Where Have You Been In Your Van Today?

Ayjay said:
As mentioned in an earlier post we have recently returned home from a nearly three week trip down to the South of France. In simple terms, we got fed up hiding from Covid for the last two years and decided that we needed to head south for some sunshine and beach time.

As I said before, when it came to Covid, the French seemed to take it a bit more seriously than a lot of people do here. We had our NHS ‘Covid Certificates’ on the phones and our double vaxxed status was checked by French border officers at the tunnel. I reckon that there was only about 25 - 30 cars on the train (a 1020 departure). Mask wearing was enforced everywhere when indoors unless eating or drinking and with the exception of two restaurant that we went to in the south, the QR codes were scanned either before sitting down or soon after when outside or before going indoors. Indeed, on the way home, we stayed a few nights in Montreuil Sur Mer and were eating in the covered pavement area outside a restaurant (Le Caveau – very good) when 4 dutch people turned up - three of them had their phones scanned with no problem but the fourth couldn’t find the QR code on his phone and the restaurant wouldn’t let him sit until he could show it (which he did after much screen swiping, swearing and searching!). As an aside, Montreuil is highly recommended as is the campsite situated just below the town walls (and a short stroll to the main town square).

We also noticed that people seemed to give you a bit more space when out and about and when we camped in La Grande Motte (The Camargue) for 6 days, there was a free Covid testing station on the beach. I’ve no way of knowing how well used it was (other than seeing a fair few mostly younger people queuing!) nor the vaccine status of those on the large and uncrowded beach (inc. at the weekend).

For our last two nights, we stayed at Chateau de Gandspatte which is a convenient 30 minutes from the tunnel. This was the only pre-booked site that we used and I booked it purely because it’s popular with Brits and the reception staff usually speak good English - I didn’t want my command of French to confuse things when it came to them booking us our return Covid Tests in the local pharmacy (in Watten). Julien (a really nice and helpful guy who spoke better English than me!) made a quick call for us when the pharmacy opened at 1000hrs and we were in and out with negative Lateral Flow Test about 40 minutes later. The pharmacist sent us a text before we left with a link to the 'official' negative test certificate pdf download and also gave us a hard copy.

With the exception of La Grand Motte, every Campsite that we stayed in was reasonably quiet and there were hardly any Brits anywhere (at least that we saw). Indeed, at the first site that we camped at (Camping au Bord de l'Aisne in Guignicourt), we got chatting to a nice old chap who was walking his dog along the river bank and who moved there from Northampton 25 years ago. His opening line when he heard us talk was ‘you’re brave’ and he went on to explain that we were the first Brit tourists that he had seen this year . As mentioned above, Gandspatte was the only site that we booked in advance and the rest we selected from the Camping Card book en route (thanks again to @Nigel W). That said, I think we just got lucky at La Grande Motte (the campsite was called La Petite Motte) as we got a pitch when we arrived but the next day they were turning people away.

As I said in my previous post, we had a great time despite a few nightmares:

The roof mounted solar panel flew off on the motorway near Lyon when we were doing a very French legal 70 MPH - I can only pray that it didn’t cause any havoc behind us but there were very few cars on the road. I have already contacted the firm that installed it by email and had a positive initial response which expressed their regrets and willingness to sort it out and I’ve no reason to doubt them at the moment – they’re a local firm with a very good reputation. That said, if I have any trouble with them I would have no problem with naming and shaming.

The wind deflector in front of the West Dubs pop top roof started debonding. The first we know of it was a thump on the roof and when I pulled over found that about 30 cm had come away and was flapping in the wind so I pulled the rest off. It’s already been fixed FOC by West Dubs who fitted it themselves 2 years ago. When I called them, they immediately offered to put one in the post but when I asked were also very happy to do the job themselves if I wanted to make the 70 odd mile round trip to their workshop which I did (luckily, I had filled up just as we got home to do the overall consumption calculations and before the fuel started to run out at my local garage!).

The end piece of the Reimo Multi Rail came loose (the part where the Kador enters). I fixed that myself while I was at West Dubs getting the wind deflector replaced – they let me borrow a tube of Sikaflex and strip of tape to hold it down while it the stuff went off.

I could bore you all about the various campsites / restaurants that we used and places visited but decided that I have already gone on for long enough. That said, if anybody does want more information either say so here or PM me and I’ll be happy to help.
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Nice write up, we know the Camargue well, love Saint Marie de la Mer.

What was the temperatures like. I ask as I had some internal trim in my Honda CRV literally melt in the heat !!
Just wondered if that was the cause of the issues you mention ?
 
@Sackmycook. You're right to think that the temperatures were quite high at La Grande Motte - early to mid 30s most of the time and a thermometer on my bag sitting in the sun on the beach 40°+. That said, the solar panel and wind deflector both came off before we got that far south and although it was still very warm at the time, there would also have been the cooling effect from the wind to factor in. It also occurred to me that heat might have caused the debonding problems but the bottom line is that it shouldn't have done. As to your experience with the CRV, I can only add that back in the late 1980s to mid 1990s, we lived in Cyprus (military posting) where temperatures could be pretty extreme and in all our time there, car trim etc. sometimes got very hot indeed but nothing ever actually melted. Durin the posting we owned a series of Hondas and a couple of Suzuki SJs (the latter drove like tractors but were still amongst the most fun cars that I've ever owned). Mind you, there was also an occasion when a disposable lighter in somebodies glovebox exploded with the heat. Luckily, there was no-one in the car but it caused a lot of damage!
 
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We're enjoying a weekend at tudour caravan park Slimbridge, weather's good today but not so good tomorrow just glad I bought plenty of beer to keep me going
 
Arrived in France this afternoon. Ferry Portsmouth to Caen was late arriving by 35 mins due to the weather. From driving off the ferry and clearing passport control was 55mins (we were 2nd to last off the boat). It is chucking down with rain and fairly windy. We are only here a night a though before we head down to the Bordeaux area tomorrow. The site, Camping Sous Les Étoilles actually looks very nice, albeit very quiet with only a few vans here. Nice big pitches too.

As I type, the rain is thundering down!

51543370079_a571c86ae4_c.jpgCamping Sous Les Étoilles by Nigel G, on Flickr

51542888973_ea137cae0c_c.jpgrainy van by Nigel G, on Flickr
 
Not a good site for today. In fact we turned around left. We are in Saint-Émilion in the Bordeaux region. The site looked nice both on the website and in fairness it looked ok in the flesh. On arrival though it looked like we had arrived at a refugee centre in Calais. It was heaving with migrants. My wife went to reception and the lady there recommended to her that we stay for one night and not two as it was very very noisy at night and they had considered closing as there had been many complaints and to look for somewhere else. In a nutshell, a bit like our fruit picking issues, the French won’t pick the grapes for wine, so they bring in workers from North Africa and other areas to do it, hence it looking like a camp. We need to be in this area and no other suitable sites around.
We are now in a B&B instead which is lovely!
 
Oldrat said:
Today I managed to pop into somewhere I’ve been hoping to visit for years.

Again, it’s another must see sight..

The Roslyn Chapel.
This place is truly amazing. For instance, for something that was commenced in 1446, and finished by 1486, it’s a true puzzle how it has original carvings of animals and plants from the Americas and all over the world, long before it America was “discovered”.
Number visitors annually pre 2006 was
36k visitors. In 2007 it was 181k ….
after it was used in the Da Vinci Code blockbuster film.

It’s a place of very special importance to many, and well worth a visit.

1486, just dwell on how old that is for a mo!

View attachment 131826

View attachment 131827

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Click to expand...
what a place that is .
 
Driven down from France, across The Pyrenees into Spain. Stopped for a cheese and ham toastie and a brew with a view. I have done that route many times but only in a car. Lovely drive. the French side was quite wet, grey and cloudy, the Spanish side, a lot clearer with some sun.

51554486008_05f70aac1d_c.jpgF7B4EB36-8E22-4866-8DE3-1D92BAD43E09 by Nigel G, on Flickr

51553455052_5308f67b42_c.jpgADA2A319-2586-4CCB-B251-8937F14FDEEA by Nigel G, on Flickr

Stopping two nights at Camping Peña Montañesa near Ainsa. A nice site with a bar/restaurant and indoor and outdoor pools. I would imagine in the height of summer it would be awful with kids, but off season, it is very pleasant.


51554485108_41dc7700bc_c.jpgCamping Peña Montañesa 2 by Nigel G, on Flickr

And what views!

51554969294_66aab1eab8_c.jpgCamping Peña Montañesa 1 by Nigel G, on Flickr

The awning is brand new, first use. Shame it is damaged. I have emailed the company who will replace parts when we get back to the UK.

The drive down wet France has made the van dirtier than it has ever been.

51553457617_d5a36005b9_c.jpgDirty Van by Nigel G, on Flickr
 
Nige_g said:
Driven down from France, across The Pyrenees into Spain. Stopped for a cheese and ham toastie and a brew with a view. I have done that route many times but only in a car. Lovely drive. the French side was quite wet, grey and cloudy, the Spanish side, a lot clearer with some sun.

View attachment 132260F7B4EB36-8E22-4866-8DE3-1D92BAD43E09 by Nigel G, on Flickr

View attachment 132261ADA2A319-2586-4CCB-B251-8937F14FDEEA by Nigel G, on Flickr

Stopping two nights at Camping Peña Montañesa near Ainsa. A nice site with a bar/restaurant and indoor and outdoor pools. I would imagine in the height of summer it would be awful with kids, but off season, it is very pleasant.


View attachment 132262Camping Peña Montañesa 2 by Nigel G, on Flickr

And what views!

View attachment 132263Camping Peña Montañesa 1 by Nigel G, on Flickr

The awning is brand new, first use. Shame it is damaged. I have emailed the company who will replace parts when we get back to the UK.

The drive down wet France has made the van dirtier than it has ever been.

View attachment 132264Dirty Van by Nigel G, on Flickr
Click to expand...
Please post a pic if they scrawl the Spanish equivalent of “Wish the missus woz dis durty!” on your van!
 
JOG said:
Heathen! That’s France! You mean a “croc senor”! Besides, isn’t an egg required too?!!
Click to expand...
I assumed they bought it in France and took it over the border - that's my story anyway:)

The addition of an egg makes makes it a croque madam
 
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