Van Gogh and Van Gas Gone!

Friday 22nd September 2023. Arles.

After a bit of a mozzie pestered night we woke and prepared to leave the site. We disconnected the electricity cable and we checked that all our services were now working on gas. There was no gas pumping through the system, which was strange since we only filled up with LPG two days ago and we would have smelt any leakage. We checked and rechecked hoping that if we turned the gas cylinder valve a little further it would suddenly work….but nothing.

I called the gas regulator customer helpline and the lady on the phone asked about the crash sensor feature and the reset button! We remembered that Janice did have a little incident where she drove over the top of the levelling ramps yesterday. Anyway, the reset button was hiding behind one of the tubes and once reset it was all tickety-boo!

That was sorted, so, I could start my cycling. It’s my fault for not knowing where the reset button was.

Again, we agreed on our overnight location at the historic town of Arles on the Rhône. Janice set off in the van and I pedalled and pootled on my bike.

This was a snapshot of the resort of Grande Motte. All the accommodation seemed to be these spectacular apartment blocks that look a bit like cruise liners.

My next town of note was Aigues Mortes. What a nice walled town it was …

It was a bit like Carcassonne but on a smaller scale. It would be worth a stay if it had not been so close to our previous stop over.

I got out into the countryside and skirted the top side of the Camargue region. Whilst cycling I began to think that ‘The Pretender’ King Charles III was actually on a State Visit to France visiting Bordeaux whist the True King Richard IV was cycling around southern France. That’s a bit of a coincidence….two English Kings in France at the same time. It is only a matter of time before I fully reclaim my title on behalf of the ancient line of the De Vernon’s and the Norman bloodline.

My route took me along the Canal du Rhône a Sète and the cycle track was officially the Via Rhôna. Whilst cycling I witnessed a nasty crash….the older man ahead of me came to a right hand curve and hit a cyclist coming the opposite way! The man coming the opposite way hit a low barrier hard with his shoulder as he fell. Fortunately, he jumped up quickly and didn’t seem to have an obvious injury but I bet he’s taking the pain killers tonight.

This is the Abbey at St Gilles.

Janice had already arrived in Arles and parked the van up for a wildcamp on the outskirts of the town. I would meet her in the town centre.

Arles has a Roman history and a well conserved Colosseum and Amphitheatre. It is also famous for being the place where Van Gogh chopped his ear off.

A church in the Place de la Republic.

An amazing structure in the middle of town. Apparently it was once filled with dwellings and shops and used for protection.

The Amphitheatre still gets used for performances.

The majestic Rhône River with the Goddess of Plenty!

No hills in sight! Nice ride though in gorgeous sunshine. The temperature was a lovely 26 degrees.

We returned to the van and had our meal before returning into Arles to watch the second half of the Argentina v Samoa game which finished 19-10 for Argentina.

We watched in an Irish Bar and I was drinking a pint of Kilkenny. We had been to the town of Kilkenny in June and had been impressed by the place.

Last night the French gave Namibia a pasting 96-0, they did look sharp.

We have decided to stay here tomorrow night as well. I want to do a bit of art work, drink some absinthe and take a knife to a body part! Also, I need to watch a bit of rugby!