Tag 1 - Arrival in the Gorges du Tarn

After leaving our home in Upper Franconia at 04:40 am today, we arrived in the beautiful Tarn Gorge at around 5:30 pm under cloudy skies. We made good progress, everything went well.... except for the voice that haunts me and keeps saying...“Attention - Traffic disruption! The route has been changed due to current traffic conditions!“... If we had followed our original VE navigation system, we would probably still be on the road, encountering 23 traffic jams.... I think VW has more than just a diesel scandal... someone seems to have had one with the navigation system's voiceover lady, as she was completely off today 😂😂😂 We roll into the valley with the last drops of fuel, stop briefly at a viewpoint because the view is simply stunning, and hope that the gas station is still open. While following the navigation system, I see my first French "cave"... haha.... I think we reach the gas station very relieved and Jörg realizes that it is a fuel dispenser.... of course in French language... but after 3 interruptions, we find the right combination of buttons and the diesel is running 👍-check. Below the road opposite the gas station, the Tarn river flows and it is simply amazing. Just as I am about to ask Google about our hotel, I look down the road and see a sign ... somehow it looks like.... Chante-Perdrix.... isn't that also the name of our hotel? Of course, and so our hotel is only 50m away from the gas station... logistically perfect. We park the 🚎 and in front of the hotel there is a group of elderly ladies and gentlemen who immediately approach us.... in.... French... I reply "Bonjour - we only speak English... short silence... I say "pardon... and everyone starts smiling and speaking English... the willingness to make an effort to speak even the slightest bit of French seems to be appreciated. Our hostess is very nice... she takes us along... explains everything to us in French AND English... always beautifully one after the other...

After unpacking our things in the room, we set off... we are HUNGRY... the navigation system says right... and we turn right.... over the Tarn, up the hill, and Jörg asks... ".. will it go down again and to the pizzeria?" I... ".. of course, Jörg, if I tell you that, it's true... promise..." 5 minutes later, when the navigation system tells us to turn right, I regret my statement - the road is a hiking trail and it is closed... so back to the beginning and back in the other direction... with stomachs hanging down to our knees.... but oh miracle we finally arrive, drive over a small bridge again and stand in St Chely.... population... very small.... but beautiful. We reach the small parking lot, walk past a cute little church to the Pizzeria L'Eden... we immediately feel comfortable... it has charm and absolutely nothing touristic... just beautiful... located directly on the Tarn river flowing past. Christiane welcomes us and is very nice. We have a delicious dinner - set menu with salad, pizza, and dessert, and on top of that we get valuable information and infrastructure for our study trip. We are thrilled and grateful for everything... both the food and the information. We even have the opportunity to get a car if we need to move our car and we are allowed to join a guided tour for 2 days and get shuttled around... really great deal!!!👍

So that's it for the first day... I hope it will be simply beautiful... we think of everyone at home and say "Bonne nuit e dormez bien!"