Day #: 63 – 70
Summary: This leg has been dominated by the massive heat wave central Europe has been experiencing and the many hours of driving we did to escape said heat wave. We live in the desert of Arizona and we are used to high heat, but this heat wave is no joke. France/Germany are not set up for these types of temperatures, for the long duration of these heat waves and that the overnight temperatures do not drop down enough to cool anything off. A/C is few and far between and many structures are constructed to retain heat. People are really suffering and we know we have been fortunate to have real A/C in our Airbnb and hotel and we have the option and finances to quickly escape to cooler regions in our van. Europe is the continent that is warming the fastest and it is giving us pause about whether we want to make this a place to live in the future. After a few more fun days in Dijon at our Airbnb, we reluctantly departed and drove a few hours in the wrong direction (south) to our hotel in Annecy where we had our cracked windshield replaced the following day. This commercial Mercedes-Benz dealer was great but we learned upon our arrival that it would take 2 hours to install the windshield (and all the associated sensors) and then an additional 5 hours for the adhesive to cure before we could drive it. We had not planned for such a long appointment so we pivoted on the fly and decided to spend the day in Annecy which was only a quick Uber ride away but where temperatures were already in the high 90s. When we returned to the dealership we found our windshield had been expertly replaced and the dealership even washed our van inside and outside so it was looking very sparkly. With the heat wave making life in France downright uncomfortable for us inside our van, we decided to push as far as we could knowing we were starting out at 5 PM and that time was not on our side. We drove on the big, beautiful highways and through the many, many tunnels of Switzerland for 5 ½ hours and arrived in middle-of-nowhere Germany where we parked up for the night. At this time, it was still in the mid-80s F and we slept horribly in the van due to the heat as there was literally zero breeze. After that sleeping experience, we knew we needed to get north and get north fast to get outside this heat domes reach. We drove probably our longest day ever in the van driving 10-hours to arrive in Flensburg, Germany which is on the Germany-Denmark border. It was still a wee bit too warm for us, but a massive improvement over the night before. We stocked up on groceries in Germany (as groceries are much more expensive in Denmark and Norway) and then crossed the border into our beloved Denmark. Our first stop was Aarhus which we fell in love with during our trip last year. We cycled a lot and returned to the ARoS Contemporary Art Museum (Tracey’s favorite) and we were able to visit the new James Turrell Skyspace installation which had just opened a few days prior (spoiler: it was amazing!). Next we visited Mønsted Kalkgruber (the world’s largest limestone mine) and then the Kunsten Contemporary Art Museum in Aalborg to see a large late-Picasso exhibit before driving to the far north of Denmark where we are currently parked up and enjoying cool temperatures while we await our ferry to Norway. This location is at the confluence of the Atlantic Ocean and the Baltic Sea which allows for a steady light breeze and much cooler temperatures in the low to mid 70s F. We really really love Denmark and if they would have us (which they won’t as they have very strict immigration policies) we would live here in a heartbeat.
Location(s) Visited: Dijon & Annecy, France; The Highways and Tunnels of Switzerland :-), Flensburg, Germany; Aarhus, Mønsted Kalkgruber, Aalborg and Hirtshals, Denmark
Overall Impression of Location(s): Dijon = 4, Annecy = 4, Flensburg = 3, Aarhus = 4, Mønsted Kalkgruber = 3, Aalborg = 3, Hirtshals = 2
4 -added to our favorite list and we would return again
3 – a great place to visit
2 – OK for one visit, but we would not return again
1 – we wish we hadn’t wasted our time here
Dijon, France: The owl is the beloved symbol of Dijon, France. In the historic center, you will find the Owl’s Trail, a series of brass plaques guiding tourists. People touch the famous sculpted stone owl on Notre-Dame Church with their left hand for good luck and a granted wish. #OwlPower 
Dijon: Tony calls these “plastic cars” because they are so small they almost look like toys. Technically they are called voitures sans permis (VSPs). They are physically quadricycles which are limited to 28 mph, weigh under 425 kg (936 pounds) and are prohibited on the freeways. They can be driven by teenagers without a standard drivers license. We kinda love them! 
Dijon: There are no other words than hot to describe the recent weather. As we were leaving the city of Dijon the temperature in our van dash read 41 degrees C (~105 F). People were really suffering in France and there is not the infrastructure to deal with this type of heat, especially for such a prolonged time period. 
Annecy: Salomon brand is based here and they have a factory showroom which includes this case where you can “borrow” your size of their flagship shoe and take it out for a run! 
Annecy: Tracey was never so glad for cold misty water shooting from the ground. The cities are doing all they can to help provide relief like this from the heat. 
Annecy: We went to the The Musée du cinéma d’animation (Animation Museum) to escape the heat of the day. It is a small but well done museum with only minor emphasis on US focused animation like Disney or Pixar. Our personal knowledge is so American focused and we enjoy learning about how other countries are making equal or greater contributions such as in the industry of animation. Overall, recommended! 
Annecy: The animation shorts festival was ongoing while we were there and we would have considered staying for this outdoor movie event, but…the heat! 
Darmstadt, Germany: Tony loves the veggie restaurant Tidbits which is mainly in Switzerland with one other location in Darmstadt. Tidbits closed this location in 2025 but we learned another regional Bio focused restaurant chain has taken over the space. It was the same concept, the same decor and the food was on par with Tidbits. Tony was doing his happy dance. 
Flensburg, Germany: We stopped here last year and shopped before heading into Denmark as Denmark is much more expensive so we did the same again this year. Shopping at CITTI Market was a dream and might be the best grocery anywhere in the world we have shopped. The produce here makes Whole Foods look subpar. There was an entire aisle of just different soy sauces, another for BBQ, another for gluten-free bread, etc. They are right on the border and definitely cater to those coming from Scandinavia to shop more inexpensively, although it is certainly still not cheap. 
Aarhus, Denmark: There might be more recreational cyclist here than anywhere else we have travelled. This city also has fantastic cycling infrastructure but what Tony really likes is that city transitions into rural with almost no typical suburban zone. 
Aarhus, Denmark: Oh it is so nice to be back in Denmark. Aarhus was one of our favorite cities last time and it did not disappoint this time. 
Aarhus, Denmark: This is the outside of the subterranean art installation Skyspace. The grassy dome exterior of Turrell’s installation features a smart, steel safety lid which automatically seals the sky oculus if park visitors wander too close although there are signs not walk on the grass at all. 
Aarhus, Denmark: This portal opens and closes every hour. As Seen Below – The Dome is a light installation by American artist James Turrell and opened to the public on June 19, 2026. This is Turrell’s 100th Skyspace and stands as his largest ever built within a museum context. The artwork is designed to manipulate human perception, transforming the open Danish sky into a living, shifting canvas through a blend of natural and precisely calibrated artificial light. We loved it! 
Arrhus: The new James Turell Skyspace installation just opened a few days before our arrival. We saw it being built when we visited the museum last year. What a beautiful space! It is ~140 ft across, the top slides open to allow the outside in and the accoustics are wild. 
Aarhus, Denmark: The Populace installation at ARoS is a collaboration of Nina Beier and John Miller. It stations 100 staged mannequins in fast-fashion opposite 47 historical Danish portrait photographs, creating an eerie environment that explores modern consumer culture, mass production, and identity. Can you find me? #WhereIsWaldo 
Aarhus, Denmark: An interesting new exhibit with 100’s of fully dressed mannequins admiring old Danish portraits. We were able to walk around and in between the mannequins and it was hard to tell who was a real person and who was a mannequin. Very interesting experience. 
Aarhus, Denmark: ARoS is Tracey’s favorite contempory art museum so we returned again this year. It is is one of Scandinavia’s largest art museum and spans ten stories and features international contemporary art. 
Aarhus, Denmark: Completed in 2011, Eliasson’s 140-ton Your Rainbow Panorama floats above ARoS. The 150-meter-long circular walkway features 1,500 laminated color-glass panels, measuring 52 meters wide, supported by a 100-ton steel roof frame. 
Aarhus, Denmark: Your Rainbow Panorama is a circular, 150-meter-long glass walkway atop the ARoS Museum. Its colored glass panes cast a continuous spectrum over the city therefore, transforming the city skyline into a vibrant, living artwork. 
Aarhus, Denmark: Joe & The Juice is a Danish coffee and juice bar chain founded in Copenhagen. Known for its loud music and high-energy vibe, it serves fresh fruit juices, flatbread sandwiches, and specialty coffee across mainly Scandinavia. Tony is addicted to these smoothies. Don’t ask what they cost. LOL 
Aarhus, Denmark: Catholic Church of Our Lady had a light interior and monastic seating where all of the chairs were facing inwards and not in the typical pew linear formation. 
Aarhus, Denmark: Although we own 2 electric Bromptons, sometimes it is just easier to take rental Lime electric bikes. We have found these to be affordable, well maintained and easy to find designated parking spots. 
Aarhus, Denmark: There are no shortages of Lime bikes in this town. While we (as tourists) find them convenient, many of the locals feel otherwise. They feel there are just too many of them and tourists are not always responsible where they park them. We did note that the Lime app required us to park them in certain geofenced locations and we had to send a photo of the bike parked in the designated area so hoperfully this helps with these bikes being such an annoyance to the locals. 
Aarhus, Denmark: The Infinite Bridge is a seasonal, 60-meter-wide circular wooden pier on Varna Beach. Spanning 188 meters in circumference, it extends over the water to offer panoramic coastal and forest views. 
Aarhus, Denmark: This iconic Danish high school graduation tradition is called studenterkørsel. In late June, graduating classes rent decorated cargo trucks equipped with massive sound systems. Wearing traditional white caps (studenterhue), the rowdy students drive for hours, stopping at every classmate’s house for food and drinks. Passersbyers wave and honk to join the loud, day-long celebration. We saw dozens of these buses while in Denmark. We had great fun watching these buses and it was a highlight of this leg. #fascinating 
Viborg, Denmark: Mønsted Kalkgruber is Denmark’s largest limestone cave system. This subterranean labyrinth features over 60 kilometers of endless paths where thousands of bats hibernate, although all 5 species had migrated prior to our visit. 
Viborg, Denmark: The self-guided walk through Mønsted Kalkgruber follows 2 kilometers of illuminated pathways. We explored deep echoing chambers, passed underground lakes, and saw historic bat hibernation sites. We were allowed to freely roam and kept commenting to each other this would never be allowed in the USA. We didn’t even have to sign a waiver. #MindBlown 
Viborg, Denmark: The historic shaft kilns on-site were used to burn raw limestone at extreme temperatures. Today, these towering brick structures are well preserved, allowing visitors to walk inside them. 
Viborg, Denmark: The on-site museum at Mønsted Kalkgruber is housed in the historic limestone factory building from 1874. It retains its original industrial architecture, featuring massive timber beams, old kilns, and heritage brickwork. 
Denmark: In Denmark, a parking disc (p-skive) is a dashboard clock used to track arrival time in free, time-limited zones. We set ours to the nearest half-hour to avoid hefty fines if checked by roving meter readers. This is the first time we have used it and it worked great. We noticed many cars now have digital solar powered versions. 
Aalborg, Denmark: The Late Picasso exhibition at Kunsten Aalborg showcases over 60 vibrant, raw works (some unfinished) from 1963–1972. It captures the artist’s final, uninhibited decade of intense creative energy, exploring age, mortality, and desire. #VerySexual #LotsofNudity 
Ålborg: This was our favorite interactive art installation at the museum. We were able to lay down, put on headphones and do a guided meditation on these dorm style beds. Some people really got into it and actially got under the comforters. #nappytime 
Ålborg, Denmark: Designed by Alvar Aalto, Kunsten’s sculpture park is an open-air pavilion. which blends lawns, tall trees, and a central amphitheater into a architectural frame for modern sculptures. Many small kids were enjoying this fountain to escape the heat even here in Denmark. 
Hirtshals, Denmark: This truly is one of our favorite countries. Denmark houses over 6 million people. Its robust welfare state provides exceptional benefits, including free healthcare and tuition-free university education. People love it for its work-life balance, low crime rates, extensive cycling culture, and the comforting cultural embrace of hygge—fostering happiness. #WishWeCouldLiveHere 
Hirtshals, Denmark: Our campground of 190 vehicles is the UN of campgrounds. We even saw a license plate from Mexico. This behemoth parked near us and even had a UTV on the back. #KindaWantIt 
Hirtshals, Denmark: This unique mega bus showed up at our campground. It had 12 roottop tents which sleep 24 people on top. Daltus Reisen is the German tour operator and the vehicle is a “Dachzeltbus” (roof tent bus). We knew these vehicles existed in Africa, but not in Europe. All of the participants seemed to be having a good time. 
Hirtshals, Denmark: This Camino Sculpture was a granite hand holding a scallop shell. Crafted by Laila Westergaard, it marks the northernmost starting point for European pilgrimage routes, pointing south to guide hikers toward Santiago de Compostela #Camino
Distance Driven on Leg: 2,018 km (23+ hours of driving)
Weather/Temperature (°F): Have we mentioned how hot it has been? The weather on this trip has dominated most of our decisions about where to travel. Most of France has been in a heat box with high unrelenting daytime temperatures in the high 90s and low 100s F and overnight temperatures that haven’t cooled off much. There has been a week of more of these consecutive high temperature day and nights which makes this weather even more dangerous. We have been lucky with A/C and the ability to avoid the worst of it, but many in France are suffering. We have now escaped the heat dome as we arrived in northern Denmark, although even these temperatures in the mid-70s are elevated for this area at this time of year. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/24/world/europe/europe-heat-wave-photos.html?unlocked_article_code=1.s1A.VwqG.Y2PMxsIkzB6R&smid=nytcore-android-share
Road Conditions: No issues as all the roads we drove on have been in good condition. We did a lot of highway driving on this leg. Tracey drove on the German Autobahn in “boss mode” going 130 -135 kph which allowed us to make good time over the long distances we needed to travel. The Swiss tunnels can be quite long always surprise us in the sheer number of tunnels. We have now learned that the back roads of the interior of Denmark’s Jutland region are more France-like as the roads are only 1.5 cars wide with dirt shoulders for when 2 cars need to pass each other.
Chickpea Mechanical Status: Our refrigerator is still chugging along but we have still not received a reply from the manufacturer which is quite frustrating. For now, we are just making do and continuing with a hope and prayer that everything stays status quo.
Our windshield is fixed! This windshield (which is special as it is a fully heated windshield made from laminated glass) was the only windshield of its kind in all of France due to “supplier shortages”. It was expensive (as we are learning about all things Mercedes-Benz) but we had to get it done as it was spreading in multiple directions.
Highlights:
Our Dijon Airbnb continued to be a bright spot for us. Our Airbnb hosts (who live in the front house) were wonderful, kind and friendly. We enjoyed an aperitif with them one night and then Suzi spent the next morning with us taking us around in her car to all the different Dijon neighborhoods so we could get a sense as to whether Dijon might work for a future move. We saw places in Dijon we never knew existed. One of the neighborhoods we thought would be on the top of our list on paper was one of our least favorites. Overall, Dijon was a great stop and it was certainly boosted by meeting such nice and genuine hosts.
Citti Market in Flensburg, Germany is our new happy place. This store was the size of Costco but with normal grocery store product sizes. If you can’t find what you are looking for in this store, it doesn’t exist. This store is better than any grocery store in the world (including US) that we have been to. The produce was simply stunning and Tony’s one goal was to find fresh dates. Yes, they had fresh dates. Deglets (which he doesn’t like) and Medjool dates (his favorite) and at least 10 different grades and source countries for each type. Of course, Tony got 2 kilos of the biggest, juiciest, organic fresh dates from Jordan that simply taste amazing. #HeIsNotHighMaintanenceAtAll
Aarhus, Denmark remains one of our favorite places. Overall, the city has a young and vibrant energy to it. So many people are cycling, running, swimming and rowing. In the parks, there are groups of friends sharing a meal or snack. In the historic center, many of the areas are pedestrian only and lined with cute local cafes and boutiques. And the bicycle infrastructure almost rivals cities like Amsterdam or Copenhagen. We had a lovely ocean front campsite at the local marina which was centrally located and quite peaceful. Mønsted Kalkgruber is the largest limestone mine in the world and we were surprised to find we were able to freely walk around the trails without a guide. The temperature inside the mine was 46-degree F so we donned our puffy coats as we entered. Many of the paths were lit, but some were not but we were free to explore at our leisure. We really enjoyed our visit and learned a lot about the lives and physical challenges of working in the mines at the adjacent museum. We would recommend this stop as it is quite an unusual experience.
Lowlights:
Tracey’s Celiac flare up continues and she thinks she may have accidentally been glutened yet again and this time at a restaurant in Annecy. The restaurant verbally confirmed the dish was gluten-free but it seemed too “bready” to be gluten-free. Shortly after eating it, Tracey’s symptoms worsened and therefore she suspects there was gluten in it. We have decided not to eat out at any restaurants for the next several weeks to let her body take a break and heal. #CeliacSucks
While we have made the best of the weather situation, the heat wave in France has significantly impacted our travel plans this year. We could not go to some places we wanted to (e.g. Lyon, Nancy, Lens or Lille) and even some of the outdoor activities we couldn’t do due to the heat. We are going to remember this experience when we travel plan our return trip in 2027 but also know we can’t control the weather. #C’estLaVie
Second only to Denmark, we love Switzerland. We had to purchase a roadway vignette (this is a required annual toll charge to drive on Swiss highways and costs $53) but due to the heat wave we didn’t even stop in Switzerland and transited straight through the country. Boo as we still have more exploring to do there and really love the hiking and camping options. #NextTime
Up Next: We have another day in Hirtshals, Denmark before boarding our ferry to Norway via Color Line Ferries. It will be a quick ~4-hour trip to Larvik, Norway. We then make the short drive to Oslo, Norway where we already have an urban campground booked for 5 days. We are getting excited about Norway and hope it lives up to our expectations.
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Sorry to hear you hit the extraordinary heat wave in Europe. It has been a disaster for many. Having the windshield fixed was a priority. We call that safety first action in my household! I hope the remainder of you trip is satisfying. Tracey I’m sorry to hear your Celiac is back and raging. It is one miserable condition. Eating out is one of the dangers of for Celiac sufferers. My family is 4+ to gluten. Each have tested and no one has Celiac. Thanks for taking me along with you on your travels. It is good to hear first hand what is happening over there and to know you are staying safe and continuing to enjoy your experience. Blessings to you both…Lanette