We have discovered that our new campsite, Hutopia Fontvieille used to be the municipal campsite. I remember in the past a large number of French towns and villages had a municipal campsite which may be associated with why so many French municipalities have dedicated parking places for motorhomes. But municipal campsites seem thinner on the ground. Perhaps they have been taken over by private organisations like Hutopia, who seem, from their website, to own campsites all over France.
Whoever owns it, we have already taken to this new site. There are brand new washblocks, a swimming pool still open and heated in September and enthusiastic young receptionists. It doesn’t hurt that it’s located in Provence and so the weather is nearly guaranteed to be perfect.
Today Sarah has gone with my man flu, but being a woman she has just shaken it off and has only mentioned it in passing. It did not put her off wanting to go and explore the local village of Fontvieille.
Fontvieille main street
Our site is slightly out of the village. About 2km by road from the centre but there is a lovely path that is less than 1 km. It looks as if when this was a municipal site there was open access to the village using this path, but now it is necessary to go through a gate with a pin code. The path is dusty and meanders through a bone dry pine forest. There are warnings everywhere about not lighting fire. At this time of year everything is brown and tinder dry – it would only take a spark.
A new feature. Cat of the day.
Before the path reaches the village it passes an old chateau, which I think is now owned by the commune. It was closed today but I think houses a small museum.
Chateau Montauban. If you look closely you will see the two donkeys!
As we neared Fontvieille we saw, coming towards us, a group of children, with accompanying parents, walking with two little donkeys. We also came across them on the way back to the campsite. We wondered what was going on. Inquisitive as always I have noticed references at the campsite to Alphonse Daudet and on investigation I have found that he was a famous French 19th century writer from this area of France. The book that first caught readers attention was called Letter from My Windmill which was a series of stories about life in Provence. The windmill referred to in the title is still in Fontvieille (although we haven’t seen it yet) and one of the stories features a donkey. Eventually I had my answer.
Church with Marianne in front which was erected in 1889 on the one hundredth anniversary of the French Revolution.
The village is not as twee as Mausanne-les-Alpilles, but the centre still does not look as if it has changed much in the last hundred years. Pale sandstone houses with shutters painted in various pastel hues. As expected prices in the restaurants look much more reasonable.
The Mayor’s Office
We had a slow wander about the old part of the village (to be honest I’m not sure if there is a new part!). At one point we were barked at by a golden retriever and some kind of bull terrier, from behind an iron gate. As regular readers will know this is a standard greeting all over Europe and of course in Italy, Greece and central Europe the dogs are often not behind gates, so no great problem.
Window of the day
As we rounded the corner and walked down a nearby road, somehow the dogs got out and the bull terrier came running towards us and jumped on Mabel, biting her. I turned and came towards the dogs and they backed off but kept attempting to attack our dogs. I had to resort to using my foot to ward them off. Me and the two dogs played this game for a minute of so and then I heard a voice calling them and off they went.
Village House
It is ironic that of all the feral dogs we have come across on this trip it is in France that finally a dog actually attacks us. Luckily no damage has been done to Mabel, but it won’t help the confidence of what, you already know, is a nervous dog. Poor old Mabel.
I have also found out today, that apart from Alphonse Daudet’s windmill, within walking distance there is also supposed to be a Roman aqueduct and the surrounding forest looks as if there are some marked walks. So I think there will be plenty to occupy us here for a few days.