{"id":29138,"date":"2018-05-26T18:15:44","date_gmt":"2018-05-26T17:15:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ourtour.co.uk\/home\/?p=29138"},"modified":"2019-04-11T16:17:13","modified_gmt":"2019-04-11T15:17:13","slug":"direction-decisions-lapalisse","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ourtour.co.uk\/home\/direction-decisions-lapalisse\/","title":{"rendered":"Direction Decisions, Lapalisse"},"content":{"rendered":"

Zagan the motorhome is again braced under thunderous black skies, tonight we all hope they will only bring rain to the municipal Camping de la Route Bleue in Lapalisse (N46.24274, E3.63883<\/a>).<\/p>\n

\"Camping<\/p>\n

From one of the viewpoints in Charroux, we could clearly see the decision we needed to make. Head south towards the volcanoes of Puy de Dome which we had climbed before<\/a>, or east towards the mountains of the Alps.<\/p>\n

\"\"

South or East?<\/p><\/div>\n

A quick check of the weather forecast made the decision for us, the temperature was due to rise to around 30\u00b0C. As Charlie is most comfortable around 22\u00b0C, south was not for us at the moment. We scoured the apps and aires books and found a municipal campsite that we could stay in until this wave of weather broke and the temperatures cooled.<\/p>\n

We made a detour via a Lidl to stock up for a few days, and as I got stuck in the queue at the checkout Charlie and Jay baked in Zagan in the shadelessness of the Lidl car park. This only served to confirm that we were making the right decision. Half an hour further along the road, Zagan’s windscreen was filled with Le Chateau de La Palice, looking protectively over the town of Lapalisse.<\/p>\n

\"Lapalisse,

What a welcome!<\/p><\/div>\n

We tried to pull into the campsite, but the reception was shut until 5pm. Finding shade, we waited. Jay was dispatched back to town to get some cash out as the site doesn’t take cards and we were part of a queue of four by the time the guardiene arrived to check us in. The campsite itself was empty, which is not surprising as there is also a free aire in the town. Normally we’d be in the aire, but we needed shade and to get Charlie out of Zagan in the heat of the day. The total price for three nights in the campsite was \u20ac35.85 (without electricity), a small price to pay for a cool pooch and happy pooch parents.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Charlie enjoying the last of the cool blancmange Rosie made for him – Thanks Rosie<\/p><\/div>\n

Taking it in turns, we’ve explored the town, both either walking or out on separate runs. It’s just a couple of minute’s walk from the campsite through some lovely gardens.<\/p>\n

\"Lapalisse,<\/p>\n

\"Lapalisse,<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The main thing that struck Jay was the prices of property in the estate agents’ windows. You could pick up a small place around here for \u20ac29,000 or somewhere bigger for \u20ac39,000! Sure they would probably need rebuilding or some serious work doing, but its a nice price for a bolt hole with good free road links to the Mediterranean, Alps or beyond. What struck me was the sheer number of chocolate and cake shops – good job I don’t take money out with me when I go for a run!<\/p>\n

Each day the campsite has emptied, the guardiene going home for lunch around noon til 5pm and we have the place to ourselves. Zagan has been washed and his insides cleaned – sadly that was all we could think of to do. What would you do if you had a campsite to yourself?<\/p>\n

The weather finally broke last night. The skies above us darkened (or as we say in Nottingham “it’s a bit black over Bill’s Mothers”) and rumbles of thunder got louder and longer. Charlie had retreated under Zagan for some cool, but now was staying there out of fear. As the wind picked up a gravy bone was deployed to tempt him out, luckily food always wins with Charlie, he and Jay climbed into Zagan as the first big splots hit us.<\/p>\n

Looking through the windscreen the river in front of us was raging far more than it should with just a little bit of rain, then we found out why. The rain was now hail. Cherry-sized chunks of ice crashed down onto Zagan, we shouted to each other over the din as we closed windows and skylights. Concerned looks were exchanged as the noise from the rear skylights sounded as if there were going to break at any moment, as Charlie went and hid in his bed.<\/p>\n