Day 2.
31st August
Our day began with a typical French breakfast of fresh croissants & Coffee supplied by our Hosts Gezim & Shukrane. We explained briefly about our onward journey and they told us they often visit Kosovo where their family had originated from. We also covered the issues we are all currently having with gas, electricity & petrol prices etc he explained they had been told to expect rationing of supplies which would be catastrophic for their restaurant. A few words about Putin were exchanged.
So, watered & fed we hit the road again. Sat Nav primed for Mulhouse – 4 Hours’ drive via A4 a little over 4 hours all being well.
Mulhouse (City) meaning Mill House
Is situated very close to the Swiss & German borders It is the largest city in Haut-Rhin and second largest in Alsace after Strasbourg. Famous for its museums, especially the Cité de l’Automobile.
Mulhouse an enclave in Alsace, it was a free and independent Calvinist republic, known as Stadt Republic Mauthausen, associated with the Swiss Confederation until, after a vote by its citizens on 4 January 1798, it became a part of France in the Treaty of Mulhouse signed on 28 January 1798, during the Directory period of the French Revolution.
After the Prussian victory in the Franco-Prussian War (1870–1871), Mulhouse was annexed to the German Empire as part of the territory of Alsace-Lorraine (1871–1918). The city was briefly occupied by French troops on 8 August 1914 at the start of World War I, but they were forced to withdraw two days later in the Battle of Mulhouse. Alsatians who celebrated the appearance of the French army were left to face German reprisals, with several citizens sentenced to death. After World War I ended in 1918, French troops entered Alsace, and Germany ceded the region to France under the Treaty of Versailles. After the Battle of France in 1940, it was occupied by German forces until its return to French control at the end of World War II in May 1945.
4 hours later via Nancy & Epinal we reached our destination safely. Boulevard Leon Gambetta another grand looking house only this time on a hill, a sharp turn right through gates led us to the parking space at the rear of the house. We were both ready to stretch our legs, get settled and relax for a while. At the side of the house were a set of steps that Sir Edmund Hillary would have struggled with. We proceeded through the unlocked front door to find only two more doors. Left, or right? We opted for the left, a young gentleman with a smiley face met us, what a relief, I was dreading seeing Uncle Fester this time. We gave our name and he happily proceeded to show us our room explaining how to use the keys for the front door first.
Upstairs we went to the top floor of this most gorgeous house, with its galleried staircase full of wonderful artwork. Jean our host asked if we knew about the famous Dreyfus family who once lived in this house, I wanted to say yes and make out that we were super intelligent and had read up about them, but alas we hadn’t and I just replied no. Jean was happy to tell us all about them. Alfred Dreyfus (1859–1935), French military officer best known for being the focus of the Dreyfus affair. Please feel free to check him out on the net its quite interesting. As we approached our room at the highest point of the house, I suddenly had a vision of General Erich Von Klinkerhoffen in his Chateau from Allo Allo (all you young ones check that out too, its hilarious) The room was pleasant, ensuite shower, TV what more did we need, oh and (the squeakiest floorboards I have ever had the pleasure to walk on), well at least no one was going to get near us tonight whilst we slept. Showered and rested I suggested one of us went back down to the car, to grab the bag of snacks & drinks we had left over from our day on the road. That was code for Ed can you go and get them please. Well, a good 40 minutes later just as I was going to send out a search party, Ed came back with three large Pizza boxes, he had decided to take a walk down the hill and came across guess what? A Turkish pizza takeaway selling not only pizza’s but Larmacun our favourite (Turkish thin type pizza’s) Not even a word of French was needed. Well, what do you know those Turks get everywhere, 😊 Tummies full, French TV watched, it was time to sleep, after all we had another day on the road tomorrow.
