Monthly Archives: September 2022

France – Drive Home, Day 2

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18th September 2022

We packed away, and left the site at 8.30, heading back to the toll road. After a little over an hour, we were down to 180miles of range, so opted to fill up at a service station. This was a Total and had a cheap price (a little over 160) compared with the other services stations which were over 30 cents per litre more expensive. We took the opportunity to have breakfast, which was a disaster. Most of the small service station was closed, and there were two women dealing with a huge queue. They were making coffee as well as serving the prewrapped goodies. I could see we would be here a long time. We left.

We stopped at the next service station, and gave that a miss, it was a construction site. In a hissy fit I said f*** French service stations and continued the drive to Calais, hoping for a snack and duty-free stop there to take advantage of Boris Johnson’s “world beating” duty free allowances.

At least Euro Tunnel check-in was great, we chose a human operated one, explained we were traveling home several days earlier than our booking. He booked us in on the next available crossing and charged us an extra 49 Euro to travel. We had been expecting to pay a whole single fee.

Passport control took us in total another 20 minutes, it was a bit clagged on the French and UK booths. Then straight onto the train with no parking, and the train left in 5 minutes. So, we missed the duty free, and still had not eaten. While we crossed to the UK, we managed to have a snack in the van of cheese biscuits and some rillette. It was then time for a loo break, had to pass through 6 carriages to find the loos. I think they are at the back and front of the train. It was quite an epic trek. The doors between the carriages are very stiff, and not all of them worked, so you had to cross from side to side of the carriage. This did not appear to be safe in an emergency exit of the train.

Arrived in London, and we were straight onto the road home. That is the way to travel. What was not, were the hold-ups at the Thames crossing.

France – Drive Home, Day 1

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17th September 2022

We packed up the van and left Camping de la Brise at 10.38. I was planning on an overnight stop and hoped to reach Chalons-en Champagne for the night. Google appears to think I would be driving at the maximum speed and did not know about road works speed limits. I wanted to drive at a more sedate 70mph, and I wanted a couple of breaks on the way for lunch and loo. These added a considerable amount of time to the trip. We were forced to change destination and stopped off at a campsite called Camping de la Croix d’Arles, close to the town of Saints-Geosmes and around 9km from the main road.

It was quite a big campsite, it cost us a little over 17 euro for the night, including electricity. It was being used by quite a few vans as a stopover. The pitches were all enclosed in hedges, and there were quite a number of mature trees on the site. The site had a restaurant and bar, so we were tempted to eat there but instead opted for eating another French tomato with cucumber and goats cheese, a type of Greek salad.

When we arrived at the site there were many men dressed in some fancy uniform, in England I would have thought there were Morris Dancers. They were all downing demi litres of beer in the bar. After night fall, the local town had a loud firework display, I know not what for.

When we come to France again, and driving this way, then we will put this site on our list to stop at for a few days. I must discover what there is in the area. I think it could be wine and lakes.

France – Camargue, Day 6 

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16th September 2022

Today was our last day in the Camargue, we were due to drive west to Gruissan to meet with John and Carol for her birthday. Today we walked into Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer to do some final shopping, birthday gifts for Carol, and of course certain local ingredients for ourselves. We also bought some large French tomatoes to use later. One we added to our left-over Aubergine stew to build it out a bit.

We found a nice bar for a drink and sit down. Despite it being long past lunch time, the restaurants bars were still serving food and did not look inviting for casual drinkers. We chanced upon a very relaxing bar, not crowded with comfortable seats. A drinker’s bar, not a food bar. Thank heaven. The bar was called Bar Des Poetes, and had wall paintings and short verses French poems.

A started off with a Europ beer. I then asked the owner if they had Camargue beer. The jist of the reply was, the beer was too expensive, and with his markup nobody would buy it. The menu board listed Pastis Bleu. R attempted to ascertain what it was, explaining she liked Ricard. The owner regretted it was not made from Ricard, but another pastis. R had to try it cos “it’s such a lovely colour”.

We got talking to some Canadians who were sitting nearby, they seemed to come to the Camargue quite regularly. We also discovered we’d all been to Figueres, whereas we’d been surprised by the Dali museum there, that’s why they had gone there. They had completely missed the typewriter museum. Amazing. That museum was the reason we went there.

After the bar, we stopped at the shops to purchase the rice, some provisions (tomatoes, and also two bottles of Camargue beer) before walking home, but we soon heard news that made us cut our holiday short and head for home.

In the afternoon I went for a swim in the sea. It was quite calm now, with the wind coming in from the shore. While preparing supper I drank the two bottles of Camargue beer, one blonde, the other brown. They were fine, but I wouldn’t go out of my way to buy them.

France – Camargue, Day 5 

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15th September 2022

Today we loafed around the campsite until midday and walked to the town along the beach. We saw that an Aires De Camping had been changed into a normal carpark. Whether it had been moved, or closed completely, I am not sure. Last time we walked this route you could see those in their motorhomes eating lunch in the narrow gap between each home.

We were aiming to catch a boat to view the Le Petit Rhone river and see the Camargue from the water. We had booked the trip online for 30 Euro. We arrived early and sat on some seats basking in the sun awaiting the boat. There was more than one company operating, the first boat left at 14.00, then our boat came in and moored, and we boarded and left at 14.30. Rosemary was the only one to show her ticket on her phone, while everyone else presented their paper tickets. We are modern technologists.

We sat in the sun on the top deck, and were soon motoring out of the harbour, then travelled east along the coast to the mouth of Le Petit Rhone. It is apparently quite shallow at this spot and also choppy.

On view were egrets and herons. We were looking for kingfishers, but none were to be seen. On land there were the Camargue horses and of course the Bulls. There was one place where a tourist show was put on, a handler on shore wearing traditional Camargue dress, herded down some horses and bulls. There were some cute bull calves on show.

Further up the river there were horses and bulls grazing in the fields. We also saw fishing nets used to drag fish from the waters. The fields between the twists in the river were grazed by cattle or fields of Camargue rice.

Our trip up the river ended at a free chain ferry allowing the D85 to cross the river. Here we turned around and headed back to base.

After the trip we had a glass of beer in a nearby bar.

France – Camargue, Day 4

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14th September 2022

There was plenty of wind early in the morning, and a little rain fell. I walked to the camp shop and bought some bread and chocolate croissants. I left it late, so the choice was limited. The bread was already past its sell by minute.

As the day progressed, the wind became stronger, the guy ropes became unpegged from the ground. Lots of remedial attention had to be made to the pegs holding the guy ropes. The ground was soft sand on the windward side. I eventually tied the ropes from each canopy leg to individual pegs drilled deep below the ground. The awning was also showing a tendency to collapse under the wind, so checked the air pressure of the supports, well below the minimum. Pumped these up to max, problem cured.

Late afternoon cooked the ratatouille for the evening meal, then went for a walk on the beach. The waves had reached both restaurants, and all sun beds had been moved to higher ground. Walking was painful with the stinging sand abrading the legs. A dinner plate sized jellyfish was on the beach, some helpful person attempted to save it by moving it to the sea. It left on the next wave, dead or alive, probably the former.

Back at the campsite, the latest influx of new vans arrived. One opposite us suddenly decided to turn around. Maybe because we were sitting in the awning looking out at them. This German couple had a dog, small rough collie job. It just lay beside the van, no lead and just minded itself quietly. There was also another German couple with two dogs who just laid around all day on their dog beds absolutely quiet and well behaved. Is this a German trait in good dog ownership? If so, it is excellent.

One van came into our area, and then nearly took a tree out as they decided the pitch was not for them. They spent quite a while with their RV against the side of the tree as they fruitlessly tried to extract themselves.

Drinks while these entertainments were going on, were enlivened by the sparrows coming around for food. We had well over 20 in the vicinity. I do hope they like the Indian spiced rice sticks.

After supper, in the dark, we could see a major lightning storm inland. This went on and on for an exceptionally long time. We were in clear air with amazing views of the stars. The wind dropped, and there was no sound from the awning shifting in the wind.

France – Camargue, Day 3

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13th September 2022

Today was meant to be cloudy, and windy as a front was coming in. No rain predicted until tomorrow. This proved partly true, though cloudy, there was still plenty of sun. Yes, it was a bit windier.

We ambled into town, stopped at a bar for a quick beer and looked around the shops. Rosemary is thinking of buying Camargue rice, but never getting to buying it, hoping for a cheaper price elsewhere. I chose a restaurant for lunch, Ambiance Tapas. A very small tapas restaurant with seats outside the front, inside, and in the back garden. The cooking all took place in the minute kitchen in the inside restaurant.

We chose from the plates of mixed tapas on the menu, saving us having to decide finer details. While we were deciding, we each had a Ricard (in nice glasses) as an aperitif. I chose the Ambiance Mer, and Rosemary the Ambiance Mixte. Rosemary as a hater for aubergines had a dish of aubergine with honey. It was delicious, she even liked it and wanted to make her own. I’m still waiting.

We wandered back to the campsite, picking up some beers and food on the way home.

I investigated the beach and went for a swim in the sea. It was getting quite rough, so I enjoyed diving through the waves and body surfing back.

The mozzies are still biting, so Rosemary is covered in swellings from the bites. I suggested she take an antihistamine in addition to spraying us and the van in Skin So Soft. I am not suffering quite so badly but am definitely itchy and scratchy.

The wind rose in the evening, so we disconnected the awning from the van, and placed guy ropes in position. The predicted rain during the night never came.

France – Camargue, Day 2

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12th September 2022

A day with differing sunshine. Started off with sunshine, but all the sky to the west was obscured by a solid bank of cloud. This cloud edged slowly nearer and over us.

We started the day with breakfast, some bread and pain aux raisins from the campsite shop. Pain aux raisins, not up to par, not enough gooey syrup and sultanas.

We walked over to see the Flamingos and other birds in the marsh. Managed to grab a picture of a spider eating a dragon fly. Some good shots of small egrets catching, losing, and recapturing fish. I see from the photographs they spear the fish with their beak. They then have to release the fish to get it into their beak. While doing this manoeuvre they can easily lose the fish and have to chase after it to recapture.

Back to the tent for lunch, the sun was now out, and it was getting warm. I went out for another walk on my own, a couple of hours and 8km. Saw some Flamingos who took flight as I approached. Some nice shots of flying Flamingos. Amazing how black their wings look when the birds are in flight.

Back at tent at 5:00 for evening drinks followed by supper.

France – Camargue, Day 1

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11th September 2022

Packed away in the dry and left Moustiers-Sainte-Marie for the Camargue. We headed west to the A51 motorway but stopped at Manosque for some shopping. It was a Sunday, so the supermarket was only open to 12.30. The butchers, fishmongers and cheese counters were not open. There was a limited selection of fresh flesh, so opted for some Tuna. The vegetable and fruit area of the supermarket was a disaster. Old, wrinkled peppers, grotty small selection of vegetables. French supermarkets have lost the plot. We complain about UK supermarkets only serving the best vegetables, and why don’t they serve ‘off’ vegetables. Well go to France, the only fruit and vegetables sold in the supermarkets are off, and the selection is so poor in comparison to the UK.

Anyway a few beers and bottles of wine, and some bread, and we were on our way. Quick stop for some diesel at 1.72. I see some fuel stations sell add blue at the pumps. Not seen that in the UK.

Headed to the A51, stopped at a service-come-fuel station for the loo, and our packed lunch bought at the supermarket. Off again, and then on to Arles where we headed south to Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, and the campsite Camping de la Brise. Google informed us that it was four years since we had last visited here. We booked in for 6 nights. This site has now joined the ACSI group of campsites. We pitched on a large plot near to where we had previously pitched. It was hot, the dragonflies were flying as well as the less welcome mosquitoes.

A couple of beers later we were ready to eat our fried tuna and potato and bean accompaniment. The sparrows around us, were only too willing to eat any crumbs around us.

Our electricity supply did not work, so some deft use of the Leatherman had the powerbox open, and the trip switch reset. (16amp)

All settled now after dinner, sealed in our campervan away from the biting mosquitoes outside. The dragonflies were very active before sunset, flying erratic courses in their pursuit of the mozzies. Just wish there were more hungry dragonflies around.

France – Burning Carbon

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10th September 2022

Another lovely day in France. Today was just a day of driving around the hills of the Verdon. We started off heading on the D952 to Lac de Sainte-Croix. During the morning it was a vivid blue and looked beautiful, surrounded by white beaches. But we couldn’t find anywhere sensible to park – several low 1.8m barriers blocked our way.

Instead of enjoying the boating, we headed for the hills and drove to Aiguines where we had a coffee and a sandwich. This town hosted an amazing museum of wood turning, specifically turning boules, before the French turned to using solid metal spheres. The museum was even more amazing in that it was open during lunch. These boules were turned out of box wood roots, and then were encased with nails which resulted in encasing the wooden sphere with metal. We both picked up a mallet that was typically used to knock in the nails. Very heavy.

After the museum stop, I insisted we travel on a route to Pont de l’Artuby on the D71. This road was on the other side of the gorge we had travelled on yesterday. It was a lovely ride with precipitous drops down into the gorge. We arrived at the bridge and watched humans plunge off the bridge to the floor below, to be saved by the elastic thread attached to them and the bridge. Shades of our trip to New Zealand.

We continued our journey on the D71, turning off to onto the D90 to descend to Trigance. After passing Trigance we turned left onto the D955, heading North along more precipitous gorges. All along the way we had motorbikes following or coming towards us. It was a hot weekend, so the bikes were out in force.

At Pont de Soleils we turned west) onto the D952 and headed home, passing through Point Sublime. Along this route are deep valleys, we saw vultures gliding into their homes. Now we were on home territory, so continued on to Moustiers-Sainte-Marie, making fast passage until we caught up with two motorhomes who only turned off our route a kilometre from home.

Rosemary purchased a couple of local beers from the campsite, brewed only 200 meters away. A brown and blonde ale, flavoured with honey. Not session ales at 7.00 and 5.9, but a delightfully different taste.

Supper was Puy Lentils (imported!!) with tomato, red pepper, lardons and onions.

I enjoyed the journey, these narrow, steep and precipitous drives are exhilarating. Rosemary was meant to enjoy the scenery but turns out she was worried that she would end at the bottom of a valley, or that Morrison would be scraped along the mountain side.

BMW motorcycle and sidecar

Rosemary loved this BMW bike and side car at the campsite.

France – Vultures

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9th September 2022

Today we took Morrison on an outing into the Verdon Gorge. First, we visited Rougon, a small village on top of a cliff overlooking Verdon Gorge. Here we ate lunch at Crêperie Le Mur d’Abeilles. We had visited the same Crêperie three years before on the geology trip. We initially sat outside, but a few droplets from the sky saw us scurrying inside. This was soon over, and we went back outside before our crêpes arrived. The vegetarian aubergine and tomato crepe was so delicious. We caught glimpses of vultures in the distance, spotting a maximum of six at a time. Too far off to photograph.

We went back down the hill turning on to the D952, heading back in the direction of Moustiers, and at the Auberge des Crêtes we turned up on the D23 to where we could get a good view of the Vultures. When we had passed this junction on the way to Rougon, the road had been closed. It was now open in the afternoon. No idea why it had been closed.

This road is a fabulous road to drive on, with switchbacks, tight corners, precipitous edges and tunnels. In one section it is one way, and so should be driven only from east to west. We stopped at the second pull-off on the route, which is Belvedere de Trescaïre haut. This stop is only a mile along the road, and parking for several cars, and precipitous cliffs. You are safe with the sturdy fencing.

We stopped here for several hours and waited for the vultures. There were not many around at first, but they came eventually. (French lunch?) There were several other photographers with large lenses, a Nikon, Sony, and my Canon, and then another Canon materialised. One motorcyclist who did not have a camera said he came every couple of weeks to photograph the vultures. He usefully pointed out new vultures while you were concentrating on a receding bird.

One thousand pictures later, we left and continued the trip around the D23. Coaches do the same trip, not sure I would like to drive around some of the hairpins and narrow tunnels in a coach. The drivers though were arrogant, one forcing a car at Belvedere de Trescaïre Haut to leave by reversing up to them and forcing the occupants to make a strategic departure. I think I would have stuck to my guns and not moved on.

On the route we stopped off at several viewing spots to snap a few pictures. It was interesting to see the valley from different perspectives.

We arrived back at the campsite for a well-earned beer and then supper, but first we reattached the awning to the Morrison.