20/4/22
Home: After 2926 miles we are back home. In case there were traffic problems we set off early for the tunnel, just after 7:30. In fact we made good time and when we arrived at the tunnel check in they offered us 10:50 instead of our booked slot at 11:20. We went to line up and wait but were waved straight through. So we actually went on the 10:20. It was a bit odd to be driving on the left again, but the drive home was uneventful.
We have had a wonderful three or so weeks wandering across France & Spain and meeting friends, and we’re looking forward to Bertie’s next adventure.
19/4/22
Somewhere near ‘Estrun’ : After two wonderful days with Rob & Denise in their amazing house we set off on the last leg of our adventure.
We need to be at the Calais tunnel terminal by about 10:00 tomorrow, so we looked for a stopping point about 2 hours away. We found ‘Estrun’. It looked good, right by the side of the Canal de St Quintin. Our satnav tried to take us a devious route along what appeared to be the towpath. But eventually we found the spot that search4sites had directed us to, unfortunately the camping car facilities are now closed with larges boulders blocking the site! We drove around a bit and spotted another camper in a car park over on the other side of the canal. So we joined them. I attempted to ask (in French) if we could stay the night there. I think I understood that they were going to, so we joined them. It’s an interesting place with lots of boats of various shapes and sizes.
17/4/22
Romeny-sur-Marne: Usually we have been leaving each site soon after breakfast and aiming to get to the next one by lunchtime. This gives us a better chance of finding a space, as some sites fill up quickly. But today we don’t need to get to Rob & Denise’s until 3:30, so we had a relaxed morning reading books and walking to the local boulangerie for fresh bread. At noon we drove over to the service point , emptied our grey water and tried to top up our fresh. We had misunderstood the instructions we were given last night and couldn’t make in work. Luckily someone nearby directed us to one on the service bollards for the boats which we could use, so all was ok. We then drove over a bridge over the Loire and had lunch beside the river.
The trip to Rob’s took us along small ‘D’ roads, through narrow villages and towns, at one point across a wide flat plateau where the only crop was large fields of oil seed rape. Then as we approached Champagne country it became hillier with lots of vineyards. Rob met us on the approach and directed us up a narrow lane to their parking area.
A great evening was spent being shown over their lovely house (www.maisonrenoux.com) and catching up over a glass or two of champagne.
16/4/22
Chatillon sur Loire : Today’s route took us through a forested area, bright green with new spring growth and lots of cowslips. We are at Chatillon sur Loire. The ‘camping car’ area is right alongside the Canal Lateral a la Loire. It’s where we would have boated through on our trip two years ago if Covid hadn’t aborted it. We didn’t choose this spot for that reason, we didn’t realise until we got here 😯.
This is probably the best place we have stayed in the whole trip. Right by the water’s edge, lots of space, only 8 vans and free electricity. After the usual bread & cheese lunch we took a walk along the canal and down to see the river Loire – very peaceful.
An afternoon chilling reading books etc, then another walk along the various interconnecting paths between the river Loire, the old canal and the current canal.
15/4/22
Bessines Sur Gartempe : We are now just north east of Limoges. The terrain around here is hilly rather than mountainous with some extensive views. This wasn’t our first choice of stop. We went, at first, to a pretty little village a few miles away called Fromental. We found the site but there was a sign saying “Camping cars fermee”. So luckily we had already planned an alternative in case the first one was full. This one is basically a car park in the town square, but it has services and free electricity. When we arrived I topped up the water then moved into a space next to the only other motorhome here. The frenchman inside came out and offered for me to plug into his extention lead as the socket was some way away. I didn’t understand at first, but we soon got it sorted.
After lunch a stroll around the town was called for, and a pop into the boulangerie for a brioche bun filled with custard-creamy stuff, yum. It is a bit odd here because we are very much on view with all the locals going about their business around us, but it’s very ‘French’.
14/4/22
Saint-Romain-la-Virvee: We awoke to a grey, overcast, misty morning – very different to yesterday. But it later developed into a warm, sunny day. After breakfast we took a walk along the beach promenade and back to stretch our legs and then set off. As we travel northwards everything is becoming much greener. We try to plan our routes to avoid motorways as much as possible, preferring the ‘N’ and ‘D’ roads so as to experience more of the ‘real’ France. Driving along today there were green hedges and grass verges. We saw buttercups, daisies, bluebells and dandilions. Quite unlike the landscapes in Spain and southern France. Last night the search4sites app gave us several alternatives, in the right direction and the right distance. We chose Saint Romain la Virvee. It’s a sleepy little typical French village, but they have provided a parking space for 10 ‘camping cars’ (the french term) with services – all for free. The parking space is next to a vineyard, but no grapes yet!
Since we have been driving around in France we have crossed several of it’s major rivers. Today it was the turn of the Dordogne and Gironde, previously it was the Loire and Seine.
13/4/22
Biarritz : we are now in France, goodbye Spain. Today’s journey took us up over the Pyrenees again. We opted for the slightly longer but less steep and twisty route. It was dramatic. The Spanish civil engineers have very cleverly wound the road through the mountains with a series of deep cuttings, tunnels, embankments and viaducts – very impressive.
As we came down on the northern side the general surroundings became much greener. There were more trees, grass on the roadside verges, everything was more verdant. The border crossing into France is at a bridge over a river. There were two bored looking French Gendarmes on duty and the language on the signs changed, but nothing else to mark the crossover.
The motorhome park is at Anglet, just north of Biarritz, which in it’s heyday was the playground of the rich and famous. After lunch of bread, cheese and wine (all French of course) we set off for a walk along the beach promenade to Biarritz. Some of the old grand hotels looked as though they were once impressive, but altogether it was a little underwhelming. There is a little cafe on the beach here where we had thought of having our evening meal. But he had started to pack up by 6:30. I guess the season hasn’t started yet, so it’s something in Bertie for us tonight.