We packed up on a reasonable day with the sun attempting to dry the awning out.  The awning was, as usual, a sod to pack.  It is so heavy with the inflatable tubes which are also a pig to totally deflate.  Each time we take it down, the folded package seems larger than ever.  The awning is so difficult to manoeuvre, and you end up dragging it around on the ground making it dirtier and dirtier each time you erect and take it down.  Yes, I was beginning to lose it and wish I had never bought the blessed thing.  A sale on eBay I expect.

We set off in a northerly direction on the toll road toward Dijon and beyond.  Our aim was to reach a small campsite near to Vitry-le-Francois.  Google pulled us off the toll road early to take us on the N67 towards Chaumont.  An excellent choice by our silicon friend.

On the payage we tried to have lunch.  I had always considered French motorway cafes to be superior to our UK ones.  Not anymore.  The first attempt we could not find anywhere to park, except for some useless empty car parks on the other side of the motorway a good 10-minute walk away.  The signage was appalling as well.  The next attempt, at least the café was on the same side of the road, but again the signage was crap, and the place seemed full.  We ended up parking with many other cars in the lorry park.  Then the food, on one counter doing croque monsieurs and coffee, was one poor over-worked girl with a large queue.  Ended up buying iced Starbucks coffee and sandwich.  Christ, white square bread and it tasted sweet.  No sorry UK has it right, choice of foods and now we have M&S or Waitrose selling pretty good sandwiches / wraps / couscous / salads etc.  Sorry France you have lost the plot on convenience foods.

We made it to Vitry-le-Francois and went shopping in a Leclerc. Provisioned now for the next three days.

We drove to the campsite Camping Nature, in the village of Luxémont-et-Villotte, priced at  15 Euro for the night, small campsite.  No nudity, despite R’s initial thoughts on its name. No delineation of parking spaces, but nice green grass and very quiet.  There are five of us here for the night.  Looking forward to the walk to the Etang, and along the canal.  Fifteen kilometres away there is a large lake, built to alleviate the flooding of Paris.  It is meant to have some good bird viewing hides, so maybe Monday for that.

Tonight, we had a bottle of fizzy Vouvray, and the remains of yesterday’s meal (lardons with onion, pepper and tomatoes) with some cravats.   Tasted delicious.  For Carbohydrate some du pain, which I reckon was stale the moment I bought it. But after a quick heat through, it was fine.

Sitting in the quiet as the sun set, there was a raucous chorus of birds settling in a bamboo grove on the campsite.  This was shortly complimented with an aerial display by some bats. Not seen so many bats flying around like this for a while.

The facilities here look good, nice and clean tiles etc. Yet to test the temperature of the shower. R had already complained about the lack of loo seat and chilly water in the plate cleaning area. There though was hot water available in another large laundry sink nearby.  Problem solved.

Near the campsite are rows and rows of flashing red lights.  Are they a landing strip for UFOs?  Google maps show nothing.  Investigate tomorrow on our walk. (Turned out to be lights on wind turbines.)