Day 7 Tues 15.02.2011

Location  Bordeaux

Campsite: 2^nd day at Camping de Bordeaux Lac

We’re having a lazy day today, had heavy rain and thunder this morning but the suns out now.

When the rain stopped we walked around the campsite, the touring bit of the site is quiet small, and there are lots of wooden chalets built around several small lakes. Most of the facilities are closed and the toilets and showers are not very clean so we are using the shower in the motorhome.

The only thing we have to do today is decide where we’re going to head for tomorrow.

Camping de Bordeaux Lac

Camping de Bordeaux Lac

Camping de Bordeaux Lac

Day 6 Mon 14.02.2011

Location  Bordeaux

Campsite: Camping de Bordeaux Lac

ACSI  1161 Page 471   2011 Book

Long / Lat N44º53.818’ W0º34.909

44.89698ºN 0.58168ºW

Today we decided to pull into a campsite for a couple of days to catch up with the washing and give Paul a break from driving.

The sat nav co-ordinates in the ACSI book were a bit out, we took our own reading at the entrance of the camp site.

Planning to stay here for 2 nights and then head further south.

Entrance Camping de Bordeaux Lac

Camping de Bordeaux Lac

Camping de Bordeaux Lac

Camping de Bordeaux Lac

Our Route So Far ( Blue )

Day 5 Sun 13.02.2011

Location St Thomas De Conac Aire 

Long / Lat  N45º25.824’ W0 00º42.365’

The Aire is free, water 2€ for 100 ltr.

Before we set off this morning Paul walked into the town to get croissants and bread. We set off just after 9.00 and headed for an ACSI campsite that is open all year. Due to the new road layout on the N10 both sat navs went a bit crazy as they thought we were driving off road.

When we arrived the campsite it was shut due to a problem with the electricity so we headed for our back up an Aire at St Thomas De Conac, once again we drove through some towns with very narrow streets, we have still not driven on any toll roads.

We drove through some beautiful countryside, lots of vineyards and orchards.

The Aire is in a very rural location next to a small river with a pleasant view, we watched some hunters remove a deer from their vehicle and hang it up to butcher it.
When we pulled into the Aire we parked on the grass, the ground was rather wet and the front wheels spun a bit. As it looked like it might rain we decided to move and park on the harder ground. It rained all night and we were really glad that we moved.

There is a small general store in front of the Aire which also sells bottled gas.

St Thomas De Conac Aire 

Stream next to the Aire

 Aire service point

 

Day 4 Sat 12.02.2011

Location:  Mansle, Camping Le Champion

Long / Lat : N45º52.674’ E000º10.894

Paul woke up really early today, we had a cooked breakfast and filled up with water before we set off.
Paul got talking to the Frenchman parked next to us who insisted on showing him the bit of drain pipe that he has modified to fill his water tank. (He was very proud of it).

When we left the Aire both the tomtom and snooper sat navs got a bit confused and we drove through the middle of the town down some very narrow streets.

On route we pulled off the road into an Aire that had a service point and water, it would have been ok for an overnight stop but we wanted to travel a bit further.

Aire At Anjou Et Loire

Aire At Anjou Et Loire

Long/ lat

N47º37.471’ E0º04681’

47.67045ºN 4.13723ºE

We planned to do a longer drive today and headed for an Aire in Vivonne where we met an English couple who were on their return journey after 6 weeks in Spain. They made us coffee and showed us round their motorhome.

We walked to the local bakers (amazing cakes, managed to get Paul out without a cake just got some bread).

We were parked in a car park in the centre of town and we decided that we didn’t feel comfortable staying the night in this location. There were lots of cars coming and going and some teenage boys who appeared not to be French hanging around and the motorhomes parked either side of us pulled out. We have always said that if we had any doubts about a location we would move on and find somewhere else to stop. so we decided to drive a bit further and headed for Mansle.

We have parked up outside the municipal camp site for the night, the site is closed but the motorhome service point is open and there is space for 2 motorhomes to parkoutside the campsite.  It wouldn’t be possible to park outside when the site was open but the camp site looks ok.

We stopped for diesel at a supermarket on the way down 1.25€ ltr.

Aire At Mansle, Camping Le Champion

River Just Behind Aire

Aire At Mansle, Camping Le Champion

River Just Behind Aire

Note for Pete or Adrian if you read this we have not paid for any Aires yet so at Blunsden prices that’s covered the cost of our diesel lol.

Day 3 Fri 11.02.2011

Location: Fresnay Sur Sarthe Aire
Long / Lat   N48º16.926’  E0º01.804
48.28202ºN 0.03011ºE

Free Aire with free water.

We arrived at Fresnay Sur Sarthe at about 13.30, the aire is just off the main road through the town, next to the circus school.

There is a small supermarket right next to the aire.

We filled up with water but had to use containers and carry it to the motorhome as we didn’t have a connector to fit the tap.

Paul washed the motorhome  and chatted to the locals and a builder working on the service point. It’s been a lovely day, really sunny and we were both outside in t shirts.

Aire At Fresnay Sur Sarthe

Aire At Fresnay Sur Sarthe

Entrance To Aire

Note for Adrian - you were right Paul has thrown the bikes away and says don’t forget to put your leg up!

Day 2 Thurs 10.02.2011

Location  Broglie

Aire  at Broglie

Very nice aire well laid out next to a river, more like a camp site with 8 hard standing pitches separated by grass. There is a gate that we understand is locked between 10pm and 7am.

Service Point - includes water, waste and electricity however you will need a Euro Relais token for water and electricity.

The gate was not locked on the night we stayed there and no one came to collect any money (we understand that it’s 5€ to park overnight but there is no ticket machine and no instructions on how to pay).

Long / Lat : N49º00.514 ‘E000º31.833’

49.00672ºN   0.53059ºE

Left Gravelines at 8.45 we have decided to avoid toll roads, good journey but as you come into Broglie make sure you follow the Camping Car signs as the streets are very narrow. If you follow the signs you will have no problem getting into the Aire.

We stopped off at Carrefour in Montreuil for diesel and a bit of shopping, we  paid 1.29E for a litre of fuel, Paul got 1.5 litre of Grants whisky for 21E and I got some smelly cheese.

There is only one other motorhome on the aire, a Burstner 821 owned by a very nice Belgium couple who spoke perfect English.

Short walk into very pleasant town, there are plenty of little shops and on the day we visited there was a small market with stalls selling fish, meat and cheeses.

Nice walk along by the river.

River at Broglie

 Aire  at Broglie

 River at Broglie next to aire

 Entrance To Aire

Day 1  Weds 09.02.2011

Location: Gravelines Aire,   Rue Du Port, Gravelines, France

Long / Lat : N 50º59.335’           E 2º07.367’

Nice Aire by marina, parking only no service point but bins for rubbish and no charge for parking.  Well lit and quiet at night.

Parking bays are approx 28 feet long and there is a dirt embankment at the rear of the parking bay so you cannot overhang the bays .Larger motorhomes could park on side of the road by marina at a push.

We arrived in France via the channel tunnel 09.55 and headed just over the border to Adinkerke in Belgium for cheap tobacco.  Really easy to find the street but we didn’t see the Stop and Shop store until we were driving out but there are loads of shops selling tobacco and chocolate.

Headed back into France and stayed the night in the Gravelines Aire not far from Dunkerque. Both really tired because we work up ridiculously early and sat waiting to leave for Dover .

Gonna have an early night and hopefully push on south tomorrow.

Gravelines Aire