# Guilty Freeloaders!



## barryd (May 9, 2008)

Aveyron belongs to us! Moved on from the River Tarn at St Rome De Tarn today. It was hard to tear ourselves away from such a fantastic spot but you can't stay in one place forever.
Found a cracking little hill top village Aire at Brouquies which I guess is about thirty miles west of Millau.

It just amazes me how considerate the French are towards Le Camping Car. Here they have provided a nice gravelled area near the village with free services and one free EHU point! Sadly there is a little old couple who appear to be about a hundred years old who beat us to it although to be fair he did offer to lend me some levelling blocks as he seemed concerned that our van doesn't look level. Apart from them so far nobody else here.

Now I always bang on about how we just use our own facilities and don't see the point in using campsite loos, toilets etc and paying for the privilege but on this aire there is a wonderful huge wet room shower with hot (not that you need it here) and cold water. After nearly three months of having to be sparing with water and turning the flipping tap off every few seconds I have to admit that standing under a powerful unlimited shower for a good long time did feel good! I've had three.

All for free. We tried to spend some money earlier but everywhere was closed (surprise surprise). There is a think a butcher, bakers, Hairdressers, Garage and general store. The garage was open so I considered breaking something on the van so they could fix it but remembered that I will probably manage this naturally. (We will spend something I promise)

It's so quiet you could hear a pin drop, the few campsites we have passed are practically empty and the villages and rivers we visited this afternoon practically deserted. So IT looks like we survived the holiday season intact and now normality has been resumed. Well at least until all the September brigade arrive which from what I can gather is most of you lot!

bonne soirée à vous tous!

BD

A rather grubby looking Hank the Tank and a frankly exhausted "Pig" the scooter.










View from the Aire


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## KeithChesterfield (Mar 12, 2010)

Down Route de Mazies to find the Aire.


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

Yes---------

Definately on our way September

Move over Barryd :lol: :lol: :lol:

Aldra


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## 747 (Oct 2, 2009)

So this interest in bathing Barry.

Was it a New Year resolution?

:lol: :lol: :lol:


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

You can shut up you northern monkey. You think your smug because they finally provided running water to Gateshead! 

Anyway. I now prefer to consider myself a proper traveller and just jump in rivers to get clean. 

I won't use it again! Don't know what came over me.


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## mrbricolage (Jun 30, 2008)

Haha made me laugh! Yes september in France is great. We will be there from next week wandering around the Loire and Les Sables D'Olonne.


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## geordie01 (Apr 20, 2006)

barryd said:


> You can shut up you northern monkey. You think your smug because they finally provided running water to Gateshead!
> 
> Anyway. I now prefer to consider myself a proper traveller and just jump in rivers to get clean.
> 
> I won't use it again! Don't know what came over me.


That explains the queue on the western bypass they are all going for the morning shower


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## ChrisandJohn (Feb 3, 2008)

On our way now. Got as far as Rochester. :lol: 


Chris


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## Traveller_HA5_3DOM (May 9, 2005)

Thanks for the heads up on this one. I think it must be the one that is on page 362 of the Camperstop book. Never been in this direction on the Tarn so will try it now.


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## rayc (Jun 3, 2008)

If travelling from Millau to Albi on the D999 there is a good aire at St Sernin sur Rance


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## Chascass (May 10, 2007)

Hi Traveller

Or page 382 in the Aires book.

Charlie


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## rayc (Jun 3, 2008)

Traveller_HA5_3DOM said:


> Thanks for the heads up on this one. I think it must be the one that is on page 362 of the Camperstop book. Never been in this direction on the Tarn so will try it now.


If you follow the Tarn west past Albi there is an aire at Lisle sur Tarn which is quite good, though the service point was dated when we were there in 2010.
There is a great spot on a bend in the Tarn near Rivieres at a very small village called Aigueleze. There is a small port and once upon a time it must have been very popular as there were childrens amusements etc that are now just unused.
There is a good little camp site which was cheap even in August 2010 so will be even cheaper out of high season. 
http://www.camping-lespommiers.com/acces.php


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

We mainly came here to visit brousse le chateau which is listed in one of the many ti leaflets as one of the prettiest villages in averyon. It's 5 miles up the road on the bike.

It's a charming little place on the river and worth a look but what we did discover was there were a handful of vans on the grass car park under the bridge by the river so a possible safe and free wild spot if your visiting. You could fill up and empty here, maybe buy some stuff if the shops are open.

We are heading up to lake pareloup today but maybe via lac de villefranche de Panat. No aires listed as being there but maybe a wild spot.

Thanks for the tip and have a safe trip those of you on the move.

If you see a battered kontiki or a battered scooter please say hello.

Cheers


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## rosalan (Aug 24, 2009)

Just returned from a grand tour of the 'Aires' but saw nobody from these pages. One fellow parker had heard of Motorhome Facts but later confessed that he meant Motorhome ***. Where does everyone go?
Dax, if you have not been there is lovely; we ended up in the woods, one of three sites in this small town.
New for us this year was the evidence of overcrowding, although to be fair, it was peak season.
Finally. the latest Aires download for TomTom provides more than even the great Vicarious Books and always allowed us an alternative when space was an issue.
Alan


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## Coulstock (Sep 2, 2008)

Utterly envious

Harry


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## geraldandannie (Jun 4, 2006)

rosalan said:


> Dax, if you have not been there is lovely; we ended up in the woods, one of three sites in this small town.


Hi Alan

Is that St. Paul Les Dax? We were there in May.

Gerald


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

rosalan said:


> Just returned from a grand tour of the 'Aires' but saw nobody from these pages. One fellow parker had heard of Motorhome Facts but later confessed that he meant Motorhome ***. Where does everyone go?
> Dax, if you have not been there is lovely; we ended up in the woods, one of three sites in this small town.
> New for us this year was the evidence of overcrowding, although to be fair, it was peak season.
> Finally. the latest Aires download for TomTom provides more than even the great Vicarious Books and always allowed us an alternative when space was an issue.
> Alan


I find this strange as well. The only members we have ever come across on our travels are TR5 in the Dordogne and of course we had the pleasure of meeting 747 and his Gnome where he had found a wild spot and set up a whippet and pug farm on a beach in Northumberland.

Im thinking of putting a big banner on the roof with Barry and Mrs D written on it but fear we would meet even less people. The plus side is we may get more Aires to ourselves.


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*San Trop*

Desserted because they are all in St. Tropez!.

TM
:wink:


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## Carl_n_Flo (May 10, 2005)

Barry - I am following your journey with fascination and awe!!!

You seem to have found some wonderful places to stop - surely you must wonder whether to publicise them or keep them to yourself at times.

Looking forward to you putting all these posts together into one, complete blog / post / article on your return - complete with photos, map locations (not just co-ords please, our satnav doesnt work with them) - would love to print it out and refer to it just as we would a travel guide!!!!

Congratulations fella - you sound like you are having a ball!!!!

Looking forward to the next installment.............

Carl


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

*Re: San Trop*



teemyob said:


> Desserted because they are all in St. Tropez!.
> 
> TM
> :wink:


Ha HA!

Just hope they dont end up on that Aire we were on!


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

Cheers Carl. Missed your post this morning. Most of the places we have been are on our summer 2011 blog on www.hankthetank.co.uk although it's more the ramblings of a travelling loon that any hard facts on places to stay or gps stuff. Lots of pics though.

I have no issues sharing wild spots or favourite aires. I know a lot of people do for a variety of reasons.

Main reason I like to bang on to you lot all the time is that I know you will (hopefully) either be interested or occasionally find it useful as well of course feeding back tips. None of our familiy or friends ever seem interested. They think we are bonkers.

When I get chance I will post up some of the highlights and finds.

Now at lake paraloup where it seems someone has nicked most of the water!


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## Carl_n_Flo (May 10, 2005)

Found your website earlier this morning after posting my last message - and have been reading your blog (whilst trying to work!!!  ) until now.

Fabulous!!!

Kept me enthralled throughout..........Flo and I can only steal away for 2 weeks at a time maximum, but you have given us so many 'ideas' that - if it is ok with you - I will print out and keep your blog for reference..........and the photos really do your trip justice!!!

Keep us all updated - methinks a book is in there somewhere!!!

Carl

PS - are we envious? You bet we are!!!


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## Nora+Neil (May 1, 2005)

Thanks BarryD for great posts. 

Have now copied some of your towns and Aires, that we hope to visit next May/June.

Sound fabulous.


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## Cazzie (Feb 13, 2009)

Thanks for all the info. barryd. My husband reckons I,m stalking you!
I look out for your posts every day and am making a list of all your aire recommendations. You seem to like the same areas that we do so I'm sure we will be following in your footsteps when we set off next week.
Best wishes Cazzie


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## 747 (Oct 2, 2009)

Well Barry, seen as you have sacked me as your backup crew, I felt that I needed something to cheer me up. :? 

Me and the wife have had a good heart to heart and (surprisingly), she wants to sell up and go fulltiming. 8O 

I knew you would be pleased. :lol: 

It will have to be an RV with 6 dogs and we will start looking at Lincoln Show (just watch, there will be no bleeding RV's there :evil: ).

As long as you pay me my redundancy money and 3 months wages in lieu of notice, I reckon we can afford an RV.

I suppose I will have to start taking note of your incoherent European ramblins now. :roll: 

Oh yes, and get a Passport for me and the dogs. :lol:


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## rosalan (Aug 24, 2009)

geraldandannie said:


> rosalan said:
> 
> 
> > Dax, if you have not been there is lovely; we ended up in the woods, one of three sites in this small town.
> ...


Well you could have waited. :roll: .... what a lovely stopover! We started in the town but space and a rather active dog encouraged us to look elsewhere. The next place TomTom indicated was beside a cemetary, on a slope with one other van. Rather warm by now (weather, travel, fatigue) a brief discussion with my wife, with very few harsh words encouraged the removal of my yellow ramps and we were escorted by TomTom past the lakes into motorhome heaven. Two other vans occupied the ten available 'slots'..... the rest was peace and tranquility.
Do not tell anyone where this place is, or everyone would want to go there! :wink: 
Alan


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## motormouth (Jul 3, 2010)

Barry, great news again. Those 35 hippy types have moved on from your house. I was passing again yesterday and it appears that they must have run out of things to burn.That ugly fence has gone, so too all those overgrown oak trees that once adorned your estate. At least they boarded up all the doorways which now don't have any doors.
I hadn't realised that you joined the "home stay scheme" as I counted around 40 Mhomes and caravans on your land. You won't need to cut the grass when you get back as the horses are doing a good job. Not sure why they need so many Transit pick ups though.

Keep on enjoying your trip won't you. :wink:


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

Live report!

It's now time for a live report.

Currently bobbing around in the middle of lake pareloup which still has plenty of water in the middle. It's just the finger where the aire is that's a bit low. Managed to Launch the yellow peril (rubber dinghy) but forgot to fix mrs d's bike chain who was supposed to meet me at some village which I can't find anyway. I won't be popular. Although she's probably smug as she has the cash so can't moor up for a beer! 

747. Flipping great news. Don't know how you pulled that one off, your misses seemed less keen than mine. There is an issue with your redundancy money as it's been blown on this trip which started off as a long weekend but we got carried away. Prospects of future income are bleak as well although I like the book idea!

Feel free to print off the blog but I really should add some actual useful info!

Motormouth. I don't care who takes over our Land or house as long as you and 747 can manage to extract some rent from them. You can have a commison but not enough for an rv!

There are some big fish in here. One lept out the water near the boat and it was so huge if it had landed in here it would have sunk me. I'm Hoping to batter the next one with an ore if poss

cheers
BD


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## mollmagee (Jun 15, 2006)

"There are some big fish in here. One lept out the water near the boat and it was so huge if it had landed in here it would have sunk me. I'm Hoping to batter the next one with an ore if poss "

would not use ore m8/makes fish to heavy for frying pan,better get a breadcrumb mix from local french tesco :roll:


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## quartet (Jul 9, 2006)

*Doppleganger*

Hi
Barry D (Dixon) here
Im sure I must have told you about St Rome de Dolan otherwise Im sure you must be my Doppeganger!
I am so envious! it is my favourite place period!
I had to cancel a visit to my 2nd favourite place in the Dordogne cos my daughter presented us with our 2nd fantastic grandson 3 wees ago so having to settle for la croix du vieux pont in less than a fortnight's time.
Still looking forward to it!
BarryD


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## motormouth (Jul 3, 2010)

*Re: Doppleganger*



Bessie560 said:


> I had to cancel a visit to my 2nd favourite place in the Dordogne cos my daughter presented us with our 2nd fantastic grandson 3 *wees* ago
> 
> BarryD


 :lol: :lol:


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

Made It back just before it suddenly went dark like the lights just went off

st Rome de dolan? Tell me more. Sorry if you already told me.

It's about 40 miles east of here.

Not sure if we should go east, west or north.

Forecast is rubbish for all day friday but ok after just much cooler than it's been


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