Jane Aston, painter.

 I 've been away back to see my family in the UK. While there I bought a little Peugeot Diesel car to drive back.  I was able to stock up on Patak's Brinjal pickle, poppadoms, plants and I even bought a small greenhouse. I had car parts to pick up for our van too. I arrived in London the day before the funeral of Madame Thatcher. I had a wander around Covent Garden and Neal's yard before catching a bus to Birmingham. I caught a Euro Star train in Dijon and arrived in London at around 12.30. An early start from here and 2 hours drive to Dijon.

I got a bit lost in Arras and I asked 2 girls with a child if they knew of a F1 hotel. They knew it and directed me there. Then they offered to go that way anyway so I could follow them. They sped off in a tiny car and I following them, just. They were so sweet and gave me a little toot and a wave goodbye. Then I arrived in Auxerre and started out off following the free Route National, prettier but too many traffic lights and you have to slow right down for the villages so it's a bit slow. I used a small road to get to the big toll Autoroute and I went through 2 amazing stone villages. One was
Lucy sur Cure and the other Sacy. Stone villages with very little evidence of modern life at all.

I spent the night in Arras in a cheap and cheerful Formula 1. They are normally near the motorways and are everywhere in France. You get a TV, shower and Wifi and of course a bed.