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Wednesday, 28th March 2018
A bright an sunny start to the day.
It is decided that we will move on, and ensure we are settled for Easter, which is in two days time.
An easy 120 miles to St Aygulf, near Frejus, with the intention of staying at Le Jardins de Mai Tai, St Aygulf (N43 24'37" E6 42'29"). We arrive shortly after noon, expecting to find reception closed for lunch. It is worse than that, the site is closed. It would appear that "the planner" (no names mentioned), has omitted to check the site opening times. It will not be open until 1st April, which is four days away.
The campsite book is checked again, the only site we can find, reasonably nearby, and, open is Flower Camping, Frejus (N43 27'50" E6 43'28"). It would appear this site has only two things going for it. (a) it is open (b) the lady on Reception is helpful. I do not think we will be staying here for long. The site is, shall we say, shabby and untidy. Pitches are far from level, and, there are many very muddy sections, which have to be avoided, or risk becoming bogged down in the mud. Worse still, the site appears to be a long way from any shopping facilities, and, we have no wine!
Well, life cannot be all fun, I suppose.
Looking on the bright side, it is sunny and warm (17C).
Once parked and level, Kathleen gets busy with the campsite book, Les Mures, Grimaud (N43 17'2" E6 35'30"), near Grimaud, it would appear is open. A quick phone call to confirm this, also, to confirm they have spaces. A positive response to both, so, it would appear we will be heading there tomorrow.
Thursday, 29th March 2018 Les Mures, Grimaud (N43 17'2" E6 35'30")
A short drive to Les Mures, Grimaud (N43 17'2" E6 35'30") after yesterdays phone call, telling us there were hundreds of spaces, we are surprised to be offered a choice of only about 10 spaces!
We have the option of going on the "beach side" of the site, or on the "inland side". We opt for the "inland side" since it appears to be less crowded.
No problem, we are soon parked on a pleasant pitch, which even has a view of the sea, through the trees.
The reason for the reduction in the number of spaces soon becomes apparent, when there is an influx of Italian Motorhomes and Caravans. There are dozens of them.
The weather is even better than we have had so far, sunny and 19C, sitting at a bar drinking beer weather, after a cycle ride of course.
Once settled, we have a cycle along the coast to St Maxime (just under ten miles, there and back on a cycle track, mostly flat), yes, to check out Church times and whereabouts. We also have a failed attempt to find the nearest supermarket, and, in the evening, a walk into Port Grimaud, again, to check out Church times and whereabouts. If it should turn out that I am wrong, and the Catholics are right, I just have to get "in" on a "bye"!
Au Paradis des Campeurs, Les Issambres (ACSI2009-1271) N43.36606 E6.71191
Les Pinedes is a very nice site, we would certainly come here again, its only drawback (for us) is that it is not cycling country.
We decide to head back for the coast to find some easier cycling country. So first we head for 1214 Green Park, Cagnes sur Mare. But it is a huge site mostly statics, and they only have two touring pitches free. So we head for Au Paradis des Campeurs, which turns out to be another good site with spotless facilities.
Enroute I enter into competition with Bryan Crick, Bryan is setting a record for breaking rear lights, I am doing the same for door mirrors, today I broke the second one. Driving across a narrow bridge, near St Aygulf, a French “white van man” speeding towards us, hit our mirror, didn’t stop of course. This time it is only the glass part, so I think it will “only” be a 100Euro to replace!
Reception are able to tell us where the nearest Peugot dealer is, and next day we set off on our bicycles to find it. Fortunately, they have a replacement mirror in stock, so we leave there happy but 106Euro poorer.
On our way back we decide to stop in St Aygulf for a beer, Kathleen buys, whilst I go to buy an English newspaper, so we can read about our thieving MPs and their expenses. Further discussion, and we decide that perhaps a portion of chips would be nice (Kathleen has obviously decided that 16 mile cycle ride justifies a bit of junk food), so I wander off and buy a couple of portions of pomme frites, which we sit and eat at the bar with our second beer (another nice thing about France, if the place does not sell food, they seem to have no problem with you bringing along your own), before wobbling our way back to the campsite.
The beach here is only a walk of 50 yards, to a nice little bay with crystal clear water, white sand, and a collection of topless women of course. The latter is a problem since it distracts me from reading my newspaper or book. I have now evolved a scale of measurement, based on the frequency you feel inclined to take a look, at the lower end of the scale is once per page, at the upper every word. There have not been any every words, so far, but we have had a once per sentence.
Today is domestic chores, Kathleen does the washing, while I cycle to the supermarket to buy some supplies, this is followed by an afternoon of lying on the beach., for Kathleen, and reading my book, for me.
Le Pont d’Argens, St Aygulf near Frejus (ACSI2009-1293) N43.40884 E 6.72511
We return to an old faithful.
Probably not the best site in the area in terms of tidiness and modernity of facilities, but everything works and it is clean. But on the plus side there is a traffic free cycle track (once you have diced with death to cross the road at the site entrance. There is a big supermarket about five minutes away on a bicycle, and more importantly there is a church in St Aygulf because tomorrow is Good Friday and a visit to church will be a must for Kathleen. Another plus, if this is your thing, the beach can be reached via a gate at the rear of the site and part of the beach is for nudists. Don’t get too excited, all I have ever seen there is old men exposing their wrinkles.
