30 November 2022 - Meaux

Miles driven today = 77

Total Miles to date = 4,577

It turns out that getting around the east side of Paris without using toll roads is actually a bit of a faff and it took us getting on for 3 hours to travel just 77 miles today with probably a third of that time sitting and waiting for traffic lights to change.  Google Maps took us through the centre of Nemours, which looked interesting, around the outskirts of Fontainebleau, and also slap bang through the middle of Melun, which was very busy indeed.  We did at least have plenty of golden leafed woodland lining the road, which looked great even in the grey and misty conditions.

With virtually all campsites now closed in this part of the World, official stopover places with facilities are few and far between.  There is an aire in Meaux (pronounced "mo"), so that's where we are.  There are only 5 pitches and one of them is currently blocked.  The signs are a bit confusing but we think it's free to park or €7 if you want leccy and water but the card machine seems to be completely dead so we can't pay even had we wanted to.

First impressions of Meaux as we drove in were that it is a lot bigger than we were expecting and if there were any suitable alternatives nearby we would probably have scarpered after lunch.  But it turns out we were doing the place a disservice.  We wrapped ourselves up against the cold and wandered up the banks of the Marne to the pedestrianised centre.

The town has a Gothic Cathedral dedicated to St Etienne.  Check out the flying buttresses on that beauty!

To the rear of the Cathedral is an Espiscopal Palace which nowadays houses a museum.

There is also this building Le Vieux Chapitre which has an interesting external staircase, a bit like a 13th century fire escape.

Meaux is famous for its cheese and most specifically brie. 

They have a brie museum.  We went in, as much to get out of the cold as anything else.

They even wear brie shaped hats!  To quote Monty Python - Blessed are the cheesemakers.

1 December 2022 - Baby it's cold outside!