Backroads to Grenoble

Wow, the car we got leaving Nice is really nice. We got a free upgrade to a Toyota hybrid with free gps. The car we had before was a really nice BMW small suv but this Toyota is great!!

Between the car navigation with a British lady’s voice and my iPad navigation with an American lady’s voice we had a fun time finding lots of back roads on our way toward Paris… we have 4 days to go about 350 miles so we are meandering. The French countryside is beautiful, the roads nice and very little traffic when off the beaten track. At times the road would narrow going through a little village and you had to take turns with a car going the other direction but mostly we were the only car for 10 to 15 minutes at a time. France has lots of pullouts and picnic areas to enjoy the views but no restrooms along the way, so I am now really good about spotting a supermarket that has public restrooms. We love wandering the supermarkets anyway to see what is different or the same as home.

The history and ruins that we have seen is mind boggling. The mountains must be incredible in the winter. We passed several snow chain up pull outs.

We are currently in Grenoble…. home of the 1968 Olympics but so much more! We are in a fabulous small hotel right in the center of the old town, the Le Grand Hotel. They are super friendly and funny here. The breakfast this morning was the best European breakfast so far and the best coffee. We took the cable car way way way up to the Bastille fortress from back in the 1600s. I kept my eyes open on the way up and down… really… I did.. We spent several hours up there and took the audio tour of the Mountain Troops Museum. It was fabulous. It is an army established in 1888 and of course it is all about the mountains…. from war times back then, plus WWI and their part in the resistance in WWII. They do rescue missions here but also are involved these days in more current conflicts in other countries if it involves mountains, snow and harsh conditions.

As we wandered back to our hotel this afternoon we found a couple barber shops so Garry was able to get a trim. We (I) had a totally embarrassing mishap there. I got up from my chair to take Garry’s hearing aids from him, completely forgetting I had just purchased a bottle of Absolut Vodka. My shopping back hit the floor with a splat… and vodka ran everywhere. Well, the Foreign exchange student sitting next to me spoke English and he was totally cracking up. In fact everyone there did… all the barbers, the owner, people waiting. As we were leaving they were all laughing and shouting ‘Vodka!’. Yes, we had to stop so I could buy another one.

Tomorrow we will go most of the way to Paris… we have no idea where we will stop, but our goal is a short day for Sunday when we turn our car in and go to our hotel somewhere near the Eiffel Tower.

Tight roads

Typical town

Had lunch here and watched an art class

Almost looks like snow

Lake along the way

A different lake

View from room in Grenoble

Cable car view in Grenoble

Me taking picture of person taking pic of me

Cable car ride

Haircut time for Garry

Laying brick below our hotel

Garry taking pic of me