5th August
On to a cheese producer at Bouligney nr. St Loup. Here we stay at a farm, 4 generations of a cheese maker family live in the village.
We were greeted by grandpapa 80yrs old he spoke German, Dutch, French but no English, we had a long chat, I asked, “are you the fabricator of fromage.”
“Oui, yogort, fromage.” He replied proudly.
We saw the grandson at the shop, tasted a range of cheeses, and settled on gruyer cheese, creme fresh, and some damson juice. Grandpapa wanted to know what we liked.
“Everything we tried was our reply.”
After another chat he showed me a double electric socket in a lean to next to the ‘van. “Do not pull this plug out” he said and switched on a bandsaw used for cutting up the firewood, “bobbin,” he demanded, I worked out he meant my mains lead. “Put your fridge on the mains, make a cup of tea.”
“Right, OK, how much for electricity.”
“Nothing” he said.
Next morning he was over for another chat, he considered security problems were probably due to gitan or Moroc. We told him were off to Alsace, he showed us the tourist spots on the map, recommending that it would be cooler in the mountains. That was good news we as were planning on going up. ”You can stay another night if you wish,” he said.
Once again it seemed a shame to be leaving, sometimes fellow French, campingcaristes ignore us, sometimes we are instantly like old friends.
6th August.
We drove via Moisel valley to the Ballon de Alsace, having lunch at the Col de Ballon, it was cooler although there was so little breeze that the hang gliders and parascenders were having trouble getting off the ground. Our next stop was at The Tete Rouge de Gazon it is 12 km from St Maurice s Moselle all upwards to 1100m ASL. It is a winter ski run with ski lifts. The water supply, pure eau de source ran continually, piped off the mountain. Every evening ponies with bells canter across the mountain. It was cooler only 25degC at bedtime such luxury. We spent 2 nights there.
8th August
We traveled to Bollenberg Hill, literally a hill, with a view across the planes of Alsace to Mulhouse. This is Germany really, but don’t say anything, they will be fighting again. We stayed at, (not in) the hotel at the top I surmised that the strategic position must have caused this hill to see action in 1870, 1914 and 1940, sure enough on the way out we saw a German Memorial which commemorates a big battle.
9th August
We had to move on to find some shade, at 35degC in the shade here with a good breeze and 31degC at bedtime it was uncomfortable. We went up to the Col de Firstplan for lunch in a wooded area, mixed conifer and deciduous trees, nice shade, 800m ASL.
Later, down the route de Vin to Turckhiem to a Domain to spend the night under an Elderberry tree next to a peach.
They produce muscat wine white fruity, grapefruity, very nice.
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