieter and again an early night. Just a few more days left here, then I think it will be with the nose of Tweety into the direction of Holland again.

Another season gone..... wonder what will be the next thing/happening/event coming on my road, but for sure I will let you know. Also later I will put some more stories on the site, which are still waiting in my diary. Keep in touch, hope all of you are healthy and happy.

And -as you may know by now - if you click on the button foto's, you can see all the pictures of the Abbey and the villages in the Jura. Enjoy......

Salut for the moment, Je t'embrasse

Rita xxxxxxxxxx (miss Pea)