Wednesday 30th August 2023
It rained in the night and it was still wet as we packed up to leave. Left Nantes just after 8.30 to drive to Chatelaillon Plage, which is on the coast just south of La Rochelle. Unfortunately the Sat nav took us on a toll road but luckily the “bip and go” worked after Del waved it around the windscreen! We stopped for a coffee break and as we got to the new camping carpark aire the clouds parted and the sun came out. We parked up but were told that the electric supply had blown and they were planning to repair it today. We noticed that some other areas of the site had working electrics so we decided to move places to ensure we had power ( incase they don’t repair it!) After lunch we went for a walk, starting at one end of the beach and walking to the other end. Stopped off for ice cream along the way! It’s sunny but very windy and the sea was a brown colour and not the beautiful blue I’d been expecting! Stopped off at a supermarket for groceries then walked back to the van. In the area next door to us there seems to be some sort of event taking place so we have tannoy and loud music to contend with. Ate tea around 7pm.
Thursday 31st August 2023
Lazy morning, it’s mizzling outside and the forecast says it will improve later. By 11am we made a move and Del got the bikes down. We cycled in to the centre of the village and got bread from the boulangerie. There was a food market too and we bought some savoury goodies along with fresh olives.
We also went to the launderette but decided we’ve only been away a week so a bit too soon to embark on a washing day! Had lunch back at the van then decided on a bike ride. The sun has come out and we set off along the seafront to the next village along called Les Boucholeurs. We sat at a cafe on the promenade and had a cider, served the Normandy way, in a china cup like a teacup!
Cycled back along the way we’d come and went to the end of the promenade in Chatelaillon Plage, about 7 miles in total. Back at the van we sat outside in the sunshine. Our water is getting low so we topped the tanks up using buckets and a water carrier. The live music next door started up again around 8pm just as we were washing up after tea. Had a slight shower of rain but not for long. Spent the evening in the van, reading and watching tv on the iPad to the sound of the band next door!
Friday 1st September 2023
Had rain in the night but it cleared by morning and now it’s just dull and grey. After breakfast Del set off on the 10 mile ride up the coast to La Rochelle. I stayed behind and filled in the time by reading and doing a crossword. Del got back around lunchtime so we ate before setting out again for a bike ride together.
The clouds have broken and we have bright sunshine this afternoon . We cycled to the same village we cycled to yesterday and had an ice cream sitting on the promenade. Cycled home via the supermarket where I nipped in for afew groceries. We moved the van to another position on site, further away from the music constantly playing next door. Del got the chairs out and we sat outside under the shade of our awning. Ate tea around 7.30 and later the live music started up again and it’s a little less loud where we are now! Watched some tv in the iPad before bed.
Moving on to somewhere in the Dordogne region tomorrow.
It rained in the night and it was still wet as we packed up to leave. Left Nantes just after 8.30 to drive to Chatelaillon Plage, which is on the coast just south of La Rochelle. Unfortunately the Sat nav took us on a toll road but luckily the “bip and go” worked after Del waved it around the windscreen! We stopped for a coffee break and as we got to the new camping carpark aire the clouds parted and the sun came out. We parked up but were told that the electric supply had blown and they were planning to repair it today. We noticed that some other areas of the site had working electrics so we decided to move places to ensure we had power ( incase they don’t repair it!) After lunch we went for a walk, starting at one end of the beach and walking to the other end. Stopped off for ice cream along the way! It’s sunny but very windy and the sea was a brown colour and not the beautiful blue I’d been expecting! Stopped off at a supermarket for groceries then walked back to the van. In the area next door to us there seems to be some sort of event taking place so we have tannoy and loud music to contend with. Ate tea around 7pm.
Thursday 31st August 2023
Lazy morning, it’s mizzling outside and the forecast says it will improve later. By 11am we made a move and Del got the bikes down. We cycled in to the centre of the village and got bread from the boulangerie. There was a food market too and we bought some savoury goodies along with fresh olives.
We also went to the launderette but decided we’ve only been away a week so a bit too soon to embark on a washing day! Had lunch back at the van then decided on a bike ride. The sun has come out and we set off along the seafront to the next village along called Les Boucholeurs. We sat at a cafe on the promenade and had a cider, served the Normandy way, in a china cup like a teacup!
Cycled back along the way we’d come and went to the end of the promenade in Chatelaillon Plage, about 7 miles in total. Back at the van we sat outside in the sunshine. Our water is getting low so we topped the tanks up using buckets and a water carrier. The live music next door started up again around 8pm just as we were washing up after tea. Had a slight shower of rain but not for long. Spent the evening in the van, reading and watching tv on the iPad to the sound of the band next door!
Friday 1st September 2023
Had rain in the night but it cleared by morning and now it’s just dull and grey. After breakfast Del set off on the 10 mile ride up the coast to La Rochelle. I stayed behind and filled in the time by reading and doing a crossword. Del got back around lunchtime so we ate before setting out again for a bike ride together.
The clouds have broken and we have bright sunshine this afternoon . We cycled to the same village we cycled to yesterday and had an ice cream sitting on the promenade. Cycled home via the supermarket where I nipped in for afew groceries. We moved the van to another position on site, further away from the music constantly playing next door. Del got the chairs out and we sat outside under the shade of our awning. Ate tea around 7.30 and later the live music started up again and it’s a little less loud where we are now! Watched some tv in the iPad before bed.
Moving on to somewhere in the Dordogne region tomorrow.
