We were staying near Lyon in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of France. The campsite was in the countryside a few miles from the village of Montrigaud. It was the weekend and the site was busy with laughing families enjoying the warm (hot) weather. The restaurant, with its wood fired pizza oven, was unsophisticated but popular with the locals and appeared to be open at all times. The site was attractive and very uncommercial, the owner found us to a shady pitch, secluded and surrounded by mature trees. There was a small swimming pool, well used by families staying on the site and a boules area where several groups were playing, while others were spectating enthusiastically.
Campsite La Grivelière, Montrigaud, Drôme
We spent two lazy days at the site and resolved to return when we were next in the area. Our next stop was Besançon, about four hours’ drive northeast. Motorways formed a triangle around our point of departure and we followed our satnav cross country through farmland and heading north to join up with the motorway towards Dijon. We didn’t realise we had taken a wrong turn until the satnav announced we should make a u turn, which we ignored. The drive was so beautiful, rolling hills with fields of wheat, lavender and sunflowers and deep forests of walnut trees. We drove for an hour and eventually reached a motorway and realised we had taken a huge detour and were further away from our destination that when we started out. Hey ho.
