Motorhoming is certainly a life of contrast.

[Bustup15]

The dealers yard tour of Europe continues . Now reached the free parking at La Rochelle. Thanks to a post from misterB for this one.

At least there's a sign saying reserved for MH's too.
View attachment 752961

That's posh, a guard dog to keep your reserved spot

 

[Lenny HB]

I've had a Massaman across the world, including different areas in Thailand and they've all been near identical. Apart from the bowl!

My mistake I thought it was a town aire.

One of our daughters lives in Thailand so eaten quite a lot of food there deffinatly not the same in Europe although give it is closer than Indian food is to the food you get in India which is quite different.

 

[daveclare]

Forgot to add the aire in Domme was €11. I do hate those press and hold water taps though. They should make a longer lasting one for aires. Some you can use a wire tie on, but others are a pain. Especially when you've got 210 litres to fill.

 

[daveclare]

The contrasts continue in the dealer park tour of France. After a week's rest in a villa in Le Bar Sur Loup. We arrived via a week in Grimaud, at the slightly tired, hot and dusty car park come aire at Cavalaire Sur Mer.

€25 for two nights including electric. I think our French host got the price wrong. However, the contrasting beach 50m away, was lovely.

Cocktails were not too bad either. Charlie the Labradoodle was happy too, checking out the French totty.

 

[Simon Meadwell]

Parked up today at the newish aire in Epernay. Nice day sampling champagne and a Chinese takeout sat back at the Aire.
€17 euros now so not free like the old place but elecy water and waste.

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[daveclare]

From the dry, dusty air of Cavalaire to the contrastingly, green, lush and grassy(ish) site just outside Ile Sur la sorgue. Different site, as the pitches are split into fours. So if you came out to meet up with friends, you'd have a rather nice, large area to yourselves.

Short walk along the river into town. Finished the menu de jour with a tasty Tarte Tatin.

Meanwhile Charlie is still on the lookout for French Totty!

Mosquito bite count is up to 60. I must give off some very tasty mozzy signals. Even when covered in deet.

 

[daveclare]

No dealer yard for our next stop at St. Remy de Provence. We even have a pool. The contrast here is the lack of people/vans on site. We have a huge corner plot.

But elsewhere it's empty.

We've reviewed our wine throughput. So we've adapted a two glass approach. The one on the left for Monday to Thursday and the one on the right for the weekend.

Only problem is we still seem to go through the same amount. Must buy smaller bottles.
Visited one of our favourite places on the scooter. Whilst Charlie lies in air conditioned bliss. Les Carrières de Loumieres. Only 11km away from the site. Where famous artists paintings are projected onto the walls of an old quarry. Small town just before, Les Baux de Provence, reminds me of a mini San Remo.

Can you guess who one of the artists is?

 

[carolyn]

One of our daughters lives in Thailand so eaten quite a lot of food there deffinatly not the same in Europe although give it is closer than Indian food is to the food you get in India which is quite different.

Lenny that’s because most of the so called Indian food in the UK is from Bangladesh and not many Brits go there for their hols. Over 85% . Huge numbers came from the Sylhet region.

 

[Lenny HB]

Lenny that’s because most of the so called Indian food in the UK is from Bangladesh and not many Brits go there for their hols. Over 85% . Huge numbers came from the Sylhet region.

Also the dishes have been changed for the English taste and Bangladesh was part of India.

 

[carolyn]

Also the dishes have been changed for the English taste and Bangladesh was part of India.

I know but not in the 70’s and 80’s when the mass migration was happening. It was East Pakistan before they gained their independance in 1971, I don’t expect many of us have forgotten the horrendous photos of their famine in 1974 either. Gosh that suddenly got a bit heavy. Sorry, this is MotorhomeFun not Carolyn’s boring facts

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[The Wino]

I know but not in the 70’s and 80’s when the mass migration was happening. It was East Pakistan before they gained their independance in 1971, I don’t expect many of us have forgotten the horrendous photos of their famine in 1974 either.

Religion again!

 

[carolyn]

Religion again!

I’m off now! In fact it wasn’t religious differences as Partition had already happened and West and East Pakistan were both Muslim. The problem was they were so far apart and separated by India with terrible transport systems. East Pakistan was the really poor relation and flooded a lot. There were lots of Political tensions as well as the big Economic and cultural differences. The tensions got worse and worse over the years in an area that was pretty volatile anyway and finally boom, military rebellion with the Bangladeshi War of Independance. I have really oversimplified this haha.

 

[daveclare]

Where does blinkin religion fit into a dealers yard tour of France

Back to the plot

For the lovers of dealers yards this next one will please you. The free motorhome parking at Uzès, one of our favourite places to stop. You can empty the loo and grey water for free. But water will cost you €2 for about 80 litres. No electric but we had 40 amps coming through the solar

We found a decent spec opposite a field with an old horse and his very talkative donkey mate.

As you do when it gets hot, we wandered off into town for a drink in the pretty square. Which is absolutely rammed full on market day. It's one of only a few places where we can buy bottles of our second favourite Apertif. This one is nice on its own ice cold.

As you can't buy it in the bars, an Aperol will more than suffice.

 

[MillyMoHo]

Where we're staying tonight at Saint-Michel-chef-chef.View attachment 752653
And a short walk away where we've been sitting in the sun.
View attachment 752654
One is costing us €11 and the other is free.

Where we're staying tonight at Saint-Michel-chef-chef.View attachment 752653
And a short walk away where we've been sitting in the sun.
View attachment 752654
One is costing us €11 and the other is free.

I know lots of people love Aires, but we’ve just come back from France/Spain and stayed on campsites. Yes, it cost more, but we felt safe (we’re in our 70s), and what we’ve seen of Aires doesn’t appeal.

 

[daveclare]

I know exactly what you mean. We wouldn't stay anywhere where we didn't feel safe. We went to go on a campsite and it was full of gypsies, so we turned around and left.

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[carolyn]

I know lots of people love Aires, but we’ve just come back from France/Spain and stayed on campsites. Yes, it cost more, but we felt safe (we’re in our 70s), and what we’ve seen of Aires doesn’t appeal.

When we’re in France we stay mainly on campsites as well. As far as I’m concerned Aires are fine for a night en route to somewhere else but we like to stay somewhere for a few days and explore. It’s up to us how we spend our money. It would be very boring if we all liked the same thing.

Others love Aires and part of their fun is finding good ones and I do agree some are lovely. Others aren’t though. Some people are perfectly happy parked up at the side of a road. That’s not a holiday for me but good on you if it is for you.

We were never Tuggers as that’s often the accusation when we say we prefer to relax on a campsite , as though we’re somehow not proper motorhomers. Each to their own I say.

 

[daveclare]

If your read the thread you'll see that we have stayed at Aires, campsites and in-between. I don't and never will propose how people should spend their money. Neither do I give a fig whether anyone's in a tent, caravan, back of a car, motorbike, or motorhome. They're all welcome to come and share a drink or two.

 

[Libellula]

The contrasts continue in the dealer park tour of France. After a week's rest in a villa in Le Bar Sur Loup. We arrived via a week in Grimaud, at the slightly tired, hot and dusty car park come aire at Cavalaire Sur Mer.
View attachment 775361
€25 for two nights including electric. I think our French host got the price wrong. However, the contrasting beach 50m away, was lovely.
View attachment 775363
Cocktails were not too bad either. Charlie the Labradoodle was happy too, checking out the French totty.
View attachment 775364

 

[Libellula]

I like the vertical hanging shades on your awning, do they fit all awnings? Thanks.

 

[daveclare]

It's a Thule sunshade. I'm sure all awnings can have them fitted. But you'd have to check with the manufacturer of your awning.

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[GAVLAD]

Some lovely photos.
For comparison, I spent the morning cleaning the roof and outside of my motorhome and getting pi££ed wet through. Do even a hot dusty car park looks nice to me.
It stopped chucking it down when I put the hose and bucket away.
As for Aires, if it’s safe and room to park and handy for what you want, no complaints. (Unless your neighbour is a tosser)!

 

[daveclare]

As we had two free nights at Uzès, we decided to splash out and stay at another site. This time at Vallon-Pont-d'Arc. Another huge corner plot, pool, etc,etc. Not cheap this time of year €55 a night. But I suppose a '5 star campsite' can charge that. Almost as many rules as a CAMC site

We've even got our own fake well come water and drainage font.

Had a short walk into town which was quite nice.

Decided to have lunch, which was rather tasty. A slow cooked beef dish. All washed down with an Hugo spritz.

Later on went for a scooter ride to the rock arch itself.

Came back and had a sit down here, 50m from the van.

 

[Minxy]

They're all welcome to come and share a drink or two.

... Especially if they bring it with them!

 

[daveclare]

Gravel lovers rejoice! We're now at the Camping Car Aire at Aix Les Bains. If you haven't seen my other post, we think we've touched lucky. There is a music festival on called Musilac. On the bill are Iggy Pop, Franz Ferdinand and the Arctic monkeys, amongst others. Or pitch is 100m from one of the stages. Hell for some but heaven for us. Free live music. Well €16 a night.

There are also a few interesting vans here.

Then there's the contrasting peaceful lake 100m away.

At least it was before the music started

 

[Orion]

We were there a few weeks ago, might even be on that pitch! It’s one of those aires that will no doubt have the facilities updated in due course but the location more than makes up for it. Enjoy the music and don’t forget to feed the sparrows on the esplanade.

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[daveclare]

They've been gorging on artisan French bread. Even eating out of our hands.

 

[daveclare]

In fact your Dutch twin has just turned up.

 

[Orion]

In fact your Dutch twin has just turned up.


View attachment 778595

Close but no cigar I’m afraid. Cousin maybe, looks to be a Matrix? Ours is a Compact.

 

[royw]

Oh dear, basic parking will do me more often than not, £25 for a site with little or no facilities is, quite frankly, up my bottom!
Here’s a couple of the last weeks (on road as well) freebies!

View attachment 752794View attachment 752795View attachment 752798

Good old poachers

 

[Fdhadi]

We were at a Yelloh 5* site for 4 nights at Vallon-Pont-d'Arc last week, lovely area.

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