# why i love France !



## vicdicdoc (May 14, 2005)

Well, here i am tucked up for the night on an Aire in little village of Cleres just N of Rouen, 8bays & 8elect hookups (3€ for 6hrs) - weather = blue skies,dry but frosty so a big THANK YOU Mr Frenchman for providing these facilities !
Now i'm toasty warm in the van with elect heater blasting away :lol: 
. . . At the risk of gloating-hope you don't freeze in UK :lol:


----------



## MrsW (Feb 8, 2009)

Well we are further south, in fact 40 m9inutes drive south of Bergerac and it has been bright and sunny here all day withe yesterdays snow still lying. The temperature here now is 0.4 degrees and dropping fast! Keep warm tonight and safe journey!

If you are coming this way then at Castelsarrasin north of Toulouse in the Tarn et Garonne region is 2.50€ for 24 hours worth of power and 3€ for a 24 hour stay. Another place for a cosy night and lots of room there!


----------



## 113016 (Jun 5, 2008)

MrsW said:


> Well we are further south, in fact 40 m9inutes drive south of Bergerac and it has been bright and sunny here all day withe yesterdays snow still lying. The temperature here now is 0.4 degrees and dropping fast! Keep warm tonight and safe journey!
> 
> If you are coming this way then at Castelsarrasin north of Toulouse in the Tarn et Garonne region is 2.50€ for 24 hours worth of power and 3€ for a 24 hour stay. Another place for a cosy night and lots of room there!


Mrs W, is that a new aire as the last time we were at Castelsarrasin, the aire by the water tower was closed.


----------



## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

vicdicdoc said:


> Well, here i am tucked up for the night on an Aire in little village of Cleres just N of Rouen, 8bays & 8elect hookups (3€ for 6hrs) - weather = blue skies,dry but frosty so a big THANK YOU Mr Frenchman for providing these facilities !
> Now i'm toasty warm in the van with elect heater blasting away :lol:
> . . . At the risk of gloating-hope you don't freeze in UK :lol:


We will wake up with snow tomorrow Vic.
I personally don't plan on going anywhere till it goes.

Ray.


----------



## MrsW (Feb 8, 2009)

Yes Grath, it is new over the last year I believe. The old one was closed because too many people were abusing the place. The new one has a barrier and you need to put in a credit or debit card to get a number which lets you through the gate. You then need to use the card again to buy the 24 hours worth of power or 100l of water. The site is spotless and well maintained. One of our favourites!


----------



## ChaseTracker (Aug 22, 2012)

Yesterday (Wednesday) woke up to a very nice sunny morning in Dunkirk. French roads were bad but got the ferry back to the UK no problems in fact no traffic problems in our 220 mile trip back to Staffordshire.Fish & Chips from local chippy was a great end to a GREAT 6 weeks.Our first winter trip to France and Spain.


----------



## 113016 (Jun 5, 2008)

MrsW said:


> Yes Grath, it is new over the last year I believe. The old one was closed because too many people were abusing the place. The new one has a barrier and you need to put in a credit or debit card to get a number which lets you through the gate. You then need to use the card again to buy the 24 hours worth of power or 100l of water. The site is spotless and well maintained. One of our favourites!


Thanks Mrs W
A bit like the new one at Briare !
Is it at the same location, by the tower or where?


----------



## MrsW (Feb 8, 2009)

No it's down on the edge of the town centre, clearly signed.


----------



## rayc (Jun 3, 2008)

This is why I love the French:

"On Monday, Patrick Balkany, the conservative mayor of Levallois-Perret, northwest of Paris, made the D909 one-way to cut the commuter traffic flowing through his district.

But Gilles Catoire, the Socialist mayor of neighbouring Clichy-la-Garenne, complained this increased congestion in his area.
So he declared his section of the road one-way, but in the opposite direction.

With the contradictory road-signs in place, the unsurprising result was commuter chaos, road rage and gridlock. Municipal and national police were called in to direct traffic away from the area."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/new...re-street-one-way-in-opposite-directions.html


----------



## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

For those interested in Castelsarassin aire here are a pic or two.....


Dave


----------



## 113016 (Jun 5, 2008)

Thanks Dave, Mrs W said it was on the edge of the town centre, is this the same one? as it looks more outside.
Anywhere near to the canal?


----------



## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

Not near the canal any more, they closed that one as too many long term travellers (!) were spending months there, so this one is below the town, turning off the main road (well signposted) in a back street.

Probably 1/2 mile from the canal, the canal basin (the Jacques Yves Cousteau basin) is at the top edge.

I will try to attach a Google map showing the old and the new aires.

Dave


----------



## 113016 (Jun 5, 2008)

Penquin said:


> Not near the canal any more, they closed that one as too many long term travellers (!) were spending months there, so this one is below the town, turning off the main road (well signposted) in a back street.
> 
> Probably 1/2 mile from the canal, the canal basin (the Jacques Yves Cousteau basin) is at the top edge.
> 
> ...


Thanks Dave, I didn't want to put you to that much trouble. I now know roughly where it is for the future, on the opposite side of town.
Thanks again


----------



## GEMMY (Jun 19, 2006)

RayC, love that. :lol: :lol: :lol: 

tony


----------



## barryd (May 9, 2008)

Sounds great Vic. I'm missing France and this thread is a wonderful reminder of how great it is. 

Mrs d has said it's the one place she would move to and to be honest I wish I could think of how I
Could make a living out there as I'd leave the uk in a shot.

I'm currently in Tenerife in what can only be described as a luxury resort. Been sailing, jet skiing and wall to wall sunshine but when I saw your post I just wanted to be there as well. 

Enjoy it!

Right I'm off
Out to a blues brothers night and the chance of a spot on the guitar which I will enjoy but it's a bit crap really. It's just not me anymore.

Motorhoming is the way to go and France is a country I will always frequent.


----------



## bigtree (Feb 3, 2007)

You wouldn't have the coordinates for this aire would you, as the guide I bought last year only has the old one.


----------



## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

You are welcome Grath - I am always happy to share knowledge if I can, and that is one of our "local" aires - good facilities at a reasonable price and well laid out. It's flat, hard standing over the entire area and at the edge of the town so overlooking open countryside. BUT you have to walk into town for bread/shops etc.  ) The roads in the town are NOT suitable for MH so don't bother trying.....keep to the edges.

There is a good Chinese restaurant nearby with a good set meal in the evenings. (OK that sounds odd, why go to France for a Chinese meal..... but bear in mind we live here but still enjoy the flavours of other countries and places like Vietnam were French ruled until 1954) 

The rising barrier at the entrance is controlled by entering a credit/debit card, that gives you a number to enter in the keybox - that number works for entries and exits within a 24 hour period, but not a minute over (as we found), the water is €2.50 for 100litres and €2.50 for 24 hours power) - all done using a card.

The one negative point I would mention is that if you wish to rinse out the cassette (as I always do after emptying) you would have to pay €2.50 for 100 litres of water........ I waited to empty the grey water until after the cassette so that I could use the grey water to rinse out the cassette.

Worked well, and the rinsing for the trap works (but cannot be used to rinse the cassette as it is all underground......)

GPS Coordinates (from Google Maps) = 44.038707,1.100714

Dave


----------



## 113016 (Jun 5, 2008)

Thanks again Dave, we have been there a few times, but park by the canal.
To be honest we prefer Moissac, just along the canal, but as you most probably know, at Moissac, we would need to cross the canal to access the bourne.
St Antonis N V is another that we know well. A great area!


----------



## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

There is also some very good wild camping around beside the Tarn but we are not giving out the precise coordinates for there so it remains tranquil........ (I know I'm a rotten meanie)

But just to whet the appetite I will attach a pic.......

NB this was while we were still UK registered - we now have_ les plaques francais_ - it only took *SEVEN* months............

Dave


----------



## 113016 (Jun 5, 2008)

Hi again Dave.
I know the area quite well as for years we have trundled down the roads along the rivers and Canal du Midi and Lateral. We like warm weather, therefore the area is our normal trundle around zone.
There are so many nice places, far too many to mention, and in any case people should find some for themselves, that,s the fun of it


----------



## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

@ the Canal du Midi

one of the many locks (they are all being converted before next summer to be operated by electronic card, so no more students as lock-keepers....)


----------



## Pusser (May 9, 2005)

We have got to the point where the both of us love France so much, we cannot be arsed really to go anywhere else.

And we have not seen that much of France taking into account how much there is of it.

I love the roads, parking very often down to where you fancy stopping. Generally everything is clean and litter free. If you find a good restaurant there is nothing better with the exception of the Falcon in St Mawgan, Corny, which beats the French at their own game.

I love the beaches, the supermarkets, the village markets, the lakes and rivers, the mountains and their inability to speak my language or maybe refusal too and in general, most of their food.  

I love their fishing harbours and road\beach side cafe's and admire they way they rebel against their governments when necessary.

We love France so much we were going to retire there but as we have got older and have retired, we love our home most of all.


----------



## joedenise (Jul 20, 2007)

can an ex mod link the 2 threads together i'm working out a route

joe 8) 8)


----------



## vicdicdoc (May 14, 2005)

sorry for duplicated threads . . 
I'm now set up on the Aire at Uzerche -loads of hookups- free !  
Just so you don't get too jelous - there's snow on the ground but its
Raining so (maybe/hopefully) snow will have melted by morning & then its onwards
South to Auzas (~30miles) south of Toulouse to the Aire there (again the book
Says 'unmetered' elect).
I just hope its warm & sunny in Benicassin . . . A long way for nothing if its not !


----------



## boringfrog (Sep 22, 2006)

*Uzerche*



vicdicdoc said:


> sorry for duplicated threads . .
> I'm now set up on the Aire at Uzerche -loads of hookups- free !
> Just so you don't get too jelous - there's snow on the ground but its
> Raining so (maybe/hopefully) snow will have melted by morning & then its onwards
> ...


 We are a bit further North of Benicassin @ Benicarlo, weather is quite warm when the sun is out, been a bit cloudy today. As you say Uzerche is a great spot, launderette in town too if needed. Hurry on down here.


----------



## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

vicdicdoc said:


> sorry for duplicated threads . .


It happens, and frankly is it going to break MHF ? I doubt it......

"Quisque competit mea sententiam"

translates to;

"Everyone is entitled to my opinion"

That is the sure foundation of MHF :lol: :lol: :lol:

Dave


----------



## zulurita (May 9, 2005)

MrsW said:


> Yes Grath, it is new over the last year I believe. The old one was closed because too many people were abusing the place. The new one has a barrier and you need to put in a credit or debit card to get a number which lets you through the gate. You then need to use the card again to buy the 24 hours worth of power or 100l of water. The site is spotless and well maintained. One of our favourites!


We stayed there when it hadn't been opened long I think.

Nice spot. Paid for electric and then it didn't work so had to walk to the captains office and someone came out to sort it.

Also found a lot of motorhomes came and left as they couldn't seem to get in via the card machine. We had managed ok but I think that also was playing up.


----------



## zulurita (May 9, 2005)

vicdicdoc said:


> Well, here i am tucked up for the night on an Aire in little village of Cleres just N of Rouen, 8bays & 8elect hookups (3€ for 6hrs) - weather = blue skies,dry but frosty so a big THANK YOU Mr Frenchman for providing these facilities !
> Now i'm toasty warm in the van with elect heater blasting away :lol:
> . . . At the risk of gloating-hope you don't freeze in UK :lol:


A nice spot and handy as not too far off the main route when travelling further afield.


----------



## 113016 (Jun 5, 2008)

zulurita said:


> MrsW said:
> 
> 
> > Yes Grath, it is new over the last year I believe. The old one was closed because too many people were abusing the place. The new one has a barrier and you need to put in a credit or debit card to get a number which lets you through the gate. You then need to use the card again to buy the 24 hours worth of power or 100l of water. The site is spotless and well maintained. One of our favourites!
> ...


I am surprised that the Captinaria are in control of it as I understand the new aire is on the opposite side of town and not by the canal.


----------



## waspes (Feb 11, 2008)

Hi Vic I hope weather stays good for you  have a safe journey.

Peter.


----------



## Stanner (Aug 17, 2006)

Penquin said:


> e here are a pic or two.....


Am I missing something, or is that the same picture twice :?


----------



## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

joedenise said:


> can an ex mod link the 2 threads together i'm working out a route
> joe 8) 8)


Thanks for the memory Joe. :wink:

Nice to know someone remembers us. (Sob!) :lol: :lol:

Dave


----------



## joedenise (Jul 20, 2007)

Dave how could anyone forget you 8O 8O 

joe :lol: :lol:


----------



## vicdicdoc (May 14, 2005)

Last nights stay at Auzas was good (edge of tiny village-church & couple of houses, the place is so small i didn't even see a ladies hairdressers which most villages seem to have at least 2 or 3,) water tap a bit slow but hey ho- water & hookup for €4
(Llittle man comes & collects . . .i bet he's not overworked during winter as it was just me there.
Arrived Benicassim just after 6.30pm this evening,all roads perfectly clear & good, to hell with the money-i stuck to pay motorways rather than faff around towns & villages.
I'm pleased to say hat whilst its not quite T shirt its a darn lot warmer than UK . . Tidy up tomorrw-bed for me now as i'm feeling as if i'm still driving.
(And i won't need bed socks on :lol:


----------



## vicdicdoc (May 14, 2005)

Sorry for the duplicated posts & threads - put it down to my age :roll: 
sitting here in the local beachside hotel's cafe (free WiFi) enjoying the late afternoon sunshine - I wish I was technical enough to add a pic to cheer you up but can't so just imagine blue sky,waves gently lapping onto the sandy beach,Palm tree's swaying . . blah blah blah - you get the picture :wink: 
If anyone's considering escaping UK & want the route I took let me have a PM & I'll detail it.


----------



## Pusser (May 9, 2005)

vicdicdoc said:


> - you get the picture :wink:
> If anyone's considering escaping UK & want the route I took let me have a PM & I'll detail it.


I haven't got the picture as you didn't send one. All you have to do is go to the chemist and get pics developed, put in an envelope addressed to Nukey and give it to DHL to deliver by motorcycle courier.

Nukes with all the time on his hands can quite easily stick them up on here for you.

Simples. 8)


----------



## vicdicdoc (May 14, 2005)

Ho hum, after my escape In January down to Spain,I'm now on my way back-stopped for the night on a campsite Nr Rouen, the weather over the last 100miles changed from 'mild' to cool . . I see that UK suffering snow -which is exactly the reason I up' d & went down to Spain in Jan - ho bleeding ho &I'm not sure I can get back to N Wales whilst it's thick snow . . Ferry from Calais to Dover on Tuesday so maybe (magically) all snow will have gone & spring sunshine will take over :roll:


----------



## bognormike (May 10, 2005)

turn back, Vic - you know it makes sense :lol:


----------



## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*joining in*

Be joining you on the Aires soon.

Can't wait. Worn out. Today I have....

Pointed some ridge tiles (arnt cement mixers brialliant).
Part insulated a roof.
Done some accounts.
Some ebaying
some office work
Tidied my van
Washed....

The Motorhome, my van and a Car.

Lit a fire.

Just having some dinner (supper now)

Off to work in the morning. Few more days and we are off.

TM


----------



## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Why cross the channel Vic.
Stay this side and above freezing.

Ray.


----------



## pippin (Nov 15, 2007)

Watched the Countryfile weather bulletin this evening.

The freezing easterlies are set to continue throughout this week with the likelihood of a large dump of snow from Good Friday onwards.

We have to drive in the MH from here on the coast of mid Wales to the other side of York on Good Friday to attend our nieces wedding on Saturday.

That's a couple of mountain ranges to cross - we will not risk it if the snow comes.


----------



## Spacerunner (Mar 18, 2006)

*Re: joining in*



teemyob said:


> Be joining you on the Aires soon.
> 
> Can't wait. Worn out. Today I have....
> 
> ...


This post is so wrong for so many reasons. 

But sod it I ain't going to feel guilty 'cos i did nuffink.


----------



## CurlyBoy (Jan 13, 2008)

Pusser said:


> We have got to the point where the both of us love France so much, we cannot be arsed really to go anywhere else.
> 
> We love France so much we were going to retire there but as we have got older and have retired, we love our home most of all.


.......exactement mon ami........

curlyboy


----------



## 91502 (May 1, 2005)

Snow at home and I got burnt on the beach today in France.
Beaujolais Cru with tea £7 a bottle would be £20+ back home.
No wonder so many love France.

James


----------



## GEMMY (Jun 19, 2006)

Which beach in France in March to get a sunburn.  

tony


----------



## Telbell (May 1, 2005)

Probably stood too near the barbecue


----------



## 91502 (May 1, 2005)

GEMMY said:


> Which beach in France in March to get a sunburn.
> 
> tony


Ste Maxime PACA
My head is like a tomato today.

James


----------



## 91502 (May 1, 2005)

Further to my last post, Pampellone beach today and the bikini's were well and truly out and some even off.
I braved the sea but only knee deep as I don't really do swimming with creatures but it was ok and others were swimming, canoeing and windsurfing.
Looks like its changeable for a couple of days then nice for the weekend.

James


----------



## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

We used to love Beauvalon Plage about a mile outside Port Grimaud direction St. Maxine.
Great big lay-by right beside the beach and bar/restaurant. You could hop off the back bumper of the RV onto the sand. Lots of notices in four languages saying no camping but often 30+ vans were there. 

I think we spent many years going there until the parking restrictions were enforced.

Ray.


----------



## Gazzer (May 1, 2005)

JP said:


> Further to my last post, Pampellone beach today and the bikini's were well and truly out and some even off.
> 
> James


Sorry but some documentary evidence is required here :wink: ie some large colour close ups :lol:


----------



## 91502 (May 1, 2005)

Gazzer said:


> Sorry but some documentary evidence is required here :wink: ie some large colour close ups :lol:


We were on the naturist section so a camera wouldn't have gone down too well ;-)

All the beach bars are about ready to open for the Easter weekend and the Aires are full, MH's everywhere.

James


----------



## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

OK Gazzer.
These from the Med in 1985...................
Ours was the old Dodge Champion RV. Ray.


----------



## 91502 (May 1, 2005)

Ray
Is that Beauvalon Plage, it looks famliler?
Love the hair 

James


----------



## Gazzer (May 1, 2005)

raynipper said:


> OK Gazzer.
> These from the Med in 1985...................
> Ours was the old Dodge Champion RV. Ray.


Happy days Ray? :wink:


----------



## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

The ice cream girl was just like Barbara Windsor. Bubbly and busty. We always asked for the vanilla ice as she had to stretch right over the other flavours getting the opposite of 'Heartburn' as she did it. Well worth a shilling.

The lady under the shower was English married to an Italian. Not me. 
But it was some of the best holidays we had. Could only take 6 or 7 weeks holls as my wife still worked school time. 
We met a young Brazilian girl who came to London and stayed with us 18 months. Managed 3 jobs and saved to go to the states and marry a sky-diver. We still keep in touch.

Ray.


----------

