# Our French Trip



## mangothemadmonk (Aug 6, 2006)

Johnny and Shirl in France

We set off for our 1st motor home trip to France at 18:45hrs on the evening of Tuesday 15th May 2007. Our idea being that we would tour the top eastern area and visit the Champagne, Franch Compte, Lorraine, Burgundy and Picardy Regions. 

After 6 hours we reached Dover at 23:15 hours. As we were only due to sail at 04:00 hrs we thought we would see if we could get on an earlier ferry….We couldn’t so we didn’t. So it was back out and a 2 and a ½ hour wait in the 15 minute stop car park just at the entrance to the ferry terminal.


16/05/07 

We boarded the ferry at 04:00hrs and as it had been a long time since we had been by car on a ferry I was a bit apprehensive about the arrival at the other side and never having been to Dunkerque, I didn’t know the way out. “Don’t worry” says the better half,” just follow everyone else out, it will be fine”. We made our way up top and found a table to rest our heads on and then we were off.

Two hours later we landed and were waiting in our vehicles to be let off. Why do people start up their engines with a 10 minute wait to go, filling the cargo bay full of fumes?? 

So there we were, the big door starts to go down, all under starters’ orders and guess who gets pointed at to go first?? “Oh bloody hell love” says I “It’s me”. Not only did I not know where I was going but there was also a detour up the no exit road. So we were going out on the in road with no signs to tell you the way out!! After a few waves from a few maintenance men we were out and off….. Where to?? Finding the nearest lay-by we pull in to fire up the satnav. We had decided on an aire at Arques just south of St-Omer, so we could have a few hours kip and decide where to next. It’s a nice quiet little site on the side of a lake. We had a good 4 hours of much needed kip there.

I would just like to point out that we hadn’t made a plan as we had been told, “The best plan is no plan. Get up and decide where you want to get to and just do it”. So that’s what we did and it worked out 99% of the time.

We decided that after Arques we would head for a little aire at Chamery in the Champagne region and found a cracking little aire with a waste and fill station all for 2 euros. Had a walk through a deserted town hoping to find a winery that sold some champers but alas, non.


17/05/07

Awoke early morning after a very quiet night to drizzle. “If it’s like this all the time some bloody holiday its going to be” says me. “Shut up and put the kettle on” says the wife. So after breakfast we had a rethink. What IF it did rain all the time? What IF we never got chance of a sun tan? It was time for positive actions and a phone call to my best mate who has a static caravan right down on the south coast at a place called la-Londe-les-Maures, just east of Hyers, “What’s the weather like Rob?” I asked. “It’s just coming nice, the suns coming out and the forecast for the next week is hot” says Rob. “Right, see you in a couple of days” and down went the phone.

So the South coast it was. We set off with the intention a stopping when we wanted and not to rush but to try and get there in two days using the peage motorways to get down there without going around the houses and to do the sight-seeing bit on the way back up. Would it be too much for a 2 week trip? We would soon find out. 

We got down to just south of Lyon to another aire at a place called Desirat. The weather on the way down was horrendous. Strong winds a driving rain and a cursing me, as before I left home, the week before saw me washing and polishing the “Love Pad” and now what a dirty beast she was. There were about 7 other MHs on and we got the last space at the end. After T and a brew we thought we would get our heads down when onto the car park came an old tranny van towing an older caravan. This pulled on in front of a MH the other side of us. Out jumped a scruffy begger with an old blue oil can and proceeded to fill it up with water at the toilets down below the car park. All went quiet for an hour when matey boy decided he wanted power. He drove out of the carpark and pulled in front of me and reversed back so half his front end was about 5ft from my bumper…Brilliant!! Out next came an assortment of extension leads. Out next came 3 hounds from hell, three bowls were filled up with dog food and after the dogs finished pushing around the metal bowls for 20 minutes everything quietened down again. I have to say the dogs never made a sound in the night and neither did matey boy.


18/05/07

We set off in the drizzle for the last leg to Robs van. As we got further south the sun started to warm up and the clouds disappeared. By the time we reached Robs it was scorchio. We got there in the afternoon and for the next 3 days we did nought but sunbathe, drink, eat healthy, loads of salads and BBQs and shop at the little markets where we bought “jimmy-jimmy” watches for 5 euros which included a free battery (which are all still going like good-‘uns). A great few days and free parking apart from paying the tax.


21/05/07

After leaving Robs we moved west on down the coast to Six-Fours-Les-Plages, where we were going to stop at a Camper stop site but couldn’t find it. Then we tried for an Aire but it had gone. Tried for another aire but the carpark had a new shiny height barrier on it. (We were told this was because of gypos). We happened to stumble across a little camp site where we stopped and it was a cracker called Camping Les Players (coordinates N43’ 06’’ 46, E 5’ 49’’ 51). It’s a lovely site with statics and caravans. It’s just having a pool built and I would defo go there again. It’s a short 20 min walk into the town and onto a shingle beach. We spent the rest of the day walking around. We met up with a lovely couple from Wales, Sue and Gav, who were taking a 5 year career break to run a chalet in Chamonix with the idea of doing it permanent with their own chalet. We had a great night with them drinking into the wee hours. They were making their way back up the east side and going onto Slovenia for a summer season mountain bike guiding and working in a chalet.


22/05/07

We spent the next day sun bathing till late afternoon when we moved on with a view to getting to Orange. We stopped on the way there in a pretty little village called Mornas. It stands at the foot of a sheer cliff face with a castle on the top built into the cliff…Stunning and very hot. We eventually arrived at Orange and found the Camperstop carpark. We pulled in three spaces down from a fellow Hymer owner from Germany. It is a cracking city with a Roman fort etc, etc. This is where we met up with Gunther an Eidle from the Black Forest. We had just had T and were going to have a bottle of wine and settle in for the night and watch another episode of “The Darling Buds of May” which my mum had sent off for the full 1st series free from out of one of the tabloids. Sad I know but I love it. 

I had waved at our German neighbour and she had eagerly waved back. I watched as she went to put the rubbish in the bin and waved again. She came over and we got talking. Where had we been, where were we going? She spoke good English but got stuck on a few words so would shout to her husband (who we still hadn’t seen) in German for the correct pronunciation in English. He would bark back the word for her to repeat to us. This went on for 10 minutes. She would ask him he would bark the word back. Finishing she says to us “Ve are goings out for a valk arount the town, vud you like to come vis uz”?. “Erm, yes that would be lovely thanks” says I, inwardly groaning that what I really wanted was to go to bed. “Ve vill knock on your door in 15 minutes” says Eidle and walks away to tell her husband that’s what she had arranged for him for the night. We could here him talking aloud in German and could picture him saying “Oh you stupid bloody women, I am ready for bed and don’t want to walk around Orange with an English couple who I have never met”!! We did meet Gunther, as exactly 15 minutes later came a knock on the door and a big German who was a smaller version of Keizer Wilhelm shook our hands. Needless to say we had a fantastic couple of hours with them. They showed us the Roman amphitheatre and ruins and where the museum was and if you ask the missus what made her holiday she will say “It was meeting Gunther and Eidle”. In a few hours we new all their life story which in parts was very sad and others very funny. Gunther spoke very good English with an American twang. Two very likeable people with who time went far too quickly. 


23/05/07

We had another walk around the centre of Orange the morning after and after a quick breakfast decided to move on up to an aire in a town called Tournon-Sur-Rhone.

We arrived mid-day and found the aire. It’s a big carpark with loads of room but next to a busyish road. There is a campsite just around the corner where we decided to stay instead and booked into it. We found a pitch which had a lovely view looking out onto the boats and the Rhone. We had a BBQ with a lovely bottle of Champagne in the evening and a walk in to town for a big cold beer…Marvelous.
I say lovely views of the river and the boats until a bloody great 150ft river cruise boat parked right in front of us and I do mean in front, approx 15ft away, at 00:30 in the morning. At 08:00 we got the day’s itinerary from the "Hi de Hi" lady on board.... “Good morning passengers. Today’s visits are a trip on a steam train and a trip to a vineyard etc, etc, etc, etc”…Bloody woman!! 


24/05/07

After Tournon-sur-Rhone we met up with a work mate at his house/barn which he is doing up in a tiny Burgundy village called Colombier-en-Brionnais. If he finish is it in 10 years he will have done well...Bloody good wine celler though which I and Shirl had a good sampling of and I mean a good sampling. I am into Macon wines big time now. It was a lovely day but kept threatening rain which by nightfall it did. 


25/05/07

The day after we set off from my mates house in glorious sunshine and made our way up to an aire stop in a town called Cluny…Big mistake. Do you know when your better ½ says keep on going and your satnav says turn? Well do as the better ½ says and keep going. “Sorry love, but she is telling me to turn so I am turning” says I.” In 100 metres turn right” says she. “Is it me or is it getting narrower” says I. After turning right and then a left it was “Why oh why didn’t I listen to you love” says I to better ½. We had ground to a halt on a very narrow cobbled street with a transit van parked at one side and a shop with flower baskets hanging at roof level on the other. With a few cars behind me there was no chance of backing up. Wifey jumps out for a look and starts shaking her head. “No chance Johnny” she says. Oh bugger!! So it’s up on the curb and I start to edge forward breathing in as I go (you must have done it. If you breath in your vehicle gets thinner…It’s just physics!!). Out of the shop steps a nice French lady shopkeeper who starts to shout “Non posseebler, non posseebler”. I look down at her, smile and say in my best Lancashire French “Possible love, possible”. With a bit of tweaking and a pull in of my side mirror we sneaked through with just a brush up against the tips of some lovely Zephaniahs. 

I then left the wife to run after me as I turned left and right and finally found a carpark where I could sit and change my wet T shirt and there remembering to finally breathe out. After 10 minutes of recomposing ones self we set off again to get the hell out of that town which after another tight squeeze we did. Note to myself…. Remember to look at the road signs and remember the give way from the right rule in some towns.

We travelled on without further trouble and stopped on a 1950s campsite on the outskirts of Avallon. We were going to stop on a carpark which is in the aires book but there was a sign for a campsite which pointed down the road. We thought we would have a look and if we didn’t like we could come back and park up for the night on the aire. The campsite was called Camping Auberge (coordinates are N47` 28`` 39, E 3` 53`` 57). A very quiet site all grass and the day was hot and sunny. The site had all facilities on and only 8 euros a night with electricity and we were treated to the best lightening and thunder displays I have ever seen. Oh and it also persistently rained just as it got dark. Not the best time to be under canvas like a young German family did later in the evening....They weren't there in the morning.


26/06/07

After dumping and filling up we moved from Avallon and travelled to Auxerre where we camped at the side of the river on the aire. It’s a brilliant aire which is a car park on the side of the river. It does get busy so would advise you get there early. We just got a place. Never found the water dump though there is a sign saying there is one! Very changeable weather again with brilliant sunshine till 15:00 then rain and then some!! The car park was like a river, but it soon dried out-ish. We had a few good walks around Auxerre before the rain came. It’s a great city with marked walks through it. The tourist info place is just at the back of the aire over the road and that’s where you can get a map with all the descriptions and info. Auxerre is also the place I was introduced to Desperados beer. It’s a lager with a shot of Tequila in. Bloody hell it’s good. 5.2% and it tastes like pop… 


27/05/07

We left Auxerre in the morning and stopped on one of the aires at the side of Lac du Der Chantecoq. Being a carp angler I had always heard of this water as being a big fish water. It’s also a bloody big water as well. I think we were told it was 36km around with a bicycle track all the way around it. The weather here was drizzle and it went cold. Not much more to say about that place though we did meet another nice English couple, Chris and Cindy, fellow Hymer owners, from near Kendal. Found their knowledge brilliant and picked up some great tips on foreign travel as they had toured all over Europe. Also found what the little tip out drawer in the Hymer bathroom is used for as well!! Cheers Chris.


28/05/07 

Last leg saw us on the side of a canal on a small 8 motor home site at Mareuil-sur-Ay...Rain and sunshine. Another lovely view over the canal there. This small aire filled up and was full by 16:00 hrs. It’s a lovely place with fresh water and a waste/CH dump. This is where we saw the “gypos” using the facilities. I was treated to the sight of one of them sticking the dirty end of a cassette over the clean end of a fresh water tap. I was glad I used the top tap to fill up. I will always make sure I disinfect the taps in future before I use them.


29/05/7 

Last leg was up to Dunkerque for the ferry at midnight. We stopped at a few big “super marches” on the way up and stocked up with some more lovely wine. We landed early at Dunkerque and went to see if we could get on the earlier ferry. If we paid an extra 15 euros we could get on the 18:00 sail which we did. On talking to one couple they said they always booked the cheaper midnight crossing then paid the extra 15 euros as it was still £20 cheaper.

We then had a 6 hour trip up to Lancashire with more hold ups on the M6 than any time in France. Well that’s GB all over!!!

It was a fantastic trip. We covered 2,287 miles over two weeks which wasn’t rushed. We spent about £100 on motorway tolls and a good lump on diesel but who cares as it was cheaper than home anyway.

The Hymer never missed a beat and the only repairs I have done since we came back are a new kitchen tap that has been leaking for ages and I installed a water filter to the cold water side. The newly fit 85w solar panel was brilliant and we never ran out of battery power and the new Avtex 7-in-1 LCD tv performed brilliant. I might treat us to Sat TV later in the year with a crank up dish.

Was it too much driving for a two week trip? No. We did a bit of everything from sight seeing to sun bathing, from doing the markets to swimming in the sea. We never seemed to be having to hurry along and we stopped at some fantastic places and met some wonderful people.

Roll on the next trip.

The end.


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

Thanks both. I enjoyed that. Our van is at the dealers so no chance of a trip at the moment.

G


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## 96299 (Sep 15, 2005)

yep,great report,really enjoyed reading that.Cant wait to get my van now and start travelling


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## moblee (Dec 31, 2006)

Very good report Mangothe.......  



phil


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## peejay (May 10, 2005)

Thanks for that, a very enjoyable read.

pete


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## 104712 (May 25, 2007)

Sounds like a you had a cracking time, nice report, Im looking forward to doing the same!


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## mangothemadmonk (Aug 6, 2006)

Thanks guys, it was brilliant. Even though we were in a RHD there were no probs either. It was a shame we had to come home. I pleaded with the wife but she put her foot down with a heavy hand and that was that    

Might try again for Sept.    

Johnny F


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