# Scotland - Blackpool - Disneyland Paris - Normandy - July 09



## 2point (Jun 10, 2005)

Planned to meet up with family in Blackpool on route to France.

26th June 
Easy run down from Edinburgh to Lytham - stayed in village of Warton. Easy access by bus into Lytham for a few beers (real ales from local brewery!).

27th June
Blackpool Pleasure Beach - convenient point to meet up with family from the Midlands. Nice day, great weather and looking forward to leaving Blackpool asap. ;-) Had planned to go back into Lytham to the County Hotel for a few more real ales and a steak - little did we know it was the Gala Day. That translated into English means hordes of people getting very drunk and causing trouble. Shame, had to make do with a fish and chip takeaway (from some award winning place in Lytham - a bonus).

28th June
Out of Warton for about 2 miles - woman drives into the back of the van while we were stationary at traffic lights. Little damage, only the plastic bumper cracked, no injuries so not too worried. Piled on towards Dover for out 21:30 crossing.
Got as far as the Dartford crossing and had to pull over on the hard shoulder - exhaust had cracked into two at the flange join just under the cab. Horrendous noise and a bit of smoke. Carried onto Thurrock and called the breakdown people. In the two hours we had to wait I found the local Halfords and bought a few repair supplies 'just in case'. Called Kwikfit - no chance of a Ducatto exhaust for a couple of days - same everywhere else I called.
Breakdown turned up - he expected a car. No equipment so he used the 'just in case' stuff I bought to try and bodge together a temp repair with the thought I'd get a new exhaust in France.
Get down to Dover with a good hour to spare, exhaust sort of holding but leaking. 

29th June
Arrived in Calais to thick fog, came out the port, parked and set the sat nav up. Ooops, last time it was used was on the old laptop so i didn't have the driver for the USB receiver. Made our way over to Cite Europe using manual directions (no mean feat in the fog). Got to the carp park to find it sealed off due to the protests. Low on fuel so hobbled back to the port and parked under the bridge with the trucks for the night. Went to Carrefour in the morning to find a McDonalds next door. Excellent, logged onto the free wifi and downloaded the USB to Serial driver, things were looking up after a dodgy start. Took a steady but noisy cruise down to Disneyland Paris, had a very well earned drink when we got there!

30th June
We had 4 hours or so in the park last night so was looking forward to a full day today. I got the ball rolling with an exhaust for the van. Very very very frustrating, loads of places could do a van but I couldn't find anywhere that could do a motorhome. Eventually went to the Disneyland Hotel and the concierge helped me find a local commercial outfit that could do the job. It was only 20 minutes away so I thought I'd go over and sort it out there and then. Yes they could do it, they didn't have the part and even then there was a 'modification' on my van which meant the parts they could get wouldn't fit. After waiting for a while they said they could do a repair - they welded the exhaust back together - it looks a very good job. Not cheap at 250euros though!!!!!! I'll be trying to claim this back as part of the accident in Blackpool.
Headed back to the park and finished the long day off with a lovely buffet meal in the Newport Bay hotel.

1st & 2nd July 
In the parks - magic. I bought an annual pass for me which covered us for the car parking for free, got my 13euro back when I presented my annual pass and the parking sheet.
As we lost the best part of a day on the 30th we were a day behind on what we had planned, headed for the coast in the cooler evening. Made the mistake of using the 'periphierique' - 2.5 hours to cover 34 miles. Big mistake, a mistake I'd made the last time in France. Doh!
Arrived in Honfleur just in time for torrential rain and wicked thunder and lightning!
Lovely little port, aire was virtually full.


3rd July
Today was supposed to be the train into Paris, it being 30c we decided we'd much prefer to just to head to the coast and chill instead of tramping round in the heat. 
Had a nice mooch about the town then headed over to Deauville for a day at the beach. Fantastic, plenty of parking in the streets behind the beach. Sea was warm (well warm for me - I'm used to the North Sea!). After a great day we found the aire at Camberer, had to use the leveling blocks as it's on a bit of a slope.


4th July
Started the Route de Cidre, pleasant drive through the countryside. First stop out of Camberer (going anti clockwise on the route) was a picture perfect farm. Had a few tastings following a video and tour of the setup. Got talking to a French couple and they said this was the best of the farms on the route. We took their advice, loaded up with a few cases and decided to head straight for Beavron-en-Auge. Found the aire - probably the best one on the trip. A couple of minute walk out the village, the best patisserie we found on he trip too. Gorgeous. We spotted a French family bashing a tree in the aire with a stick; my daughter went over to investigate. Cherry tree! When they had finished I went over with my awning handle at full extension. We came away with a least a kilo of the freshest, ripest, tastiest cherries. Not bad for the 4euro I paid to stay on the aire!

5th July
Another day at the beach was planned, thought we'd try out Trouville next to Deauville. Sunday is market day - not the best decision. The place was rammed, eventually found a parking space over in Deauville. Noted Trouville had an outdoor pool so we used that instead of the beach (my wife hates the sand). It's a 'speedo' only place but the reception had a pair of communal ones I could use! Another pleasant day, we then headed to Etretat. Found the aire next to the campsite, had a walk into town for a view of the beach and the rock formations. Nice meal albeit with overpriced drinks.

6th July
Another beach day beckoned, ended up in Veulettes-sur-Mer. Lovely quiet place, loads of space in the aire and right next to the beach. The water colour here is stunning, a milky blue/green. Flanked at either end with cliffs it is very picturesque. Another great day on the beach, loads of swimming. Even the wife was pleased at it's all pebbles!

7th
We skipped around Dieppe and went to Treport. First stop was the aire at the top of the cliffs, it was really windy so we gave that one a miss, used the aire in town instead. Not a classic town by any means, one to avoid in future.

8th July
Had a quick stop at Le Crotoy but didn't like it so carried on to Le Touquet. Vey impressed, the tree lined avenues with the big houses reminded us of some of the places we've been in the US. Checked out both aires, stopped at the sailing club one first.
Good day on the beach, life guards were very active as the beach is quite dangerous with currents and shifting sandbanks. Again we spotted the outdoor pool.

9th July
Moved over to the other aire at the racecourse, more shade and a playground in sight of the van for out daughter. Spent all day at the outdoor pool, expensive but considering we spent a total of about 25 euros for two weeks camping at aires instead of campsites you can afford to splash out the 55 euros it cost us to get in for the day. It's a lot of money but my daughter thought it was priceless. 

10th July
Took the coast road up to Calais, Cite Europe for a second stab. Found it open and our daughter was thrilled with the fact we were next to a Toys R Us. A bit of spoiling over with we hit Carrefour for a half kilo of scallops. Ironically they were from the West Coast of Scotland!
We'd spotted a light aluminum ladies shopping bike in Boulogne that my wife had taken a fancy to, in the interests of keeping everyone happy we were soon on the road to pick it up. I consoled myself with some Normandy steak (3 different cuts) and a nice bottle of red. Nice but it's not a patch on Aberdeen Angus.

11th July
The trip home, 09:30 ferry. no dramas. Had planned to take the M20/M11/A1 and stop over in Durham, decided early on that I'd drive the 500 miles home in one stint so I could chill all day on eh Sunday before work today. Well pleased with the time - left Dover at just before 11, home at 19:15 including a fuel and food break.

A very successful trip, despite the initial hassles.


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## StAubyns (Jun 4, 2006)

Thanks for taking the time to write about your holiday  

Enjoyed the read, sounds like you eventually had a good break


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## ThursdaysChild (Aug 2, 2008)

Most enjoyable real-life read. Thank you.


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