The photo albums from this trip can be found at:
The albums may be incomplete due to slow internet connections at some sites in France.
End of May 2014 and time for another trip. This year it is seven weeks and we are heading for the eastern side of France. This trip comes immediately after a very hectic time following the passing of Val’s dad and a busy time with the club. There must be a reason why I was nominated for the position of chairman, but can’t think of one at the moment. Possibly just to get the position filled.
Thursday 29th May
We are due on the 19:50 Eurotunnel train, but as usual arrive early and get the 18:50 having had a grand dinner of a burger from what must be the worst Burger King in the World.
We arrive at Coquelles at about 20:30 and head for the Camping Car space at Cite Europe, an early night tonight.
Friday 30th May
The weather forecast is not good, cool and a chance of rain. We are both still in need of some comfort and relaxation so we have decided to head for our favourite stop in France; Saint Valery sur Somme. This lovely little town is only 62 miles south from Coquelles and is steeped in history. I am sure I have said before, but it is the port that William the Conqueror set off from for the Battle of Hastings.
We arrived at the aire just after midday to a surprise; it was very busy with very few spaces left. We found a space and had just made ourselves comfortable when the van next to us moved out. Never one to miss an opportunity, we moved over to the vacated space. This not only gave us more space, but also grass on two sides.
The aire at St Valery is at the top of the hill leading into town, so it is an exhilarating walk down and back but one that we take several times a day. There’s always something new and interesting to see and plenty of photo opportunities. We decide to stay until Sunday late morning as Sunday is market day. On Saturday, during our evening walk, several members of the Bugatti owners club arrive on route to Le Mans for the vintage racing. They were all pre-war cars with cable brakes and the handbrake lever on the outside of the body. Three were in original Bugatti Blue and one in unpainted Aluminium. The three blue ones were from Holland, Belgium and Switzerland and the unpainted one was local.
During our stay at St Valery the aire filled to a point that we have never seen before. By 4:00pm on Saturday, motorhomes were having to turn away as there was no more room at the inn. The sight that gave the most satisfaction was when two massive identical Concordes insisted on entering even after being told that the aire was full. They drove around for 10 minutes then gave up and left. Always reminds me of the old adage that brain power is not always shown by the amount of money that you spend.
Sunday 1st June
Up early for a walk into town to the market and then pack ready to leave. Our destination for today is Beauvais, an historical town in the southern Somme area. On arrival in Beauvais, the initial views were not favourable, the town looked deserted save for a few “undesirable looking” folk wandering around. We found the aire, which was in a slightly better part of what appeared to be a very run down town.
After pitching up and lunch, it was time to discover Beauvais. Walking back into town was not as straightforward as we expected, but a couple of wrong turns later and we made it. Again, the town was quite deserted and whilst it had obviously had a lot of money spent on improving the public areas, it still felt unloved; is this the French equivalent of Luton? The Cathedral is great, still showing signs of the damage of the war and shored up inside. There is a most fantastic timepiece inside that I must read up about. Behind the Cathedral is the town museum and ornamental gardens.
We walked back to the motorhome and both agreed that whilst we were safe for the night, there was something about Beauvais that left us feeling uncomfortable. This is a town that we will not be returning to.
Monday 2nd June
Time to move off and find somewhere better. There is an aire at Chateau Thierry, about 80 miles away and in the general direction that we want to head. According to CC Infos website, it is Euros 6.50 plus electric per night. We decided to stay for two nights, so it worked out to Euro 8.75 per night including electric. On the aire are toilets, showers, washing up sinks etc and the pitches are as large as on a proper site with hedges marking them. Added to this, there is a MacDonalds on the other side of the fence, so free wifi.
Chateau Thierry is an interesting town, long and narrow along the banks of the River Marne. It used to be an important port, but like so many is no longer used. In the main square is the Hotel de Ville and this is flanked on one side by the most fantastic Art Deco cinema and theatre, which is still in use. On the other side is an equally Art Deco market hall.
The climb to the castle ruins was 180 steps from the side of the town hall, some of which were very high. The grounds are expansive and the view out over the town was well worth the climb.
Wednesday 4th June
Well, the weather forecast was for rain, and rain we certainly had. It was cool as well. There was no reason to select the aire at Mesnil St Pere other than the fact that it was a convenient break in the journey towards Dijon. By the time we arrived, the heavens had opened several times. The aire was opposite the entrance to the yacht marina on a massive lake. This was one of two lakes that together stretched for about 30 kilometres. When we arrived there must have been at least 30 motorhomes; but within an hour, that number was down to five. We never did find out where they went, but by evening there were nearer twenty.
After dinner there was a break in the cloud and the rain stopped long enough for us to go for a walk along the bank of the lake. There were several marinas and beaches along the banks and in places there were quite secluded bays. With the size of the lake it was impossible to see the bank on the other side and suffice to say that we didn’t walk all the way round.
As we returned to the van the skies opened again and it continued raining until well into the night.
Thursday 5th June
Todays plan is to head for Dijon; a city that we have never visited, but as I eat their mustard we ought to find out where it comes from. There was a need to stock up on food and fuel, so we had a sharp eye out for those. As we approached Dijon, we still hadn’t found food or fuel so we were concious of the need to sort that. We found the municipal campsite, but were disapointed with it’s location. It was a long way out of town with no close bus route, so we decided not to stop. Oh well, Dijon is now still on our list of places to visit.
On the way back out of Dijon, we found some cheap fuel and then followed a sign to a Centre Commercial. On arrival at the Centre Commercial we were confronted with a massive out of town shopping centre the size of which would put Bluewater to shame. Val was in her element and I had to drag her away with a promise that we would return one day.
So, the next priority was to find a home for the night. We found a super aire at Marsanay la Cote, about 10 miles south of Dijon. This is a lovely little town in the Burgundy region where just about every other house has their own wine label. It would be very difficult to sample all of the wines available and find your way home afterwards. There was a very helpful lady in the tourist office who filled us with brochures for the area and then informed us that the aire would be closing at 9:00 am in the morning to allow for a three day celebration that was being held that weekend. There was no alternative but to leave in the morning.
Friday 6th June:
We are off again on our quest towards Chamonix, but this is a public holiday weekend and places are likely to be busy. We could head about halfway and then stop for a couple of days, so that’s what we decided to do. Saint Claude is a town in Southern Jura, a little north of Geneva. There is a campsite there with discounted rates for ACSI members, and we are such members. We arived just after midday and as expected, the office was closed. A lady in a motorhome let us in the gate and we waited for the office to open. It was hot and getting hotter, 26 degrees C at midday. At 2:30pm the office duly opened and we were booked in. Site, electrics, swimming pool (heated) and wifi all for 12 Euros (Less than £10) per night.
The site is set amongst the smaller mountains at the northern edge of the Alps, and the scenery was fantastic. Occasionally, you could see the Eagles flying high above the peaks. The tempeature was rising and by evening it was just above 30C. We walked into town that evening and crashed out for the night.
Saturday is market day, so up reasonably early and walk into town. It is about 1.5 miles, but uphill going so we were glad of the cool air in the morning. This is a large town with a busy market and shopping street. We walked the length of the high street and found that there was a funfair that evening. If we feel strong enough we might walk up here later. Managed to buy a super large pack of strawberries at the market, so I know what my diet will be. We had an excellent cup of coffee in the high street (just an excuse for Val to use the loo), and then explored the Cathedral.
This is a holiday weekend and so the town centre has become a massive fairground. We walked up to get the atmosphere, hate fairgrounds and view them as a waste of money, but the atmosphere? well, you couldn’t buy that.
When we arrived back at the site, Mark and Caroline were singing on the terrace outside the site restaurant. They are a couple from Ashford in Kent, who have sold up and moved with their two young children to start a new life here. They visited last year and decided that this is the place for them. Currently, they are staying in their caravan on site until they can find suitable rented accommodation in the town. Mark is a music teacher specialising in guitar, and Caroline was a support worker. They obviously believe that they can make a life here so good luck to them. This gig was, they hoped, the first of many.
ANTS!!!!!, Bloody Ants!!! Hate them. Millions of the buggers!!!
Well there were certainly a lot and they were all around the bed when we woke up on Sunday morning. There is no more useless animal on this planet than ants, they deserve to be exterminated. This was a very rude awakening and we spent the next two hours cleaning the van to get rid of them. There are now Polos everywhere in the hopes of stopping them.
I am pleased to report that by bedtime the ants had all but gone. We call it our Antifreeze moment.
This really is a lovely site, nestled between mountains in every direction. Not as spectacular as the high Alps, but still stunning. Everywhere you look there is a new view and with every hour as the sun moves around the effects change. There is a mountain stream running along the perimeter of the site, which we can hear from our pitch and of course, the customary cricket. We are about 1.5 miles from Saint Claude, the nearest town and have managed to walk it twice a day, so a good 6 miles every day. The walk is taxing with steep inclines in places, but the clean air helps.
From the site there is hardly any traffic noise save for the occasional motorbike taking one of the many scenic routes up the mountains. This really is ideal motorbike touring country with fantastic views and roads that are scenic without being dangerous.
The site is full as this is a holiday weekend and the weather is hot. It is currently 38.6 degrees celcius at 14:56 in the afternoon and we are feeling it. We have decided to stay here until Friday morning and then move onto Chamonix Mont Blanc.
Tuesday and the heat is incessant. We needed more supplies, so took the van out to the Hypermarket; there are no real food shops in the town. Following that we took a run up one of the mountain passes to Les Bouchoux. There is a waterful there, but typical of the French, there are no signs to show you where it is. We drove on through Les Bouchoux to the summit of the pass (approx 3500ft), the views up there are stunning. This afternoon the temperature has again hit 38.5C so time to try out the pool.
I have just been reading about the storms that have hit Germany today, at least six people killed. Those storms are due to head this way tonight or tomorrow. Need to ensure that everything is shut away tonight.
The storms hit at about 17:45 and lasted for about two and a half hours. The lightning was fantastic and the thunder, certainly violent. There was hail that sounded like gunshot and a couple of strong gusts. This morning, the clouds had gone and the air had freshened. Today’s temperature has only climbed to 35.8C. The afternoon trips to the swimming pool have been a great relief. Also, there is something about French women and swimming costumes: I’m not certain which came first or whether they were both designed at the same time, but they always seem to fit perfectly.
Thursday: We have been trying to find the waterfalls, but they seem to be the local secret. There are mountains and foaming rivers, so there must be waterfalls. There was an elderly English couple camping with a caravan and yesterday, he was telling us of a quite spectacular waterfall within walking distance of the site. The walk to Cascades des Flumen took us up a narrow road and then onto a signed track. The scenery was spectacular as we climbed and occasionally stumbled along the path that led along the Gorges du Flumen. There were a couple of minor waterfalls, one was man made to produce local hydro-electricity. At the end of the path was our nirvana; not one, but two massive spurting cascades of water pouring from cracks in the rock face ahead of us. The water had such velocity as it hit the rocks below that we were dampened by the fine spray emitted.
Friday 13th June:
It is time to leave the site at Saint Claude and head for new ground. We have no specific plans other than to head in a round about way to Chamonix Mont Blanc, but that is not today. It’s Father’s Day weekend and Father’s Day is big in France, so the idea is to keep away from the peak spots until Monday. We are heading for Annecy with a few options for overnight stops.
There’s snow on them thar hills!!!
As we head down the valley towards Annecy we could see the Alps ahead of us and even on the mountains that we could see there was still snow. 34C outside with snow in the distance; now that feels weird.
As expected Annecy was full, it is all year round, but it gave us an excuse to drive alongside Lake Annecy. It is true that the water is a lustrous blue. The lake is enormous and at every opportunity public beached have been created. In other spots, the water laps at the roadside. This whole vista is enormous, but still there is no room at the inn. We are not too bothered as we have sufficient provisions, full water tank and empty waste tank so we are completely self sufficient for three days if necessary.
Eventually, we found a Camping Car Aire at Faverges, about 20km south of Annecy. It is hard stand and safe so ideal for the one night that we need. Our view out in all directions is as splendid as it could be; mountains in all directions. Some a deep verdant green with fir trees to the summit and some that have been carved by weather and other violent, but natural means to give rocky crags and outcrops.
Faverges is an old town that grew on the strength of it’s thread industry; traditionally cotton and wool, and then silk. When man-made threads became more fashionable, the town tried to change to the new fibres, but man-made fibres are big scale and a small town in a remote area of France could not compete. The industry has all but disappeared in Faverges now. So like the rest of the area, it is very reliant on the year round tourist industry.
At the other end of the town there is a waterfall and caves, according to the tourist office it is a car journey of 500 metres. Well 500 metres is nothing at all, so after dinner we set off to explore. We soon found out why it is classed as a car journey; after about 200 yards, the road narrows and loses any semblance of a footpath. That wouldn’t be too bad other than the fact that it becomes a mountain pass with hairpin bends and fast traffic. We decided that safety is paramount so headed back into town.
Saturday 14th June
The plan for today is to head up into the mountains about halfway towards Chamonix. There is an Aire listed at La Giettaz. This entails taking one of the notorious Alpine mountain passes and should be a thrilling drive. We started off badly, only just got out of Faverges and the TomTom was telling us that the road was closed with a diversion. The Garmin was having none of that and told us to carry on. We believed the Garmin, but with a suspicion that the TomTom was more accurate. Sure enough, about 2 km down the road we found the diversion signs. We would have to take the mountain road all the way up to La Giettaz. Seemed ok, after all there was a weight restriction of 19 tons. It was a very interesting road with plenty of twists and turns and steep gradients. Our 22km journey took almost 1 1/2 hours, but I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it. Unfortunately, we never got to find the Aire, but we did make it to the top of the pass. Now there’s something of a sense of achievement in reaching the top of a pass, even if it is only about 5,000 feet. The views were amazing. We stopped here for lunch, had a walk around and then headed back down the mountain to find a suitable home for the night.
A 1 hour drive down the passes took us to a small town called Saint Gervais Les Bains, a town that has built its reputation on it’s hot spa baths. Who would believe a hot water spa in the high Alps? Our site for the night was to be an Aire on the edge of town; basically a car park with facilities for motorhomes, but with the added attraction of a mountain stream rushing over the rocks just behind us. We are getting used to sleeping with the sound of rushing water around us.
Sunday 15th June:
It is Father’s Day, a big day in France and many towns have various festivities. It just so happens that Saint Gervais Les Bains has amongst it’s special events a Mont Blanc cycle race, where many of France’s top cyclists will be competing as a precurser to Le Tour (The Tour de France). The town’s streets will be closed off from late morning to mid afternoon, so we have to leave while the streets are still open.
Our destination for today is one of the main reasons for this tour. We are going back to Chamonix Mont Blanc. We stayed here in 2003, on the way to Venice and promised ourselves that we would return. We tried a few years ago and failed, so this year it is a priority. The journey is only short, about 24km.
We arrived at the campsite around 10:30 and were fortunate in getting the pitch next to the one that we had 11 years ago. Some of the pitches further down do not get such clear views of Mont Blanc. This is an expensive site in a very expensive town. The town has grown considerably since our last visit, with even more to discover.
Monday 16th June
Someone stole the mountains!!! Bugger, woke up this morning and looked out and all there was was mist! Not a mountain in sight! Checked the Chamonix website and the Aguille du Midi webcam was shrouded in cloud. We have finally agreed that today is the day to do the cable car to the Aguille du Midi; the highest cable car point in Europe. Or rather I had decided and Val would make her mind up around the time that we bought the tickets.
Tickets bought, no turning back. We boarded the first of the two cable cars and ascended into the abyss; well the cloud anyway. All of a sudden we couldn’t see a thing in front of us. Slowly the view became clearer as we rose above the cloud; stunning, dramatic, amazing, there are not enough superlatives to describe the view. Suddenly, the cable car lurched, a passenger fell over and I thought “it’s all over” surely she would panic and we would have to give up. But no, she was fine, this was what she had read up about and was expected. As we approached the changing point I was not sure whether we would carry on or not. “Quick” was the command from Val, “Let’s get to the next car”. And so we did. The second car is the one that she had read was the most frightening; as it approached the summit, the car would ascend at a 75 degree angle and the mountain face would be directly in front of you. Onwards and upwards and yet there was no sign of her eyes shutting once. This was progress. At the top of the cable car is a 75m lift to take you up to the full height of the mountain and the Step into the Void. This was a bigger worry, would it happen or not? Val had already said that if she could manage to get to the top then she would have to do this. It was cold, about -6C and ice all around from yesterday’s snow. The queue did not move, mainly due to the party of Chinese in front of us: nobody rushes the Chinese. Finally, it was our turn, deposit all bags in the cubby holes and no camera. There is a guide who will take your photos with your camera and no charge (Can’t see this happening in the UK). You have to slip on a pair of their slippers, this is to prevent any scratching of the glass as the merest scratch will weaken the surface. Val went on first and had her photo taken, then I joined her for a couple and finally I had my individual shot. The view and experience was absolutely amazing.
The next stop was a cup of coffee in the highest coffee bar in Europe. Now that was expensive, but at the end of the day it is a once in a lifetime experience. Slowly we made our way down, stopping at the cable car changeover point for more photo opportunities and for Val to play in the fresh snow. It was at this point that the changing altitude got the better of me and I started to stumble a bit. This was a sign to make our way back down. We determined ourselves to get the best view for the final leg and so waited for the preceding cable car to go so that we could be first in the queue. This was rewarded by us having the front glass on the way down. As we looked out and got closer to the bottom we could clearly see our motorhome on its pitch at Camping Isle Des Barratts. How many people can say that they have seen that?
This truly was a magnificent day and one that will struggle to be eclipsed. I am truly proud of my darling Val who overcame all of her fears to achieve what we both agree was a fantastic day.
Tuesday morning and we have decided to take the cog railway up the mountainside to Montenvers to visit the Glacier. The Mer de Glace at Montenvers is the longest glacier in Europe and deserves a visit. Once at the station at Montenvers you take the cable car down to the stepped footpath to the glacier entrance. This cable car was where Val’s first experience of cable cars took place and she was frightened when the car stopped in mid-air. This time was better and she coped with a smile. From the cable cars there is a path of some 400 steps down to the ice grotto that has been carved into the glacier. They have to carve a new grotto every year as it is in the vertical face of the glacier, which melts away each year. The glacier also gets lower into the mountain each year, partly due to it’s own erosion force and partly due to global warming, in fact it is currently about 100 feet below the level that it was when we first visited some 11 years ago.
Inside the grotto is a wealth of carved displays, each lit with colour-changing LEDs. Once again, the experience is quite unique in that there are so few such grottos anywhere in the World. Whilst it is cool inside the grotto, it does not feel any cooler than stepping into a well air conditioned office from a hot outdoors. The fact that the temperature is below -10C certainly cannot be felt.
Our stay at Chamonix ends tomorrow, we have plans but will await to see where we end up tomorrow night.
Wednesday 18th June
Time to leave Chamonix. Our journey today will take us over the high routes of the Alps and down to a village called Le Cheylas. It would have been a simple route, but for the fact that shortly after leaving Chamonix we were informed by Mrs TomTom that the main road was closed. This meant that we would have to use the secondary roads with their long steep inclines and descents and their notorious hairpin bends. And so, for about 50 miles we were in second and third gears, either climbing, or using the engine for braking. We stopped for supplies at Albertville and then pressed ahead.
The Aire at Le Cheylas was well marked, but had a sign that said no parking 17:00 to 22:00. We assumed that this was to prevent cars from parking there when Camping Cars wanted the spaces. How wrong we were; at 17:00 a Land Rover Freelander towing a Pizza trailer pulled up. It seemed that this was the location for the village’s pizza supply every night. Fearing that the Aire would get busy and likely young drivers kicking up dust, we decided that it would be better to find a new resting place for the night. We had passed an Aire a few miles back up the road with a lake. That seemed to be a better place to spend the night. And so we headed. No sooner had we arrived than the heavens opened and we had heavy showers until bedtime.
Thursday 19th June
It’s my birthday, Whoopee!!!
Today, we start on the Route Napoleon, the famous route taken by Napoloen from Elba to Grenoble with the intention of overthrowing Louis the 18th. We are taking it in reverse and in two stages; today is from Grenoble to Gap. What can I say? driving this route is a fantastic birthday present. At every bend is a new exciting view. Wow! is about the only word that you can use. If you start to count the Wows, I can guarantee that you will lose count. The landscapes are truly stunning and are one of those “once in a lifetime” experiences. This is why we take this type of holiday in preference to the package trips. No package trip can show you this day after day.
Friday 20th June
Just how many times can you say “Wow!” before it becomes the only word in your vocabulary? Well, however many times it is I’m sure we have surpassed it. Today we have driven from Gap to Castellane and, just like the past few days every bend brings a new “Wow!”. Val is busy with the camera taking on average 70 shots per trip and I’m busy driving and sitting open mouthed gaping at every sight.
Our journey didn’t exactly work out as planned. We were going to follow the Route Napoleon from Gap to Castellane, but there were roadworks between Bareme and Castellane and because there are so few roads in these parts we had to divert up to St Andre Les Alpes and then take the secondary road back to Castellane. What this actually meant was that we were fortunate on getting a preliminary glimpse of the Verdon Gorge. If this is the start, hold onto your hats for the real, full blown thing!
We arrived in Castellane and were immediately overcome with it’s rustic and medieval beauty. This is a town with a narrow high street and even narrower side streets. Wherever you looked there were nooks and crannies. There were tunneled streets and pathways that looked as though they had been there long before Napoleon was even born.
Finding the site was not easy, but eventually we had the GPS co-ordinates sorted and headed for Camping Provencal, about 1.5km north of the town. This is a nice country site with 45 pitches of which only 4 were in use. Using the ACSI discount card we managed to get a large pitch with electrics, hot showers, and free wifi for less than £10 per night. Our neighbours to one side were an English couple of about our age who were into hiking and a Swiss family the other side who were typically reserved.
Saturday 21st June
SHIP!!!
Was the cry from the blonde girl in the Tourist Information office. It seemed a little unusual as we were a long way from the sea or any kind of navigable river. Then she rushed to the door and as she opened it we could hear the jangling of bells. Sheep! she meant, it seems that this is the morning of the ritual moving of the flocks of sheep from their low, winter and spring pastures to the more rugged lifestyle on the higher mountain ground. All of the sheep from all of the local farms were herded together and led through the main street of Castellane to move to their new summer home. The noise was as deafening as the sight was exciting. At the front of the parade were a couple of donkeys and along the flanks were the usual highly trained sheep dogs. At times there were numbers of long hored sheep with twisted horns, like corkscrews, but up to 3 feet long each side; certainly wouldn’t want to get into a tangle with one of those. Bringing up the rear was a Shepherdess, not so butch as tucked in the bag at her front was a little “lapdog”
Today was market day, which added to the business of the town. The main square was filled with the usual assortment of market stalls with plenty of local wares. During the morning a group of local girls were parading another young lady who it would appear was on her “Hen Day”. They took her to each stall in an attempt to gain a gift for her from the stallholder; as they received a gift a cheer went up. The Bride was dressed in a rather unflattering dress and hat and strapped to her back she had a miniature coffin representing the end of life as she knew it. Everything was goodhearted and nothing got out of hand.
At the Tourist Information office we found that there is not a bus tour of the Verdon Gorge and therefore we would have to make our own arrangements. We decided that we would spend as much time as we needed discovering Castellane and then when we leave the site would drive along the gorge to our next stop.
Sunday 22nd June
Well, it’s Sunday and we have a strong compulsion to go to church; not that we are religious in any way. It is more that there is a chapel on the top of a rock in Castellane and we are determined to get to it. This is the Chapel of Notre Dame and is situated at an altitude of 911metres, that is approximately 200 metres above the town on a vertical rock. Fortunately there is a pathway of sorts to take you up. I say of sorts as it would not pass for public access in the UK. The pathway is more of a pedestrian causeway with some unevenly cut steps, others made from precariously positioned boulders and in places a prepared pathway. This route has been in place for centuries and is showing signs of wear with some of the boulders quite slippery from the constant pounding of feet. The views of the Pentagonal tower and the old ramparts as you climb the causeway are quite spectacular, and the scenery is as jaw dropping as the previous days. On the way you pass the dedications of the stages of the cross, these are customary at sites of Catholic pilgrimage, but each site is different.
At the top, you quickly realise that the climb was well worth the effort. The small chapel is as quaint and rustic as you imagined and the views are to die for. The mountains in the distance and the rooftops of a typical Provencal town fully explain why so many Brits decide to settle here. The climate is perfect and the air is so clean, it takes your breath away.
At the bottom of the track, in the Main Square, there was a Brocante; a French version of a car boot sale. Rather than buying, it served as a reminder that we have an awful lot to clear out at home.
We have come to appreciate the custom of people in Southern European countries such as Spain, Italy etc and even this part of France to take a Siesta in the afternoon and have adopted the custom for ourselves. The last thing that you want to do is be out in this searing heat from midday to at least 15:00hrs.
Monday 23rd June
Our last day at Camping Provencal at Castellane, but they say that you should always leave wanting more and that is certainly true of this pretty little town. We shall be back without doubt, especially as we still have to complete the Route Napoleon, which we won’t be doing on this trip. Tomorrow we shall leave and take the roads around the Gorges du Verdon to Moustiers Sainte Marie. The trip is only about 30 miles, but we expect it to take most of the day. Not only will it be slow due to the narrow twisty roads, but we are likely to make frequent stops for photo opportunities.
The campsite here is excellent and one that we would recommend to anyone; even more so as the reduction using the ACSI card makes it even better value. It is a 15 minute walk into Castellane and the views are terrific. There are a couple of museums on the way from the site into town; the first is a Citroen car museum and the second a War/Resistance Museum. We would not recommend either of them. The Citroen Museum is one man’s collection of Citroens, but not well presented, and the War/Resistance Museum is a run down place with dogs roaming free and no form of inviting facade to encourage you in.
In the evening we went for a stroll into the town centre. It is nice to stroll around an old uncommercialised town outside the daytime hours to see how it functions. Castellane certainly has a vibrant night life with its many cafes and bars, most of them thriving. On the walk back to the site we were struck by the beauty of a cloud that was above the hill behind the campsite. The photo is shown below:
Tuesday 24th June:
Ooh Wow!
Those two words have never been far from the tips of our lips since we left home; but again today, there are no two more appropriate words. Today is the trip around the Gorges du Verdon. The route will take in steep roads, tight hairpin bends, low overhanging cliffs and on top of all that, the most gobstoppingly amazing scenery you can ever hope for. In years past this was quite a dangerous route due to the narrow road and sheer drops to the side. Nowadays, part of the circular route to the more remote and spectacular parts of the Gorge have been made one way.
Our journey for today was only to be about 30 miles, but we expected it to take some time. We were right, with the steep twisty roads we were often in second gear at 10 to 15 miles per hour, and there were plenty of places where we had to stop for a better view. We have never been to the Grand Canyon in the USA and are not likely to go, but they have to be really special to beat the spectacle of this vista. At the highest point the Gorge reaches over 1400 metres (4800 feet) with a perfect aquamarine river running through the valley.
At one point, a couple were starting out on a rock climb, absailling down ready to climb back up. We waited to watch as the young lady started her descent. Rather her than me, I could never do that. WE found a convenient point to stop for an early lunch with immense rock formations around us and 35 C temperatures. What could be better.
Our plan was to spend the night at the Aire in Moustiers Sainte Marie, but when we arrived it was already full. Instead, we found a newly refurbished aire at Riez. This has a fee of 5Euros and is well worth it for the location. Riez is a small medieval town that doesn’t appear to have changed for centuries and that is only for the good. It is market day tomorrow so we may have to delay our departure.
Wednesday 25th June
Route Barree!!
This was destined to be one of those days when things just do not seem to go too well. To say that they didn’t go according to plan would be wrong as all along we have not had a plan, but not too well sums it up.
I suppose it started when at about 2:00 am, Val had got out of bed for the loo. All of a sudden, the van lit up inside and there was an almighty bang; Ooh I thought, that must feel better. Unfortunately, the light and the bang were the start of a thunderstorm that would last until 09:00 am. Not just a thunderstorm, but one of those massive storms that arrive after hot balmy weather. The rain was torrential, making it impossible to get any more sleep. As we got up the rain had started to ease and there were just a few claps of thunder. We walked into town and down to a small bridge that we had noticed last night. There was a small stream running under the bridge similar to the one at home, so it would be good to see how it was this morning. It was higher and fast running, but nothing special. We toured the market, about 10 minutes, and headed back to the motorhome to get ready to leave.
We were heading towards Aix en Provence with the thought of heading towards Montpelier over the next couple of days. We didn’t take on water or empty waste as there seemed to be a queue and it looked as though there was a problem with the water. We left the aire and headed back down the road that we had come in on, seemed sensible as this was the only road that was really suitable for the van. As we rounded the bend, we came across a barrier and a Route Barree sign. We could see down the hill that last night’s storm had caused the river to flood and appeared to have swept half of the road width away. Time to turn round, not easy in little French roads and with a vehicle 7.5 metres long, but we managed it. We then slowly threaded our way back into town along what appeared to be the widest road available. It was ok until a left hand bend where with the front right wheel scraping the kerb, the left hand side managed to leave a 1 inch gap between it and the wall. Eventually we cleared Riez.
We still needed water and waste emptying. As we drove through the town of Greoux-les-Bains, we saw a “Aire de Camping Cars” sign. Just what we needed. Follow the signs and you can’t go wrong; yes you can! After a while the sign pointed to our right, via a hairpin bend on a steep slope. I could see that we couldn’t make the corner in one go and resigned to reverse and take two goes at it. The reversing was the easy bit, but the second go wasn’t. The slope and corner were such complex angles that the inside front wheel was spinning like mad whenever I released the clutch. We blocked the road for a while as we sorted out the melee. The only answer was to traverse a single track bridge, turn round again and then take the corner from a different angle. In the end, the Aire was inside a campsite that wanted to charge 9 Euros for a fill of water. We turned round again and left.
Our next fun for the day was Aix en Provence. I knew that this was a massive city with a reputation for parking chaos; so decided not to go into the City, but to find the gigantic retail complex on the outskirts of town. We eventually found it, but also found that not only is it massive, but it is packed and parking is in a multi storey car park. Not the type for a 3 metre high motorhome. Oh well, another idea blown. We stopped for lunch and were still looking for water, which we found at an aire on the other side of Aix en Provence. The aire was on a “Campsite”, well I use the term loosely. There were caravans of all shapes and sizes which had had wooden or tin rooves and exentions added to them in an effort to create a home. If there were a French version of a Shanty Town, this was it. We filled up with water and fled.
During our journey on this eventful day, we have turned round five times in restricted places, including one abortive stop at an aire, that I cannot recommend to anyone. Finally, we have stopped at a campsite right in the middle of the small town of St. Martin de Crau called Camping De La Crau.
Thursday 26th June
This is one of those non-days, or it should have been. Or maybe not. We were expecting to drive to a commercial site at Cap D’Agde for a few days, but Val hadn’t recovered from a migraine and we decided to shorten our trip. We shortened it to about 30 km to arrive at quite a pretty little Aire at Bellegarde. The Aire was at the side of a port on the Canal du Midi. There were marked pitches with plants surrounding. We were surprised that it was not full as others that we had passed were crowded. Shopping was the first order of the day and we found a large Commercial Centre nearby.
All went smoothly until we went for our evening walk into town. Well, this is one town that will not be appearing on our “must return” list. It was quite depressing and character less.
We returned to the van and got ready for our cup of tea; that was when we saw them: Mosquitoes! They were already nibbling and it was time for a hasty retreat into the van for cover. Too Late! Some of the buggers had got in and were feasting on both of us. I am pleased to report that we amply fed several mosquitoes. One of the joys of that is that some get too fat to escape and the amount of blood that they spatter when you crush them is enormously satisfying. Val was chasing round cleaning up the bloodstains.
This was a restless night.
Friday 27th June
We finally made it to the commercial site at Cap D’Agde. Our only difficulty was convincing Mrs TomTom and Miss Garmin that we did not want to take a 60km detour to get there. The site is good with large pitches, palm trees around the pool, wifi and only 200m from the Mediterranean Sea, all for under £12 per night. This is home for the next four nights. One of the benefits of the ACSI discount campsite scheme is that in this area the sites are often considerably cheaper than Aires.
Sunday 29th June
Well this really is a few lazy days with nothing to report. We are spending four nights on this site; Camping Le Mas de la Plage at Vias Plage. Vias Plage is a seaside village that consists mainly of Campsites, Holiday cottages and shops to serve them. There are only three types of shops: food, clothing and souvenirs, and none are really that good. The Beach is a typical French Mediterranean beach, clean enough but with a coarse sand, much coarser than the Costa Blanca for example.
The site again is a typical seaside holiday site: good clean facilities, but not very large pitches and as it is on sand, not easy to keep clean. However, there is a major benefit. From yesterday the nightly camping rate went up to 39 Euros per night, using our ACSI discount card, we are getting it at 14 Euros per night. That is a £20 per night saving.
At night there is a regular spontaneous Petanque competition between the French long termers here. They turn the roadway into a make shift Petanque court and go on well after dark. When it gets too dark, they use the light from the electric hook-up bollard as the target for the Jack. It gets quite interesting and there are some characters amongst them. It is great being on the sidelines watching.
Today Is Pauline’s birthday. We have known her for about 40 years from the days of Allens Taxis in Luton and it was good to remind her of those great days of 35 years ago.
It has been very windy for the past 24 hours and not a time to venture onto the beach. I suppose we have been lucky as about 80 miles from here they have had severe thunderstorms.
Tuesday 1st July
Time to move on, We have just over two weeks before we are due home, so it is time for us to make tracks in that direction. With about 700 miles to Calais, that is an average of 50 miles per day.
I have always said since the Millau Viaduct opened that we must drive over it. It is one of the highest and longest suspension bridges in Europe and looks magnificent. Today we get the chance. To get to the Millau Viaduct means that we have to break our own rule not to use motorways, especially toll sections, but to get to the bridge there is no choice as it is a toll section of an otherwise toll free motorway. The journey up to Millau is spectacular with mountains and vertical cliffs all the way. There are eagles flying high oerhead and smaller birds of prey at lower heights. As we head north we realise just how much this motorway climbs: starting at sea level or nearly, it reaches altitudes well in excess of 3500 feet. In a lot of places it is a long hard slog, but worth it. After lots of expectation, the Millau Viaduct comes into sight. The pylons and cables are designed to resemble sailing boats and it works very well. It certainly is a fine example of how such an utilitarian item can be made so beautiful.
Once over the bridge, we called into Millau for essential supplies. We consider a change of plan to stop at the campsite at Aguelles. We stopped there last year and loved it, but this year they have almost doubled the prices and we did not consider it worth the extra cost.
Our original plan for today was to head for Severac le Chateau and that is what we did. Severac le Chateau is a edieval town that has not been allowed to change outwardly. The buildings may be refurbished to modern standards inside, but must retain the original facades. This works very well and it is a delight to walk through the tiny narrow cobble-stoned streets and alleyways exactly as they have been for hundreds of years. The Chateau is unfortunately in ruins, like so many of it’s feudal cousins, but there is a programme of restoration work being carried out to the buildings that can be saved.
How the weather can change, as we returned to the motorhome the sky darkened and we had a couple of quick showers. However, shortly after midnight, the heavens opened and we had one of the enormous thunderstorms that warm, mountainous area are renowned for. The lightning flashed and the thunder roared on and off until shortly after 9:00 am. The rain was torrential and heavier than that. Another disturbed night.
Wednesday 2nd July
This was not destined to be a wonderful drive. It was still pouring with rain as we prepared to leave Severac le Chateau. Our destination was Saint Flour, a medieval city built on an extinct volcano. The rain overnight had made us wary of the road conditions especially in view of the fact that this was still very much mountainous country. We decided to take the motorway, at least it was toll free. Our internet connection died last night and we were unable to check the weather forecast for our journey. As I said before, this is a spectacular motorway and just like yesterday it still climbs and falls between 4,000 feet and 2,400 feet. Of course this morning, that means that a lot of our journey would be at altitudes above the cloud line, giving even more wonderful views. Unlike UK motorways, it really is a joy to drive this one. Fortunately, the rain stopped about an hour into our journey.
On our way we passed Chaudes-Aigues, a small spa town with hot springs. One of the springs is the hottest in Europe (82 C). The reason for these springs is that this part of France is covered in extinct volcanoes and in places the Earth’s crust is quite thin. It is the hot Magma within these places that heats the water and infuses it with several important trace elements.
We arrived at Saint Flour at around 11:00 am and were gobsmacked as soon as we saw it. There ahead and above us was this ancient masterpiece perched on the rock. The aire was located in the heart of the city centre. We soon made our way to the tourist information office and acquired a tourist map and English translation. Again, this is a wonderful town, not preserved as sympathetically as Severac le Chateau, but still full of history and intrigue. We followed the tourist route, which is not for the faint hearted. This is definitely heart attack territory. At one point there are 337 steps to climb, followed by a steep footpath that was actually hewn out by goats. Water and rest stops are the order of the day. The cathedral, like so many in these parts is built from a darker stone than usual and as a result is quite dark inside. This make for a rather more sombre visit than would normally be the case. In an alcove high up on one building is a statue of a God who protects the City from fire and thunderstorms, she certainly had her work cut out last night.
This is known as the windy city and there are signs to confirm it. All around the car park where the aire is located are signs to say that a local event due to be held last night was “Condemned due to violent winds”
There is a second aire at Saint Flour, at the foot of the mountain. We could see it clearly from a viewpoint on our tour and decided that it would be a better place to spend the night.
Thursday 3rd July
Time to leave Saint Flour. Our destination for today is the town of Riom, about 10 miles North od Clermont Ferrand. There is an Aire shown that looks ideal; there are only four places, but they are clearly marked with hedges. We arrive at about 13:00 and the heat is searing, it is already 34 C outside and this time the heat is getting to me. A walk into town reveals that Riom is a town with plenty of history, but does not inspire us. Perhaps it is the dark stone of the buildings, but the town has a sombre feeling and certainly not welcoming. Nearly all of the town is built from the dark Lava Stone that is abundant around here as it is the spill from the now extinct volcanoes of which there are around 80 in the vicinity.
The afternoon continues to see us roast and becomes very oppressive. The air is heavy and close and by late afternoon there are clouds forming. A few claps of thunder and some light rain are all that materialise. The evening and night do not get any better.
We struggle to find a suitable destination for tomorrow and eventually decide on a site on the outskirts of the spa town of Vichy.
Friday 4th July
We are on the road reasonably early and heading for the campsite at Vichy. As usual we carry two sat nav units and equally as usual they are showing different routes with vastly differing distances. I choose to take the advice of the TomTom as it is about 12km shorter. We arrive at Vichy within about an hour and then look for the site. It is easy to find, but not as close to town as the book suggests. According to the ACSI book the site is a comfortable walk into town, but we find that it is about 2.5 miles each way. As we approach the site, a British couple with a Swift caravan are driving away and I am half hoping that they will lean out of the window and advise us not to stay, but they don’t. We decided to walk around the site before booking in; something that we don’t normally do, and both agree that it is dark and does not feel friendly. We decide not to stay, but now have to decide where to go. We find a likely site at Moulins, about 35 miles away and set off for that after coffee. The traffic is very heavy and we still need bread. It is amazing that when you don’t need bread there is a boulangerie everywhere, but not today. We are driving through a town called Saint Pourcain sur Sioule and see a sign for an aire, which we cannot find. We still need bread and so we stopped at a Carrefour Market. Whilst Val is in the supermarket getting bread, I checked the sat nav for the location of the aire. It is about a mile from where we are on the other side of town, but walking distance from the town. We decided to head there and as we approached there seemed to be a bright light welcoming us in. The aire has 70 marked places and is situated next to the river. It is free to stop, the only charge is 2 Euros for use of the services, excellent!
Wandering around the town later, we are surprised by the warm friendly feeling that we have here. This will be our home for at least a couple of nights. I cannot get an internet connection from the aire, but the Office du Tourisme has a free wifi connection, which we will use.
Saturday is market day in Saint Pourcain so Val was in her element. This is one of those typical small French markets that sprawl about the main square in a place that they have probably occupied for centuries. Everything is on sale from fruit and veg to lingerie and bric-a-brac. In the market hall was the usual selection of fresh produce. You always know the best stall to go to as they have the longest queue. Unfortunately, that also means that you have the longest wait. Across the road from the market is a local dance group with a demonstration of line dancing; well I think that is what it was supposed to be. This is the stiffest, lamest demonstration of line dancing that you are ever likely to come across, but they seemed to enjoy it and so did their audience.
On Saturday evening the weather allowed us a long enough break to go for a stroll around the town. Halfway round we stopped for coffee at a bar in the main square. As we sat down I happened to remark that if the service was as slow as the previous night we would have time to perform our conjugal rights (or words to that effect). She happened to reply that we would have to wait until we had given our order. Immediately from our left, the waitress appeared…. The rest is left up to you.
Monday 7th July
Well we spent four nights on the aire at Saint Pourcain. Lazy days just wandering around a lovely friendly town. Nothing special about the town other than it seemed one of those places that just feel right.
On Saturday evening three motorhomes arrived together. They were loaded with young families, all of the children were girls and they certainly knew how to scream whilst playing. In the end one French woman gave them a good telling and they went quiet. Sunday was a terrible day, starting with a thunderstorm until about 11:00 and then raining nearly all afternoon and until darkness. They was a shuffle as two of the three motorhomes that had come in together had to pull down to the service point to get a quick battery charge as they had had to resort to the TV to keep the various children quiet.
This morning, again in rain, we set off for a new home. Our intention was to settle at Mery sur Cher, but whilst the aire looked nice it was also closed for renovations. We headed back to an alternative aire at Vierzon, which at first appeared to have been taken over by a Circus. It turned out to be a kids travelling Pinnochio show who were actually away from the aire. When we arrived there were three motorhomes including ours, by nightfall that had increased to nine and would have been more if several hadn’t driven off as there was no more room.
Vierzon is a town not to visit. It has a tourist office and produces a glossy tourist brochure, but the impression is one of closed and boarded buildings and gross dereliction immediately off the main streets. There has been some effort made to make the town look clean and welcoming, but it is only on the surface. At one time this town appears to have been the Swindon of France. It had a large loco works very close to the main station. The loco works has long closed. The town have made a feature of the external wall of the works, but you can still see the broken glass and missing rooves behind the facade.
Tuesday 8th July
Time to leave Vierzon. We are still heading north, probably too quickly, but we want to get to the Somme estuary by Friday in order that we can find a good spot for the Bastille celebrations at the weekend. Bastille Day falls on the Monday this year (14th July) and therefore most towns and villages will grab the opportunity of a bigger celebration than normal over the weekend.
Our destination today is Brezolles. We have been here twice before. Brezolles is an old village that is centred around a lake. There is an aire in an old disused orchard, which was once part of the grounds of the chateau. The aire does have a reputation for being crowded, but it is pleasant enough and as it is free we don’t complain. The first time that we came to Brezolles there were otters playing in the river beside the stream and we were hoping to see them again this time, but the weather kept them at bay. We did hear a couple of quiet splashes in the river and evidence of air bubbles afterwards, but no otter sightings this time.
Tonight, there are only eight motorhomes on the aire, a very comfortable number.
Wednesday 9th July
We move off again, but today’s journey is not so far. There is an aire in the town of Oissel, not far from Rouen, but it only has two spaces and has a reputation for being well policed. We need to be there early if we are to have any chance of a spot there. When we arrive we find two motorhomes already parked, but we then notice that one is not parked in an authorised place. We managed to get into the space and are settled for the day. The aire is in a quiet area near to some parkland at the side of the River Seine. From the window we are able to see the merchant ships and barges and the occasional cruise barge travelling the river.
Thursday 10th July
That was not a comfortable night. Sometimes you get a feeling about somewhere and whilst there is no reason, you cannot get that feeling out of your head. This was true about Oissel. It turned out that we both had the same feeling, but were not able to mention it to the other until we left in the morning. Anyway, we are alive to tell the tale.
We have travelled slightly further north today to Mesnieres en Bray. The day started with some retail therapy at one of the largest out of town retail parks in France. This is at Tourville la Riviere, just a short drive from Oissel. There is a Carrefour Hyper there, which is the largest of their stores in Europe, plus an Ikea and other stores that you would recognise.
The drive to Mesnieres en Bray was miserable, damp, drizzly and grey. When we arrived we found the aire empty and wondered whether we would have it to ourselves again. Eventually, five other motorhomes joined us for the night. There was plenty of room as this aire could easily accommodate 20 units.
By evening, the drizzle stopped long enough for us to get our customary walk around the village. What a pretty little village this is, one that we have added to our Must Return list. The whole place is spotless and there are various signs leading visitors to the various places of interest. One such place is an old Lavoir (A communal clothes washing shelter), which is fed by a natural spring. By the looks of a painting on display there, this was not the only activity held at the Lavoir.
Friday 11th July
We are now just one week from our return home. Today we travelled back to Saint Valery sur Somme, our favourite town in France. If we were ever to buy a house in France this town would be top of the list. We are here for the Bastille festivities. Rather early, but the last time we were here they were fighting for space. Today, of the 80 spaces, approximately 70 of them are vacant; you just cannot predict it. The weather is still gloomy, but we have a warmth in our hearts through being here.
There is an artisinal market this evening; and tomorrow sees the start of a weekend of celebrations, culminating in a fireworks display on Monday night.
Sunday 13th July
The weather has been poor or worse so far this weekend. This morning it is raining with no signs of stopping. We came back soaked from our morning walk for bread and cakes. The market was poor due to the normal market place being closed for the weekends festivities and the weather. Let’s hope it clears up for this evening’s concert and torchlight parade.
Well the concert was terrible, (quite normal for a village concert). Somebody decided to use two radio mics that were on the same frequency and the feedback was ear shattering. Then when they realised the error, the singer switched off his mic and left the backing singer backing nobody. Val found us a ringside seat, which meant that she got chatting to the local alkies. They didn’t even care when I told them she couldn’t speak french, they just kept chatting to her.
The torchlight parade started at the tower of William the Conqueror at around 10:30pm. It was led by the local Pompiers and the town band. If anyone has seen these spectacles before they will know that it is only slightly more organised than a disorganised rabble, but great fun to watch and taken very seriously. At least they do celebrate their special days, unlike the British and St George.
Monday 14th July
Bastille Day, and at last the sun is shining. During the day the temperature rose to the point where for the first time in over a week we were able to sit outside in the sun and even have dinner outside. Bastille day is the biggest festival in the French calendar and marks the end of their Monarchy and change to a Presidency. Every town has a firework display at 11:00pm and Saint Valery is no exception. Whilst waiting for the fireworks we are treated to a beautiful sunset and then the rising of the biggest, reddest moon that we have ever seen. I took some photos of the moon and noticed that many others in the crowd had suddenly noticed this phenomenon.
In true French tradition, the fireworks were late starting, but eventually the town was plunged into darkness and the display began. Unfortunately, as spectacular as they were; and well worth watching, nearly all displays look the same these days. The biggest attraction was the fact that they were over water, so the reflections were wonderful.
Tuesday 15th July
We are now into the final days of our trip and today we have travelled to Boulogne. This is a town that most people bypass when they visit France as it is not far enough into the country, so we are having two days here. The aire overlooks the sea at the northern end of the town and there is a good, refreshing sea breeze blowing.
Wednesday 16th July
Well, some of the brightest gems are there to be seen, but overlooked in the search for gold. This is certainly true of Boulogne, a town that is more often bypassed as it is too close to the point of entry to France.
Firstly, Boulogne has a super beach, which is flat, clean and has fine sand. The tide goes out forever so there is plenty of room. There is the Nauticaa centre for the third largest aquarium in France. The port is still one of the busiest fishing ports on the English Channel. Then there is the Medieval Fortified City, what a gem in a forgotten city. The Cathedral Notre Dame is one of the largest cathedrals in France, and believe me it is massive. There is a domed roof that whilst not in comparison with St Pauls, it is none the less spectacular. The Castle remains and has the original moat still in position. Inside the castle is the museum and the ramparts are open for a wonderful aerial view of the town. For shopping Boulogne town centre possible betters most french towns.
This, coupled with the fact that the aire is only 5.25 Euros per night for the first two nights makes Boulogne an excellent choice for a stay on future trips. And, from your window there is an excellent view of the Channel.
Had an interesting visit, just got back from our afternoon stroll along the clifftops towards Wimeraux when I noticed a car being parked on the Camping-car aire. I was getting ready to tell the driver that they couldn’t park there when I was approached by a slim, attractive, blonde. She spoke in that typical French drawl and said ” I am interviewing for a local newspaper, can I ask you some questions?” Well I am sucked in immediately, she said that she was doing an article on visitors to Boulogne and would like to ask some questions and take some photos. I fell for it when she said in her sexy French accent “Do you mind if I use a how do you say it? Dictaphone?” I’m up for that!!! Anyway it seems that the article will be in the local paper next week and I made sure that she had my email address.
Thursday 17th July
This is our last day of this trip. We are leaving Boulogne and heading up to Coquelles and Cite Europe. We are following the coast road, but unfortunately there is a heavy sea mist so the sights will not be what we expected. We stopped at Cap Gris Nez and walked up to the headland, but try as we might, none of you buggers waved back.
Our journey took us onwards past Wissant and Cap Blanc Nez, but still the mist was too thick. On towards Sangate, where the French had a detention centre for the illegal immigrants that were trying to find their way into the UK. What a shame they failed in so many cases, a justification for return of Madame Guillotine.
Our trip today takes us to Cite Europe for a chance to replenish our wine stocks. We didn’t go as overboard as previously as we do not drink the quantities that we have in the past.
This is our 50th and last night of this trip.
Friday 18th July
Back to the UK. Bugger! Let’s turn round and start again!
We left the Eurotunnel train at 09:27 and finally arrived home at 13:20. 125 miles in almost 4 hours. It seems that there have been some horrific thunderstorms overnight.
Back home and time to reflect:
Total nights away: 50
Total Mileage: 2279.2
MPG: 26.2
Number of different overnight stops: 27
Maximum cost of overnight stop: £11.50
Best investment: ACSI campsite guide.
Best accessory: Swivel table for use inside.
Absolute necessity: Bread baskets
Successes: Chamonix and all of the new towns and experiences.
Failures: Planning the return trip, the outward sounds great but you forget that you have to get back. Also sufficient games to keep some variety over 50 evenings.
Finally, we left home having spent some time re-designing the garden, we came back home to a re-constructed jungle.
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