The Jenbens Jaunt - Brittany and a Bit Beyond

[Jenben]

Well we have been meandering around the top bit of France throughout September.

I thought I would capture our trip as we head home and before we forget where we have been

Avoiding too many people in early September we headed from the ferry at Caen to overnight at Hermanville Sur Mer. This contrary to its name isn’t by the sea but a little way back , handy for stop overs on the way to and from the ferry .

We have been using this spot for quite a few years now but notice the French have found it too as it’s free .

 

[FIDGET]

nice little aire with free water, we used too stop there many years ago , but now with dog we've used the tunnel , still got 1 return left from 3 years ago so hoping to go over in june next year. Always loved Brittany been several times .

 

[Jenben]

nice little aire with free water, we used too stop there many years ago , but now with dog we've used the tunnel , still got 1 return left from 3 years ago so hoping to go over in june next year. Always loved Brittany been several times .

This thread is a bit for you Fidget as I often park somewhere and think you might like it (or not )

It is a handy spot for a stop over , there is free water and a dump point just past the aire although mrjenben says you need a crow bar to access it .

 

[FIDGET]

I'm not sure if you are still actually doing Brittany or heading home now, but if going into Brittany one of first stopovers back in 2007 , Boju aire , since then they have made it into an aire with free water right beside canal also the road , but we go to the grass parking area across the road , very secluded. no services
Campeneac aire another we use regularly , last time we were there 2014 they had a free music festival in the village , with stages all around the village doing all different styles of music , funny most of the songs were in english. lots of individual artists plus quite a few groups

 

[Stealaway]

We are there now and just stopped for the night at a free Aire on the river at Treguier.
We've not been in the town yet buts it's marked as a 'Town of Character' it looks interesting as we passed by.

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[FIDGET]

We are there now and just stopped for the night at a free Aire on the river at Treguier.
We've not been in the town yet buts it's marked as a 'Town of Character' it looks interesting as we passed by.

another we like , used a couple of times , have 2 funsters there , sorry can't remember there names. shame no services

 

[Jenben]

If you do get to Hermanville, just around from the aire is a war graves cemetery with more than a 1000 graves from WW2 , nearly all British.

 

[FIDGET]

If you do get to Hermanville, just around from the aire is a war graves cemetery with more than a 1000 graves from WW2 , nearly all British.



View attachment 544156View attachment 544157

Coincidence when we were there in 2014 , June 6th , a small company of british soldiers there with bagpiper march through the village , had proper rememberance ceremony and the village children laid gerbera's on each grave , very moving

forgot to say the boju aire is not far from the Rohan aire , another nice one

 

[Jenben]

Moving on from Hermanville we head to mid Normandy , a lovely drive past Vire takes us to a newish aire at Sourdeval.

The community have created an aire for motorhomes on the edge of a park behind the town. It’s a landscaped spot with free water and dump point plus electric available .

Another free spot, the town itself has a fantastic floral display .

When we visit spots like this as a Brit motorhome we think it’s pretty amazing to be welcomed into these little communities, where possible we do try to spend some money locally.

Handily the aire at sourdeval is by a voie verte , an old milk train route takes us on a lovely cycle route above the hills towards Mortain.

 

[FIDGET]

Looks very nice , very envious.
we use the free aire at La Ferriere aux Etangs , justsouth of Flers.

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[Jenben]

Looks very nice , very envious.
we use the free aire at La Ferriere aux Etangs , justsouth of Flers.

Must remember that one.

 

[Jenben]

Handily my garmin captures our cycle ride

Our next stop was near Evran as we are heading to meet some friends, it looks like a nice spot for the night but is anyone like us and sometimes dithers about whether they want to stay the night ? We often stop to have a cup of tea and then make a decision.

It is just behind a small leisure lake , it’s the Aire de Betineuc, I would consider a swim but there appears to be lots of blue algae signs but it’s a nice area for walking and cycling so we do stop the night . There is a dump spot there but you have to pay to buy water, again it’s free to stay and we suspect it might be busy in the summer as there is a beach bar ( shut at the moment !).

 

[Jenben]

After a lovely night with mates we head to the coast . Last time we were in this bit of France we stayed at Port Louis and cycled along to a place called Gavres avoiding the marine ordnance testing which sometimes shuts the road which is a long spit of land .


There is an aire at Gavres so we give it a go , its a pay one ( credit card) and we get there on a sunny Sunday, lots of vans are squished up on one side of the aire which is around a football pitch but we have lots of space. A quick check with our nearest French Motorhome neighbours and it seems that there was a match on the pitch on Sunday morning so no one parked near the pitch.

The aire is just behind a lovely beach and headland , perfect for an afternoon stroll.

This aire had been full on Saturday night and I suspect it’s heaving in the summer given it’s location. There is a small village at Gavres and bars etc in the season.

For those who don’t fancy the aire there is a municipal campsite at Gavres although it’s very much only open in the French season

 

[Jenben]

We are there now and just stopped for the night at a free Aire on the river at Treguier.
We've not been in the town yet buts it's marked as a 'Town of Character' it looks interesting as we passed by.

Ah yes we stayed there quite a few years ago , I remember it as a nice spot under the trees ?

We watched 2 young men walk along the river bank just chucking nets in and hauling them out , they didn’t catch a thing.

 

[Jenben]

Moving on we head a bit further around the coast to Guidel Plage.

I will be honest and say this isn’t truly a Motorhome friendly place , it’s quite regulated but we park behind a surf shack in an official free overnight spot for motorhomes.

Another nice walk along the shoreline for us but we are reminded that the coast is busier and so make plans to head a few miles inland for the next few days.

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[Jenben]

We head around the coast to the Golfe du Morbihan but pick an aire at Surzur, inland but near enough to the coast. It isn‘t somewhere we have been before and it feels like it might be based on an old campsite now with a cc entry system just behind the town centre.

Its lovely weather and there is plenty for us to do around this aire which feels immaculately kept by the private owners.

We cycle along quiet roads and dedicated cycle lanes out to the coast.

we find some lovely marked walks which we follow from the aire. Anyone who ever follows these French walks where yellow markers are along route will know there is an element of jeopardy as to whether you will miss an important turning point

 

[FIDGET]

Hi Carolyn, When we were last in that area , we stopped at a nice aire at Saint Gildas de Rhuys , right along side the beach , Plage de Kerver next door to the campsite

some old photo's of it can't find more recent ones , beach the other side of trees behind 3 moho's , we were in convoy

 

[Jenben]

Hi Carolyn, When we were last in that area , we stopped at a nice aire at Saint Gildas de Rhuys , right along side the beach , Plage de Kerver next door to the campsite

We did consider going there , I will book mark it for another trip.

I can also recommend on the other side of the Golfe du Morbihan going right down towards Larmor Barden, there is a small ferry to the Ile aux Moines .

There is a lovely little private aire there just above the coast , a cc entry system great for walking and cycling. Aire des Iles Kerilio is the name of it , we were there a couple of years ago.

 

[Tony V]

Just back from the same area. Did'nt see a single other UK m/h for the whole time I was there [apart from the ferry there and back] The Aire at Baden was busy but relaxing with all the basic amenities one wanted and a snack shack. [Aire des Iles]

 

[Jenben]

Well we liked Surzur enough to stay a few more days .


The cycling was nice

Another day took us out past the Chateau de Suscinio

We ended up by the oyster beds

The aire at Surzur has a little info shed with maps etc but they also seem to have a link to a local fish van.

If you fill in a request form and put your pitch number on it ,the next day some bloke in a white van turns up after 6pm and you give him cash for some seafood.

Its such a nice idea and so for the sum of €7.20 we have a dozen oysters dropped off to us.

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[Jenben]

Just back from the same area. Did'nt see a single other UK m/h for the whole time I was there [apart from the ferry there and back] The Aire at Baden was busy but relaxing with all the basic amenities one wanted and a snack shack. [Aire des Iles]

No there weren’t many UK m/h around , we did find ourselves parked by Brits in French registered vans in a few spots, the other year we drove past the aire at Baden , I will add it to my list !

 

[Tony V]

No there weren’t many UK m/h around , we did find ourselves parked by Brits in French registered vans in a few spots, the other year we drove past the aire at Baden , I will add it to my list !

I've added my review to S4S.

 

[Spriddler]

Its such a nice idea and so for the sum of €7.20 we have a dozen oysters dropped off to us.

Rick Stein also shows his plate after a meal..............................




......but I guess you were too busy after eating those oysters.

 

[Jenben]

Time to move on, we head to a lovely free spot set near Fegreac , Aire du Bellion .

Here we are parked up with a few other vans.

We have the river Vilaine on one side of us - not a river we have really heard of previously .

We have the Nantes Brest Canal on the other side.

For those who don’t fancy this free spot there is a tiny campsite on the other side of the canal where someone seems to come and collect the fee in the evening. We are happy enough here, a few vans come and go and boats pass by .

 

[dosser]

People say why do you want to go to France ???????

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[Jenben]

People say why do you want to go to France ???????

For us France is the Motorhome friendly destination, so many different areas to visit. On this trip we have only stayed in one aire we have stayed at before, all the apps plus recommendations from friends and on here make it very enjoyable.

 

[dosser]

For us France is the Motorhome friendly destination, so many different areas to visit. On this trip we have only stayed in one aire we have stayed at before, all the apps plus recommendations from friends and on here make it very enjoyable.

Yes totally agree same for us. I know its not everyones cup of tea but we love it. So easy to just pull up and stop with facilities in most places.
Enjoy.
Kenny.

 

[FIDGET]

Thanks Carolyn Jenben , that ones noted and a must next time that way along with Blain .

 

[Jenben]

Thanks Carolyn Jenben , that ones noted and a must next time that way along with Blain .

It’s a brilliant spot, there is a bit of coming and going of day vans, for us it was a bit of a gem. No facilities apart from a bin but at nearby Fegreac there is a Motorhome service point outside the town with free water and a drive over grey drain plus a toilet dump point .

 

[Jenben]

Just behind the canal is a quarry which seems to be some sort of art and event venue, we take a short walk up to take a look and discover this Belvedere on the edge of the quarry.

This was built a few years ago and we walk up to take a look

We can go inside it and there are wooden birds suspended in the structure

We can climb up

it’s a great view from the top - a panoramic phone photo from mrjenben

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