canal du midi à la chaser Feb 2017

We have arrived and still with an hours to spare, but I blame @peterc10 's negativity wholly for the near miss, that is nearly missing the chunnel not nearly having a prang, although a few did today :(

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exactly where and as Peter predicted, we stopped for an hour, well we crept along very slowly never really stopping, but took over an hour to do about 3 miles

No harm done but we were alongside a hefty shunt on the M20, we were nearly stopped in lane 1, 3rd / outside lane moving pretty fast and we had just said how close do they think they can drive together, when two tapped each other, followed by a transit who didn't even appear to brake smashing into the pair of them. thankfully 30 feet away and not bad enough to stop, just lucky we were 2 lanes away

So we get here, not sure if I have used a different booth before, but had to put in the card used to book, sure I have not done that as I had to get out to reach, it then dispensed my hanging number having confirmed next option to travel was out booked 19:20 crossing, don't really believe it as the place seems nearly deserted and I expect the train to be half full at best. You would think they would fill the one about to go, just in case they get a chance to rebook our slot

No worry time for a coffee and look in on you lot :)(y)

Just debating stop over for the night, gravelines now in the mix, but never been and it will be pitch black so not favourite yet @chaser (y) is there a place called gravelines? I still don't do coordinates, well not well enough to get there first time anyway, prefer a place and road name (y)(y) or somewhere I have already been
 
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DavidG58 said:
so day 2 or holiday -1, we spent the day in Taunton while our motorhome was sorted by Vanbitz

Met them all now (I think)

Eddie gave it the chat yesterday :)

James added technical input (y)

Ash amongst technical input also did the business in taking us and 4 others with Lola into Taunton (y)

Lynne raised the invoice :):)

We are now alarmed, and think we understand how to use it, brilliantly explained (several times for some aspects) by the fitter, whose name I either didn't have or more likely have forgotten, lovely chap, very patient :)

While in Taunton, we walked out along the river side and back, nearly finished Lola off, she was delighted when we found our chosen (by recommendation) thanks Ash (y)(y) lunch stop off, The Ring o Bells, dog friendly, great food (y)(y) Lola had a burger with us and 2 bowls of water

wasted a good few minutes while Bev geocached (if you don't already know about it don't ask right now :)) a clue was near the tree that has been eating bricks o_Oo_O

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well this one really has, apologies for my presence, a close up of the bricks I think would have been better, it was Bev's idea to include me :)(y)

So now scoffed, took ages to get MH warm tonight, been stood outside all day no heating on, now back to 22C :):)(y)(y)

Curry cooked for tomorrow night when we get to 'somewhere'

Just the final decision on route to take and then will we make the 18:50 Eurotunnel final check in?? watch this space :):)
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You look lovely David but that tree looks spooky!!
 
Hope you have further safe travels and arrive at your first stop soon:france::france::france:
Bon voyage!!
 
David the Gravelines aire is by the marina in Gravelines easy to find ...I don't do co ordinates either and we found it ok.:)
Have a good trip:france:

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That aire is one option but not one nearest town I will try find details for you
 
Thanks Paul, just realised it is north of Calais so vetoed on principle as we are going south, may rethink my principles and go there on way back up (y) as we have a 09:30 train

Wissant programmed into Tom Tom

Although still contemplating Citie de Europe

Prefer the sound of a sea view though :):)(y)(y)
 
It's just 19:20 as I read this, so you should be just about rolling along into the tunnel.
Glad you made it to plan and wishing you happy travels.
 
Riverbankannie said:
It's just 19:20 as I read this, so you should be just about rolling along into the tunnel.
Glad you made it to plan and wishing you happy travels.
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bang on, wheels just rolling :)

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M25 Reigate to Godstone. Crawled along that stretch many a time. Those 40mph signs are really annoying when you are doing 5mph aren't they. Did the crash on the M20 happen around Maidstone way?

Glad you made it on time though and enjoy your time away. BTW I would stop at Cite Europe. Last time we were at Wissant the school busses using the same car park started up at some unearthly hour and sat running the engines for half an hour to get them warm.
 
Sorry only just seen this , if you are still on the road , cite Europe sounds favourite, just around the corner , keep right off the train and follow the signs , if you miss the camping car sign follow the bus sign.(y)

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Wissant - Dont park in the middle !

Montruil - supposed to have had a super upgrade - go through the cobbled part of the town and look for the super small sign on the lft

I m just off to Paddypower to collect my winnings on you choosing the A303 !
 
@peterc10 (y)

must have been more or less there, but not sure exactly if we were still on M26 or M20, close to the junction
 
Wissant will be noisy when the 3 local buses rev up around 5:30am. Cite Europe is your best bet IMO.
 
Evening - glad you made the tunnel in time, where have you ended up parking?
 
Wissant got the vote, three buses parked up ready to wake us in in the morning :)(y)

No chance of the sea view though, cant even see much around to walk to just houses

Will tell better in the morning (y) or in daylight at least

@suavecarve

We have stayed at Montreuil since the upgrade, best route is the by pass then double back, its very tight through the town we went out that way once, never again (y)

@chaser Bev was never really happy with the idea of the Citie de Europe car park, but oddly will park on the outskirts of a random French village

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DavidG58 said:
Wissant got the vote, three buses parked up ready to wake us in in the morning :)(y)

No chance of the sea view though, cant even see much around to walk to just houses

Will tell better in the morning (y) or in daylight at least

@suavecarve

We have stayed at Montreuil since the upgrade, best route is the by pass then double back, its very tight through the town we went out that way once, never again (y)

@chaser Bev was never really happy with the idea of the Citie de Europe car park, but oddly will park on the outskirts of a random French village
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Noted. we seem to be able to find our way out that way all the time but have never entered in that way...old habits which we will try to break in April.
 
Bonjour! Enjoy your coffee and croissants and safe journey !
 
DavidG58 said:
No chance of the sea view though, cant even see much around to walk to just houses

Will tell better in the morning (y) or in daylight at least
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Nice little town a short walk away with a few shops, bars & restaurants. Nice beach.

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Got up this morning to misty grey start, woken by Bevs alarm at 08:00, presumed the buses must have a day off, took Lola for walk, all three buses gone, replaced by three cars. Kind of puts more meat on the alternative gassing theory, we slept through the buses totally, although we did park right at the far end by a nice little pond area

Didn't easily spot which way town was so didn't bother, would do if back in summer with more daylight and warmer, always like to give something back in return for a free aire

Had coffee and set off around 8:30, planning on stopping at first boulangerie for bread for breakfast, they are not as common as they used to be, although there are more bypasses now in France. But we didn't find one till nearly Abbeville, where I pulled over in a small village to be greeted with why are we stopping?

Now on reflection I really should have noticed the slight change in Bev's body language over the past hour or so, technically I had noticed but should have reacted to it 'better'

So I reply 'to get some bread, I didn't think we would ever find a boulangerie'

Never find one ! came the reply, very closely followed by NEVER FIND ONE !!

My bewildered raise of eyebrows didn't help (apparently)

Bev follows up with 'we have driven past at least three and 2 small supermarkets!' at least with a lowered voice, well actually at least without shouting this time as she popped off to buy some breakfast and lunch o_O

Now we hunt out the next parking option and have my favourite breakfast, but it only really works in France, fresh French bread and butter with jam, only we didn't have jam, technically we did have jam, but only rhubarb, I have nom idea of the purpose of rhubarb, but in my world eating it isn't one of them. So I have peanut butter, but did then add jam to the shopping list for later

we drove on, negotiated Rouen by combination of memory, luck, Tom Tom and chief navigator and holder of the map Bev. My preferred route is to by pass Rouen via Pont de L'Arche, but missed that turn as I reset TT who couldn't find a satellite after the tunnel, so now depended on Bev v TT, that never goes well, but Rouen came and went well even not the way I wanted, but TT was set to no tolls. Bev was on get us back to the Evreux / Dreux road we recognise

we ended up on the short peage to cross the river, which Bev had described as only a few mm on the map, but I pointed out she was looking at the route finder page ie whole of France on one page, no problem we come off at the Evreux exit and look for a manned toll to pay personally as we haven't picked up our French change purse. No manned option, but they do take notes, but Bev also finds exactly the right money as amazingly and for the first time ever we are classed as a car, still €3.20 for a few mm though. Having exactly the right money was perfect until 'we' dropped one of the coins. Luckily nobody had been daft enough to queue behind a British MH so nobody waiting. quick rummage in the knitting finds the lost coin, but now cant reach the slot. As ever we are half way between the car height and lorry, Bev is now nearly half way out of her sliding side window and does then just reach, all coins in but nothing happens. I now think some camera control decides we have been blocking the booth long enough and seem to have made some effort to pay and opens the barrier remotely, so off we go (y)

Once on the free motorway section below Dreux we stop for my other favourite in France lunch of fresh French bread, with jambon de paris and vache qui res (laughing cow cheese spread)

Making pretty decent time, heading for Vouvray aire as recommended earlier in thread, a good mid point for our rush south, stop to shop just south of Chartres for essentials only and on our way again, arrived at Vouvray just as it went dark, nice little aire, says room for 6 but only three long bays, plus other car sized, nicely placed for town access, will eat in tonight then look at town in morning for bread at least. Then carry on south for either the med or twin lakes, just about to look at weather to help make up our minds :)(y)

Will take photos in morning when light :)
 
Don't forget to buy some wine when you are in Vouvray. One of our favourites. When we were there last year it seemed from the main road that all it consisted off was wine cellars and sellers.
 
If you would like a free aire with all free water and emptying instead of twin lakes there is one right in the centre of montendre just a couple of miles further(y)
 
chaser said:
If you would like a free aire with all free water and emptying instead of twin lakes there is one right in the centre of montendre just a couple of miles further(y)
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trouble is though Bev can't put her new safari room up on an aire

I have promised her a few nights on a site either end of the canal bit

will either be around Sete first (most likely) then head up the canal and stop at Twin Lakes on way home, somehow seems more sensible to go furthest south first, then start homewards
 
DavidG58 said:
trouble is though Bev can't put her new safari room up on an aire

I have promised her a few nights on a site either end of the canal bit

will either be around Sete first (most likely) then head up the canal and stop at Twin Lakes on way home, somehow seems more sensible to go furthest south first, then start homewards
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Yeah that's what we did(y):)

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