The Adventure Begins (1 Viewer)

[Ninovan]

Just sitting in Canterbury P&R ready for the tunnel tomorrow. Seems full of Germans! Had nice meal in the Old Gate Inn on the corner. Can't wait to get over & start the trip! Normandy, Brittany, down to Bordeaux then head East, come up through Reims, St Quentin, Lille, then tunnel back again. 4 weeks will seem too short

 

[hilldweller]

4 weeks will seem too short

Big problem, if you've been planning for ages they do seem to be over in a blink. Take lots of pics to convince yourself later.

 

[maison]

Enjoy the trip.

Looks like a good itinerary.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Madeinengland]

Have fun

 

[John&Kate]

Enjoy your travels

When you are returning in 4 weeks we will be starting our 2 week tour from the EuroTunnel, take 4 days to get to Yelloh village site Les Lac 3 Valleys, then a 3/4 day return trip up the west coast to hit some beaches.

 

[The Nomad]

Just sitting in Canterbury P&R ready for the tunnel tomorrow. Seems full of Germans! Had nice meal in the Old Gate Inn on the corner. Can't wait to get over & start the trip! Normandy, Brittany, down to Bordeaux then head East, come up through Reims, St Quentin, Lille, then tunnel back again. 4 weeks will seem too short

If you think that's strange, wait till you get to France...it's absolutely RAMMED with foreigners. Just utterly heaving with French people!

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[rosalan]

So it is full of French people. Thank goodness! I had heard terrible rumours there were lots of immigrants there.

 

[brynric]

Enjoy the trip.
Keep up to date with the updates!

 

[Anthea M]

Enjoy your trip and safe travels!

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[ymfb]

Bon voyage, you lucky people

 

[Fragle]

Enjoy your travels

When you are returning in 4 weeks we will be starting our 2 week tour from the EuroTunnel, take 4 days to get to Yelloh village site Les Lac 3 Valleys, then a 3/4 day return trip up the west coast to hit some beaches.

Then as you get back it's our turn. West coast beaches this time only for 2 weeks though

 

[Vanderek]

Come on over there's loads of space and great weather

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[FIDGET]

@Ninovan , Hi
Just got back from Brittany /Normandy , 3 & half weeks ,not enough time to really enjoy & appreciate just that part of France ,You may find your itinerary a bit much in 4 weeks ( a lot of driving time) . Hope you enjoy your trip & keep safe with no problems.
Terry

 

[kip]

Have a great trip.

 

[Mickey1]

Enjoy.

Mickey.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[chaser]

@Ninovan , Hi
Just got back from Brittany /Normandy , 3 & half weeks ,not enough time to really enjoy & appreciate just that part of France ,You may find your itinerary a bit much in 4 weeks ( a lot of driving time) . Hope you enjoy your trip & keep safe with no problems.
Terry

Quite agree , we usually go across for about five weeks but just had a quicky 10 days to do what you have done there, no time for nothing , just driving everyday, we have certainly got to cut down our routes or go for even more than 5 weeks.

 

[Ninovan]

Update part 1. Met up with Jock @JockandRita this morning in Canterbury & had a nice chat, although didn't get talking to Rita. Got to Tunnel checkin in plenty of time for booked train, then got trapped behind 2 plonkers who were driving a different car to the one they had booked. Cosequently 1/2 hour getting through & missed thr train . No problem though, got put straight on the next one. Stopped on French side to top up with fuel then headed towards Le Crotoy. We were going to stay at Les Trois Sablieres campsite but thought we would stay at an aire for the first time. (Last trips were all campsites). Found aire de Mirais behind some sand dunes 20 mins walk from town. Great, about 20 vans here but we're the only Brits. €7 per night so not too bad. Only thing against is that we'll be glad when the tide coms in to get rid of the smell from the mudflats . Have taken a few photos on phone & camera but haven't worked out yet how to transfer them to the tablet! Watch this space! Heading off to Honfleur tomorrow for a couple of days, may splash out on a site but could get used to cheap parking! Wait with bated breath for the next exciting instalment of the travels (& travails!) of me and her

 

[suavecarve]

You may be able to bluetooth over the pictures to your tablet.
Free internet at Office de tourisme if you need it.
If you take out sim card from camera to put into tablet then ensure camera is off before doing so as you could lose photos, trust me I am an expert at that !

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[FIDGET]

You may be able to bluetooth over the pictures to your tablet.
Free internet at Office de tourisme if you need it.
If you take out sim card from camera to put into tablet then ensure camera is off before doing so as you could lose photos, trust me I am an expert at that !

I couldn't blue tooth ,or put sim in tablet as no slot in my.
so ended up using my tablet to photograph everything , then when I sent an email , attached from the gallery.

 

[Popeye]

Update part 1. Met up with Jock @JockandRita this morning in Canterbury & had a nice chat, although didn't get talking to Rita.

Gotta tell ya that talking to Rita is far far more beneficial than talking to Jock. I am looking forward to treating them to a beer or two in August. Have a great trip. pop up and see us on your return.

Griff 'n' Jackie.

 

[Ninovan]

Tuesday headed off towards Honfleur intending to stay on La Briquerie campsite. However, satnav decided we were going via Rouen so I soon shut her up. Rerouted round Dieppe then Fecamp to get to Honfleur. Nice drive across country! Going through Fecamp, the memsahib spotted an air by the harbour so shot in there & parked up. All free but no sevices. Got chatting to another couple of Brits who suggested using Honfleur aire so we thought "why not". Set off this morning but couldnt cross the Seine as satnav was set to no tolls & wouldnt cross the bridge. Once I realised what had happened normal sevice was resumed. €3.50 for the bridge at Tancarville. Got to the huge aire here, right in town by the harbour, €11 per night including water, ehu, grey & black dump. Had a wander round town tonight, there was a night market on - brilliant! More exploring tomorrow. Forecast 31C but the odd shower. It's a hard life being an intrepid explorer

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[mitzimad]

now youve discovered the wonderfull world of aires the whole of france is your oyster
happy wandering

 

[Ninovan]

Greetings fellow Funsters & avid readers of the "other" tour de France (or not, as the case may be!) Having planned for St. Malo, as is always the way, things changed & we ended stopping at Dinan, in the air under the viaduct. Have to pay during the day, using a machine with very complicated instructions that not even the French can understand! You put in 4€ which covers you from 0900 to 1430, but can't put in any more to get the full day unless you cme back at 1430! Gallic shrugs all round & "ca ne fait rien". Free at night. Needless to say, didn't bother & nothing under the wipers so all ok. It is the weekend though. Sundays is free. Anyway, no services of any descripton; if you're full up & need to dump, you move to another aire! This one is perfect though for the old town, if you dont mind a 15 minute hike up a steep hill, or there is a slightly less strenuous switchback route directly opposite the car park. It's gorgeous when you do get up there, quaint shops, lovely old buildings, castle walls to walk round, lovely church, what is there not to like? Had the best croque monsieur ever washed down with a couple of demi-peche. Lots of stalls around although it wasn't an official market day.

Think we will get the bikes out tomorow & head to Lehon along the river side path for more sightseeing; an abbey & chateau and we were told of a nice restaurant to visit. Looks like we will give Brest a miss & head to Concarneau on Monday, hopefully keeping the good weather.

Ta ta for now, Chris & Di

 

[Ninovan]

Next installment! Having done Dinan, we headed off to Concarneau to the station aire on the edge of town. €6 per night, they want €4 for ehu & water but only with debit card so went without! Lovely place, visited the old fortified town, full of clothes shops (Mrs. N very happy!) Boulangeries & patisseries & tourist stuff. Had a lovely crepe washed down with another demi peche! The town was (is?) the biggest fishing port in France, the far side of the harbour is a mass of processing plants & factory ships moored alongside. Tiddled down with rain all afternoon - we got drenched!
Left Concarneau this morning & a nice drive to Pornic. Found the aire by the leisure centre & not impressed! Near a noisy dual carriageway & not one van in sight. Even All the Aires say it is one to avoid! Drove another 15 minutes to Bernerie en Retz to a lovely aire fairly near to the tourist office on Rue Jeanne D'Arc. €9.50 for the night with free services & toilet block but could only find 2 ehu points. Walked into town (3 mins) for an explore & had another beer on the beach. We wanted to get the bus into Pornic tomorrow as it's supposed to be a nice place but only one running in the evening, so that idea was scrubbed. Off tomorrow to Chatelaillon Plage, just south of La Rochelle, as although lovely, there isn't tha much to do here.
Laters, Chris & Di

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[suavecarve]

Several places to stop between Pornic and La Rochelle. Look out for a snake coming out of the sea. A huge structure at saint brevin les pains on the way. Ile de re is a must (expensive to get over there though) Ile de noirmoutier and ile de lorean are also right up there. La Rochelle at night. Numerous expansive empty beaches (or they were in april and i cant see how they can fill them in July they are massive) Saint Gilles was very pleasant but the aire was a pain to park. i think it was 6 euros but the time started at 1200 and we bought our ticket at 1130. Enjoy

 

[Ninovan]

Oh no, not more I hear you cry........ Well, we are now ensconced on a very nice aire in Perigueux; Rue de Pres. 13.10€ for two nights, all facilities except ehu. Leisurely 20 minute stroll into town along thr river bank. Got as far as the main square for the required demi peche! Retaurants look quite good & not too expensive so might give one a try tomorrow.
The last two nights we spent at Chatelaillon Plage just south of La Rochelle. Couldnt find the first aire on our list, didnt seem to exist despite driving (squeezing) through a hotel car park looking for it! It was definitely on the satnav, honest! Tried another one where we couldnt get through the barrier because the system was down & wouldnt give us a card. Tried phoning but they wanted around 14€ a night for a gravel pit with no services. Gave up in the end as it was getting late & booked into ACSI site; Village des Corsairs. Full of kids, tents & mobile homes. Total rip off, one to avoid even off season. Anyway, got laundry done & went for a nice bike ride along the coast.
So, two nights here then probably off to Chateauroux on Monday, or might pop down to Bergerac. The world is our lobster

 

[Ninovan]

Just arrived this afternoon at the aire in Chateauroux. If anybody wants to come here, ignore the satnav coordinates in the book. It will try to take you down a driveway the car park of a bock of flats . The aire is behind it next to the Belle Isle campsite (ACSI). Note to self - follow the instructions in the book! Nice little aire, only 5 places; we got the fourth! Relatively quiet & part shade. Totally free, but only 1 ehu point by borne. We popped into the campsite to look round and it was only 20€ per night anyway, high season & all included. The car park guy at the last stop in Perigueux came round this morning giving everybody another free night because the barrier had gone haywire! Shame we'd already done the place to death!
Went for a quick wander round town, seems quite nice; more little alleyways, churches & ancient buildings. More exploring tomorrow but forecast to be 38*C. Thought today was hot at 33!
Dont know where we're going next, the plans have gone out of the window a bit so watch this space .

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Mr Ed]

I do like that, "plans out of the window" seems to happen to us just as as we turn right out of the tunnel.

 

[Ninovan]

Hello once more, dear readers. Me again! Just arrived in Bourges, a lovely city with an absolutely stunning cathedral. Got here about 3pm, bit of lunch then off out for a mini trek. The aire was very easy to find (for once), 50 ish spaces & about 20 here. The only bugbear is that the borne has been shut off, luckily we filled & emptied before we left Chateauroux. Slightly sloping hard standing on both sides of a very quiet road. We only came here because we couldnt decide whether or not to do Orleans now or on the way back!
Just watched a French couple wheel their cassette off to the dump (which is closed) then lug it up the hill behind into some trees, then came down carrying it. Guess where that was emptied.
Tomorrow off to the town again for more sightseeing & more retail therapy for madam. For the first time since we left, the Halifax card wouldnt work at a Carrefour filling station, so had to resort to theTesco card wich was fine. Strange, as they're both MasterCard.
Off on Friday to a village between Tours & Le Mans for a friend's family Christening so may be off line (stop cheering at the back ) until next week.
Happy travels all. Chris & Di.

 

[John&Kate]

Hi Chris&Di

Cant wait for you to come home .. .. as that's when we are going away.

I've been noting a lot of the Aires and towns you've been visiting as you are in the areas we are travelling through on our journey South, and then our return journey home.
Let us know where you stay in Le Mans and anything worth doing there as I am keen to stop there.

Thanks .. John&Kate

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}