Category Archives: Country

France day 16 – Saintes-Maries-de-La-Mer

Blasdale Home Posted on by

Lovely sunny day today, but a strong wind was blowing.  This made sitting outside Van the Van uncomfortable as the wind swirled under the van, around the back and then over the top in a vortex dropping sand into your eyes, food and drink.  You could see a scum of kibble floating on the top of your wine after a few minutes.

Today we went for another walk over the Marais and back along the coast from the East.   This time the flamingos in the salt water mudflats were a little further off and difficult to photograph.  Amongst them were also hundreds of avocets feeding.  We walked across the sand and mud (now wet and sticky after the rain) towards some paths.  Here we found a new eco system of ponds with some gorgeous flying displays from some swallows/house martins?   They were occasionally dipping down to drink from the ponds.

On another water area, which I think connected to the main Etang were three flamingos who I was able to get quite close to and photograph.  These were again feeding.  Love the way they are ringed above the knee. You can even read the id with a scope from a way off.

We walked back along the coast with cyclists passing along the wide tracks. This does look like a place where it is worth while taking a bike with you.   Lots of tracks, and all on the flat.  The sea was rough today, and the sky was picturesque with the blue and the clouds to add texture.  Nothing quite a boring as a totally blue cloudless sky.

Back at the camp we had lunch of beer, bread and cheese.  We had consumed the last of the Camembert yesterday, but even today the fridge still stunk. Today it was some blue cheese bought earlier on the trip.

We walked into town on the pretext of buying some Camargue  red rice.  Not bought because there must be more authentic places to buy the stuff.  R did buy a present of a Camargue wrap around skirt/throw, but later saw, much to her annoyance, that it was made in Parkistan!   We took a break from buying, and experienced a beer at a bar.  No sooner had we sat down, the rain started.   A small cloud which soon passed, but enough to cause a flurry amongst the local shop owners.  The owner of the bar we were sitting in rushed over to help the lady from another shop move her displays under cover.

We left after the beer and walked back home under the lovely sun.  The wind was still blowing back at the campsite, and occasionally the van would rock with a sudden gust.

France day 15 – Saintes-Maries-de-La-Mer

Blasdale Home Posted on by

The morning was definitely grey, but the rain did not arrive this morning at Saintes-Maries-de-La-Mer. Late getting up waiting for the non-existent rain.  Once up, we finished the yogurt and pain au raisins.  The agenda for the day was to photograph the flamingos.  Set off under the grey skies towards the flamingos.  First stop was at the sluice gates to photograph the egrets trying to fish.  Eagle eyed Rosemary spotted a kingfisher across the water.  Managed to get a picture, but for id purposes only, as you can see.

We walked on out to the flamingos where there were several groups of 20 or so.  These though slowly moved away as time passed.  There were many birds in the water, and their calls where very loud.   As well as the flamingos, there were gulls of various sorts, sandpipers, shags, avocets and yet to be identified other birds.

On the other bank of the Etang (over  a mile away) there were hundreds of flamingos, just visible as a pink line to the naked eyes.  Other people came by and we were able to lend them the binoculars to see the birds.

There were some amazing fights amongst the gulls. When one caught a fish, all the others would chase it, hoping to steal the fish.

A couple with a dog and large Nikons also came by to take some photographs, one Canon against two Nikons.   The walk back presented on egret wading towards the sluice gate, running, flying and launching at fish.

We ate lunch of Camembert which was stinking out the fridge.  The Rustique cheese brand seems far more potent in France than the UK, and this sample still had a month to go before its self-destruct date.  Fridge now cleared of smelly food, we walked into town.  It dawned on us how many mobile home Aires there were.  Some just car parks, the neared ones to the coast charged, but gave you a water point and a refuse point.

In town we went to the church, and then paid to go up onto the roof.  The roof was made of stones, so we were able to walk to its summit.  By now the weather was good, the sun was out with little cloud in the sky.  After visiting a few grockle shops we headed back.  Sure enough as we sat down, the clouds came in, got colder.  As soon as the cooker was positioned for the duck, the rain started.  Quick dismantle and sat inside the van waiting for the rain to stop.  There was hope from the west, the sky brightened and within 30 minutes cooking started again.  The Germans next door erected their awning and were not stopped from their feast.

The town loves to decorate its roundabouts. Everyone had nice plants and some a scene, or statue or model building.  Several pictures in the gallery are of these roundabouts.

The meal was eaten in dryness, though getting dark.  The stars are out and tomorrow promises to be a nice day, so we are staying on here to try and get pictures of flamingos with blue sky behind them.

France day 14 – Saintes-Maries-de-La-Mer

Blasdale Home Posted on by

Bit of a lie in and then we broke camp, packed Van the Van and set off to France.  We were aiming for a small campsite in the ACSI book..  It is on the coast of the Carmargue and is on the banks of a river.  Off we set stopping off before midday to buy a couple of days worth of food.  Had to be done before the shops all close on the Sunday afternoon.  We continued along the toll free roads, travelling on the ‘A’ roads where they were free.  Stopped off at an Aire for lunch.  The toilets here were so bad, people had been trampling shit all over the place.  Disgusting.

We arrived at 3.30 at the campsite, getting slightly perplexed by the number of vans driving in the opposite direction, yes it was full up.  The Aire outside the campsite was also stacked with a hundred plus vans.  We looked at the AXI map and were about to head to another site 30 minutes away on the other side of an Etang. But before heading that way we tried another site the other side of the town I had previously spotted.  I had not considered it because it was not an ACSI site and looked huge.  Yes it was huge, and also tremendously expensive.   There were walks along the beach, and into the Etang de Monro. We decided we would book for a couple of nights to allow us to check out the town and site. We could always extend.

The site was packed, pitches are very close together.  The people near us all seem pretty good and international, Germans, Dutch, Swiss and Brits.  Here there were also quite a few VM camper vans and small vans.  These had been missing from the Spanish site.

In the hedge, just next to our van, a very cooperative dragonfly perched under the leaves. It remained there for the duration of the photoshoot, never moving.  It was still there after supper.

We walked along the beach, figuring out where the flamingos were for tomorrow’s walk. Near the sluice gates and Archimedes screw there were some very aggressive little egrets who seemed to be attacking each other.

It had been mainly a sunny day, but cloud was coming in and rain forecast for the morning.  A cheerful Brit who had been here for 5 days said it had been sunny all the time. Not quite how it had been in Spain.

France day 11 – Spain

Blasdale Home Posted on by

The rain was coming so, we quickly packed up the awning before it got too wet.  Packed away the van and set off to Spain.  The route avoided tolls and took us along some beautiful scenery, around some tight hairpin bends and even a place where the road looped over itself.  Some of the villages we passed through had the narrowest streets I have come across, and two-way.  Luckily not much traffic passed through them. When I am home I must have my brakes replaced, they must be worn out now with all the twisty downhill mountain roads.

The last part of the trip was so enticingly close to  the A9 as we battled up and down hills to the border of Spain crossing at Le Perthus.  In Spain we stopped at the first supermarket which was taken over mainly by alcohol.  Ricard being sold in 4 litre bottles, and also in boxes of 6.  This was not for the Brits, but for the French who come over and stock up on cheap alcohol.  There was not much food.   We should have kept on a little while longer for the classier supermarkets.

Our destination was Capmany, only a few minutes into Spain.  We soon passed a few ‘Night Clubs’ presumably doing good business with French customers coming over the border.  We turned off the N-II to Capmany signposted by a nearly naked woman dancing & soliciting at the junction.

After a few wrong turns we arrived at the campsite, did not erect the awning due to 50K winds which were blowing over the site.  They had been blowing all day, and the van had been buffeted a little in the open plains. Shortly after arrival the rain arrived.  Supper and bed.

France day 10 – Fanjeaux

Blasdale Home Posted on by

Wednesday was a very hot day.  Probably too hot for a site seeing day.  We met Nadine and paid for are camping and were suggested a tour we could do.  The first item on the tour was Carcassonne.  The directions we were given suggested bypassing the town of Carcassonne and taking signs to La Cite.  This all went wrong, and we ended up driving straight through and parking in the centre of Carcassonne, where we paid a couple of Euros to park for two hours, and realised that was wasted money as 12-2 was free anyway.  A short walk to La Cite which looked impressive from the outside. Inside we were confronted by lots of tourist shops, restaurants and bars.  We walked around the streets, and the outside lower battlements which were free. We visited the church where we were entertained by five male singers, who Rosemary thought were Russian.  After a couple of songs, they advertised their CD, which we both though was rather overpriced.   Had it been, say 10 Euros, maybe we would have purchased one.

We made our way back to Van the Van, gave our ticket to a French woman and left for Lagrasse. The last few miles to Lagrasse were through some very tight hairpin bends.  These though were just the build-up for our trip to Spain the next day.

Parked in a public carpark at Lagrasse, near to the police station for security.  We then walked into town on the tourist circuit.  Lots of long narrow windy streets with the odd artist shop, and of course the covered market.  We crossed the river, passed the cemetery and arrived at the abbey.  Stopped for a beer, toast and aubergine pate.   We decided not to look around the abbey, there didn’t seem to be much of it when we reviewed the Google Map pictures.

Back along the hairpins we arrived back at Fanjeaux hoping to buy some food at the grocer, but were foiled by Wednesday being half-day closing.  The baker though was open. Back at the campsite supper and then sitting outside looking at the stars, and listening to the plops from the lake.  There was a rather ragged looking grey heron wandering around the shores.  Rosemary saw the heron when it made a rather unmelodious squawk.    Not at all a nice sound.

France day 9 – Fanjeaux

Blasdale Home Posted on by

The rain was finished for the morning, though still cloudy. We didn’t know what to do, so eventually we went for a walk.  It was one of the shorter set walks, 4.5 miles.  The walk has some good views of the surrounding countryside, the campsite, Fenouillet-du-Razes, Fanjeaux and mountains miles and miles away.  The day became warmer and warmer with the sun staying out longer.

Back at campsite, washing line erected, smalls washed and out to dry and a lunch of bread and cheese.

In the evening we wandered around the shore and were surprised by the number of little frogs who quickly leaped down the beach and into the water with a final plop.

France day 8 – Fanjeaux

Blasdale Home Posted on by

Today left the campsite on our journey to the south and hopefully the sun.  Managed to pack away the van, missing the rain. Soon came across it on our trip to the A20.  Drove the free section of the A20 to Nespouls where we took to the free local roads.  We made it all the way to Castelnaudry and started to search for a supermarket, Google had us go to Montreal, an Intermarche Contact.  Seemed to be a fuel station and a large warehouse, so tried again and found a place in Bram where we bought some essentials for the next few days.

Provisioned up, we headed to Fanjeaux (we had been there already between Montreal and Bram in the hope of finding food there.  It looked pretty grim on the shopping front.)  At Fanjeaux we headed to the camping, met Nadine at the farm. She told us to choose a site and come and pay later.  There is a longish drive through fields and down to a small lake.  The camping pitches are on the other side of the lake in several tiers.  We chose a spot near the lake, in-between the only two vehicles, two motorhomes. One was Dutch and the other was a Brit.  We tried to connect to the electricity, only to find, on our second occasion, another site with rubbish European socket connectors in the cabinets. 

A quick google, We found we there was a caravan supplier in Castelnaudary.  Arrived there and bought the adapter we required.  Back to the site, electricity connected, and the awning erected.  As soon as it was out of the bag the rain fell.  Rosemary remained inside the canopy supporting it, while I inflated, positioned and pegged the canopy.  All erected inside of 35 minutes. (Ignored R’s cries of how our tent (at home) would have been easier.)

We were invited by Luc, Nadine’s husband, for drinks at 6.30 where we met the other two couples who were camping.  Turns out that the Dutch couple knew John and Carol.  We drunk wine in the campsite common room with Luc, Nadine and the other two couples.  As it was getting dark we made our excuses to go and cook a quick meal of sausages and peppers. After dinner, the sky was clear, the stars were bright, and our galaxy was very visible. Despite the clear sky, the rain was soon on us during the night.  Battering down, with strong winds blowing the trees.  The shelter these trees gave to our camping space was fabulous.  Didn’t hear the awning blowing about at all during the night.

France day 7 – Carreau

Blasdale Home Posted on by

After breakfast we went for a walk along the local roads, through woods and by lakes. A deer was spotted in the woods, and a few buzzards.  We walked up through Carreau and spotted some English cars parked outside houses. The rain managed to keep off. Had lunch back at the campsite, and after 14.00 J&B arrived in their car.  Showed them Morrison and then we went for a drive around.  We stopped off at the Eglise Saint Eutrope in Les Salles-Lavauguyon.  This church has some wall paintings which are worth viewing. Then on up to Chabanais to see the English shop which sells Marmite, dropped in at Cassinomagus, an Archaeological Park, but never went in, then back to J&B for supper.

France day 6 – Carreau

Blasdale Home Posted on by

Walked over to Jen and Bev’s after breakfast.  Not a car in sight on the 15-minute walk to their home.  We ate lunch and then drove over to Brantome for a walk along the river and the cliff walls.  Back to Jen and Bev’s for supper and then a walk back to Morrison in the dark.

France day 5 – Carreau

Blasdale Home Posted on by

Today we packed the van and headed over to Jen and Bev’s.  We were going to be staying at a campsite within a mile of their home.  We arrived as the only campers on the site and were greeted by the Dutch owner of the campsite La Nozilliere.  They had taken over the site this year.  The pitches were not delimited, with no fences or hedges.  Tried to connect to their electricity, but unfortunately required a European adapter.  Luckily, they had one in stock. (Had we pitched elsewhere we would have found the standard electricity supply.)  This campsite had been closed the previous year.  The Dutch owners had bought the place during the winter and had done some work in the Sanitaire.  You could see they were tall, Rosemary had difficulty with the washing-up facilities & light switches and needed something to stand on.