France in November

We had a short walk around Arles this morning until it started raining. Our route out of Arles wasn't through the best of areas as we passed a couple of rather untidy traveller sites, although Vanessa did suggest they may have been refugee camps for which I have a lot more sympathy. We headed off towards Cannes avoiding the toll routes and ended up skirting round Marseille which was a route we haven't done before with some good views of the Med and a large inland lake. Eventually to save time I broke one of my rules and jumped on the A8 toll road for about 100k to save time. The last 25k towards Cannes were quite challenging as we climbed, twisted and then descended towards our destination. We have now arrived at Les Cigales ( thanks to @Mr Milliemobile for the recommendation) where we were hoping to stay for at least a week. Unfortunately they close this weekend so we will be on the move again this Monday.
 
mustaphapint said:
We were hoping to cross the Millau bridge today but it was getting dark as we approached Rodez so a quick check of camper contact found us a free aire just outside the town. It's a quiet location surrounded by a park and woodland. There is room (officially) for 6 vans and we were the 5th to arrive. All 6 spaces are now taken but I'm sure if anyone else arrives they would find somewhere to park up. No electric this time but water is free.
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Last time we were at Rodez aire we got a 'proper' pitch but by the end of the day there were 15 vans squeezed in. :D
Nice spot and the water and dump facilities were excellent.

Richard.
 
As we're in one place for a few days it was chance to unload the garage and get the scooter out for a ride along the seafront through Cannes and on to Antibes. The last time we rode along here was on my Harley over 15 years ago and it was just as busy then.
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Yesterday we decided the beachfront restaurants in Cannes were rather expensive for lunch so wandered into the back streets in the hope of finding something a bit cheaper. We ended up paying over the odds for a beef burger each so today we thought we'd treat ourselves to Sunday lunch at one of the beachfront locations we'd overlooked yesterday. Very nice it was too. We were near the finish of the Nice to Cannes marathon and the whole promenade was teaming with runners and supporters. Security was very much in evidence with police, army and random bag searches, the same as yesterday surrounding the music awards. Tomorrow we leave Cannes when the site closes so we've decided to head for l'Estartit in Spain for a week. We stayed at a site there last winter and it's one of the best sites we came across on our trip last Winter. We've already telephoned to check they are open.
 
mustaphapint said:
Yesterday we decided the beachfront restaurants in Cannes were rather expensive for lunch so wandered into the back streets in the hope of finding something a bit cheaper. We ended up paying over the odds for a beef burger each so today we thought we'd treat ourselves to Sunday lunch at one of the beachfront locations we'd overlooked yesterday. Very nice it was too. We were near the finish of the Nice to Cannes marathon and the whole promenade was teaming with runners and supporters. Security was very much in evidence with police, army and random bag searches, the same as yesterday surrounding the music awards. Tomorrow we leave Cannes when the site closes so we've decided to head for l'Estartit in Spain for a week. We stayed at a site there last winter and it's one of the best sites we came across on our trip last Winter. We've already telephoned to check they are open.
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I found Cannes expensive too, one of my surprises two years ago along the coast was St tropez, I found it very nice and not at all what I expected, sort of understated if you know what I mean...

As it happens we're going to Estartit for the new year so will be interested on where you go and what you think of the area ..(y)

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Sas r us said:
I found Cannes expensive too, one of my surprises two years ago along the coast was St tropez, I found it very nice and not at all what I expected, sort of understated if you know what I mean...

As it happens we're going to Estartit for the new year so will be interested on where you go and what you think of the area ..(y)
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St Tropez is lovely, or it ws when we were there 15 years ago on the Harley. If we were spending more time here we would definitely revisit it.
Les Medes at l'Estartit is a superb site. It has everything you could ask for. If it was a bit further south it would be inundated during the winter months. We were passing through last January/February on our way to Denia and ended up staying a few days longer than we originally intended. At the time we only had cycles for exploring the area so we are planning on seeing a bit more now we have the scooter. When we were there last time the weather was similar to a nice spring day in the UK, T-shirts in the afternoon with a light fleece in the mornings and evenings. There was one restaurant I remember which was excellent value for the lunchtime menu, forgotten the name though but we will be going back this week.
 
Well, well.... les Medes is where we are booked in from 29th Dec to 2nd... its our first time down to Spain in the van... we can't wait..!

Will look forward to your visit and blog..(y)(y)
 
Arrived at l'Estartit after a 7 hour drive from Cannes. I had to forget my Yorkshire upbringing and use the toll roads or we wouldn't have made it in daylight. Les Medes is just as I remember it. Good pitches, heated shower block with lift music playing softly in the background, bar, snack bar, friendly staff and indoor swimming pool and it was 19 degrees before the sun went down. What's not to like?
 
mustaphapint said:
Arrived at l'Estartit after a 7 hour drive from Cannes. I had to forget my Yorkshire upbringing and use the toll roads or we wouldn't have made it in daylight. Les Medes is just as I remember it. Good pitches, heated shower block with lift music playing softly in the background, bar, snack bar, friendly staff and indoor swimming pool and it was 19 degrees before the sun went down. What's not to like?
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I heard that they were expanding into the next field, is that the case..?
 
Sas r us said:
I heard that they were expanding into the next field, is that the case..?
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Yes they were preparing it when we were here 10 months ago. They've now planted trees around the pitches but that part of the site isn't open yet. In fact half the existing site is out of use at the moment. It looks like they only use part of it during the winter months.

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Les Medes sounds nice - how much is a pitch in winter? I would look at their site but it's currently being blocked as containing malware.
 
mustaphapint said:
Yes they were preparing it when we were here 10 months ago. They've now planted trees around the pitches but that part of the site isn't open yet. In fact half the existing site is out of use at the moment. It looks like they only use part of it during the winter months.
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I take it there is plenty of space on the site Paul. Would we be safe to just arrive and get a pitch?

Your posts are seriously tempting us to leave the grey damp weather at home but don't really want to go too far into Spain.
Just three weeks or so with some half decent weather would be great.
 
Clarky said:
I take it there is plenty of space on the site Paul. Would we be safe to just arrive and get a pitch?

Your posts are seriously tempting us to leave the grey damp weather at home but don't really want to go too far into Spain.
Just three weeks or so with some half decent weather would be great.
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We were there a few weeks ago, it was half full, it seems they were preparing to do some annual maintenance on the trees after the majority had headed north...It is a really good site, walkable easily to the beach and town...Pity but their restaurant is closed except for Xmas until April...
it has plenty of space at this time of year as it is too windy to have full timers over the winter period...
 
moulin 87 said:
We were there a few weeks ago, it was half full, it seems they were preparing to do some annual maintenance on the trees after the majority had headed north...It is a really good site, walkable easily to the beach and town...Pity but their restaurant is closed except for Xmas until April...
it has plenty of space at this time of year as it is too windy to have full timers over the winter period...
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Thanks for that.

We spend quite a lot of time at Gruissan, just over the hills in France near Narbonne.
It is almost always windy there as the cooler air seems to drop from the mountains. Is it the same to the south of the Pyrenees, as I assumed it would be much calmer and a bit warmer?
It's many years since we have been to that part of Spain and in those days it was always in August.

Richard.

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Clarky said:
Thanks for that.

We spend quite a lot of time at Gruissan, just over the hills in France near Narbonne.
It is almost always windy there as the cooler air seems to drop from the mountains. Is it the same to the south of the Pyrenees, as I assumed it would be much calmer and a bit warmer?
It's many years since we have been to that part of Spain and in those days it was always in August.

Richard.
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That part of Spain has a northerly wind off the Pyrenees during the winter, normally November to April, awnings need to securely strapped down....Of course you can find some lovely days in between...You need to be Peniscola way to be calmer and south of Valencia to be guaranteed warmer...
 
Clarky said:
I take it there is plenty of space on the site Paul. Would we be safe to just arrive and get a pitch?

Your posts are seriously tempting us to leave the grey damp weather at home but don't really want to go too far into Spain.
Just three weeks or so with some half decent weather would be great.
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There's certainly been a bit of a breeze today but to call it windy is a bit strong. It's fine to walk about in t-shirts during the afternoon.
I rang up to book before we set off but they told me there was no need. Of the pitches they have open I would say they are less than half occupied. Most people seem to be in transit and only stopping to break their journey south or on the way back home., unlike when we were here last January when there were many pitches occupied by long stayers. We don't want to go any further south on this trip as we've only got a couple of weeks and I don't want to be spending it all driving.
 
I'm enjoying reading about your experiences. Thank you for keeping in touch.
 
We've spent the last couple of days exploring the area on the scooter and visiting our favourite restaurant around here, Port Blau. Today the breeze we have had has dropped completely and lots of people have been sunbathing. We spent the morning getting a few chores done and in the afternoon we took advantage of the free Spanish lesson offered on site twice a week. We just had time for a short cycle ride along the seafront into l'Estartit in the last rays of the sun.
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Just keep a hold of that sun please.
By this time next week we will be there if everything goes to plan. :):)

Richard.

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We might even get there by Wednesday, depending on weather and how much we dawdle through France.
I dont do the two day dash to the sun like I would have done a few years ago.
We are on the 16.20 shuttle tomorrow so will stop at Cite Europe overnight then trundle down.

Richard.
 
Clarky said:
We might even get there by Wednesday, depending on weather and how much we dawdle through France.
I dont do the two day dash to the sun like I would have done a few years ago.
We are on the 16.20 shuttle tomorrow so will stop at Cite Europe overnight then trundle down.

Richard.
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I'll follow your progress with interest if you post updates as you go. Have a good trip.
 
Allanm said:
That looks nice and sunny, can you keep hold of it, we will be on the 17:50 train today, stopping at Wissant overnight then a slow toll free meander to Brittany. It would be nice to drive in the sun, it's tipping it down in Kent!
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How did your trip go? We had already left Brittany by the time you posted the above so I've no idea what weather we left behind. We should be back in about 10 or 11 days.

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A lovely place to enjoy the sun, eat and watch the world go by. After lunch we rode the scooter up the coast a few kilometres to l'Escales to visit the remains of a Greek and a Roman city. We hadn't realised how big the place is so we ran out of time. We'll have to go back next year.
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mustaphapint said:
A lovely place to enjoy the sun, eat and watch the world go by. After lunch we rode the scooter up the coast a few kilometres to l'Escales to visit the remains of a Greek and a Roman city. We hadn't realised how big the place is so we ran out of time. We'll have to go back next year.
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Those ruins are fantastic,,first visited 2/12/ 2000 on our millennium tour,,L,Escala is a great town,,BUSBY,,
 
Gradually on our way south now.
Spent last night at Cite Europe and weren't attacked, robbed or raped by marauding asylum seekers.
A peaceful night apart from the rain hammering down for most of the night. Lots of flooded land south of Calais after the rain and we even had wet snow lying beside the road south of Boulogne.
Went through more heavy rain but are now at La Mailleraye-sur-Seine where the sun has been shining all afternoon.

Richard.
 
Clarky said:
Gradually on our way south now.
Spent last night at Cite Europe and weren't attacked, robbed or raped by marauding asylum seekers.
A peaceful night apart from the rain hammering down for most of the night. Lots of flooded land south of Calais after the rain and we even had wet snow lying beside the road south of Boulogne.
Went through more heavy rain but are now at La Mailleraye-sur-Seine where the sun has been shining all afternoon.

Richard.
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Wet snow....!:eek::cold:
 
If there was a way I would change the thread title to "France and Northern Spain in November.
I've always considered my self a bit of a francophile, we do own a home in Brittany, but the more time I spend in Spain the more it is becoming my favourite country.

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