Thur 19/5/11 - to France
On our way for a 3 week+ trip to Brittany in France. Out via Plymouth and returning via Calais.
Going out of season so we can use our discount ACSI campsite card where possible.
First stop Camping Club DA Meet at Lacock in Wiltshire. £6.00pn
Large fairly empy field, but still took me ages to find a spot I liked. Lovely sunny eve.
Fri 20/5/11 - Lacock
Had a mooch round the lovely Village and Abbey at Lacock which is a typical Cotswold Village wholly owned I believe by English Heritage and often used for film & TV settings.
Then onto Plymouth for a 2nt stay at the Caravan Club site at Down Thomas, lovely site perched high up overlooking Plymouth Sound, sunny but a bit to windy to enjoy.
Then onto Plymouth for a 2nt stay at the Caravan Club site at Down Thomas, lovely site perched high up overlooking Plymouth Sound, sunny but a bit to windy to enjoy.
Dinner with Peter & Debbie at their wonderful house overlooking Plymouth Sound, which is just a few mins from the Campsite.
Sat 21/5/11 - Plymouth
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| Sue outside the Tea Rooms in Lacock |
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| What a view ! Pete & Debbie's House overlooking Plymouth Sound |
Sat 21/5/11 - Plymouth
Day 2 Plymouth. Took the Mountbatten Ferry into Plymouth for lunch and a walk round familiar sites. Dinner later at the Rose & Crown in Yealmpton with Pete & Debbie - excellent food.
Sun 22/5/11 - Landrellec
Caught Ferry to Roscoff at 07.30. Bit on the lumpy side, Mrs B not to happy, so we decided to upgrade to a cabin (€11 supplement) which made the crossing more tolerable being able to lie down and read/sleep and shower before arriving.
Arrived approx 1.30pm. Our first stop was a short drive to Landrellec and ‘Camping du Port’ on the Granite Coast. Spacious pitches, £13.80 on ACSI.
Did consider a free reccomended Aire initially at Treburden, but it was way to cramped - barely room to open your door. I think Aires were you cant even get your chairs out are not for us. I realise strictly this isn't allowed, but at many Aires we came across later most do put chairs out and where space allowed often tables and even awnings were in full use.
Mon 23/5/11 - Tregastel
Short hop to Tregastel - Camping Tourney. another ACSI site (€14) really excellent site with spacious pitches.
Sunny but very windy and as usual drove Sue potty looking for the ‘ideal’ sheltered spot. Market on today in Tregastel - took Scooter in for a mooch. Had a chat with some GB Motorhomes I noticed parked up in Marche Supermarket car park. Apparently this chain are generally OK with you overnighting. Worth bearing in mind as it looked a better bet than the cramped Aire across the road.
Tue 24/5/11 - Tregastel
2nd day at Camping Tourney. Went for a coastal walk to look at this areas main attraction the unusual pink (ish) rocks of the Granite Coast, very impressive, especially on a windy but sunny day. Pleasant lunch in Ploumanach (excellent Crepe).
Wed 25/5/11 - Mont St Michel
On to Mont St Michel today via Dinan. Had to take a detour as the motorway bridge over the River Rance was closed. Left it to Tammy Tom Tom to find an alternative route - it failed miserably and had to resort to map and adled brain. Pitched up at a nice ACSI site near Mont St Michel. There is a very large Aire on the causeway quite close to the Mont but seemed something of a barren windswept location and at around €12 not great value when compared to our ACSI site which has full faciilities.for €14.
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| The 'Pink' Granite Coast & Sue |
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| Precarious rock at Tregastel |
Wed 25/5/11 - Mont St Michel
On to Mont St Michel today via Dinan. Had to take a detour as the motorway bridge over the River Rance was closed. Left it to Tammy Tom Tom to find an alternative route - it failed miserably and had to resort to map and adled brain. Pitched up at a nice ACSI site near Mont St Michel. There is a very large Aire on the causeway quite close to the Mont but seemed something of a barren windswept location and at around €12 not great value when compared to our ACSI site which has full faciilities.for €14.
Took the Scooter onto the causeway to wait for the sunset and the lights to come on, which seemed to take ages. Looked OK but not quite as all the photos I’ve seen. No pleasing some folk !!
Went back early the next day for a look around the little medieval village and ramparts at the bottom of the Mont. Couldn’t believe the amount of visiters that had started to arrive as I made my way back.
Sat 28/5/11 - Glomel
Mon 30/5/11 - Concarneau
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| More fascinating rock formations at Tregastel The image I was hoping for at Mont St Michel |
Thur 26/5/11 - St Malo
Headed along the north Brittany coast today to Erguy via St Malo and Cap Frehel.
Weather changed today - windy with some rain. Lunch in St Malo, a lovely old walled town. Parked in a free Aire, next to a boat yard and only a 5m walk from the town.
Onto Erguy and Camping Les Roches, an excellent ACSI site (€11), on a slope as you enter but levels out at the top. Took the bike for a very windswept ride to town and harbour. Passed an excellent MH Aire right next to the beach, one for the future.
77m today - 625m so far
Fri 27/5/11 - Painpol
Sunny today and we are heading to Paimpol. Stopped at Binic for Lunch and a mooch. A very pleasant town and worth a longer visit. Checked out a decent Aire under the high road bridge next to a river and a short walk to several riverside restaurants/bars etc. Also stopped at the ruins of the ‘Abbeye de Beauport’ for a look round.
Stayed at an Aire in Paimpol, which is set in a quiet location and an easy walk into town.
There was a fair on and many fairground caravans and trucks were in the aire but didn't really disturb us. Had a pretty average meal in the town. Beginning to realise eating out in France is best done at lunchtime, more atmosphere and better deals.
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| 'I'll de Brehat' and the very long walk from the low water jetty |
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| Mr B at the 'Abbeye de Beauport' |
Sat 28/5/11 - Glomel
Heading slowly across the Brest penninsula toward the Atlantic west coast but first took a boat trip to ‘I’ll de Brehat’. Probably a very pretty offshore island, but overcast today so not at its best, plus we had a real hike from the low water ferry landing (not good for Mrs Bs new knee). Dozy me missed an early ferry back because my watch was still set to UK time.
Stopped at nice quiet lakeside Aire (free) in Glomel. This was near the Brest-Nantes canel which I wanted to have a look at and cycle along for a while. It was commissioned by Napoleon to overcome a Royal Navy blockade.
Sun 29/5/11 - Quimper
Onto Quimper today (77m) and another ACSI campsite ‘Castel L’Oranerie’, a huge site that seems to be part of a bigger hotel/leisure complex. Followed the lady on the bike as she points out the free spaces, not many for our big rig but found a nice open space at the back of the site. Only cost €14, normally €40, but surprised there was only 1 toilet block for the whole site.
Took the Scooter into Quimper for a look around and then a beer in a cafe overlooking the Catherdral.
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| Very easy to take a wrong turn round here Also most signs are in French and Breton |
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| Campsite 'Castel L'Oranerie' in Quimper |
Mon 30/5/11 - Concarneau
Onto Concarneau today, just a short 29m hop, although managed t get lost thanks to TomTom. Sometimes you just have to trust your instincts. Heading for ‘Camping Les Sables Blanc’ another ACSI site (€13). A nice enough quiet site on a hilly plot close to the town. Stopped here for a couple of days to catch up on washing. Free WiFi next to reception, Sue managed to get a Facebook catch up.
Tue 31/5/11 - Concarneau
Day 2 in Concarneau. Went to visit the old walled town, which is surrounded by sea on all sides and accessed by a small bridge. Another pretty medieval town of which there are so many in France, but Sue particularly liked this one. Stopped for a very pleasant beer in the main square in the sunshine. Observation from one of the shopkeepers when she realised we were English “Ah I can always tell the English, they all have these funny Nylon Velcro Wallets”. Well had to dissapoint her this time (though I did once have one).
Nearly all the restaurants were closed eve time (what is it with French restaurants in the evening) so Pizza & Chips for tea from a road side van - excellent.
Wed 1/6/11 - Carnac
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| Concarneau |
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| Concarneau - rare pic of us both. Going over the bridge to the old walled town |
Wed 1/6/11 - Carnac
Moseyed on toward Carnac today (98m) via Pont Aven, a very pleasant river estuary town where (apparently) they film the French version of Doc Martin. Had a seafood lunch nearby at ‘Chez Jacky’ - Oysters and Scallops. They farm thier own Oysters in the Belon River that runs right next to the restaurant.
Had a look at the Quiberon peninsula a wild and beautiful area and did consider overnighting here in one of the Aires, but quite a windy area and the aire we looked at was very open and exposed.
Carried on to Carnac and ‘Camping Les Druids’ another ACSI site €15. Took a while to find a suitable spot - as usual, lot of road noise on some pitches. But a nice well kept site, part sloping and within walking distance of beach. Gave owner a go on my elec bike which fascinated him. 1st of June and weather glorious at the moment.
Thur 2/6/11 - Carnac Day 2 at ‘Les Druids’
Carnac has shades of Orkney and is famous for it exceptionally large collection of standing stones (menhirs) and megalithic sites, so took the scooter for a good look at the varoius sites today. There certainly is lot of them, clearly they had time on their hands here 5000 years ago.
Fri 3/6/11 - Carnac Day 3 at ‘Les Druids’
Took in the early market at nearby ‘La Trinite’, big yachting town.
Just chillin rest of the day and catching up on chores
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| The Menhirs (Standing Stones) of Carnac |
