A Scandinavian Tour - Summer 2025

Off on new adventures!!! For my wife’s 60th birthday, I’m really making her happy. While I usually pick warm, sunny destinations, she’s more tempted by places where you don’t suffer from the heat. So, it’s off to Norway!! A real challenge for me—a southern guy who’s as cold-sensitive as they come. I keep telling anyone who’ll listen (well, just myself, really) that these aren’t the countries for me, that rain will be our travel companion, that we’ll have to face polar bears, navigate between icebergs, that there are still Vikings around, and all sorts of other things. Of course, not wanting to make it easy, we’re driving from the Lyon area where we live. Friends who’ve visited the country told us it’s pretty expensive to eat out (among other things), so we’re bringing supplies—especially enough for apéritifs the whole trip!!! It’s not a camper van, but a "hotel-car" we’ll be doing! We’ll see how it goes! As usual, I’ll try to narrate the journey with my two-cent comments, plus some little tips to avoid our mistakes—assuming I don’t lose any fingers to the cold! Every night, I’ll count them to make sure I still have all ten! We’re not in *Ch’tis* territory but even farther Noooorth (as Galabru would say). Note that I’m traveling with a synovial effusion in my knee! The old man’s not in great shape!! Here we go!!

PS: As always, I’m a filmmaker, so I’ve made an effort with a few photos from my phone.

Day 1: On the road ... - July 20 Departure at 8:00 AM for 919 km of roads (all highways, by the way). Passed through Besançon, Mulhouse, Freiburg, Frankfurt, then arrived in Göttingen. No issues on the French highways, but the incomprehensible traffic jams in Germany always surprise me. You go from two to three lanes and it jams up!! We’re driving at 150 km/h, then suddenly a 1 km traffic jam with no particular incident. This isn’t the first time I’ve noticed this with our German neighbors. It’s pretty tiring, but I knew that going in. When we arrived at the hotel, a nice shower, then a good meal at the hotel’s Italian restaurant, and straight to bed.

The +: We’re on our way The -: German traffic jams you can’t pop open with a beer bottle opener!

Day 2: Arrival in Scandinavia - July 21

Hotel: Best Western in Göttingen: Classic but with a good breakfast and a nice room.

Departure at 8:30 AM to catch a ferry in Puttgarden. I booked a crossing at 2:15 PM. Plenty of time, but with potential traffic jams... Well, no worries on that front, except for a small 1 km jam when arriving in Puttgarden, due to going from one lane to... one lane (Really, that’s not an explanation!). I still don’t get it. We arrived early, and a Scandlines ferry company rep told me my crossing was guaranteed at 2:15 PM, but if there was space before, we could board. So we did, leaving at 1:00 PM. And don’t even joke—this time you’re not taking a plane, so you’re not "taking off"! A 45-minute crossing without any issues, and we crossed the Danish border. Two hours of (excellent) driving later, we arrived at the hotel in Copenhagen. I chose it south of the city, at a reasonable price and with a metro station nearby. Needing to stretch our legs a bit, we took a walk in the neighborhood, which is brand new, with buildings separated by canals. The walk was short-lived, though, as it started raining. We headed straight back to the hotel and had a pre-dinner drink. An excellent Côte du Rhône accompanied us. Bedtime came quickly—after 1,500 km in two days, we were pretty tired.

The +: We’re in Scandinavia The -: It’s raining

1- View of the splendid sky from the ferry

Day 3: Copenhagen - July 22 After a fantastic breakfast that gave us tons of energy, we took the metro to the city center. Not-so-practical detail: Knowing we only had a round trip between the hotel and the city center, we tried to buy all the tickets at once (2 for the outbound and 2 for the return). Big mistake because the 4 tickets were only valid for one hour. We had to buy 2 more on the way back! We arrived at the town hall as planned. The weather was overcast but it wasn’t raining. We went there for the photo ops. The town hall square is spoiled by huge illuminated ads on top of all the buildings around it. There are quite a few statues in the area (including one of Andersen, the famous striker for FC Grimm and author of a few books). We continued to Christiansborg, the Danish parliament. It’s open for visits and actually pretty cool because there’s a whole section where the king (which one?) works. What does he do? He shakes hands with people who come to see him, waves from the balcony sometimes, organizes official banquets—basically the royal life! But Frederick X doesn’t live there (that number makes me think I should count my fingers tonight). There’s a huge room with amazing tapestries. After the visit, we headed to Nyhavn, the ultimate tourist spot (Denmark’s Montmartre). A canal, boats, brightly colored houses along 600 meters, and of course, tons of tourists. It’s really pretty despite everything. A tiny ray of sunshine gave us hope for better weather! Next, we went to Amalienborg, another palace where the king lives and raises his children (it says so in the book, so it must be true!). At noon, the changing of the guard was happening, so we waited. That’s when my wife got noticed. There must have been only one wasp in all of Denmark, and of course, it stung her near her lips. Since she’s a bit allergic to those critters, we headed to a pharmacy and managed to communicate in Spanish. Our English and the pharmacist’s weren’t compatible. More fear than harm, but what a twist for someone who’s traveled a lot, including in Africa with all the creatures encountered there! We still saw the changing of the guard. It was absolutely classic, but we were there! We continued our walk to the famous Little Mermaid, the statue everyone knows. It was really nice strolling along the water. Suddenly, we saw a huge crowd gathered around a rock about 200 meters away—of course, the famous statue was on it. We’d have to push through to get THE photo. But in the end, we managed to get the shots we wanted around the beauty.



2 - The famous one!

I’d told my wife that if it didn’t rain until we reached the Little Mermaid, that would already be great. What an idiot! As soon as we took the photos, it started raining, and harder and harder until it was pouring! We took shelter in a restaurant and had a meal while waiting for a break. But it just kept going... When it started raining less, we decided to head to Rosenborg, the castle with the king’s treasure and all the rest (at least we’d be sheltered). Big mistake—did you think all the tourists wouldn’t have the same idea? We got there only to find everything was full. “Tomorrow,” the guy told me! Yeah, but tomorrow I won’t be here! So we went to Rundetårn, but it was really raining. We took refuge in the Lego store, but it was smaller than we thought, so we ended up outside again, and it was still raining. We walked around the shopping street a bit, but it kept raining. So, we headed back to the hotel to relax, not forgetting to grab our metro tickets (grr). The end of the day was a bit gloomy. Another little walk around the neighborhood near the hotel. We saw a beach with umbrellas, ice cream vendors, churros, lots of people lying on towels, balls, and beach gear. AND, oh, it’s the rain playing tricks on you! Because of course, none of that was real—just a beach, two swimmers in wetsuits doing laps or widths while trying to avoid the seaweed. Not many appealing restaurants in the area, so we had another apéro-dinner, all with my excellent red wine! The +: Christiansborg The -: The rain

Day 4: Crossing Sweden - July 23 Hotel: Scandic Sluseholmen: Good, the amenities are solid, and it’s super convenient with the metro nearby and free parking.

Today was a driving day. We crossed the famous Øresund Bridge, which connects Denmark and Sweden—about 7 km in a tunnel, then arriving on an entirely man-made island, and finally 7 km on a stunning bridge. We’re in Sweden now—no customs officer in sight... We passed through Malmö, then headed north. A stop at the Slynge Rock, a spot where you can, aside from the rock itself, watch some birds. It felt good to stretch our legs a bit and get closer.

3 - Slynge Rock

We continued to Tanum and its rock carvings. The GPS took us through some tiny roads—I wondered what I’d stumble upon. In the end, a fantastic visitor center (the USA vibes were strong!). We wandered from one site to another. The first shock was at the main Vitlycke panel. At first glance, the carvings looked really well-preserved, but a closer look made it clear they’d been repainted—and regularly, using techniques from the original era. It’s primitive art, but a nice break. The weather was great, so we had a picnic and did a few short hikes to see more carvings.

4 - The main Vitlycke panel

5 - One detail among many others

We carried on toward Oslo, our next stop. Again, we crossed the border without any issues, but arriving in Oslo was pretty tough when your hotel is right in the center and there are one-way streets everywhere!!! It felt like that famous Raymond Devos sketch! First road: One-way Second road: One-way Third road: One-way My wife panicked a little—I must’ve missed one—but in the end, we made it to our hotel. It has parking, so all’s well! Now, cozy in our room, I’m waiting to see if I’ll get a fine. Norway’s a bit of a Big Brother country (I’ll talk more about that later). Our hotel is super well-located near the parliament, and it has parking (paid and expensive). A nearby Pakistani restaurant filled us up. A digestive stroll led us to Oslo’s French toilets—a blue one, a white one, and a red one, with the motto *Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité* written on them. So original!

6 - Cocorico!

The weather’s nice—always a plus. The +: Tanum The -: The chaos getting to the hotel

Day 5: Central Oslo - July 24 Off to a beautiful day. Plus, it’s hot and sunny! Bus 15 (stop at Vigelandsparken) to go admire Gustav Vigeland’s statues. Puritan souls should abstain since they’re mostly nudes, but they represent life in general. There’s nothing sexual about these depictions of working-class life. The park is lovely and well-maintained.

7 - The weather’s nice, they’re barely dressed!

Back on the bus to visit the Cathedral. Nothing spectacular—you can tell it’s not really their thing. Only the king’s box stands out a bit. Then on to Akershus Fortress. The audio guide tour is interesting. I didn’t understand the other tourists there, by the way. The audio guide was included in the ticket price, and we were the only ones using it! Plus, it’s well done with lots of anecdotes.

8 - It doesn’t look like much, the fortress, but it’s something else!

Picnic in a park—they’re so numerous and well-equipped here. (It’s clean, no vandalism.) Then on to the Oslo Opera House with its really original architecture. “We’re allowed!” Basically, you can climb onto the roof for a panoramic view, unfortunately spoiled by cruise ships.

9 - View of the harbor from the opera

I suggest to my wife that we visit the Munch Museum nearby. I let out a cry of horror when she tells me she doesn’t know the Norwegian artist. I quickly show her his most famous work, which is............................... (answer already given), and honestly, she’s not convinced. So no Munch for us. Then I get the idea to head to the Maridalsvelein district, where supposedly you can find street art. The walk is a bit long! Plus, Oslo (like many places in Norway) is under construction, so navigating the streets isn’t easy. I imagine a lot of work happens during this season since it must be difficult with snow. When we arrive, there are a few murals, but many are tagged and look old. While I love street art, I can’t stand tags, especially when they cover existing works. The walk back to the hotel is tough—our legs are exhausted, and my knee is really swollen. We won’t go out again, preferring to have a dinner apéro in the room, still with my excellent Côte du Rhône.

The plus: Akershus The minus: Maridalsvelein

Hello, I’ll be reading you closely—I live near Lyon too, and I dream of taking a similar trip. I’m married to someone who only dreams of sunny destinations (though he *did* come back enchanted from our stays in Scotland and Denmark ;)). Looking forward to reading more! Françoise

Hi Françoise, we’re back and thrilled with my idea. See you soon!

Day 6: Bygdøy and its museums - July 25 After yet another hearty breakfast, we head to quay number 4 to board a shuttle to the peninsula of Bygdøy. The weather’s gorgeous! While Denmark was rainy, so far, Norway’s climate is just perfect. But first, we queue up to enter the city hall, specifically the grand hall where the Nobel Prize is awarded every year. Nothing extraordinary—just a few paintings—but it’s the symbolism that counts. No photos allowed, not even of our friend Donald, who dreams of coming here one day! A wedding between two women just took place. They’re dressed in traditional costumes. What tradition? I’ll admit I don’t know—it’s just the word we usually use—but either way, it’s pretty cool. A short boat ride later, and we arrive near the famous museums of Bygdøy. I chose (and this time, my wife didn’t argue) to visit the Fram Museum and the Kon-Tiki Museum. Great choice! Even though we’re not big museum fans, both of them were fascinating. The first one covers polar explorations. Nansen and Amundsen, the two most famous explorers, are truly celebrated here—no surprise, those guys were legends! Their stories are gripping, everything’s well explained, and on top of that, you get to see their ship, a hero of polar conquest. There are also interactive exhibits, including a seaplane flight simulator that’s really fun. We spent nearly three hours there without a dull moment. The second museum, smaller, focuses on the adventures of one man: Thor Heyerdahl. Another incredible character! Of course, the two boats that made his expeditions possible are on display! There’s even a great film about preserving the Kon-Tiki after its voyage. We have a picnic at one of the many tables provided—something we’ll notice is common in Norway: picnic tables + free toilets. Afterward, I decide to hike around the peninsula. It’s really nice. We stumble upon a beach packed with people (all Norwegians). It feels like the French Riviera! I dip a toe in, but nope—not my kind of temperature! My wife thinks it’s fine but doesn’t go past her knees. Honestly, the water isn’t very clear. With those huge cruise ships in the harbor—even if we’re a bit far—those ocean giants aren’t exactly eco-friendly, and they’re probably dumping more than just holy water. We keep hiking through the woods and head back to catch the shuttle, ready to relax at our nearby hotel. We’ve walked a lot today, and my knee’s definitely feeling it. We go out again to visit the Royal Palace. It’s not amazing, but the gardens are pretty. The guards are doing their thing—mounting the guard, of course! There’s the traditional balcony where the royals occasionally wave to the people, kind of like a Miss France moment.

Italian restaurant for dinner, then bedtime.

The plus: The two museums The minus: The beach

PS: No photos today. I forgot!

Day 7: Telemark and Its Churches - July 26 Hotel: Thon Hotel Cecil – A well-known chain in Norway. Hard to reach by car, but with excellent services and, most importantly, perfectly located. Today, we head to Telemark. Leaving Oslo goes smoothly—very little traffic since it’s Saturday and Norwegians aren’t up yet. First stop: the Heddal Stave Church. One of those famous wooden churches! It feels like I’m 15 years younger, back on one of my trips to the USA, specifically Rapid City, where there’s an identical one!!!! Joking aside, it’s stunning. No guided tours, but the young people at the entrance are happy to answer our questions. Why is there a covered gallery around the church? Why this? Why, why? It’s truly a beautiful monument, all wood, pegs included.

10- Heddal Stave Church

We continue on the road, which I’ve dubbed the "Church Road," since we stop at the one in Sauland, then the one in Høydalsmo (spelling adjusted—normally, the first ‘o’ has a slash through it!). We can’t visit the interior, but like all Norwegian churches, they’re surrounded by a cemetery.

11- Høydalsmo Church

These cemeteries are incredibly well-maintained, even graves of people who passed away long ago and probably don’t get many visitors. Every grave is discreetly but tastefully decorated with flowers. We finally arrive in Eidsborg. A guided tour of the stave church’s interior is offered at 1 PM. It’s 12:45—we’re good to go! With our traveler’s English and my Southern California accent, we should be fine. Nope! We end up with a Norwegian who stutters slightly, speaks an English that only locals... well, let’s just say I won’t offend anyone. Plus, he must be a third-year intern who’s behind in school because he doesn’t know his spiel. When he talks, he hesitates—obviously—but sometimes you can see him thinking, *"Oh! Right! I need to say that! I forgot that part!"* At one point, he repeats word for word what he’d just said moments before, then suddenly stops, realizing his mistake! It was painful. We felt bad for him. We just wanted it to end. Our picnic, still packed, was much appreciated! The road to our next stop is truly magnificent—mountain roads where lakes follow forests, dotted here and there with red, yellow, or white houses. A real mountain landscape that reminds me of Colorado (yes, I’m a huge fan of the US!). I hope to spot some wildlife, like a moose, but no. Nothing moving. We arrive at the parking lot for Edlandfossen, a waterfall known for its width. Click-clack from the bottom, then a short walk to reach the top, re-click-clack, and we’re done! Next goal: a hike to Gloppefossen. I’d found GPS points for the parking lot. We search desperately for the trailhead, described as hard to spot. We find it, and after a few minutes, we hear the waterfall. Strange—I’d read that we’d arrive from the bottom, but here we are up high. Easy to figure out: my GPS coordinates were wrong, and we ended up at a stunning viewpoint above the waterfall (not right next to it). From up there, I can barely make out the path we should’ve taken down below, but we’d have had to park much farther away. Oh well, the view is beautiful, but the hike was super short! We continue on the road to Bykle, a tiny, remote village where I managed to find a reasonably priced hotel in a cozy atmosphere. We enjoy a delicious meal at the hotel restaurant and hit the hay.

The plus: Heddal Stave Church The minus: No surprise—the guide in Eidsborg

Ugh, such a shame we missed the MUNCH Museum. On the other hand, we’re so influenced by our knowledge of *The Scream*—it’s understandable, but if I can give future travelers one piece of advice, it’s to forget that painting, which isn’t necessarily representative of this incredibly prolific artist’s entire body of work. Plus, the museum’s architecture is absolutely stunning!

I’m extra glad we didn’t skip it because even *we* almost did! My husband isn’t big on "art museums," and even less so when it comes to contemporary art… but he actually enjoyed it. Go figure!

Anyway, there’s a way to make up for it: I’ll be writing about it in my travel journal… stay tuned! !

Ugh, such a shame we didn’t get to see the MUNCH Museum

The choice was up to the missus—it was still HER trip after all 😊 Looking forward to your trip report. Later!

Good evening, thanks for the feedback and the photos. Too bad there aren’t one or two photos of Nyhavn and its colorful houses... because the Little Mermaid—meh, no need to go out of your way to see it 🙂 On the other hand, those tortured statues are from Frogner Park in Oslo, and they’re pretty impressive!

Day 8: Telemark and the Lysefjord – July 27 Hotel: Bykle Hotel: A cozy vibe with a charmingly old-school feel

After scarfing down breakfast, we drive a few kilometers and start a short hike to get into the mood. It’s at Byklestigen, and by climbing fairly quickly, you can see two really pretty lakes. No wildlife encounters, but the good weather keeps following us.

12- View from the hike

We continue and take the scenic Suleskardveien road. While it takes a while to reveal its beauty, once you reach the heights, the landscapes are stunning. It’s just a succession of lakes and small mountains with sheep everywhere. For the first time (but not the last), the road feels like hiking—except you’re in a car. For driving, you need to anticipate, but it’s manageable since the narrow passages only allow one vehicle at a time. We stop at several viewpoints, though we can’t stop everywhere because many pull-offs where you could park are blocked with chains and signs saying « grpklgr grtrgbf », which in Telemark Norwegian means « private property, no parking ».

13- Suleskardveien landscape

We find a little spot and—off we go—to the top of that small mountain you see up there. My partner humors my urge to wander. Pinpointing exactly where we are is anyone’s guess. It’s pretty, it’s uphill, and despite the lack of trees (it’s more like a steppe), we discover a lake that forces us to take a detour. We realize that hiking like this isn’t all fun and games—everything’s spongy, and dry spots are rare. The adventure lasts a while before we decide to head back to the car. The return is epic—dodging barbed wire and super soggy patches—but that’s part of the fun. Later, I notice lots of people doing the same thing: stopping somewhere and trying to reach a small mountain. We stop again near what looks like a dam, which we then walk to. A huge water reservoir reveals an artificial lake behind us. It’s called—hold on tight!—Parkplatz Rosskrepp-Staudam Adger 2. After Suleskard, we turn right onto the Lyseveien scenic route. The landscapes remain gorgeous, with our small mountains and more distant peaks. We arrive at the famous Kjerag Café. This is where one of Norway’s most famous hikes starts—the one to Kjeragbolten, that round boulder wedged between two cliffs where thrill-seekers get photographed. Our timing’s a bit tight for the hike (a day of miscalculations). We stop at the café. Parking is free for the first two hours, so we enjoy the view from the top of the Lysefjord. I’d read trip reports about the road down to Lysebotn warning that you need to be a good driver, that it’s tricky, etc. But honestly, there are over twenty hairpin turns in just a few kilometers, yet it’s super easy—so easy that I barely have time to say « ouf » in Norwegian before I’m at the bottom. I miscalculated our travel time, so we arrived at the bottom of the fjord way too early. Too early compared to what? Simply put, I’d booked a ferry that crosses the fjord to Forsand. It’s not exactly a tourist ferry, but you sail across the fjord with your car at a reasonable price compared to the « tourist cruises ». You do need to book ahead, though, because it’s tiny (fits 20–25 cars). We wait while sipping coffee and taking photos. The cruise is amazing—those towering cliffs are impressive. We spot the famous Kjerag, but from our perspective, it looks like it’s 5 mm tall. Countless waterfalls cascade into the fjord, and a few houses seem lost—you wonder how they’re accessed if not by boat.

14- The cruise is fun!

We also see the famous Preikestolen from below.

15- There it is! The end of the trip, the wind picks up, so I bundle up in my puffer jacket (yes, I’m a cold wimp!). We arrive in Forsand around 9 PM, with 30 km left to Jorpeland and our hotel. Too late to find an open restaurant, so once again, it’s a dinner of snacks (we’d packed for this possibility).

The plus: The cruise on the Lysefjord The minus: My poorly calculated timing.

Day 9: Pulpit Rock and Stavanger – July 28 Hotel: Verkshotellelet in Jorpeland – Pretty basic but with another great breakfast. There was a kitchen attached to the room, which was handy for our setup.

YES, it’s not raining! We set off early to tackle the famous Pulpit Rock hike. The parking lot at the bottom is paid and already crowded. The climb is steep, but my knee’s holding up. 1 hour and 15 minutes later, I was at the top of the madness. If you love hiking to connect with nature, this might not be the spot—you’ll be connecting with hundreds of people instead.

16 - After seeing it from below, here’s the view from the top!

17 - Had to cheat to get a photo with hardly anyone in it!

I snapped a few pics while waiting for my partner, who was climbing a bit slower. Weird—she was taking her time. Then I spotted her, stopped about 50 meters from the top, waving her arms. I went back down, and turns out, with all those people around, she had a panic attack—she was terrified everyone would jump off the edge! No way to talk her down! After minutes of back-and-forth, we headed back down, which made me joke she’d climbed the *Almost*-Tolen. The descent was awful—not because of the difficulty, but because of the crowd going up. They were basically nose-to-backpack with the person in front of them.

RANT: I’ll be selfish here, but while it’s great that so many people come to do this hike, they could at least show some respect for others. I lost count of how many people, when the path narrowed and I let those climbing up go first, just stopped in the middle to take a photo, catch their breath, or even knit—without a care for the person waiting like an idiot. I have a certain vision, a certain ethic about mountain hiking, and I’ll admit, this place was far from it. I know it’s not just an exception—Cinque Terre, the Dolomites, they’re all victims of what we call overtourism. Back at the bottom, it took us longer to descend than to climb! We regrouped and headed to Stavanger, our next stop. We took the 14 km paid tunnel, which was pretty nerve-wracking under the fjord. Deep inside, blue lights made it feel like we were underwater! We had a picnic at Sverd i fjell, a lovely spot with a monument celebrating a Viking victory.

18 - Viking monument

Then we headed to our hotel. It was a bit early, but maybe our room would be ready. It was—a quick break, and then we set off to explore the city. We started nearby with Gamle Stavanger, an old district of wooden houses over two centuries old, painted in pretty colors. It was really charming. We reached the harbor, though the view was ruined by a massive cruise ship. We checked out the cathedral (closed) and then moved to the other side, Fargegaten, a newer area but also with lovely, colorful wooden houses. Despite the crowds—yes, the 3,000 cruisers were around—it was nice to wander the streets.

19 - Gamle Stavanger district

Back to the hotel (it’s uphill!) to relax, have a drink, and then head back down to the harbor for a seafood dinner. With the cruise ship gone, the harbor view was completely different. Lovely spot, Stavanger!

The plus: Stavanger and its two districts The minus: The insane crowds at Pulpit Rock

A tour of the cathedral (closed) and then it's the neighborhood on the other side, Fargegaten, more recent than the first but also with very pretty, colorful wooden houses. Despite the crowds—yes, the 3,000 cruisers are here—it's nice to wander through the streets. Back to the hotel (it's uphill!) to relax, have a drink, and head back down to the harbor for a fish meal. With the cruise ship gone, the view of the harbor isn't the same. Lovely spot, Stavanger

We really loved Stavanger, with or without cruisers. I have to say, the feeling isn't the same when 5,000 people disembark from a ship in a mid-sized city compared to when they flood a small village like FLÅM or GEIRANGER—there, it's really too much! We had planned to do the Preikestolen hike, but given the weather, slippery trails, and my recent fall, we swapped it for a super cool boat ride. Now, reading your post, I think we made the right call. After all, if it's just to take a photo like the thousands already online, what's the point?!

Day 10: The West Coast – July 29 Hotel: Comfort Hotel Square – Feels like a Best Western, so classic with another great breakfast. Today, a morning drive. It starts well because when I pick up my car from the paid parking lot near the hotel, I can’t print a ticket and therefore can’t pay. Since there are no barriers, just cameras, I hesitate to "make a run for it." I try to contact the company, still using my Southern Los Angeles-level English. After telling the guy when I arrived (the day before), he says he can’t find the camera footage of my car. There must have been a camera issue at that exact moment. So, he tells me to leave without paying and that there won’t be any problems. Cool, but that Big Brother vibe worries me a bit. We head up to Bergen. I thought I’d see a bit of the sea. While the road is good and the ferries are easy to take, with sheep grazing, we don’t see much of it. So, no impromptu stops, and we arrive in Bergen fairly early. I booked an apartment right in the center for two nights. There’s a washing machine, so this mid-trip break is welcome. The catch is that I planned to unpack the whole car to reorganize, hoping for nearby parking. Nope! It’s all pedestrian-only everywhere, which means a sweaty climb to the apartment, no elevator. No big deal, it’s doable. We end up having lunch in the apartment, and since the weather’s nice and I read that Bergen is the rainiest city in Norway, we take advantage and head up to Mount Fløyen for the view. In my head, I’d planned to hike up and take the funicular down to spare my knee. My partner agrees to the deal. In an hour, we hike up at a relaxed pace. It’s crowded up there, but the view is stunning.

20 - View of Bergen from Mount Fløyen

We take plenty of photos, check out the troll trail—it’s fun.

21 - A troll

Then, when it’s time to go down, we’re disappointed—there’s a huge line. I can’t estimate the wait time, but I’d guess it’s over two hours! So, we hike back down!!!! My knee is going to suffer! We stroll along Bergen’s docks, do some shopping, and head back to rest the beast (and my knee). Aperitif and back to the docks for a seafood restaurant (still super expensive!)

The +: The weather’s nice The -: The far-away parking in Bergen

Day 11: Exploring Bergen on foot – July 30 The weather’s misty, but it’s not raining, so that’s okay. Just a note that we did laundry, so we’re starting fresh!

I put together a little walking route. We start at Lille Lungegårdsvannet, with its fountain just 3 minutes from the apartment, then head toward the national theater. It’s not exactly amazing. Plus, there are tons of construction sites that force us to detour around buildings. Next, we pass through the Nøstet neighborhood, where you can wander through its cobblestone streets and admire the traditional wooden houses. It’s really pretty.

We quickly find ourselves at Klosteret square, then at the small white church of Nykirken. It’s closed (little grrr!).

We head back down toward the harbor, take a quick stroll through the Fish Market, sample some specialties offered by the vendors, and arrive at the Rosenkrantz Tower and the Festning fortress. Nothing too exciting. Then we wander through the narrow alleys of the Bryggen district and check out a few shops. A few raindrops start to fall, so we head back to the apartment to eat and take a break, making a tiny detour to the cathedral—once again, closed (grrr getting louder!).



22 - Bryggen in the mist

We have a meet-up at 3 PM at the Hanseatic Museum for a guided tour in French to learn more about the Bryggen district and the famous Hanseatic League. It’s great—the guide does a fantastic job explaining the history in the museum, where the buildings are just like they were back in the day! (I love that phrase, tossed around without any specifics: “Back in the day!”) The tour wraps up in the same areas we visited in the morning, where the guide points out a few special details. After the tour, we wander through the Fjellsiden neighborhood, where we see old, colorful wooden houses. One of them has a World War II cannon barrel instead of a chimney! A unique way to stay warm!



23 - A ray of sunshine over Fjellsiden

We pass by the cathedral again—this time it’s open. There’s a service going on. My very religious companion wants to go in and possibly attend the service. Personally, I’d wait outside. But she can’t even get in! She’ll be able to at the end, but only after paying a fee. (Big grrrr!) So, just so you know, churches in Norway are either closed to tourists, no matter their religion, or they charge you to enter!

Happy hour rolls around, so we head back to the apartment, do what we need to do, and then go out for a bite (expensive) in town.

The plus: Guided tour of the Hanseatic Museum The minus: Paying to enter churches that are “in use” and not just tourist sites (not or no longer consecrated)

Day 12: Heading to the Nærøyfjord – July 31 Hotel: Marken Studio Apartments: Super well-equipped, ideally located for exploring Bergen. Perfect if you don’t have a car, a bit dull otherwise. We left Bergen under the sun—this weather just won’t stop proving me wrong, and I’m not complaining. A peaceful and really pretty drive past lots of lakes, heading toward the Tvindefossen waterfall. I’d seen on AllTrails that you could hike from the bottom to the top of the falls. That was the plan. When we got there, parking was already a nightmare. So many vehicles, buses full of tourists (hey, what are *you* doing here?). We made our way to the base of the waterfall, waiting for the bus crowds who’d crossed the little barrier to take their photos right by the falls to clear out. Love that behavior!!!



25 - The waterfall

I then looked for the trail on my AllTrails map. Seriously, in Africa, lost in the savanna, I found insane trails, but here? Nothing. There were barriers and signs that seemed like warnings (written in Serbo-Norwegian, no less). So we left, heading toward Stalheim and the Stalheim Hotel. I’d read that you could enjoy the hotel terrace for a stunning view. And it’s true! It’s a lovely, quiet spot where lots of hikes start. I spotted one that begins at the bottom of the hotel and leads to Stalheimfossen. It wasn’t long, but it was really nice. The road continued, and we arrived in Gudvangen. This is where we boarded our second cruise-ferry, this time on the Nærøyfjord. A picnic in front of the fjord under the sun—amazing! There’s a Viking village nearby! Let’s dive into another era. It’s pretty well done—there are houses, huts, Vikings, weapons, an imposing chief, Viking women, activities, battles, horseshoe tossing, stick throwing, archery, axe throwing, chickens (no, we don’t throw them), and tourists (them neither). All in good spirits. We had a great time.



26 - Viking Hut

We then parked the car in the ferry queue, grabbed a coffee and a pastry while we waited. Darn, a few raindrops! Luckily, it stopped as soon as we were on the boat. We set off for a 2.5-hour trip! At first, we sailed between the towering, narrow cliffs of the Nærøyfjord. Like the previous fjord, the boat was a ferry, but the captain got close to the sights—a beautiful house, a waterfall, etc. We continued onto the wider Aurlandsfjord before finishing on the Sognefjord and arriving in Kaupanger.



27 - The Nærøyfjord

During the trip, since we were right by the cabin chatting with an Italian couple, the captain came over and started a conversation with all four of us. I love these kinds of chats. The Italians started sharing their thoughts on Norway, with him saying we weren’t driving fast enough. The captain talked about his experience—he’d done a lot of sailing, including a round-the-world trip (for example), and competitions. Mostly, he shared his perspective on modern Norway. While Norwegians have always lived close to nature, their current approach to ecology comes mainly from the country’s massive oil wealth!! With money, you can do things! He was pretty annoyed by some things, especially the intensive salmon farming, which, he said, makes it hard and expensive to find good salmon. Like any sailor, he regretted the influx of cruise ships, especially on the Lofoten Islands, which he felt had lost their authenticity compared to how he remembered them. The conversation lasted until we arrived, with him leaving the approach to his first mate. I really enjoyed that moment, not taking everything as gospel (can you tell I’ve visited churches?), but it gave a real sense of perspective. After this maritime interlude, we hit the road again to visit the Kaupanger Stave Church and continued to our next accommodation—a cute little chalet where we’d have dinner.



28 - Kaupanger Stave Church The plus: The “cruise-ferry” again with its stunning views, plus the chat with the captain. The minus: I never found my Tvindefossen trail.

Thanks for this really enjoyable travel journal. Just like you, I really loved visiting the Fram in Oslo. That was back in 2003, but I still have great memories of it. Honestly, the influx of tourists in places where these cruise ship giants dock is pretty overwhelming. Your "parking" adventure reminds me of the same thing that happened to us this June in Kristiansand—our Belgian license plate wasn’t recognized. Since there were no barriers in the parking lot, we just drove out without paying! Your itinerary is super nice and brings back some great memories for me. Can’t wait to read the rest, Vivien

Thanks Vivien. More to come. See you later!

Day 13: The Sognefjell Road – August 1st Hotel: Vesterland Feriepark Hytter – A cozy little cabin in a large holiday complex. We didn’t take advantage of much, but it looks really nice.

The weather’s overcast, and it’s drizzling. We’re debating whether to try the hike to the Nigardsbreen glacier. On top of my left knee hurting badly, my right ankle (the humidity?) is acting up. Not feeling great. Still, with experience on my side, I decide—with a somewhat skeptical look from my wife—to go for it. “It’s always good to stick to the plan,” I say. We arrive at the glacier hike parking lot. One of the first ones there. Lots of people are getting geared up to actually walk on the glacier. I hadn’t planned for that, and today wouldn’t have been the smartest day to try it. I chat with a guide who doesn’t look typically Norwegian. Turns out, he explains, there are six Nepali guides working the season here and the rest of the time in the Himalayas. Another pretty cool encounter. So, what about us now? I’d planned to hike to the foot of the glacier. A slight detour (not a new injury, don’t worry!)—there’s an option to take a boat that cuts 1 km off the hike (2 km round trip) by skipping a section I’d read could be slippery when it rains. So, we take the lazy (or sensible) route and decide to go for it. 2 km less for my old legs—sounds good. Just so you know, this boat service, though handy, doesn’t start until 10 AM! Three ice floes (according to the police) float on the lake, or three icebergs (according to the unions), but we’re not in any danger of reenacting the Titanic.

29 - Boat approach

Finally, the climb begins. Leaning on my two trekking poles, I’m struggling quite a bit. It’s one of the first times my wife has had to wait for me!



30 - Slowly getting closer...

We climb and climb, and eventually, we reach the foot of the glacier. I put my down jacket back on once we stop. It’s stunning. We can see the Nepali groups on the glacier, equipped with crampons, ice axes, and all the gear. I don’t get the impression they’re going very far (just my impression, I’ll clarify), but all the groups are roughly in the same spot, so it’s pretty crowded! Now, time to head back down! It’s quite painful. With every step, a sharp pain shoots through my knee, but slowly, I make it. And when I spot the boat, it’s a real relief. Again, we run into “pseudo-hikers” with completely unsuitable shoes. You have to wonder!! Anyway! When we get back to the car, it starts raining! Perfect timing! We head toward Lom, cutting across the Sognefjell Road with planned stops at the viewpoints of Nedre Oscarshaug / Oscarshaug / Mefjellet / Sognefjellshytta / Vegaskjelet / and Liasanden. The road looks amazing—a small mountain road that feels like a hiking trail, but in a car. The problem? The weather. It’s not great! We stop at every viewpoint, but visibility is low, and we can’t see far. At one point, we catch a glimpse of a glacier, but it’s fleeting.



31 - A slightly clearer view...

At the last viewpoint, it’s a bit clearer—normal, since it’s lower. We meet some campervan travelers from Montpellier who just came from the Trollstigen (Trolls’ Path), where they saw nothing, and are heading to the Sognefjell, where they won’t see much either! It’s life! The descent to Lom is pretty, the weather clears up, and there’s even some sun. We stop at a church and its surrounding cemetery. Oh, a Muslim grave! That’s unusual around a church! I’ll have to dig into that (not the grave, you goof!).



32 - The church whose name I can’t remember (maybe Voldemort...)

We arrive at the Lom Stavkirke. Another beautiful building.



33 - Lom Stavkirke

We continue to our cabin at a campsite. We do some shopping and have dinner in the chalet.

The plus: the hike to the glacier (yeah, I’m a bit of a masochist!) The minus: the weather

Day 14: Strynefjell Road and the Geirangerfjord – August 2nd Hotel: Hytter at Furuly Camping – Unpleasant welcome, cabin was fine with everything we needed, even mosquitoes! The weather’s great, so we might take advantage of another beautiful route, this time with clear views. Off to the old Strynefjell road, which starts with gravel, reminding us of Southern Africa, a place we love so much. Hardly anyone around—95% of the cars we saw were French. It’s stunning! The lakes, glaciers, the color of the water, the snow—everything’s there, packed into just a few kilometers. Once again, it feels like we’re hiking.

34 - It’s all here!

We stop often to soak in the calm and serenity of the landscape. No hikes planned today—gotta rest the beast and my knee. We take a break at Videfossen waterfall. A trail leads from the parking lot to the falls in just a few minutes. There’s a viewpoint that puts you almost right above it. Super photogenic!



35 - Videfossen’s bubbling pool

The road continues with a beautiful hairpin descent. I’d planned a detour to Lodalen Fjord and a hike on the meditation trail, but we’ve gotta be reasonable (really!) for my knee. Oh well, we’ll take a detour instead and head to the Dalsnibba viewpoint. It’s a one-way toll road. The weather was nice down below, so we came, we conquered, but we saw nothing. No luck—we were above the clouds. A bit pricey for a sea of clouds! It was a close call. So we head back down toward Hellesylt! To get to Geiranger, instead of taking the direct route, I booked a ferry-cruise once again to sail through the famous Geirangerfjord. A little wait in the sun at Hellesylt, and we start our navigation through this gorgeous fjord. It’s our third time, but it’s still an amazing experience. While Norway has incredible landscapes, many of the mountains, lakes, and cabins remind us of parts of the Alps or even the Colorado mountains. But the fjords? They’re one of a kind! Of course, we saw “the famous waterfall that flows into the water.” We also noticed that many waterfalls in Norway disappear under rockslides when they reach the end of their path, only to reappear a little farther on. Rarely do they “go all the way,” if you catch my drift (if not, just reread it).

36 - A full waterfall in the Geirangerfjord

Luckily, when we arrived in Geiranger, there were no cruise ships! I’d seen photos and read comments about them, and since I think I’ve become cruise-ship-phobic, it would’ve bothered me. Our hotel wasn’t far, so we settled in and then went out for a typical Norwegian meal (hamburger, pizza... I don’t remember which). But we were by the fjord, and that was nice.

The +: Even more than before—the old Strynefjell road. Maybe one of the best memories. The -: The Dalsnibba viewpoint (weather).

Day 15: The Trollstigen Road – August 3 Hotel: Havila Hotel: A building that slightly disfigures Geiranger. Decent amenities, great breakfast, quite a few groups.

The weather isn’t great this morning, so we hit the road with a bit of pessimism. First, we head up to the Flydalsjuvet viewpoint, where we get a pretty nice view of Geirangerfjord.



37 - A bit of mist, though

Now, we’re off to Eidsdal, stopping at the Ornevegen viewpoint. But we’re in the clouds—everything’s fogged in! I’m worried the Trollstigen Road will be a bust with no views. We arrive in Eidsdal at a leisurely pace, take the ferry to cross the fjord, and head toward the trolls... Just so you know, this famous road only reopened on July 14 after being closed for months for construction. Not many people on the road, and at one point, we break through the clouds and enjoy a few kilometers of sunshine all the way to Alnesvatnet. The joy’s short-lived, though, because as we descend a bit, we reach the big viewpoint where everyone stops—and the north side is completely fogged in. We can park on the huge lot without any issues. There are a few buses, though. We decide to head to the viewpoints mentioned in so many travel journals, if only to get a little walk in...

I have to say, the last viewpoint, overlooking the valley where the famous Trollstigen Road winds, is pretty cool architecturally. As we arrive, I point out to my wife that we can make out a hairpin turn way over there to the left. -Oh yeah, but we can see a second one! -You’re right, we can see more!



38: The Trollstigen Road clears up!

In just fifteen minutes, the view cleared up. Sure, it wasn’t sunny, but we could still see all the hairpin turns and the valley. Fifteen minutes later, it was fogged in again! Huge stroke of luck. Even without the sun, the troll vibe came through. We really took some risks on this trip—after facing off with Vikings, now we’ve driven through troll territory! !!!! Pretty happy, we head out without lingering too long and start descending the famous hairpin turns. Nothing too special driving-wise, honestly. Though I think bus drivers must have a harder time.

Once at the bottom, we’re ahead of schedule again. Yeah, when the weather isn’t great for hikes or even just sightseeing, “we make up time.” We decide to head to Åndalsnes and grab a bite by the Romsdal Fjord. A quick stroll, a picnic, and then the rain sends us back on the road. Arriving in Dombås relatively early lets us do some shopping, fill up on gas, and tidy up the suitcases and car. We’ll be spending two nights in a youth hostel (who’s laughing back there?) Aperitif, a walk, dinner where I had an elk burger, and bedtime.

The plus: The lucky break at the troll viewpoint The minus: The weather, which has been a bit like I feared from the start.

Love your travel journal. Thanks for taking the time!

Thanks for this super tasty travel journal!

Day 16: In search of musk oxen – August 4 The day breaks (well, actually, it’s been a while, buddy—I’ll remind you that the days are long here), it’s drizzling, and it’s overcast. I wanted to do the hike that might—with a bit of luck—let us see musk oxen. The folks from Montpellier (who? Keep up! See Day 13) did it, and after some time with good binoculars, they spotted two very far away. Since I’m up for it and I’ve got good binoculars, we decide once again to stick to the plan. So far, it hasn’t let us down, especially at the start. A 30 km drive north, and we park near the Kongsvold Hotel parking lot. Two trail options present themselves: either take the path right in front of us or start from the Kongsvold station. We go for the simpler one, right in front. It’s not raining, but the weather is really uncertain. The climb goes well, though I’m a bit nervous about the descent, especially in certain spots. Then we reach a plateau where the vegetation is totally different—lots of lichen. And there we are, binoculars glued to our eyes, searching. Then we walk, then we search. We meet an American who slept on the plateau and tells us he saw two in the distance last night in that direction. For him, given the wind (yeah, it’s blowing), they’re on the other side of the mountain, so there’s little chance we’ll see them in the next few hours. We walk some more, search some more, then walk, then search again. After a while, I’m not even sure if we were walking or searching, but a debrief seems necessary. What do we do? Do we walk, search, or go with the third option—head back down? The third idea wins out, but this time we’ll descend via the station trail. Big mistake! A trail from hell in a stream bed with big round rocks. A real nightmare of a descent. At the bottom, we meet a guide with a group of at least 20 people from an agency trying to spot musk oxen. We tell him about the trail, and he confirms it’s a nightmare—better to take it on the way up. We get back to the car, a bit beat up, and right then, it starts pouring. In the end, the third idea wasn’t so bad!! So, what now? We’ve got two nights in the area, the plan being to spend the day hiking in search of—well, *masked* oxen this time, I guess. We’re heading to Rondane National Park, and since there seem to be some clear patches over there, we’ll do what was planned for tomorrow. Even if it means extra kilometers, we’ll have more time in Lillehammer (yeah, we’re starting to head back down). Of course, given the weather, we’re skipping the hike to the Snohetta viewpoint. So we take Route 29. Oh, a church—it’s been a while! A quick turn of the wheel, and we arrive at a church with a unique architecture. Lucky break—it’s open! It’s the Eysteinkyrkja church (try saying *that* name!). Really original. We meet a Spaniard who’s treating his feet, helped by a volunteer from the church with a first-aid kit! What’s wrong with his feet? Well, this guy walked from Burgos—a sort of reverse Camino de Santiago—and wants to reach the North Cape!!! No wonder his feet hurt... We chat for a bit and then hit the road again. It’s these kinds of encounters I love when traveling. We keep going and head toward the Folldal mines. Honestly, there’s not much to see. The view is nice when it’s clear, but that’s about it. We continue to Strømbu, where we have a picnic by a river. It’s true—every day, we’ve been able to eat in nice spots with all the amenities nearby. All our stops are justified either by something to see or a viewpoint with original architecture. Further on, we try to decipher the *Skyldner* artwork, but we’re not very good at it. Plus, it’s a mosaic that you’d need to see from above, but there’s no viewpoint here. Since it starts raining again, we retreat to the car and see what’s up ahead. And sure enough, we’re there—at the Sohlbergplassen platform, the viewpoint of Lake Atnsjøen, and it’s not raining anymore.

39 - The sky’s still pretty foggy!

Even if the mountain peaks are hidden, the road is really beautiful, winding through a birch forest. I’m still hoping to see a moose—especially since there are signs every 100 meters. Liars! There’s not a single moose in sight! We arrive at Fossehuset, the museum of the Atnbrufossen waterfall, run by volunteers. It’s closed! (Ugh...) But knowing how associations work, the volunteers do what they can. We try our best to spot anything interesting, but it’s all barricaded—no photos! A quick detour to the Sollia Church, tucked away in a corner. Another beautiful building, but closed!



40 - Sollia Church

We then take the road to Ringebu to see another stave church. Along the way, we cross a tundra plateau where—supposedly—you can see reindeer. Liars again! I love the landscape, despite the mist around the peaks. So, another church, but once again, despite all the tourist buses, it’s stunning.



41 - The last one of the day Then it’s back to Dombås, toward a road we’ll take in the other direction tomorrow. By the way, this road linking Oslo to Trondheim—Norway’s third-largest city—is really bad and exhausting for the driver. What’s it like around Lillehammer, which hosted the Olympics? We’ll see tomorrow. We arrive at our youth hostel, completely wiped out. Aperitif, a really nice Italian restaurant, and bedtime.

The +: Rondane National Park, despite the foggy moments The -: The weather (again) that didn’t let us stay as long as we wanted on the hike for the big beasts.

Day 17: Lillehammer – August 5 Hotel: Dombas Youth Hostel. We had a room with a private bathroom, 5 beds, and plenty of space—by far the best mattresses of our entire trip. The shared kitchen was really handy.

So, we set off for Lillehammer this morning, taking the same route as the day before for 75 km. It’s drizzling again. We arrived directly at Maihaugen at 10:15 AM, Norway’s largest open-air museum. Originally unplanned, we ended up staying until closing time at 5 PM! Since it wasn’t raining, we started with the "back in the day" section, featuring old farms from the region.

42 - A farm from the era!

Some of the farms are "inhabited" by young students in period costumes who give explanations about what we’re seeing. Super insightful! There are animals, a lake, churches, and more. Next, we explored a more recent section with homes from the 1910s to 1950s, showing how construction and interiors evolved—and what stayed the same. The childhood home of Queen Sonja was moved to this museum, so we could see where the future queen grew up. She was the first commoner in Europe to marry into a royal family, but her childhood home shows her family wasn’t exactly struggling. Then came a neighborhood (a street with houses) from the early 20th century. There’s a cute square near the shop where you can grab a bite. Of course, there are tables and benches—just like you’d expect in Norway! There’s even a room for picnics, and since it started raining, that’s where we had lunch. Between the raindrops, we visited the nearby Norwegian Postal Museum. The history of mail in Norway is fascinating.



43 - Mail carriers used to ride Harleys!

A lull in the rain, and we found ourselves in front of a mime show for kids—though most of the audience was actually our age! We quickly headed back to the main building because it was pouring again. I’d read there was an Olympic Museum there. Cool for me, since I’m a sports fan. It starts with the history of the Olympics in Greece, then Baron de Coubertin, and finally tons of documents and videos about the modern Olympics.



44 - The entrance to the Olympic Museum

Next, there’s a section on past Olympics, including Oslo and Lillehammer. Lots of equipment from Nordic sports and how they’ve evolved over the years. There are interactive exhibits—I even tried biathlon! Instead of cross-country skiing with a rifle, you do tipping (a balance exercise) and then shoot, then go back to tipping for a second round of shots. When your heart’s racing, it’s tough to hit the target! The last part focuses on Norwegian champions in all sports. A great place! It was still raining, so we wandered around the building when I spotted a sign for temporary exhibits. We checked it out and found ourselves in an Aladdin’s cave of Norwegian history. There were all kinds of random objects from the era—weapons, armor, clay pots, clothes, furniture, musical instruments, maps, books, kids' games, even a dentist’s office (from the era, of course!). We kept going and stumbled upon a dance museum. Naturally, it started with Norwegian folk dances, which, like many others, end in a circle—think Breton, Auvergnat, Limousin, Berry, Basque, Ardèche, Lorraine, Provençal, Jura, Alpine dances, and more. Oops, I might’ve just offended everyone, but honestly, I’ve got nothing against folk dancing! It continued with a look at dances from around the world, with videos and headphones to listen to the music. There was even a simulator to learn a Norwegian dance, which my wife didn’t hesitate to try. Personally, I was blown away by a short video of a tango danced in front of a philharmonic orchestra—absolutely stunning. The hip-hop section brought us back down to earth, and we exited via a wide ramp. Then I noticed an entrance that looked like you were stepping into a glacier. It was pretty discreet, and we only saw one other couple there. So, what was it? At first, you’re inside a glacier, then you’re faced with prehistoric humans (wax statues, just to clarify—I’m not *that* gullible), then Vikings, and so on, passing through different eras with houses. It was a museum covering the entire history of Norway, with sets and more videos (including a big section on World War II) up to modern times. Another great spot! For people who aren’t usually museum fans, and with this being an unplanned visit, we spent over 6 hours there. When we left, the rain had stopped! Not bad timing with the weather! We headed to the famous Olympic ski jump. It’s open to the public, with a big parking lot, and you can walk around at the base of the hill.



46 - At the bottom It’s impressive. On either side of the two jumps (yes, there are two—one for summer and one for winter), there are stairs. We looked at each other, really wanting to climb up. But for once, my common sense won out. If we went up, we’d have to come back down! So, my wife climbed the 900+ steps while I tried to find a road going up to save my knee. I did, and met her at the top. It’s even more impressive from up there. Back in France, I’ll try to find dates for ski jumping competitions to see it in action at least once. Surprisingly, my wife came back down with me in the car, and we drove to the hotel, which was actually really close to the ski jump. We had a drink, then walked down (about 20 minutes) to Lillehammer’s charming downtown and its pedestrian street, Storgata. Dinner, then a steep climb back to the hotel (once again, we took less time going up than down, which made me say that except for the "downs" from apéritifs, I prefer the ups).

The +: Love at first sight for Lillehammer in general and Maihaugen in particular The -: The weather wasn’t great, even if we managed it pretty well

Day 18: Leaving Norway – August 6 Hotel: Birkebeineren Hotel & Apartments – Great, quiet, excellent breakfast

We wake up relaxed, knowing we have a ferry at 5:30 PM in Larvik, so we decide to take it easy and see where the mood takes us. First stop at Mjostarnet, the tallest wooden tower in the world. It’s an office building with a hotel inside. Just a quick photo stop. We make a few Norwegians on their way to work in the tower smile.



47 - The famous wooden tower

The road continues—not great, which surprises me given all the work done for the 1992 Albertville Olympics and the fact that nothing’s been improved since Oslo or Lillehammer (1994 Olympics). Around Oslo, the highways are better, and the drive goes smoothly. We carry on to Tønsberg, where we find a lovely park for a picnic. It was described as a "pretty little port." Meh, not really! We arrive at the ferry terminal without rushing. A bit of a wait, then we board—it’s a massive ship, and the number of cars is impressive. Once underway, I head to reception to claim the VAT refund on our purchases (20% is better in my pocket). The crossing is a bit rough—the sea’s choppy. Everyone on board is walking around all wobbly; it’s kind of fun to watch! Disembarking in Hirtshals takes a while, and the first few kilometers are slow too. We arrive at our accommodation. Shower and bed.

Day 19: Denmark + Germany – August 7 Hotel: Vestbjerg Apartments: We didn’t see a soul! The guy who set this up converted an old farm building into small apartments. He sends instructions a few days before, and you just leave the key on the door. It’s in the middle of nowhere, but it worked for us.

It’s the trip back, so lots of driving—first through Denmark, where there’s nothing much to see (it’s all flat), but the roads are decent. Of course, as soon as we hit Germany, traffic jams—starting at the border! German politicians decided to reinstate border checks. It looks serious, yeah, very German, but in practice, they reduce the lanes to one, and the customs officers don’t even bat an eye as you pass. The drive continues with the usual traffic jams. We arrive around 6:30 PM in Bad Homburg von der Höhe. A 20-minute walk to the town center, which is cute. Classic German restaurant. Finally, we can enjoy an apéritif at the restaurant at a reasonable price. Walk back and bed.

Day 20: Heading Home – August 8 Hotel: Hardtwald – An old hotel, quiet—great breakfast. Nothing much to say except the usual German traffic jams. The trip back goes smoothly. It’s a heatwave! The recap is coming soon.

The verdict: For my first (and maybe last) trip up north, everyone around me was waiting to hear how I felt about it. I’ll admit I was really worried about the weather. Not so much the cold (I packed warm clothes!), but the rain. While the first part of the trip (aside from Copenhagen) was pretty mild in terms of rain (there was a heat record in Oslo during our stay), the second part was more unpredictable. We had to adapt to the weather, but in the end, we managed to do almost everything I’d planned.

As for Norway itself—it’s a country with stunning landscapes, but I’d split it into two parts. -The fjords, which are exceptional. That’s the only place where you can see landscapes like that, or at least so many of them. Sailing through three of them really let us soak in the vibe. -The mountain region, which is beautiful but reminded me a lot of Colorado, where I’ve been. Lakes, mountains, winding roads, colorful cabins, waterfalls (though in Norway, there are *way* more). The big difference is that in the U.S., you see a lot of wildlife, whereas here, aside from sheep, there was nothing! The cities have a certain charm, but the crowds of tourists from cruise ships kind of ruined the experience a bit. The people are super nice, polite, and helpful. The food wasn’t great (when you’re French, you’re picky!), and the prices definitely play a part in that. We didn’t try high-end restaurants, so it’s hard to give a real opinion. When I asked Norwegians what their everyday food was like, their answers weren’t exactly mouthwatering. Driving in Norway is easy but requires attention—you really have to watch your speed and keep an eye out for speed cameras everywhere. No issues for me, but it did take some focus. The practical side of stopping was great—there were often picnic tables, free toilets, and lots of little details that made it nice. Nothing was vandalized for no reason, and that’s really cool!

Finally, the two-day drive there and back didn’t bother us at all. I love driving. I have to say, our logistics were—dare I say—perfect! So for other countries, we’ll do it again.

In conclusion, a beautiful country, and I’m glad we got to see part of it. My wife was thrilled, which is what matters!

Thanks for sharing! Françoise

Hi Elobo. I really enjoyed reading the comments about your trip to Norway—it’s packed with super useful info! We’re in the middle of planning our trip for this summer: we’re renting a car from Oslo in mid-July for about 20 days. So far, I’ve used the Norwegian scenic routes website and the Michelin guide. I’m finding it a bit tricky to plan the stops while balancing driving times and making sure we’re comfortable with the visits. For accommodations, is it easy to book last-minute, or should we plan ahead a bit? I’d love to keep some flexibility in case of (unpredictable weather, a day’s itinerary being too ambitious, etc.). Thanks for your thoughts!