04/09/08 - Back to the seaside!!

It was up and over Col de Braus at a mere 1,002m first thing today.
Then down-down-down where a more and more Mediterranean feel came with
olive groves thriving and pink and terracotta houses perched on the
hillsides. Finally, after getting on the crazy French toll roads in
Nice, we got our first view of the sea since leaving the Baltic all
those weeks ago.

We got off the motorway at Cannes after going through two toll gates
with completely different prices that didn't seem to fit with the
distance traveled on each section of toll road - then finally we were
able to get up close and personal with the best of the French Rivera -
well at least we thought we had found the best part because there
wasn't a fancy yacht or apartment in sight - just a beautiful wild
coastline with red rocky outcrops on every corner, and little bays to
stop off and have a swim in the very warm Mediterranean. Fantastic!!

One unfortunate drawback to this magnificent part of the world is the
stories and warnings we get regarding car thieves. We have read that
the locals remove the plastic panel that covers the boot of their car
just to show the thieves that there is nothing to take!! I don't
think we are going to be able to convince anyone that there is nothing
in the van - so at the moment we are being a little paranoid in some
areas. I guess if its going to happen - its going to happen but we
today no chances were taken and we took turns going swimming.

Onwards to La Londe-les-Maures where our camping book showed a
designated free parking spot for campervans, no wonder it was free as
it was sitting right next to a busy roundabout!! I'm sure it would
have been fine as people do sleep, and cars don't go all night.
Anyway, we chose not to be cheap, and instead found a camping ground
only 5 minutes walk from the beach.

Unfortunately this area of coastline was not quite as brilliant as
just west of Cannes, but still the water was warm and there was an
endless array of restaurants sitting on the waterfront. With a big
pot of the local specialty - Moules et Frites (Mussels and Fries) we
had a very pleasant evening sitting alfresco at one restaurants right
on the marina, doing our very best at another French custom - people
watching!!