A light hearted and (I hope) amusing record of some of our Campervan Trips.
It is mainly intended to inform friends and family where we are, plus, to keep our children updated on what is happening to their inheritance.
I do try to include details of Camp Sites and Aires, we visit. Checkout the "labels" listed in the right margin,
Please comment if you feel inclined, at least then I know I am not talking to myself (again).
This is not going to be a very exciting post, for the next few days we are going to be travelling almost continually. Our last day in the UK, for a couple of months starts with a wet morning but, eventually "improves" to be bloody freezing, with only occasional rain.
We leave Chertsey C&CC site and make our way along the southern M25 to Canterbury, New Dover Road Park and Ride. Being the dutiful husband, I have checked out the Mass times in Canterbury, so, that is Kathleen occupied for the evening. If there is anything in this Religion "game", and or course, assuming the Catholics are the "chosen ones", then I should be sitting pretty, having ensured Kathleen can always attended Mass. The route from Canterbury to the Channel Tunnel check-in is, shall we say, "interesting", a real cross country route. But, as usual the check-in is slick, and, we are soon on the 11:30, heading for Calais. Out of the tunnel and 65 miles to the Aire at Baie de Somme. The Aire is on the Toll section, so, we have to pay the toll (6Euro) for that section to stay there. For once, the place is deserted, we are the only ones there. We are too tired to care about that, (well I am), and I at least have a sound few hours sleep. Sunday morning, drizzle, dry after Rouen, then, a little sunshine, followed by more drizzle, but, a mild 12C
300 miles to Poitiers Futurscope (N46 39.813' : E0 22.094'), not exactly palatial, water, electricity are extra (by the hour and litre, 2euro/hour for Electric and 2Euro/100Litre for the water), at least it is secure I suppose, and, not far off the main road. A pretty exhausting day for me, driving almost none stop from 8:00 until 16:30, but, Kathleen does the dutiful wife act and produces a Chicken Curry, a can of beer and a bottle of wine!
Baie de Somme and Mery-sur-Cher We arrive to a foggy Calais at about 1-00am. There are the usual groups of asylum seekers hanging about, waiting to try and hide themselves on a UK bound HGV, but no problem to us. We feel awake enough to decide to head a little way south, so we join the free motorway from Calais which runs along the coast past the infamous Sangatte. We head for a motorway aire at Baie de Somme. We have been there before and know it is a well lit area with toilet and eating facilities and usually at least half a dozen or so campervans and caravans overnighting there. Sure enough we find a few German, French, and Dutch campervans there when we arrive, plus a GB caravan outfit, so we settle down for what is left of the night and have a sleep. We wake to find the fog has lifted, but it is damp and overcast. After breakfast and the usual morning ablutions off we go, south as we will be doing for quite a while to come, now heading for an aire at Mery-sur-Cher, near Veirzon. Again a stop over we have used before, it will take about ten vans, and has Electric hook up, water and a toilet, all for 2Euro per night. We are in no rush, so we leave the motorway before the toll starts and travel via the “N” and “D” roads, this saves us fuel as well as tolls, since if we keep the speed down to 60mph maximum we can achieve 30mpg or better, plus the scenery is more interesting as you wend your way through rural France. We arrive in full sunshine, there are three or four vans already in residence, a couple of French, a German and another GB who we find as we chat to them over the inevitable glass or two of red in the evening sunshine are on their way home after being in Spain since January. Next morning we wake to rain, knew we should not have sent that gloating text message to Joan and Brian!. Off we go heading for Vichy and hopefully better weather.
