Day 26 Maubourguet-Bergerac

The previous night we left Lourdes as we have a 1200 klm drive back to Koln via Paris to return the motorhome. At about 9.00pm  we pulled into an Autoroute stop to fill up with fuel before heading further. Filled up the vehicle, went inside to pay, very busy as these stations include shops, restaurant, truck and caravan stopovers, shower facilities, dump stations etc. So as I was turning to the two people behind me to ask is this where you pay for the petrol, I said, totally stunned, "Phil, Paul what are you doing here." Yes sure enough it was the voices of the Tour de France standing right next to me. Of course as the French TV use their own commentators no one recognised them but me.

The Voice of  TDF.....

I was talking to them in the queue for about four minutes. I asked them if they liked Australia and Paul replied "I do all my shopping in Australia," as he proudly showed me his R M.Williams jeans and boots. Phil was very interested in our story, about where we had been etc.Rushed back to the van to get my phone could hardly get the words out to Peter what was happening, rushed back and asked for this photo above.

When I show the picture to any of the English speaking world who take their commentary feed such as Canada, USA, England, Australia, NZ etc.they instantly know who they are.

We were on the road for most of the day passing Bordeaux, Royan, on the Atlantic coast, a popular seaside holiday resort for the French at the Gironde Estuary, the largest in Europe.Then past Poitiers, Tours, Orleans and into Paris.

Comment allez-vous Peng & Celine

We needed to come to Paris to drop off our bikes (As unable to take on TGV) and cases at my friends apartment in Montrueil about 10 klm from the centre of Paris.Arrived about 4.00pm. We met Peng and Celine unloaded our cargo have some refreshments then headed out for something to eat locally. It was great to see Peng who I had not seen since 2008 when he visited us in Australia. I had not met Celine who is now his wife, so it was lovely to see her. Peng and his brother Lei stayed with us in Australia, but Lei now lives in Italy with his family.

Listen to the band........This is Montrueil for tea

After a wonderful evening we headed off at 10.30pm towards Germany. We passed through the Somme, into Belgium via Charleroi and stopped about 1.30am near Liege in Belgium Motorway stopover.

Tolls for the day from Lourdes to the Belgium border 170 Euro