Under the sea and far away.

[Itsmcb]

There last week.
The balloon ride seems worth it in Epernay. 12 euros or 18 euros with glass of champagne. You can see it from miles away. Couldn't do it as wind too high when I wanted to go.
We cycled up and down the Marne canal. Very pleasant.
Hauteville is a couple of km uphill from the canal path with expensive bars but a couple of lovely views. It is also got something to do with Dom Perrignon and it may be the place champagne was invented (or I could be wrong) NB hill to hauteville quite steep for non ebikes
If you want an Aire that is well out of the way and walk 10 yards for stunning views try Mutigny

These people were enjoying a proper champagne tasting in one of those expensive bars. The wife and I just had the one glass each

 

[TinaLes]

Just wonderin like How much would an average bottle of Champaign cost in one of these campaign Houses?
I hear this little voice in my head saying....if you have to ask you cant afford it...But The Scotsman in me needs to know if there is a bargain to be had over buying in a retail shop?, after all there is no middle man to pay is there?
Glad to see you are in your normal spot Richard Clarky, keep the pictures & updates coming, our best wishes to you
Les & TinaL

 

[Itsmcb]

The average price in the smaller places is around 18-20 euros a bottle. Loads in the big supermarkets for 20-25

 

[Clarky]

The average price in the smaller places is around 18-20 euros a bottle. Loads in the big supermarkets for 20-25

Cor! That’s a bit expensive for a bottle of wine.
I thought we were splashing out at €5 for a bottle of Le Clape from the local wine co-operative.

 

[Itsmcb]

Cor! That’s a bit expensive for a bottle of wine.
I thought we were splashing out at €5 for a bottle of Le Clape from the local wine co-operative.

Yeah well it pays to keep the wife happy . I treated myself to six nice bottles of white at 3.20 euro a bottle, I'll be sipping one of those tonight

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[TinaLes]

Cor! That’s a bit expensive for a bottle of wine.
I thought we were splashing out at €5 for a bottle of Le Clape from the local wine co-operative.

I was always warned about Le Clape when travelling in foreign countries, hope you feel better soon.
Am I right in thinking the Gruissan Aire is now 8 Euro's a night, payable until the end of Sept?
Asking for an FLT friend.

 

[Robert Clark]

Just wonderin like How much would an average bottle of Champaign cost in one of these campaign Houses?
I hear this little voice in my head saying....if you have to ask you cant afford it...But The Scotsman in me needs to know if there is a bargain to be had over buying in a retail shop?, after all there is no middle man to pay is there?
Glad to see you are in your normal spot Richard Clarky, keep the pictures & updates coming, our best wishes to you
Les & TinaL

We’ve often stayed at a champagne makers place at their free aire
They charged about €16 for their vintage champagne - Twas yummy !

 

[Clarky]

I was always warned about Le Clape when travelling in foreign countries, hope you feel better soon.
Am I right in thinking the Gruissan Aire is now 8 Euro's a night, payable until the end of Sept?
Asking for an FLT friend.

I’m afraid you will have to prepare your FLT 'friend' for a shock.
The cost is €9 per day but I’m not sure how long they keep charging, well after the end of September at least.

Richard.

 

[Richard n Ann]

I thought we were splashing out at €5 for a bottle of Le

You were. We get sparkling semi-dulce cava in Lidl for €1.89

 

[TinaLes]

You were. We get sparkling semi-dulce cava in Lidl for €1.89

Is that for putting on your chips? Amazing really when you think the thick glass bottle must cost around a Euro to make!
LES

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[Clarky]

Moving on.

We finally dragged ourselves away from our cozy corner by the marina at Gruissan today. Just over two weeks in one spot but it was quiet with nice views across the water. Good, flat'ish cycling and pleasant walks with enough shops to keep us in croissants and baguettes.

We haven’t come far though, just a few km to be beside the Canal du Midi.
No facilities, apart from rubbish bins, but it will do for a few days.
The sun has been hiding a bit today but it’s very warm and it’s looking like a lovely evening.

The view from just in front of the van.

 

[namwaldog]

The view from just in front of the van.

That looks a bit like Castelnaudery(sp?) On the same canal but further east.
The building opposite with the blue lower half looks to be an English speaking Information Centre......

POINT D'INFORMATION TOURISTIQUE - LA CAPITAINERIE

La maison du Port en Minervois à Homps, installée sur les bords du Canal du Midi, accueille : - La Capitainerie - Point d'Information Touristique - La Maison des vins du Minervois, vitrine des vins de l'appellation Minervois - Les Croisières du Midi :...

www.audetourisme.com

We really like that area and especially some of the Corbieres Reds.

 

[Clarky]

That looks a bit like Castelnaudery(sp?) On the same canal but further east.
The building opposite with the blue lower half looks to be an English speaking Information Centre......

POINT D'INFORMATION TOURISTIQUE - LA CAPITAINERIE

La maison du Port en Minervois à Homps, installée sur les bords du Canal du Midi, accueille : - La Capitainerie - Point d'Information Touristique - La Maison des vins du Minervois, vitrine des vins de l'appellation Minervois - Les Croisières du Midi :...

www.audetourisme.com

We really like that area and especially some of the Corbieres Reds.

We have enjoyed a particularly nice Corbieres this evening.
The link you put up is not Castelnaudary but Homps……exactly where we are now.
Lovely quiet little village with some beautiful buildings beside the canal.
The church bell is ringing the hour as I type this.
Just love rural France!

Richard.

 

[Clarky]

Back beside the Med.

After three peaceful nights at Homps we returned to Gruissan on Thursday.
After consulting several weather apps we determined that this little corner of France has by far the best and warmest weather for the next ten days. We were thinking of slowly drifting north but bands of heavy rain are forecast for most of France over the next few days………so here we are back and just a few feet from our last pitch.

When we arrived yesterday the aire was already filling up at 11am but we managed to bag a spot facing the lagoon. The only downside was that we were beside the huge RV that seems to be an almost permanent fixture in the aire. He has been in the same pitch since we first arrived here three weeks ago. When you are parked close up it seems to dominate and shadow our little A class.
The good news is…….they decided to leave this morning and we have nipped into the space…….another of our favourite spots tucked away in a quiet corner and just the other side of the hedge from our last spot.
Ground sheet down, awning, table and chairs out and we are settled for a few days.

 

[Clarky]

It’s another lovely sunny and warm morning at Gruissan.
Just a tad more breeze and some high whispy cloud which might be the harbinger for weather to come tomorrow.
The weather front which is due to bring heavy rain and wind to you lot in the U.K. today is supposed to reach us late tomorrow.
I've been for a bimble round the marina this morning and called into Intermarche for supplies to see us through the next few days.
Now sitting in the sun watching tiny lizards dashing about under the hedge. Coffee has just been served.
Have a good day everyone.

Richard.

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[HugoBNB]

It’s another lovely sunny and warm morning at Gruissan.
Just a tad more breeze and some high whispy cloud which might be the harbinger for weather to come tomorrow.

Lovely. If it is coming to you from the North, it will get cloudier and, we are expecting rain here near Montmorillon this afternoon. It is windier too. We took the motorhome into Montmorillon last night, dined at Hotel de France and holed up in the aire just across the river. Nice and quiet. Four other MHs in but all French plated. Enjoy and safe travels.

 

[deleted79651]

Lovely. If it is coming to you from the North, it will get cloudier and, we are expecting rain here near Montmorillon this afternoon. It is windier too. We took the motorhome into Montmorillon last night, dined at Hotel de France and holed up in the aire just across the river. Nice and quiet. Four other MHs in but all French plated. Enjoy and safe travels.

Montmorillon 2017 in the days of the Trailer Tent and camping at the Municipal

Steve

 

[Oscar]

Lovely. If it is coming to you from the North, it will get cloudier and, we are expecting rain here near Montmorillon this afternoon. It is windier too. We took the motorhome into Montmorillon last night, dined at Hotel de France and holed up in the aire just across the river. Nice and quiet. Four other MHs in but all French plated. Enjoy and safe travels.

Have you got the co-ords for the aire please?

 

[Lenny HB]

We may be at Gruissan in 5 or 6 days time Mr. Wallet already protesting as you have to pay until the end of October.
My mate JonP is travelling down the West Coast and we are looking at meeting up there.

 

[HugoBNB]

Have you got the co-ords for the aire please?

It is well signposted on the left when coming down to the town towards the bridge across the river. There is a main set of traffic lights about 500m before the bridge. The main left, or the small left after the lights takes you there.
It is free and there is grey and black waste disposal. There is a hook up (pay for use at) at the waste point but, you would have to be parked reasonably close to it, and have your cable running across it to your van.

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[Oscar]

We're not that far away, at a lovely aire at Saint Armand Magnazeix, holed up for the bad weather

 

[FIDGET]

Montmorillon aire gps

46.423130, 0.867653​

 

[HugoBNB]

We are going over that way one day next week. Le Menoux, about 45 mins North (ish). Great restaurant (Le Petit Roi) there by the river. There is a campsite nearby but, don't know if it is open. We are going to ask if we can hole up in their car park rather than drive back to the house.

 

[deleted79651]

There is a delightful Municipal site at Chauvigny adjoining the Park that has glorious Gardens. You can walk up to the Castle ruins in the ancient High Town, and climb still higher to get a grandstand view from above the castle ramparts to get an open view of the falconry displays. The climb will get you fit, but it is well worth it!

Steve]

 

[peterc10]

No.
Printed a set at home, laminated them and put strips of double sided tape on and then hid them in a plain brown envelope in a locker.

Where did you get the template for printing please?

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[Clarky]

Where did you get the template for printing please?

I think it was from a French government site…….but then again, as it was about 5-6 weeks ago, I might be completely wrong.
I think I just used that friendly Mr Google.

 

[Clarky]

After two days of poor weather and tomorrow not looking brilliant we’ve decided to start heading north in the morning.
We've got just over a week before we cross back to home so we’ll potter back with a few stops here and there.
We've been in Gruissan for just over three weeks, apart from a few days on the Canal du Midi, and enjoyed it very much.
After tomorrows rain goes through it looks as though the whole of France is going to be dry for the next week.
I think we might explore one or two new places.

Richard.

 

[deleted79651]

After two days of poor weather and tomorrow not looking brilliant we’ve decided to start heading north in the morning.
We've got just over a week before we cross back to home so we’ll potter back with a few stops here and there.
We've been in Gruissan for just over three weeks, apart from a few days on the Canal du Midi, and enjoyed it very much.
After tomorrows rain goes through it looks as though the whole of France is going to be dry for the next week.
I think we might explore one or two new places.

Richard.

Keep the photos and venues coming, please! Broadens the choice of new places to visit [Canal du Midi on the List, but probably for a couple of days on the return leg up to Dieppe]

Steve

 

[HugoBNB]

We've got just over a week before we cross back to home so we’ll potter back with a few stops here and there.

Safe travels

 

[Clarky]

Left Gruissan this morning after almost three weeks there.
After dumping what should be dumped and filling what should be filled we stopped at the Gruissan Cave for a stock of their lovely wine.
Another stop at Carrefour in Narbonne for supplies and onto the A9/A75 towards Millau.
We are now at La Cavalerie, an ancient village high in the hills and parked for the first time in a Camping Car Parks aire.
Had a bit of hassle getting in as you have to enter loads of details on a dodgy touch screen. After entering everything it told me I was already registered and so needed to phone for access. The problem was I had already downloaded the app so they had my details but I hadn’t got an access card.
Spoke to a very helpful young lady with excellent English who sorted everything.
We now have the luxury of 6a hookup but the bad news is, it’s raining…..again.

We are about to have some lunch and then, if the drizzle passes, we will go and explore the village.
Photos to follow if the rain goes away.

Richard.

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