Have Van Will Travel: 2013

FRANCE - 2013

Just a 3 week trip this year - to much going on at home to manage any longer, re recent house move and family commitments etc.
So much has happened in 12 months and many weeks spent in the motorhome: 10 week trip to Greece, 10 weeks in-between houses, 8 weeks whilst the builders were in etc.

But still decided to clock up some miles this trip heading for Draguignan in Provence (Southern France) - a trip of some 2575m round trip.

Our 2013 route, out from Plymouth, return via Calais

Sat 22/6/13 - Wales

On our way and first stop Guilsfield in Wales for Chris and Staceys wedding celebration

Sun 23/6/13 - Hereford

Onto Lucksall Camping near Hereford for 1 night with our friends Mick & Barbara.

Excellent campsite right next to the river Wye (£21)

Mon 24/6/13 - Plymouth

onto Plymouth and the Caravan Club Campsite at Down Thomas. A cracking location (if not to windy) overlooking Plymouth Sound. Meal at the Dolphin Pub with our friends Pete/Debbie & Ian/Sarah.

Tue 25/6/13 - Plymouth

Ferry to France today (Roscoff) but not till 2300, so had a leisurely day in Plymouth and lunch with Ian at the old Fort William Navy yard which is now a trendy eating area. Lovely warm and sunny day.

onto the Brittany Ferry at Plymouth

Smeatons Tower on Plymouth Hoe

Wed 26/7/13 - Rennes

Arrived Roscoff at 7.00am then headed to Rennes (132m) along the excellent N12 to Camping Gayeulles, a Municipal Campsite set within the grounds a very large park (€20 with free WiFi).

There is a 24hr free Aire just outside the gate. Probably a better bet if you are arriving late and just need somewhere to kip. Warm and sunny - 20c

Biked into Rennes for a mooch. It was a nice enough centre, closed to cars as there was a kind a flea market underway - very busy. Came back through ‘parc du Thabor’ a lovely public park - brass band concert underway, lakes, people picnicking - very nice.

Thur 27/7/13 - Chinon

to Chinon - 152m. Another lovely day and pleasant drive along the D roads to the Loire Valley and a France Passion site near Chinon.

Stopped first at Abbeye de Fontevraud, notable for its connection with past English Kings and Queens (the Tudors, Richard the Lionheart, Henry 11 and his wife Eleanor) - fascinating place.

Could overnight free here in the Campervan section of the carpark, but as it was located in the middle of a local housing estate we decided to head for a France Passion site nearby (a vineyard), trusting in the SatNav to get us there, which it did, but via some pretty narrow lanes.

'free' France Passion site at Chinon

Chinon Castle

Fri 28/7/13 - Limoges

Spent the morning having a good look round Chinon and its Castle, having first sampled the wine at the vineyard cave - not so sure but felt obliged to buy a bottle (€7)

Another good drive today down the mainly straight D347 & N147 via Poitier. Had break at Lussac, which has a huge car park and MH service point, could easily overnight here.

To ‘Chateaux Leychoisier’, a particularly nice ACSI site in Bonnac la Cote (approx 13k N of Limoges). Set in grounds shared with a small private chateaux, the site seems mainly full of Brits with Caravans. Restaurant, Sm Bar, Swimming Pool - excellent stop. Pity the weather has turned cloudy and drizzly. 129m/211k today (749m so far)

Sat 29/6/13 - Decazeville

Continuing south on the free A20 passing through Brive-laGaillards, then onto the (at times) very steep and windy D840 which crosses via Gramat & Rodez over to the A75 motorway.

Stopped for a mooch at Rocamadour on the River Dorgogne, a popular touristy town and a former stop on the pilgrims route to Compostellia. Built onto the side of a cliff overlooking a mini Grand Canyon. A bit to hilly for Sue’s dodgy knee (even with the ascensor lift) so didn’t get to see much but a pretty spectacular location. Could easily overnight here but carried on along the meandering D840 to at free Aire at Boisson Penchot (close to Decazeville) next to the river Lot. A cracking quiet spot for around 8 motorhones in well spaced out pitches.

140m today - seemed longer because if the windy roads.

Rocamadour

Aire at Boisson Penchot (close to Decazeville)

The river Lot, right next to our campsite (Aire)

Sun 30/6/13 - Millau

Onto the A75 ‘free’ motorway continuing south toward Millau and the Tarn Gorge, recently spanned by the impressive Millau Viaduct, designed by Sir Norman Foster it is the worlds tallest bridge with one of the mast supports rising to a staggering 343 meters. However we decided not to go over the bridge but to drive down into the valley to stay in Millau itself. Millau is overun with campsites but we opted for an ACSI site ‘Camping St Lambert’, cheap at €11 but good enough and right on the river. Took the Scooter to have a look at the bridge from underneath then into town for a very passable lunch. 149m today - Weather glorious.

The Millau Viaduct

left and above - Sue in Millau

Mon 1/7/13 - Arles

83m drive today, A75, then A750, toward Montpellier which we had to go through (round) at a pretty busy time. Heading for the Roman town of Arles but first taking in the famous aquaduct ‘Pont du Gard’, a truly stunning peice of Roman engineering that I have always wanted to see. Even Susan was impressed with this one. Used for 500 years to carry water to Arles and was considered by the Romans to be their finest peice of engineering. A pleasant open location, swimming & hire boats just under the bridge and a lovely cafe were we took in the scene.

Then to Camping L’Arlesienne just a couple of miles through Arles, another ACSI site that have a separate section for MH tourers which is near the entrance but better than the main site which is right on top of the motorway.

Pont du Gard

Cafe next to the Pont du Gard - what a great spot

Tue/Wed 3rd 4th July - Trets (Provence)

Took in a few more Roman ruins today before heading to the pretty town of St Remy du Provence for a pit stop.

Then to Camping Le Devancon for a couple lazy days just relaxing and chilling out , a quiet out of the way campsite deep in Provence.

St Remy du Provence

Thur 4/7/13 - Aups

Into the heart of Provence and the lovely town of Aups

Camping Les Pres. Easy walk into town.

Fri 5/7/13 - Lake Saint Croix

Headed for the Verdun Gorge and Lake Sainte-Croix (lac de Sainte-Croix) a man-made lake formed by damming the Vedun river and completed in 1974. It really is quite a spectacular area. We parked up lakeside for lunch that hired a boat for a trip up the gorge
Boat trip on the Gorge du Verdun. Took the scooter for a spin along a road at the top of the gorge.

Lavender FP Site, drinks overlooking lake (nice white wine)

Lake Saint Croix and the Verdun Gorge

Sat 6/7/13 - Cotignac

I took the Scooter to Sillans la Cascade, a really beautiful waterfall and river that drops into wide blue pools amongst lush overhanging vegitation. - hottest day yet.
Very rustic Municipal Campsite at top of steep hill in Cotignac Camping des Pouverels (€15.50), friendly receptionist, free WiFi

Sillans la Cascade

Sun/Mon 7th 8th July - Aups

Short drive Quinson where we parked up in the aire for breakfast. This is also part of the Gorge (near the Dam) but less busy. Fancied a swim here but way to cold.

Back to Camping Les Pres in Aups for a couple of days. We like this campsite, which is quiet (apart from strange barking frogs) and just a short walk into the very pleasant small town, where we had a wonderful eve meal at the restaurant 'La Truffe' - a rare occurrence for us in France.

Tue/Wed 9th 10th July, Draguignan (Provence)

Met up with friends - Pete,Jackie and Alan,Becky all staying at Alan & Beckys villa. We stayed on the Intermarche car park. Couple of great days in excellent company. Went to St Tropez for the day (approx 40m drive) and caught the ferry from St Maxine to Port Grimaud and then St Tropez. Absolutely chucked it down whilst we were having lunch in St Tropez. We parked the MH for the day at an aire just on the outskirts of St Maxine (the Aires book did show another aire in the centre of St Maxine but this looks to be a regular car park now).

Thur 11/7/13 - St Forgeux (Lyon)

Heading for home and a good run north today - 282m. Found a great Aire in St Forgeux, approx 30m west of Lyon. A large parking area with toilet block adjacent to Tennis and Boules Club,4 free elec points on wall and water tap - excellent. It is located in a valley next to the town at bottom of steep road - though a better road to it is approx half a mile further on.

Fri 12/7/13 - Paris

290m today - Camping Indigo (was Bois du Bologne) €41.40.

Spent Sat touring Paris on the Scooter

On our way by 4pm, locked gate, (need to pay for extra day if leaving after 1pm) OK in the end (chocolates).