The warm wind overnight has dried our washing and allowed harvesting of wheat to continue into the small hours. Sombernon is a lovely town with a great outlook over surrounding countryside.
We collect a few groceries and fuel then drive off in our separate ways. Unbelievably our five weeks together have come to and end. What an amazing opportunity we have had and such a rich experience. It has been great but we do need to move on.
We drive through Dijon and stop for a drink and early lunch at a playground near Auxonne. We are surprised when Kay and Malcom happen to drive past and see us. They pop in to say a final farewell.
This time we drive onto the Jura region which is on the Swiss border. We head to Arbois. Jura looks really interesting and Arbois a lovely town on the cleanest river we have come upon. Unknowingly we arrive a few days after the Tour de France has raced through on Wednesday. It would have been amazing to the race but so much harder to find our way around the town so we are relieved as it is unbelievably hot... Again around 37°. We see Louis Pasteur memorials and so we decide to visit his house. The tour is interesting but a little dry. His house is very well preserved and it is remarkable to see the innovations he had put in place in his own home as well as introducing the girls to a little science. Millie wants to know more about his laboratory and how he came to make the discovery about pasteurisation and also develop a vaccine for rabbies.
On the way out of town Clare enjoys an encounter with an attendant in the supermarket. There is a discussion over dress purchased earlier in the week which has come apart on the first day of wear. The discussion to have it exchanged is drawn out but it felt satisfying to have enough French to cover this encounter.
We drive closer to the Swiss border, obviously tracing part of this weeks Tour de France route. It's a lovely drive past wild deer and forest areas until we come upon Lac de Rameray. About an hour from Lausanne it is a Swiss looking landscape with Swiss style houses and cows with bells. We stay on the shores of the lake and the girls enjoy a swim after dinner.
The free aire we stay in is part of a car park for a community centre. Not the best nights sleep but our very best wishes to Mathilde and Cedric who marry today and host their reception in the same community centre.
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