2006, Day Seven Les Andelys

Day seven 7th July

On the morning we set off for the Château, quite a steep walk luckily its was bit overcast or it would have been a very hot climb. Château Gaillard was built by Richard Coeur de Lion, King Richard I of England, in little more than 12 months, between 1197 and 1198.  If you want to know more, you can always trek up there yourself and read the packs, we did not pay to go in to the museum, we had already seen enough.  There are really good views of the valley and old town from up there as well.

By now it was lunch time, so we set off for the new part of the town (it was further then we thought), we stopped off at the first supermarket we came to and bought cooked chicken and baguettes, which we ate in the small park opposite.

We had seen two or three Ford GTs pass by as we walked towards the town centre, very unusual, but now as we sit in the park eating, more and more of them keep passing bye (I have looked on the net to see if there was a mention of this but nothing), nice to see them though. As we continue our walk to the new town we keep hearing music, at first I think it is coming from a house window, as it fades as we walk on but then it comes back so I look to see if it is coming from a car stuck at the lights in the heavy traffic but again no. The music keeps coming and going, then eventually we discover loudspeakers on the lampposts, we had seen these before in France but never actually doing anything before.

The new town is busy so we just have a quick look around have a sit for a drink and a rest, then head back towards the river but by a different quieter route away from the traffic.

We arrive back at the river next to the hospital, and its the best looking hospital I have ever seen. From there we take a slow walk back to the site via the river bank again.

A Dutch family (Mam, Dad and two teenagers) in a small campervan are next to us when we get back, the Dad has a huge knife in a scabbard on his belt (laws must be different here). The first thing that they do is, the boy starts a small stove to boil rice and the Dad lights a small BBQ on the road, then hacks open a pack of steaks with his dagger (that's what its for). When they have eaten and it starts to get dark, they then start to set up a tent, is it just me or would normal people get things sorted first before it gets dark and then eat?

2006, Day Six, Les Andelys

Day six 6th July

We left Houlgate nice and early but by a different road to the one we had come in on, this one was a lot wider, It was the one AutoRoute had suggested on the way in, so it is useful most of the time.  We were heading to a site close to Giverny so that we could visit Monet's garden before heading back north.  We had picked out a four star site from the ACSI Camping Guide Europe, Camping Château Gaillard at Bernières-sur-Seine on the Seine.  On the way back to the A13 there are people by the side of the road and lots of police (don't see many police in France usually) so Dot says the Tour must be coming this way.  Now usually, when in France when the Tour is on, we check to see where they will be and in fact we had checked most days but had forgotten today.  Dot did suggest stopping to see them go bye but as we weren't completely sure it was the tour, or what time they may be passing, we just carried on.

So it was back on the A13 all the way to the A154 for a short distance to the N155 and an Intermarché for some supplies then on to the D135 to Bernières-sur-Seine via the C82.  Well that was the plan, A13 to A154, 110k no problem, then 1.5K before the N155 with only 17K still to go, we are waved off our route to make way for the Tour de France.  We are not allowed to stop and check for an alternative route (which there wasn't as the Tour coming exactly the opposite way we wanted to go) just waved on in to the town of Louviers.  There we did stop eventually after being waved on several times, and plotted a route to get us back on track.  This took us down a very narrow street but luckily it wasn't very busy (the Tour was passing through the town just behind us and everyone besides us must have been watching).  Another bit of luck was passing a large supermarket, as we were not going to get to the one we were originally heading for.

Stocked up and back on route after our detour, the D134 is still intermittently lined with with Tour supporters some having BBQs, most drinking, all waving, the road is painted with massagers for riders and the villages all have bunting out.

Bernières-sur-Seine is tiny, Camping Château Gaillard is on the outskirts and doesn't look like a four star site, we pull up outside and walk in.  The people on reception are friendly and allow us have a walk round the site but we do not like the look of it (in my opinion it looks like a travellers encampment), anyway we get back in the van and head for Les Andelys about 5K further down the D134.

LES ANDELYS Camping Les Trois Rois 27700 Les Andelys Web Site

The municipal site at Les Andelys is just over the bridge, sharp right as we entered the town, it is beside the river with views of the medieval fort Château Gaillard.

We get a pitch facing the river, on the site there is a small bar/cafe with a half built/demolished swimming pool, not sure which.  The Brits on the next pitch tell us how we just missed the Tour passing the site and going over the bridge and also that it has been raining with massive thunderstorms for three days, until about an hour before we arrived, so we have had some luck today.

After watching the huge barges going up and down the Seine, we set off in to town to have a look round, there is a municipal pool on the other side of the bridge.  We find the way up to the Château just by the tourist info and also   the way to the new town but by the time we get to the shops, its late and everywhere is shut, we got an ice-cream and walk back to the site along the river.

That evening several Austin Healeys and a couple of other sports cars come on to the site and setup small tents, they would have to be small there's not much room in their boots.

2006, Day Five, Houlgate

Day five 5th July

Had a quiet day on the site just relaxing and doing nothing more strenuous than reading and sitting. A mobile climbing wall was setup abut 50 meters in front of us, so I spent some time watching other people exerting themselves and that made me quite tired.

I was brought back to life by the sound of loud wagon horns being blown, it was the circus coming to town, just like on an American film. Most of the them were pulling one, two or more colourful trailers, they were very long, like road trains and all very noisy announcing they arrival. Funny thing is, they had come in the same way in to town as I had, down the very narrow road.

At teatime walked over to the bar with the intention of getting something to eat but decided to just do something back at the van (that means we have had only home cooked food up to now, well food cooked in the van). We did however have a drink outside intending to leave making room before the football started, as it was France v Portugal in the second semi final. But it was not that crowded so eventually we didn't go back to the van for food until part way through the second half, by which time the bar was heaving inside and out.

 
France win but unlike the first night here there is just a quick burst of celebration at the final whistle (fire works and car horns) but then nothing, very quiet and very strange, although it is a Wednesday and the first time was a Saturday?

2006, Day Four, Houlgate

Day four 4th July

Back down the beach for a day sunbathing (something I am not really into but I do have my book). The route we took to the beach passed the petrol station shown in AutoRoute but it isn't there and then think I can remember it wasn't there last time we where here in 2004. This is a fault with AutoRoute that has caught us out more than once and will again (see France 2004 and later in this trip).

We have a walk through the park on the way back to the site, all very pleasant and better than walking by the busy roads.

Once back at the site we head up to the pool again and from there in to the bar, where we watch Germany v Italy in the first semi final. There is a big TV under cover outside the bar but we sit inside, as it has cooled down, could just be because we have been in the pool and it did rain a bit.

2006, Day Three, Houlgate

Day three 3rd July

Got the bike ready and set of for Cabourg the next town to the south, rode down to the sea front, where we had to stop at the traffic lights but then when the lights changed, the bike died. I had run out of petrol, not really that unexpected, as I have never filled it since I got it last year. It did look like there was some in, if you looked in the tank but the gauge doesn't work. Parked the bike up on the front, and set of to look for a petrol station, the only one we knew about was about 3K away at the supermarkets in Dives-sur-Mer adjacent to Cabourg. I flagged down a passing cyclist and asked if there was one closer but I was right it was a 3K hike.

We locked up what we could, helmets, etc and set off for the service station, walking along the sea front. After about 200 meters I spotted a taxi and attempted to wave him down but he just waved back. At about 800 meters I popped into a bar to ask if I could get petrol any closer (what I really wanted, was for someone to say "no worries friend I will run you there and back" but they didn't) and there isn't. About 200 meters further on, I tried again, at what looked like motorcycle messenger service, I went in and asked about petrol stations, the lady behind the counter had no English but the man she was serving did, and joy, they offered to show me the way by following them. When I explained that I had no vehicle, they then offered to take me. This wasn't a motorcycle messenger service, it was a driving school, and we where going on a lesson, with the learner driving, and the first thing he did was stall the car. After a bit of arguing about the best way to get there, we where eventually dropped off at the Super U petrol station (the one where I got diesel on the first day), but we had to walk back to the supermarket to bye a petrol container, it was quite expensive in my opinion. When we came out of the Super U, the Intermarché petrol station was closer, so we crossed the road and bought 2 litres of petrol. To cut this story short, we had to walk the full 3K back to the scooter but we had bought drinks, chocolate and bananas for the long hot walk back.

With the scooter refuelled, we make the decision to carry on with our trip and head to Cabourg where we have a very hot walk along and a cool drink on the long promenade. Cabourg seems to be a very nice place, with long walks along the sea front but with a lot of development going on.

Then it was back to the site and a cool off in the pool.

Later that night when I check up on AutoRoute there is supposed to be a petrol station in Houlgate, less than 1K from where we had run out, could the French have just been taking the mick?

2006, Day Two Houlgate

Day two 2nd July

This morning a couple in a van with GB plates were looking at a pitch adjacent to us, also a very small one, they were trying to work out how to fit their van on. I walked over and suggested that they find a site that they liked, then go back to reception and ask if they could move there. Later on they came back and thanked me for the advice, I could have done the same but couldn't be bothered to move the awning.

On the afternoon we walked into town and along the sea front, heading north, found the caravan site right on the front, it vas very cramped and also looked a bit scruffy but it is in a marvellous position. Climbed up some very steep steps from the sea front, only to walk back down the hill to the bars and shops. Had a beer and watched the sun go down over the sea (we are from the east cost, so we usually only get to see the sun rise from the sea).

That night we sat outside the van with citronella candles burning and drinking a few Grimbergen. No football.

2006, Day One Houlgate

Day one 1st July

This year will only be a short visit (eleven nights), as we have been to Poole for a week with Nicole and family on the way. We had tickets from Dover to Dunkerque with Nolfolkline for £38 return, even though this did mean travelling through the night, something we said we would never do again but it suited us this time, as we got more time with the family at the holiday park in Poole. If we had not got a crossing for at this low a price, I don’t think we would have bothered going to France for such a short break.

Arrived at the port very early didn’t mean to but as you may know, if you miss the last service area on the M20, there is very little choice of places to park before the port. When we arrived the place was in chaos and the queues where horrendous, (I think it may have had something to do with England playing in the quarter final of the world cup in Germany and people just wanting to be there, I could be wrong, it may be like that every Friday night at the end of June,) even with all this we where still very early at check in.

The man on the check in said we where too early, as where many others, he could send us back round but we would just be stuck in the traffic again, or we could go and join the standby line. “If we do not get on the next one, we will get the one we booked” I asked, “probably” was the answer. As we where here for some time, I set up the laptop for the TV to watch the football. Now, as we sat in the stand by line, I began to think about this conversation, “we will get the one we booked,” “probably”, this worried me, are we now just stuck in the standby line and will get on when there is a space? I decided to phone the office for clarification, found the number and was reassured that we would at least get on the ferry we booked, just then we where moved forward and then on to the earlier boat.

Even though we where on the older ferry it was still much more comfortable than the Seafrance one last year, we got sat in the lounge with reclining seats, even managed a bit of a nap.

Bit of a problem getting away from the terminal in Dunkerque, did not follow the GPS but followed the other traffic, who where in turn, following a lorry into the lorry park. This caused a bit of a traffic jam but we just turned round and followed the GPS, as we should have in the first place. Although there are new road layouts leading away from the port, and it was very foggy, we where on A16 motorway in no time at all and despite the fog, soon on to the A28 heading south to Houlgate. We where heading to Houlgate because we knew the site and with so little time in France we thought it best to start with somewhere we could rely on.

After about two and a half hours driving, Dot was falling asleep and I was very tired so I pulled into an Aire and had a couple of hours rest, we had been up for about 24 hours by then (this is exactly what we had to do last year). Suitably refreshed and after some coffee we set off on the last 150K of the journey to Houlgate on the A28 over the big scary bridge over the Seine at Le Havre and then via the A13. AutoRoute suggestion for the last part of the journey to the site was via the D45, D163 & D513 but the D24, D24A looked like a more direct route, it is but very narrow.

HOULGATE Camping De La Vallee 88, Rue De La Vallee - 14510 Houlgate Web Site

We had booked but check in was not as smooth as it should have been, all was well and we where being directed to our pitch, when I mentioned we had a camping-car. This seemed to upset them and they started searching their computer for another pitch, "you did not mention you had a camping-car when you booked" was their reason for the upset. Now I booked using an online form and had filled in all of the boxes and paid the deposit and had an acceptance letter from them but they didn't know I had a camping-car. I asked what the difference was but I did not understand their answer, anyway after quite a long time searching, we where assigned a different pitch.

It turned out to be a rather small corner pitch but we could fit on and assumed we had done something wrong and this was the only site available.

We decided that, before we do anything else, we would head off to the supermarket for provisions and diesel, I knew where to go as we had been before in 2004. The Super U was heaving and the lines at the checkouts where huge, it was a Saturday and we don't usually go near the shops on weekends at home for this very reason. After queuing for a while I said to Dot that I would fill up with diesel and meet her outside, so after walking back to the van driving to the petrol station, queuing, filling up, driving back to the car park and walking back to the shop Dot was still queuing.

Back on site I setup the Satellite for the England game, not the best reception as we where down in a valley and typically, there was a tree in the way. Had a walk up to the bar to se if the football would be on up there but there was no sign that it would be so decided to watch in the van. The match was on in the bar and when it got to penalties, as they where watching on terrestrial TV and I was watching on satellite I could here whether a penalty had gone in before it had been taken. Then when it was all over and we had lost, the people in the tent opposite us, went mad, we had the only Portuguese on the site next to us.

Later it was the turn of the French to go mad as they went through to the semi finals, the outcome being, fire works and car horns going well in to the night.

2005, Last Day, Zeebrugge Belgium

Day nineteen 12th July

Off home today but the plan was to drive to the sea, then north following the coast to Zeebrugge, for the ferry in the evening.  But first we had to get more beer to take home, so we headed to the supermarket we had found the day before.  Last time we stocked up in Belgium, I could not get my head round the beer pricing system (see Belgium 2003), so this time I got someone to explain it to me, it turns out that if you buy by crate (Krat), you pay a deposit on the crate, refundable when it is returned, simple.  I had intended to take plenty of steak hachés back with us but as we are in Belgium and not in France anymore they've got none, should have stocked up in France.   Anyway I got a lot of beer but at the checkout my debit card wouldn't work, also they wouldn't accept my Visa or MasterCard and the queue for the till was getting longer and longer.  Eventually my purchases were put to one side and a very red me was given directions to a ATM back near the campsite.  At the ATM I found the problem was I had no money in my debit account and I had to use my Visa to get cash.  On the way back I met Dot walking towards me, she was so embarrassed she had left the shop, anyway all well that ends well, I got my beer in the end.

We get back on the A10 straight to the coast, then turned right onto the N34 north along the coast towards Zeebrugge.  The first place we stop is De Haan, we park up at the side of the road and walk back into the town and have chips and mayonnaise, a Belgium speciality, there are chip shops all over the town centre but to tell the truth, we must have picked the worst one, they were repeating on me all day.

De Haan is a very nice place, although we did not see it at its best, it was cold and overcast, what a change from yesterday.  The sea front has long clean golden beaches with windbreaks and a very smart promenade with shops and restaurants.  A tram system seems to run along the coast from Ostend to Zeebrugge but I am not sure it runs the full length (looked here and it does Tramway ).

 

After our walk it was still early but we decided to to make our way further along the coast anyway.  We were soon at Blankenberge, then through to the other side and the next place we could fine to turn was just outside Zeebrugge.  Anyway we got turned round and set of back into Blankenberge where we had spotted a supermarket where we could stock up with even more booze.  This place had an even better selection of beer than the last place, also boxes of wine on special offer and chocolate for presents but before we got anything in the basket, I asked what cards they took and all was ok, they took any.

We parked up on the side of the road on the outskirts alongside the tramway and next to the place where they do sand sculptures.  The beach between Blankenberge and Zeebrugge is partitioned off with windbreaks, made out of twigs and despite the weather there were people using them.

Before long though it was off the the ferry and home.

2005, Day Eighteen, Jabbeke, Belgium

Day eighteen 11th July

Another glorious day, had a walk into town, found a supermarket (we will stock up with beer and wine there tomorrow), then had a lazy day on site.

 

Back into town on the night for a meal and a few drinks we were sat outside but it got gold and it looked like rain so we made our way back to the site, as we were not dressed for poor weather.  On the way back we had a drink in the bar/restaurant just outside the site it looked like it was mainly for eating (and the food looked good but we had already eaten) so we had one drink and headed back to the bar on site.

2005, Day Seventeen, Jabbeke, Belgium

Day seventeen 10th July

Travelled into Belgium from Saint-Quentin in France, we took the A26 from Saint-Quentin towards Arras then there onto the A1 for Lille.  As we approached the turning we needed at Lille the GPS went off and during the mad panic to get it back on we where already on the wrong road, the A25 towards Dunkerque.  We take the first turning off and end up in a trading estate (I seen to remember doing something very similar in Spain in 2003 but this time it is my fault for not remembering the route and just relying on the GPS).  After restarting the computer and getting the GPS back on we are not lost anymore and head around the western side of Lille to the A22 via the N352, instead of the east side as was the plan.  As we pass into Belgium A22 changes name to the A14 we turn off the A14 onto the A17 and then the A10 to the site.

Missed the turning off the A17 for the A10 and head straight into Bruges instead of heading for the campsite, had to go down a side street and do a U turn to get back on the right road. 

Jabbeke Klein Strand Varsenareweg 29 - 8490 Jabbeke Web Site

On arrival at the site in Jabbeke we park up and head over to reception, only to be informed that there is no room on the site if we have not booked but to drive over to the other part of the site where there is and ask at reception there.  I think the first reception was mainly for holiday homes, static caravans, chalets etc and the second one for tourers.

The site is about 7 miles 11K from the centre of Bruges and the intention was to use the scooter to go to and from the city for sightseeing but as it was so hot and the site so nice and we did not really have enough time to do it, so we didn't (its not like we will not be back, as we certainly will but with more time for sightseeing).

 

We were a bit close to the toilet block, no smell or anything like that but lazy people would park their cars on our pitch while they used the facilities, very annoying.
The site has a lake with a sandy beach (when we were there they were constructing another lake which I believe is now being used, see site website), a large tea room, shop, Chinese restaurant and many sports facilities, also a good bar and takeaway on the real campsite.  On the Sunday when we arrived there was, a market on the site selling clothes, shoes, toys, etc, and there was also a waterskiing demonstration, no wonder we never got into Bruges.

2005, Day Sixteen, Saint-Quentin

Day sixteen 9th July

Set off again towards Belgium again, heading for a stop in Saint-Quentin overnight, leaving via the N77 and the supermarket (where we get a seesaw for the twins and a lot of beer for me).  As I said in 2003, getting from the N77 to the A26 via the A5 is not very straightforward as there are not that many places you can get onto the A5 (we have now done it twice, two different ways and it's not simple).  I think it may be just a easy to drive though Troyes, but I haven't tried it.  From the A26 its onto the A4 for Reims and then its back on the A26 the rest of the way to Saint-Quentin.

Saint-Quentin Camping Municipal De Saint-Quentin Boulevard Jean Bouin, 02100 Saint-Quentin Web Site

This municipal site just over the road from the river Somme and about 1.5 miles from the centre of town, Saint-Quentin is nice place, pity about the campsite though, looked like it was good site at one time but is now very rundown.

Got a street map from reception and set off into town with a nice walk along the river Somme, it didn't take very long to get to the town centre.  After a walk round the shops and the church, we came upon a very strange sight.  In the main town square there was a beach, sand dunes, swimming pool and beach volleyball, along with stages for bands and other amusements.  If everyone is going to go away to the beach for summer, why not build the beach in town?  Had a wander round the beach and then had a couple of drinks at one or two of the many bars.

 

We walked back to the site via the back streets, quicker than walking back along the river but we couldn't have done it without the map and it wasn't as nice.  

2005, Day Fifteen, Auxerre

Day fifteen 8th July

Walked along the river into town, and spend the whole day there, before having our evening meal in a restaurant, before walking back to the site in the dark.  On the afternoon we decide to find the bar we used last time we were here, we walk for ages looking but its not where we thought it was (the mind plays strange tricks, it was only two years ago we where here), eventually when we do find it, it is closed (sods law).

 

2005, Day Fourteen, Auxerre

Day fourteen 7th July

Very overcast, cool and gray today, so we start to make a move back north and drive while the weather is not good.  Not wanting to ever go close to Paris again, and as we are heading ultimately for Belgium, we think a second visit to Auxerre is in order (we like it there).  So its onto the D704A  to the D703 through Souillac and a short stretch of the D804 to the A20 north.  We got flashed by another motorist as we where on the long slip road to the A20 so pulled over to check, one of the straps on the bike was coming lose and trailing along the ground behind us, tightened it up and we were on our way again.  On the A20 to Châteauroux where we should have turned of and gone via the N151 the rest of the way to Auxerre but we didn't, we took a long roundabout way to get there trying using motorways, I think it took longer than that the N151 would.

Auxerre Camping Municipal d'Auxerre 8, Route de Vaux, 89000 Auxerre Web Site

It was getting late when we got there, so we just got something from the site takeaway and had a night in.

2005, Day Thirteen, Sarlat

Day thirteen 6th July

I have mentioned that the scooter is for short trips into town but today we use it for sightseeing and manage to notch up about 20 miles or 33K.  This wasn't too bad as we used back roads, so it wasn't too busy, we also tested the power of the bike by riding up the side of a cliff and it coped really well.

The plan was just to visit to Domme, a walled town high above the river Dordogne, but as we where already some distance from the site, it ended up as a full sightseeing day.  We checked out a provisional quiet route on the GPS (but as you can not gat a laptop on a scooter we had to remember the route) and setoff on a narrow road that ran alongside the site.   This road after initially climbing up hill from the site eventually led down to the river where we crossed over at Vitrac and packed up by the river for a walk.  This was only after about 4 miles or 6.5K riding but it was very hot and the riding position very uncomfortable, especially when your back isn't in the best condition.  Here many canoeists were passing by and we could see that parts of the river were running much faster than for the canoe trip we did.

 

Back on the scooter and uphill to Domme, we missed the turning and ended up at Domme airport but by doing this we did get some fantastic views over the Dordogne.  Headed back to Domme and parked up just off the main square, one of the advantages of using the scooter rather than the van or even a car.  Great place for a day out with glorious views and also there are plenty of shops, bars and restaurants, bought some knickknacks as presents for folks back home.

 

We came back down to the river via the road on the other side of Domme to cross the river at Cénac-et-Saint-Julien, where we stopped on the bridge to take photos looking back up to Domme.  Dot now suggested we visit  La Roque-Gageac, as it looked nice there when we drove through on the journey to Sarlat.  Now this surprised me as it's Dot that is not that enthusiastic about being on the scooter (she doesn't like it at all and I spend most of the time I am riding, giggling at her making squealing noises every time we turn or accelerate) , but it was only another couple of miles from this position. 

We park up in La Roque-Gageac, next to where boat trips are running and set off for a walk, when we get back a boat trip is about to leave so we take the opportunity and hop on for the trip. 

 

We sailed down the river until we came to a bridge at Château de Castelnaud, then back to our starting point at La Roque-Gageac.

 

The ride back is done in one go and its not very good for my back but the scooter is running well and we are doing exactly what we wanted to do with it, so at the moment I think it was worth the outlay for the tow bar and bike (although in 2006 it is not the same and we hardly us the scooter, could be because the holiday was much shorter and we pick sites that are within easy walking distance of town centres).