Under the sea and far away.

[HugoBNB]

Nice one. La Clappe for the wine selection?
The river at La Trimouille this afternoon. I have rarely seen it this low.
Safe travels

 

[peterc10]

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.

Are they still serving it with the petrol pump

Love their Rose and Blanc straight from the tank.

 

[Clarky]

Are they still serving it with the petrol pump

Love their Rose and Blanc straight from the tank.

Yes!
Ideal cheap plonk in gallon flagons for the FLT brigade.

 

[Clarky]

The drizzle continued for the rest of the afternoon but at last there was a bit of brightness and, desperately needing to stretch our legs we walked to the village.
The old centre looked lovely although there seems to be building and renovations going on at every corner.
We will go back for a better look in the morning when we might get a bit of sun to brighten things up.
After the warmth of the Med it’s jolly chilly up here in the hills.

Just a couple of pics from this evening including a nice little job for ianthebuilder

 

[Clarky]

We never did walk back into La Cavalerie for a better look and more photos.
Wednesday morning was chilly and grey so we had breakfast and hit the road.
Throwing financial caution to the wind we went over the lovely Millau viaduct and kept going north on the A75.

The intention was to stop at the old village of Charroux as recommended by Lenny HB but French roadworks altered our plans.
After passing Clermont Ferrand we continued on the A71 then off onto the A719 towards Gannat. The D2009 we wanted to take was closed and following diversion signs on the roundabout we ended up back on the A719. After pulling off onto a side road we stopped for a rethink and found an aire in nearby Ebreuil.
It turned out to be just a scruffy area of grass opposite a building site. We had lunch and investigated Plan C.
A riverside aire looked interesting about 17km further along the road we were on so after a quick lunch we were off again.

We followed the very twisty and narrow road as it tracked the river, going through a narrow and dark rock tunnel with a blind bend in the middle plus a few narrow cuts through rocky outcrops. Fortunately there was hardly any other traffic on the road and nothing huge coming the other way.
When we reached the aire at Pouzul it was a bit underwhelming. There was lots of space in a large grassy area with hard standings surrounding a central area. The bourne looked as though it hadn’t been working for a very long time and there was nowhere to dump the cassette. It seemed a shame that what had been a good facility had been let go. After a long drive it would do us for the night and it turned out to be a peaceful if lonely night with just us on the aire.

Thursday, and a chilly and cloudy morning with thick mist hanging around the cliffs and hills above us.
We decided to head north east across country to Sancoins, a favorite spot we had stopped at weeks ago on our way south.
A lovely drive over quiet country D roads and through a few old and sometimes narrow towns.
En-route to Sancoins we passed through Lurcy-Lévis, a town we had stopped at some years ago and one that has a very pleasant aire. As we were passing it would be rude not to stop and have a look. It was so nice we have stayed for tonight. Quiet, peaceful and with a lovely lake to look over it is a super aire…….and it’s free.

Here's a link to the video I made about six years ago:-

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[deleted79651]

We never did walk back into La Cavalerie for a better look and more photos.
Wednesday morning was chilly and grey so we had breakfast and hit the road.
Throwing financial caution to the wind we went over the lovely Millau viaduct and kept going north on the A75.

The intention was to stop at the old village of Charroux as recommended by Lenny HB but French roadworks altered our plans.
After passing Clermont Ferrand we continued on the A71 then off onto the A719 towards Gannat. The D2009 we wanted to take was closed and following diversion signs on the roundabout we ended up back on the A719. After pulling off onto a side road we stopped for a rethink and found an aire in nearby Ebreuil.
It turned out to be just a scruffy area of grass opposite a building site. We had lunch and investigated Plan C.
A riverside aire looked interesting about 17km further along the road we were on so after a quick lunch we were off again.

We followed the very twisty and narrow road as it tracked the river, going through a narrow and dark rock tunnel with a blind bend in the middle plus a few narrow cuts through rocky outcrops. Fortunately there was hardly any other traffic on the road and nothing huge coming the other way.
When we reached the aire at Pouzul it was a bit underwhelming. There was lots of space in a large grassy area with hard standings surrounding a central area. The bourne looked as though it hadn’t been working for a very long time and there was nowhere to dump the cassette. It seemed a shame that what had been a good facility had been let go. After a long drive it would do us for the night and it turned out to be a peaceful if lonely night with just us on the aire.

Thursday, and a chilly and cloudy morning with thick mist hanging around the cliffs and hills above us.
We decided to head north east across country to Sancoins, a favorite spot we had stopped at weeks ago on our way south.
A lovely drive over quiet country D roads and through a few old and sometimes narrow towns.
En-route to Sancoins we passed through Lurcy-Lévis, a town we had stopped at some years ago and one that has a very pleasant aire. As we were passing it would be rude not to stop and have a look. It was so nice we have stayed for tonight. Quiet, peaceful and with a lovely lake to look over it is a super aire…….and it’s free.

View attachment 545584

Here's a link to the video I made about six years ago:-

Reading your mini blog, and those of Abacist and Lenny HB, has made me realise that I/we have a lot of mindset changing to undergo. We are accustomed to driving a [pretty much] fixed route between sites with the caravan, booking quite long stays and then driving to sight-see; and then the reverse site to site route back to the Ferry. Elaine and I have discussed the possibility of moving much more frequently and sight see as we go, but the element of improvisation and 'as the mood takes us' adds a different dimension, so thanks very much!

Steve

 

[Landy Andy]

Reading your mini blog, and those of Abacist and Lenny HB, has made me realise that I/we have a lot of mindset changing to undergo. We are accustomed to driving a [pretty much] fixed route between sites with the caravan, booking quite long stays and then driving to sight-see; and then the reverse site to site route back to the Ferry. Elaine and I have discussed the possibility of moving much more frequently and sight see as we go, but the element of improvisation and 'as the mood takes us' adds a different dimension, so thanks very much!

Steve

I don‘t wish to be rude. But what you describe is a caravan way of doing things. Travelling without planning and sightseeing as you go is motorhoming to me. And the reason we do it. I can’t deal with the thought of driving the same roads/routes.

 

[Clarky]

Reading your mini blog, and those of Abacist and Lenny HB, has made me realise that I/we have a lot of mindset changing to undergo. We are accustomed to driving a [pretty much] fixed route between sites with the caravan, booking quite long stays and then driving to sight-see; and then the reverse site to site route back to the Ferry. Elaine and I have discussed the possibility of moving much more frequently and sight see as we go, but the element of improvisation and 'as the mood takes us' adds a different dimension, so thanks very much!

Steve

Steve, I remember talking to a couple on site in France years ago when they and us both had caravans.
They were changing to a motorhome when they got home and I was interested to know their reasons as we were thinking of doing the same.
He said 'think of the spokes in a bike wheel'. With a caravan you start in the centre (your site) then go out to the rim and then back in all directions as you sightsee, always returning to the centre.
With a motorhome you just skip from place to place as it’s so easy to move on, every day if you wish.
That in a nutshell is the big difference. No messing about hitching up, levelling, getting water, fitting waste containers and pipes. Just stop where you want, within reason, and you are completely self contained.
Especially on the Continent you rarely have to book (unlike most of the U.K.) just go with the flow.

 

[Clarky]

I don‘t wish to be rude. But what you describe is a caravan way of doing things. Travelling without planning and sightseeing as you go is motorhoming to me. And the reason we do it. I can’t deal with the thought of driving the same roads/routes.

Give the lad a chance!
It takes a while to get out of the tuggers mindset and marchie has only recently seen the light and taken to motorhoming.

 

[deleted79651]

I don‘t wish to be rude. But what you describe is a caravan way of doing things. Travelling without planning and sightseeing as you go is motorhoming to me. And the reason we do it. I can’t deal with the thought of driving the same roads/routes.

I started by saying that I was accustomed to the caravan approach, and then went on to describe it .... If this is what greets penitents, then sod it, I'll remain a charlatan ...

Steve

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[dosser]

Reading your mini blog, and those of Abacist and Lenny HB, has made me realise that I/we have a lot of mindset changing to undergo. We are accustomed to driving a [pretty much] fixed route between sites with the caravan, booking quite long stays and then driving to sight-see; and then the reverse site to site route back to the Ferry. Elaine and I have discussed the possibility of moving much more frequently and sight see as we go, but the element of improvisation and 'as the mood takes us' adds a different dimension, so thanks very much!

Steve

We used to do that as well, got the chance to head away last year to France between lockdowns and just had a few general areas we wanted to go to. Started along the Normandy coast doing some of the war sites we hadnt visited before, then headed to the Loire and followed the river pretty much stopping if we liked the place.
Looking to head away in January ultimatley ending up at my mates in Portugal, planning a rough route and will stop where we fancy, we're lucky we have no real time constraints other than the 90days.
Go for it..
Kenny.

 

[deleted79651]

We used to do that as well, got the chance to head away last year to France between lockdowns and just had a few general areas we wanted to go to. Started along the Normandy coast doing some of the war sites we hadnt visited before, then headed to the Loire and followed the river pretty much stopping if we liked the place.
Looking to head away in January ultimatley ending up at my mates in Portugal, planning a rough route and will stop where we fancy, we're lucky we have no real time constraints other than the 90days.
Go for it..
Kenny.

Cheers, Kenny.
In theory, I don't even have the 90 days constraint because Elaine has an Irish Passport! However, there are MOTs for Tig & Brunhilde, medical check ups, health insurance considerations, and the looming threat of another Jury Service Citation [excused until 1st March 2022]. So we'll wait for the Flu and COVID Booster Jags, get the Ferry booked and swan off into the sunset until the middle of February. Limit the stay back in Scotland to the longer of the Jury Service date or the Health Checks, and then back to France to catch up with some long overdue maintenance at the Hovel, and a wee break in the Loire Valley and its environs, around Amboise, Montoir sur le Loir, Valencay, Montmorillon, Chauvigny etc.

Steve

 

[FIDGET]

Thank you Richard Clarky , Lurcy Levis aire now in my must visit aire set in my satnav , looks exactly my sort of spot. coincidence we have provisionally planned to tour that area around Bourges ( originally 3 years ago) but now next June.

 

[Clarky]

Update……very much delayed due to usual holiday laziness.

We left Lurcy-Levis last Thursday having decided, six years after our first visit, that it's one of the nicest aires we’ve visited.
The first time there we walked into the town and were a bit underwhelmed. It seemed run down and the only boulangerie we found looked decidedly scruffy. Perhaps we should have looked further but we went on to nearby Sancoins which was much livelier with plenty of shops and traders. We have been returning to Sancoins ever since.
The Lurcy-Levis aire is now back on our favourite list.

It was a long drive on Thursday, all the way north to La Mailleray-sur-Seine.
Lots of space and a few other Brit vans.
Now, on Monday, we are thinking about returning to the U.K. and have ordered our Day2 Covid tests and started filling in the Passenger Locator forms.
Can't fill the final bits in until 48 hours before crossing, so will be doing that later today.

 

[Oscar]

Great to put a couple of names to faces at La Mailleraye Vet visit done & we're enroute North towards the Tunnel

La Mailleraye as lovely as usual, great to hear the lions/tigers in the early hours

Safe onward travels, it's great to be travelling again

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[Clarky]

Great to put a couple of names to faces at La Mailleraye Vet visit done & we're enroute North towards the Tunnel

La Mailleraye as lovely as usual, great to hear the lions/tigers in the early hours

Safe onward travels, it's great to be travelling again

Great to meet you both plus dog.
Safe journey.

Richard.

 

[Clarky]

Well that's us just about done for another trip.
We are on the shuttle waiting to leave France.

Stayed at the free aire at Mesnieres last night. A lovely little village with a huge chateau, now an agricultural college.
The aire is tucked away on the edge of the village, has grey and black dump facilities as well as water. It was a very quiet night.

Home soon, it’s been a good trip, we’ve met some lovely people and missed one or two that we hoped to meet but our paths didn't cross this time.

A couple of photos of Mesnieres.

 

[Waveski]

A great thread and very much enjoyed. Thank you.
You have inspired me to get my van ‘enhanced’ to be less dependant on EHU !
Roll on 2022.

 

[Clarky]

A great thread and very much enjoyed. Thank you.
You have inspired me to get my van ‘enhanced’ to be less dependant on EHU !
Roll on 2022.

To properly tour you do need plenty of solar and preferably a couple of hab batteries if possible.
That means you have so much more freedom, particularly if you cross the channel.
In six weeks we have only had hookup for one night and didn’t really need it then.
We used a Camping Car Parks aire for the first time, which had hookup included in the price, so we used it.
The investment in solar will repay you time and time again.

I'm sure many other Funsters will back me up on that.

Richard.

 

[Waveski]

Thanks Clarky, I don’t want to derail your great thread but I’ve got a compressor fridge; I think I’ll need a B2B and probably transfer over to lithium to get the best out of the system. I have single solar panel which helps but won’t supply all my needs. The research is all part of the fun!

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[HugoBNB]

Excellent thread. I have thoroughly enjoyed reading it. Safe travels home.
We made it back to the UK today. We took the Dover-Calais ferry. It was all very easy through French and UK customs. Got a surprise on the ferry with the duty-free allowance with regards as to how much you are allowed. I thought it would be much less. I have attached a photo for reference in case it is of use to anyone.

 

[Coastal Cruiser.]

Excellent thread. I have thoroughly enjoyed reading it. Safe travels home.
We made it back to the UK today. We took the Dover-Calais ferry. It was all very easy through French and UK customs. Got a surprise on the ferry with the duty-free allowance with regards as to how much you are allowed. I thought it would be much less. I have attached a photo for reference in case it is of use to anyone.

Don’t think the beer, wine and spirit allowance would last long with a lot of Funsters, maybe enough to get them home

 

[Grianan]

It was great to meet you in La Mailleraye, thanks for the tip to visit Gruissan, we’re parked up there tonight.

 

[Williamhenry]

Thanks for the very interesting thread its been a great read. It was good to put faces to Mr and Mrs Clark at La Mailleraye, seems like it has been a popular place amongst Funsters recently. Hope you have had a good trip home. Maybe our paths will cross again until then take care.