Boot full!

Here is our friends' small car parked at the end of the impasse that leads to their home in Aspiran. The boot is now as full as we can make it, with their luggage and ours, and just some of the things that they were hoping to take home from Aspiran to Manchester ("some", because of us).

Later, the four of us will get in the passenger part, and be surrounded and covered by additional carriers, parcels and clothes.

But we have made it thus far. Probably 500+ km on, we are in La Source. It was mainly a lovely day, with sun and blue skies. The scenery, especially in the first part, was spectacular. We drove up into the high Languedoc, over the Millau viaduct yet again (but we could see it properly this time), past the entrance to the gorge where our old car is abandoned 40 km up the winding road, through the Aveyron, and on to Le Puy and the volcanos, culminating in wonderful views of the Puy de Dôme. That's about 350 km. Then through the afternoon past Clermont Ferrand, Bourges and Vierzon, possibly another 250 km: we'll check tomorrow.

We were here in time for me to receive a presentation on behalf of the Université d'Orléans from the director of the Ecole Doctorale. They are fine gifts, but add to the problems of car packing...

And now we have eaten a very large meal of shrimp croquettes and moules frites and desserts at "Léon de Bruxelles" right by our hotel.

Now to sleep. Mme's birthday tomorrow, and on to Calais. Good night!