Get To Calais Then Chose Turn Right Or Left (or Both)

[mikekaren2]

Le sac noire

 

[funflair]

Been to the site restaurant tonight, not cheap, but amazing view out over the sea, great service 100 euros for 4 main courses and a drink each, so back to MH for Rummiikub and Muscador, great rounding off of day, but then met with one of the best sunsets we have seen for a while

View attachment 61640 View attachment 61641 View attachment 61642

Virtually our view from MH, first one has front end of N + B who parked while we were eating and nicked our view

but a few paces to the right got the other shots

life is good

@DavidG58 N+B get all the best pitches, did I not tell you

 

[DavidG58]

Well good night from south west France, another great day, weather near perfect, sunset to match

 

[laird of Dunstan]

Cracking sunsets David what filter are you using ?

 

[DavidG58]

Cracking sunsets David what filter are you using ?

no filter, just point and take, it is a fairly clever Canon SX30 IS, but nothing too complicated or I couldn't use it

Just set on auto or landscape, one of each, one using full zoom (840mm) amazing compared to carting lends around, but picture quality at full zoom is a bit fuzzy

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[laird of Dunstan]

no filter, just point and take, it is a fairly clever Canon SX30 IS, but nothing too complicated or I couldn't use it

Just set on auto or landscape, one of each, one using full zoom (840mm) amazing compared to carting lends around, but picture quality at full zoom is a bit fuzzy

I used to do a fair bit of amateur photography ,I can still remember fiddling with my pen tax me super and my cokin filters, it's a lot easier with dslr cameras , I still like to stick on the odd filter

 

[DavidG58]

just packing to start the move northwards and home on Sunday, never a good part of any trip away

we had E + P hydraulic jacks fitted before we left, they seem to have worked pretty well, but this site like one other they kind of failed, the controller shows a tilt icon, implying too much slope in ground for it to work, although it is pretty uneven here it really doesn't look too bad. The result is slightly uneven level, although the jacks do stay at the best they feel they can achieve, but in this instance one of the pads is about 2" off the ground looking rather odd

will try again tonight, probably on much flatter ground

 

[laird of Dunstan]

just packing to start the move northwards and home on Sunday, never a good part of any trip away

we had E + P hydraulic jacks fitted before we left, they seem to have worked pretty well, but this site like one other they kind of failed, the controller shows a tilt icon, implying too much slope in ground for it to work, although it is pretty uneven here it really doesn't look too bad. The result is slightly uneven level, although the jacks do stay at the best they feel they can achieve, but in this instance one of the pads is about 2" off the ground looking rather odd

will try again tonight, probably on much flatter ground

I always take 4 pieces of wood with me,they are 4x4 inch only about 12 inches long and put them under the corner steadies when the slope is too much.

I know what you mean about the packing up ,it's the same feeling every time , but that's also a good feeling to have , it is a measure of how good your holiday was

 

[scousebird]

Sad to be on your way home. I never want to come home!

 

[funflair]

just packing to start the move northwards and home on Sunday, never a good part of any trip away

we had E + P hydraulic jacks fitted before we left, they seem to have worked pretty well, but this site like one other they kind of failed, the controller shows a tilt icon, implying too much slope in ground for it to work, although it is pretty uneven here it really doesn't look too bad. The result is slightly uneven level, although the jacks do stay at the best they feel they can achieve, but in this instance one of the pads is about 2" off the ground looking rather odd

will try again tonight, probably on much flatter ground

Hi David

Often when the controller says its not level enough for "Auto" you can still get a result going to "Manual" but some wooden pads are a must, ours has been sat with the wheels 6 inches off the floor for the last week.

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[chaser]

Sad to be on your way home. I never want to come home!

This is the best part of not booking your return trip when you go, if you've booked you have got to start thinking of getting ready to come home a couple of days before or even more, but if you havnt booked and have the time you can gradually work your way back without thinking of ,got to be there at a certain time and day and book when you happen to be back at the tunnel.

 

[DavidG58]

Hi David

Often when the controller says its not level enough for "Auto" you can still get a result going to "Manual" but some wooden pads are a must, ours has been sat with the wheels 6 inches off the floor for the last week.

Are the wooden pads to give a stable base or extra height?

we have had similar issues parked on concrete with quite a slope in fairness

 

[DavidG58]

This is the best part of not booking your return trip when you go, if you've booked you have got to start thinking of getting ready to come home a couple of days before or even more, but if you havnt booked and have the time you can gradually work your way back without thinking of ,got to be there at a certain time and day and book when you happen to be back at the tunnel.

Bev is back at work on Monday, I have left it just about as late as I dared already, next year hopefully we wil both be retired

 

[cruiser]

even when you have retired, you never seem to have the time to do all you want. but thanks for the up dates. mine is sitting on the drive with no sump at the moment.

 

[DavidG58]

So we are on our way, nice minor issues today

Fresh water on site at facilities point was like a petrol pump, attached to a 2" pipe, should fill pretty quickly, other than we have a odd air lock issue that means we have to feed fill pipe in by at least 4' or it spurts more back out than goes in, so we tried playing with the various things we have nothing was working, we were both soaked from knees down, but the force of water must have been enough to get some in, we admit defeat at 75% full. which is actually somewhere between empty and brim full, so it will do

We have left our rellies today planning on climbing up the dunes, but they were also planning that yesterday, so not only are we on our way home :-( but we are strangely alone again

next issue, apart from map reading disagreement with Bev, my fault again, stopped for fuel, not getting caught there again, we have just under half a tank and that is as low as I intend to go if I can help it. SO pull up to pump on service area, man in front had just used it and pulled forward. So pump out, nothing happens, put back try again, nothing, Bev come s round ready to go and pay, I explain nothing happened yet, so she goes in to sort it. I am then approached by a french woman in garage / service area type shirt, appears to read my number plate which clearly has a UK marker, then goes into the fastest spoken French I have ever had to try to absorb. I have no chance, but did manage the 'plus lentement' bit, with which she tried in franglais and we now know the pump had developed a fault. So 20 minutes after arriving we move pumps and try again. All OK now, refuelled coffeed and ready for off again

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[DavidG58]

mine is sitting on the drive with no sump at the moment.

I don't 'like' of course, but hope you get fixed soon, trailer it up to the 'fix it meet'

 

[cruiser]

i am hoping that my son will be around soon to put it back together again today. fingers crossed.

 

[funflair]

Are the wooden pads to give a stable base or extra height?

we have had similar issues parked on concrete with quite a slope in fairness

I David

My pads are bigger than the jack base plate so use them if the ground is really soft, otherwise I just use them to get extra reach on the jacks so if the control says it is too out of level to do" Auto" I stick a couple of pads under and then just do "Manual".

 

[DavidG58]

So thanks to a combination of operator error, fridge catch malfunction and motorhome design issue, we have a MH smelling strongly of beer and one less beer for the evening. Been left the site for a couple of miles, heard an awful noise of glass bottles on the move, closely followed by a thud and smash, 5 bottles of Stella had made a bid for freedom from the fridge whose door had come open at first roundabout we met, one bottle died in the escape attempt, leaving a million pieces of glass and a wet floor, luckily the other 4 bottles were more careful with how they landed and are safe for consumption later

So the drive home has begun, I have no enthusiasm for the journey, although our daughter has put a couple of photos of the extension progress on FB so there is some bait, and our grandson of course

about 80 miles from where we started we drive past the exit for Twin Lakes, very tempted but continued in the knowledge that a few there have still got longer left to stay there than our entire trip this time (jealous, yes very )

We have stopped about 15 miles short of Poitier, a lovely little town called Vivonne, municipal aire right in centre, already full (we took the last bay) a couple more have already found room to park in general car park adjacent

Been for a walk round, found a pizza shop with outside terrace area right opposite car park / aire entrance, going back in a bit for pizza

We have a little stream running down the back of the aire, lovely sound of water right behind motorhome, just trying for satellite reception to get election results, a few vans have their dishes up so there is hope, we have a dome so no manual adjustment possible, but all looks good despite tall trees right behind and slightly above us

Looking to do about 200 miles tomorrow, haven't actually worked out where that gets to yet, but Calais is now 401 miles away avoiding all tolls, so about half way seems right.

 

[scousebird]

We've stayed at the municiple site at Vivonne a couple of times, lovely manicured site just over the road from the Aire. There are lovely municiple sites at Gace & Sees which may be helpful for your trip home, both in the towns with shops etc.

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[cruiser]

oh good I can say my van is back on the road. I will soon be away . not as far as you D568. but of to Casiter to see Dawn b and duxdelux. lets hope all goes well. and we hope you have a safe trip back home Dave @BEV.

 

[DavidG58]

tonight has been my near perfect expectation from using aires, Vivonne, free town centre aire, nice flat parking, shops all in view, not many, but choice of 2 bars, boulangerie and pizzeria, the only minor issue is you cant even fill a kettle with water without paying 2 euros, albeit that would also give you a full fill and some electrics if needed. I guess if they made water free it would be left turned on and abused

going home has been made a little easier

 

[DavidG58]

had a lovely meal out with Bev tonight, only pizza, but great ambience, which usually makes me more generous with my tips

so, the meal comprised kir apperitifs (how do you spell that??) 2 x pizza and Bev fancied a side salad nothing on menu, but they had a main course salad so I presumed half that price and 1/2 litre of local red wine (4 euros!!)

I totalled in my head to 32 euros, so planned to leave 40, bill came in at 27, no charge at all for the side salad which was lovely with mozzarella on top, so I say they can definitely have 40, Bev says it would be too generous and would not let me leave more than 35

what can I do with 5 euros?

 

[DavidG58]

woken up in the small hours by really heavy rain on MH roof, turned TV back on to keep an eye on election results, broken picture due to weather, but things were already pretty much decided, dozed and woke again at 9:30

I am feeling slightly smug having predicted a Conservative majority on several threads on here, even felt so confident I had a bet @ 10/1, only £30, but that means Ladbrokes have effectively paid half our fuel bill for this trip

rain has stopped and it is now sunny, plotted how far 200 miles gets us, it would appear to drop us in a region with virtually no aires, but picked on one Brezolles quite close to Dreux, just a few miles diversion, new roads are always nice

it is already gone 11 and we haven't left yet, but hey somebody has got to be last to leave, we usually are

 

[funflair]

Well done with Ladbrokes @DavidG58, there is a nice aire at Chateaudun if you are going that way, the town is nice as well. It gets busy though and quite small. Also Marboue just about 3 miles North of Chateaudun on the N10 only about 100 metres off the main road so quick and easy and can usually find space.

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[GeriatricWanderer]

Brezolles - quite a nice little spot - the wall helps to reduce traffic noise but traffic is very light at night.

 

[DP+JAY]

Good luck with Brezolles. We thought it was a mess & very noisy. I wouldn't fill the water there after watching someone put the tap into their cassette. Never did find the "beutifull" gardens mentioned in the Aires book

 

[DavidG58]

Thanks all, we have done Chateaudun before and loved the location, although the traffic noise there was surprisingly loud and fast for the position in he town.

Put off Brezolles a bit, looks close to road and a walk to the village, think we will try Marboue, keen to try new this trip, it has worked quite well so far. I presume Martin @funflair that it is free not had any joy with paying when needed, collection would be a nice option, I am not keen on barriers

 

[DavidG58]

Tom Tom is on one this morning, she got in quick before Bev had chance to chose her own route option and having told her we didn't want to use tolls she took her revenge at Poitiers directing us north west towards Loudun. A lovely straight road, again, but one of the straightest ever

Now we appear to be turning right to go back towards Tours having gone way out of our way, no real harm done, loving the countryside but Bev is now back in charge, TT as back up only

Just looking at resources on here for vets, Bev is getting worried and is now telling me not to keep saying it will be alright and actually plan something, so here I am planning well I will be when I have finished telling you all how horrible she is to me

 

[scousebird]

Marboue - lovely spot with a bar/shop around the corner

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