France 2009, Day Six

Day six 11th June

At last the weather improved and as we did yesterday, after lunch, Nicole, Tim and the twins went to the pool while the rest of us went for another drive.

We drove along the river Loire to Amboise, where we had a good walk around the town, I say walk, Amber wouldn't, so Ralph and Dot took turns carrying her. We did not go into the famous Château d'Amboise, but we did explore around the outside and the shopping streets.

As it was market day in Onzain we headed back there for a look around the stalls, after eventually getting parked, it took about two mins to look around as the market was that small. We did however get some new sandals for Amber (not that she needs them). Anyway as we where in the market square we decided it would be a good idea to try one of the other bars, just for research you understand.

Back at the site, we went to the takeaway to get pizzas for tea, we also had a large beer in the sun while we waited for them to cook.

England had a match that evening so Mick, Ralph and me got settled in at Nicole's to watch it and the others all went off to a kids show at the bar. As Mick's satellite receiver did not get the sports cannel, we had to get my receiver set up first, in the end the game against Andorra was a bit one sided with England winning 6 - 0. The others had watched the match over at the bar anyway.

France 2009, Day Five

Day five 10th June

Weather not very good, the bad morning was used up with the girls at the kids club. After lunch Nicole, Tim and the twins went to the pool while the rest of us went for a drive.

Drove to Chaumont-sur-Loire and set off for a walk but the heavens opened and we headed back into Onzain. We parked up in the market square and made a beeline for the nearest bar. Luckily the bar we found had loads of kids games, so that kept Amber, Dot and Bren amused while we had a couple of Pelforth Blondes.

That night we had a BBQ round Nicole's and as Mick could not get his satellite working next to his van, we set it up there for the kids. Not a good day weather wise but not a compete waste.

France 2009, Day Four

Day four 9th June

On the morning the young ones went to the kids club and really enjoyed themselves, Dot had to stop there with Amber, as she was not old enough to be there on her own. I think Dot really enjoyed it as well as the girls. There was also a trip to the supermarket for more beer, wine, food, etc.

By the afternoon the sun came out, so we made the best of it by going to the pool, although we had to move to the inside pool for a while during a thunder storm. Me and the kids rescued a frog from the pool but we did not do much else.

On the evening Mick and Bren made supper for us all around Nicole's place, curry and rice, very good it was, with several beers.

France 2009, Day Three

Day three 8th June

It was wet, a large pitch closer to the pool and with a clear view for the sat was vacated, there was also a vacant pitch next to it but we couldn't be bothered to move as it was raining. Around dinnertime during a break in the weather we moved onto the better pitch, just as a caravan was coming down the road towards it (we had seen them looking and this spurred us to move fast), they did not look pleased as the drove past.

After dinner we went out for a drive in Ralph's car, the others weren't due to arrive before teatime so it was something to do in the rain. Dot insisted that we should tell reception that Ralph was staying with us for five nights, so we called in to let them know. They said it would be €5.00/night extra and entered it into the computer but the computer would not accept it, so it was free, the computer would however give him a code number for the road barrier.

When we got back from the drive, which consisted of Ralph driving and me jumping out during breaks in the rain to take photos, we called back into reception to collect the keys for Nicole's mobile home. We did this as it was going to be late before they arrived. We walked over the the mobile home and took a photo with the mobile phone and sent it to Nicole. We also got the satellite working for Amber to watch while it was raining.

Mick arrived in the rain about teatime and ended up on the pitch we had originally reserved for him, the one next to our new pitch was now occupied by a tent, it snuck in while we were out.

Nicole and the others arrived about 20:00 and it stopped raining long enough to get the BBQ going to make a late tea/super for everyone, this was followed by several beers.

France 2009, Day Two

Day two 7th June

As this was going to be a long day with a very long drive, we did not make our usual visit the supermarket in Blankenberge, to stock up with Belgian beer's, we would just call in on the way home (but we never did). We also did not have to stop for fuel, we had filled up near Hull knowing there was not much to be saved over here anymore.

So off we set for Onzain on the Loire, straight out of the port on the N31 to the A17 as far as the A14, in France this changes name to the A22. Then round Lille on the Boulevard Périphérique Est de Lille to the A1 all the way to Paris. We had two sat navs with us this year, both route us on the Boulevard Périphérique through Paris, a few years back we did try the A68 past Paris but this was very busy and took an age anyway, so we though why not. Anyway by following signposts for our destination we ended up going the same way as last time and again it was slow and busy (even early on Sunday afternoon). This brings us onto the A6 where we head off onto the A10 to junction 17 where we then head towards Blois on the D952A then N1592 then D952 along the Loire to Onzain. At the roundabout at the first bridge after Blois turn right into Onzain on the D1 then right at the Y junction and right at the T junction onto the D58 then left on the D45 to the campsite in about 1.5 miles.

On the route down, we received a text from Nicole, asking how we were doing, it tuned out we were only a few miles apart on the A1, so we arranged to meet at the next Aire for a picnic. The reason they would not be arriving until tomorrow was that they were stopping the first night at La Croix Du Vieux Pont, Berny-Rivière, where we where last year and from there they would then go to Disney for the day before continuing to Onzain. The girls had no knowledge of the visit to Disney, so it was all a big surprise the next day.

ONZAIN Siblu's Donaine de Dugny Ferme de Dugny - 41150 Onzain Web Site

Checked in and went to find a suitable pitch, preferably two pitches together (one for Mick and Bren arriving the next day), a lot of them where low down and a bit boggy, also a bit dark in among the trees. Found two together and put a "pitch in use sign" on the other a slightly bigger one for Mick. It than started to rain, I was trying to get the satellite working, without much success, so gave up for the night.

Ralph and Amber were due to arrive about 20:00 but eventually arrived at somewhere around 22:30, you should always check you have the right town in the SatNav.

France 2009, Day One

Day one 6th June

The holiday got off to a great start, all packed ready to go early, the house secured, Dot backed the car off the drive I turned the ignition key and nothing happened. The van was completely dead, I used the battery booster pack we have, no joy, I tried to jump it from the leisure battery and still no joy. Drove the car between the trees at the end of our garden and across the lawn to the van opened the bonnet (hood) and the car appeared to have no battery (the car is fairly new to us and had no need to find the battery before). Eventually found it hidden tidily away, connected the jump leads and the van fired up first time, we still do not know why the battery was flat.

Uneventful Hull to Zeebrugge crossing, the entertainment still hasn't got any better, the Stella and wine was cheap in the ships shop, so we bought some to last us for the first couple of days.

France 2009, The Planning

As we could no longer use our Tesco Supermarket vouchers for the ferry (the deal for ferry ticket was dropped), we looked at other ways to use them for our holiday. Siblu holidays have campsites in France and take Tesco vouchers as payment, so for a change we have pre booked our first three campsites with Siblu and also, received a discounted ferry crossings with P&O, through them. So we are still going Hull to Zeebrugge and all in, the cost of the holiday will work out to be about the same as last year.

When Nicole heard what we had booked she also used her Tesco vouchers to do something very similar but in a mobile home, then some time later after buying a caravan Mick also books the same site but at full price. We will arrive at the site on the Sunday afternoon, with Ralph and Amber (late additions to the trip) arriving later that night, next to get there will be Mick and Bren on Monday afternoon, followed by Nicole, Tim, Georgia and Emily that evening.

Can I just take time out here, to mention how helpful the Siblu booking rep was during the procedure, all the way through, as we continually changed the itinerary via our many emails, thanks Anna.