PenelopePitstop
LIFE MEMBER
Go South East to Spain???
Well we're off for the winter again but taking a different route this year.
Yes, we're going to Spain for Christmas but heading South East from UK to get there! No we're not getting lost!!
We’re touring Italy and Sicily first.
We set off last Thursday (18th Sept) from Dover having spent the night at the C&CC site at Folkestone
– there’s a campsite entrance not for the faint-hearted!!
Nice site though.
Had a really good crossing with Sea France to Calais - blue sky, calm sea.:thumb:
On our way out of Calais and for most of the afternoon we were overtaken by a succession of Bentleys and Aston Martins all with Rally markings on – something about London to ?? Anyone know where they were going? Very smart cars!!
1st night we stayed at Le Viveur Aux Carpes at Seraucourt-le-Grand just SE of St Quentin .:thumb: This apparently is well known for it’s fishing lakes. It is a C&CC Freedom Camping site so only cost us €14.50.
However we had to pay €2 for the services ( water fill, grey water drain and CDP). Wi-fi was free but only available in the games room over the shower block.
The following morning we headed down the Autoroute again, this time we were overtaken by bangers taking part in a rally. This was the StaplestoNaples Rally – going to Naples and back in 4 days! At the Peage just north of Reims we pulled alongside a car with sponsors listed all over it! They were all from
the village next to ours!! How weird is that??
2nd night was at an aire in Beaune, Burgundy.:thumb: This aire is included in the All The Aires in France in English Book where it says there are 6 designated camping car spots. This is true but we counted 18 vans that night! They were parked up in ordinary car parking bays and no-one seemed to be bothered about it.
It is a huge free car park for campers and coaches mainly. There is a bourne for water, electricity etc but we didn’t use it. So that was a free night.
Next night we were in Avignon at Camping Bagatelle. Old worn out site but very handy for visiting the town of Avignon. – This is an ACSI site and cost us €25.36 for 2 nights.
We arrived on Saturday afternoon and had a wander into town. Later on, about 10pm, there was a firework display on the river bank. We just wandered out of the site with our chairs and were entertained with music and fireworks for about 25 minutes!
The following day, Sunday, we went into town to do the tourist bits. We visited the famous bridge – free on a Sunday in winter, then we went to the Palais Des Papes, again free! We had lunch in the Palais square,unfortunately not free!! We watched a tightrope walker do her stuff outside the Palais – very impressive!:thumb:
Monday – off on the road again – heading towards Port Grimaud and St Tropez. Up till now we’ve had wall to wall blue sky and sunshine. Very warm too! So, heading south it started to cloud over until as we neared
Port Grimaud it started to rain! Apparently they haven’t had a proper day of rain since May! Hello! Guess who’s arrived!!!! ( We are known as the rain gods at our base site in Glossop!!):Blush:
We stayed at Holiday Marina in Port Grimaud – a site made up mostly of statics but with a number of touring pitches. Again it was a C&CC Freedom Camping site - we paid €45.60 for 3 nights (the minimum stay). Each pitch has it’s own bathroom with wash basin, loo and shower cubicle and shares a washing up sink and tap with it’s neighbour, you pay a €50 deposit for this. For wi-fi you pay a €50 deposit for a router and €5 a day for access to the internet. Well that’s the theory! Wi-fi worked for about 10 minutes then died! Went to office following day and left the box for them to sort out – that was Tuesday – the lady owner said she’d bring it back to our van when she’d sorted it – never saw her again!!
Went into the office again on Wednesday and the girl on reception knew nothing about it and said the boss wasn’t in – got our €50 back smartish!!
Went on the water taxi to St Tropez on Tuesday but could only stay 1 hour as the boat was being cancelled for the afternoon due to high winds being forecast! Very busy and very expensive so we were glad to only stay 1 hour! €11 each return - so quite an expensive hour!
On Wednesday we had a trip on the Land Train to Grimaud village – well worth a visit – very very old and pretty.:thumb: €6.50 each return and we think excellent value for money!:thumb:
Now it’s Thursday and we’ve moved to Italy! We’re at Pian Dei Boschi in Pietra Ligure. Another Freedom site. I’ve paid €5 for 24 hours wi-fi but it’s VERY slow!
Journey here was quite uneventful – apart from the 70 ish tunnels we went through!
So far the first week has been great - only 1 day of rain.
I'll try and do another update in a few days! I'll also try to do campsite reviews - promise!!
Must also put some photos on too I suppose!!
Promise to try and be a good funster! Been handing out MHFun flyers to poor unsuspecting campers!!
Marie and Rex


Well we're off for the winter again but taking a different route this year.
Yes, we're going to Spain for Christmas but heading South East from UK to get there! No we're not getting lost!!
We set off last Thursday (18th Sept) from Dover having spent the night at the C&CC site at Folkestone
– there’s a campsite entrance not for the faint-hearted!!
Had a really good crossing with Sea France to Calais - blue sky, calm sea.:thumb:
On our way out of Calais and for most of the afternoon we were overtaken by a succession of Bentleys and Aston Martins all with Rally markings on – something about London to ?? Anyone know where they were going? Very smart cars!!
1st night we stayed at Le Viveur Aux Carpes at Seraucourt-le-Grand just SE of St Quentin .:thumb: This apparently is well known for it’s fishing lakes. It is a C&CC Freedom Camping site so only cost us €14.50.
However we had to pay €2 for the services ( water fill, grey water drain and CDP). Wi-fi was free but only available in the games room over the shower block.
The following morning we headed down the Autoroute again, this time we were overtaken by bangers taking part in a rally. This was the StaplestoNaples Rally – going to Naples and back in 4 days! At the Peage just north of Reims we pulled alongside a car with sponsors listed all over it! They were all from
the village next to ours!! How weird is that??
2nd night was at an aire in Beaune, Burgundy.:thumb: This aire is included in the All The Aires in France in English Book where it says there are 6 designated camping car spots. This is true but we counted 18 vans that night! They were parked up in ordinary car parking bays and no-one seemed to be bothered about it.
It is a huge free car park for campers and coaches mainly. There is a bourne for water, electricity etc but we didn’t use it. So that was a free night.
Next night we were in Avignon at Camping Bagatelle. Old worn out site but very handy for visiting the town of Avignon. – This is an ACSI site and cost us €25.36 for 2 nights.
We arrived on Saturday afternoon and had a wander into town. Later on, about 10pm, there was a firework display on the river bank. We just wandered out of the site with our chairs and were entertained with music and fireworks for about 25 minutes!

The following day, Sunday, we went into town to do the tourist bits. We visited the famous bridge – free on a Sunday in winter, then we went to the Palais Des Papes, again free! We had lunch in the Palais square,unfortunately not free!! We watched a tightrope walker do her stuff outside the Palais – very impressive!:thumb:
Monday – off on the road again – heading towards Port Grimaud and St Tropez. Up till now we’ve had wall to wall blue sky and sunshine. Very warm too! So, heading south it started to cloud over until as we neared
Port Grimaud it started to rain! Apparently they haven’t had a proper day of rain since May! Hello! Guess who’s arrived!!!! ( We are known as the rain gods at our base site in Glossop!!):Blush:
We stayed at Holiday Marina in Port Grimaud – a site made up mostly of statics but with a number of touring pitches. Again it was a C&CC Freedom Camping site - we paid €45.60 for 3 nights (the minimum stay). Each pitch has it’s own bathroom with wash basin, loo and shower cubicle and shares a washing up sink and tap with it’s neighbour, you pay a €50 deposit for this. For wi-fi you pay a €50 deposit for a router and €5 a day for access to the internet. Well that’s the theory! Wi-fi worked for about 10 minutes then died! Went to office following day and left the box for them to sort out – that was Tuesday – the lady owner said she’d bring it back to our van when she’d sorted it – never saw her again!!
Went into the office again on Wednesday and the girl on reception knew nothing about it and said the boss wasn’t in – got our €50 back smartish!!
Went on the water taxi to St Tropez on Tuesday but could only stay 1 hour as the boat was being cancelled for the afternoon due to high winds being forecast! Very busy and very expensive so we were glad to only stay 1 hour! €11 each return - so quite an expensive hour!
On Wednesday we had a trip on the Land Train to Grimaud village – well worth a visit – very very old and pretty.:thumb: €6.50 each return and we think excellent value for money!:thumb:
Now it’s Thursday and we’ve moved to Italy! We’re at Pian Dei Boschi in Pietra Ligure. Another Freedom site. I’ve paid €5 for 24 hours wi-fi but it’s VERY slow!
Journey here was quite uneventful – apart from the 70 ish tunnels we went through!
So far the first week has been great - only 1 day of rain.
I'll try and do another update in a few days! I'll also try to do campsite reviews - promise!!

Promise to try and be a good funster! Been handing out MHFun flyers to poor unsuspecting campers!!
Marie and Rex