German buses are the best!

Some drunk French bloke kept usawake last night about 3am for an hour and then he started to cry and then rant again ARGHHHHH!!!! Eventually someone shouted at him to shut up!

Decided to go to Concarneau today but beforehand we drove into Quiberon town, a really pretty fishing port – lovely looking beach that reminded me of Dinard in the north.  Enjoyed the drive back along the peninsula too, such beautiful scenery.

We had planned to go to Carnac to see the standing stones it is famous for but there was a 5 mile queue to get anywhere near the town which was a bit disappointing, the satnav diverted us through great scenery anyway!

We chose Concarneau as our next stop, the skies had cleared.  We went to the aire there, it was in the railway car park!! As with all the aires we were able to drive straight into a space although lots of people were just parked up on the side.  

We walked about 5 mins towards the centre but decided that the kids weren’t in the mood for a hike so we had lunch and then drove down to the old walled town, 'Le ville close' to find a parking space which we did eventually.  

It was really worth the trip, a fantastic band was playing Celtic folk music immediately after the bridge into the medieval town.  Before children we would have stayed, eaten and drank all day here! The narrow streets are beautiful and although busy they had a great atmosphere.  We walked all the way through the town and then back along the walls.  At the end of the town is a square where 2 performers were doing a conjuring act with juggling batons and balls.  Although it was all in French and the fact that they dropped the balls a lot, the kids enjoyed it!!  They moaned a bit that their legs were tired and that they were thirsty but overall afterwards said it was good.  

Chris then took us to a different aire at a village called Pendruc.  The aire had space for 6 vans only, when we arrived there were 2 spaces which we were amazed at as it was 3pm and the view was amazing! We chose a front row spot again next to a van as cool as ours!!!   

A HUGE German Mercedes 319 truck that looked like it may have been an ex army ambulance.  It was dark green, yellow and orange, a DIY camper-job but ubercool.  We looked great next to each other!!  The beach was even closer than the day before, about 30 sec walk and beautiful again.  The tide was coming in again - the beach was a nice sand/stone mix.  The children played for a while on the beach then we came back for tea.  

Afterwards we walked along to the coast road to the next bay and watched a gorgeous sun set.  It was a lovely family in the German van next to us.

Small chemical loo outside in woodland picnic area next to aire wasn’t too bad.  

Many people came to the aire and were turned away.  We were very blessed to get a spot.  Watching the bats as we go to bed.

Home to Brittany!

Drizzle this morning so quick pack up and head for Brittany!!!  So excited to be back there again!!  Next island to stay on this time was Quiberon, a beautiful (now peninsular) island with sandy beaches on the calm eastern side and dramatic rocky crags on the western Atlantic side.  The aire is a large out of town space about 1 mile from the most southerly tip.  We chose a spot that meant the kids had plenty of space to play safely at the end of one of the parking bays.  The barrier wasn’t working and so the stay was free – fantastic!!  1 minute walk to the coast where a stony bay with huge rocks was being battered by the incoming tide. This coast is called Le Cote Sauvage, it really is wild and beautiful too. There was a beautiful old fashioned tall ship on the horizon.

We then walked along the coast path about a mile to the end where there was a café and ice cream stall – the kids enjoyed an ice lolly which melted far too quickly!!  Walked back feeling wind-swept and the hungry!  Casoulet and dauphinoise again, kids aren’t bored of it yet!!  Showered behind tarpaulin again, some nosey neighbour stared the whole time!!

Interesting how the villages have changed style again.  The whitewash of the Vendee and Atlantique (as well as Dordogne) has been replaced with slate roofs and grey stone coloured bricks made of the local granite of the coast and dark coloured slate roofs.  All the signs have become bilingual with the Breton and French and we have both commented that we fee ‘at home’ even though we’ve not been to this actual part of Brittany before!!

Spent last part of evening in Flo  - definite change in climate here on coast compared to Dordogne; the sun goes in and it feels cold whereas as we were boiling all night before!  The sky was completely clear here and we went out to gaze at the stars for a while before bed.  I saw my first shooting star, super impressed!

Ile de Noirmoutiere

Showered, did more washing and then checked out. 56€ total so not too bad.  Grey drizzle this morning so no worries about leaving, heading for Ile de Noirmoutier.  The English couple at Gastes recommended that we drive to the very tip of the island to a small aire, so we did!!  The drive over the bridge onto the island was lovely and compared to ile d’orelon the views were stunning. 

A much prettier island and less commercialised.  Sea salt farms as well as huitres and moules is the main business on the island.  We drove to a village called L’Herbaudiere which has a pointe.  The aire is tiny with about 10 spaces but we were lucky and got a space straight away.  Lots of people had to turn around as no space for them.  We walked into the village.  It has a big port/marina with restaurants and souvenir shops surrounding the harbour, looks really pretty.  Got change for ticket machine by buying a bag of nourmoutier sea salt, 8€ for aire.  

The aire was 30 meters from coast, really rocky with sandy patches.  Tide was coming in fast, lovely views south to a large sandy beach and north to the Pointe which had a large WW2 bunker on top.  

 

The kids enjoyed playing on rocks, Chris took Evan back to Flo for the toilet and during this time Morgan managed to fall on some rocks and cut open her shins so Seren, Morgan and I followed not long after!!  

Sausages for tea went down VERY well, especially with Morgan.  Seren has been difficult with the past few meal times not really wanting casoulet, dauphinoise, curry, lentils or whatever else we’ve had so it was nice to have a stress-free meal with her!!

After tea we walked the kids out to the pointe with the German bunker on, about 1 mile along coast path.  Evan was REALLY interested to know what it was and why it was there so Chris explained and linked it in with our visit to Oradur sur Glane previously.  They climbed up onto the bunker. The tide had started to go out leaving rock pools so we walked back along the beach looking for crabs – was slim pickings but Chris eventually found some big ones, they were still too fast though to catch!!  Seren loved popping seaweed bladders and Morgan collected a load of periwinkles.  Reminded me of Port Eynon on Gower.  Would have been great for a late night BBQ on beach whilst the sun sets.

Automatic toilet on aire was awful so once again very grateful to have Flo’s loo! As we walked back into the carpark there is a T25 being pushed out trying to start - Chris joined in;could so easily have been us earlier today on the way here – we were diverted just after La Rochelle into a village with a crossroads that was so ridiculously narrow and everyone was trying to get over in all directions.  After 45 mins queuing to get to this crossroads we were at the front waiting to go over when half way across we think Chris stalled and then Flo wouldn’t start again!!! PANIC!!!!!!  Blocking the whole junction that people were queuing hours to get to led to a few horns being honked!!! The only thing to do was pray – which we did and after probably only a minute or 2 which felt like an hour Flo started again!!! AMEN!!  We had to fight our way back into the flow of traffic!!  Panic over, ha ha ha !!!  No further problems!!

Aquarium

La Rochelle is about 10 mins from this site so after telling the kids back in Loire one day that their behaviour had been appalling we decided that we should take them to the aquarium.  We got up early – had to really squeeze past the chalet driver’s cars to get out! Chris is adamant we need ot get power-steering fitted!  We were a bit apprehensive about using the satnav as when we were looking for a supermarket yesterday it directed us to the 10^th century market in the very heart of old La Rochelle!!!  We got some VERY funny looks – was pretty crazy to be driving through the medieval streets, one guy even took our photo!!! We must have looked a right sight!!!

Still, it did do its job fine and we found the car park for campers and walked to the aquarium; we walked through the old port and arrived to find a 30 min queue already and it was only 10am!!  Finally got in to find a ridiculous system of buying tickets and then going through a turnstile and then wait to go into a submarine before finally entering the aquarium itself.  Chris became fairly irritated by it!!

Personally I find aquariums to be pretty much of a muchness, but the kids really enjoy them.  I did like the jellyfish of which there were plenty!  Probably spent about 2hrs there which when compared to the time we went to Blueplanet in Chester was pretty impressive!!

Afterwards we drove down to L’Houmebeau port where Chris taught Evan to skim stones.  Went to a Bricolage shop after to buy a voile to keep mosquitoes out of the main door.  Bought a proper weighted thing but got back to Flo to discover it wasn’t wide enough – typical us, waste of money!!  Hopefully we can use it somewhere at home instead!!

Chris cooked beef curry for tea, Evan said it was the best meal of the holiday so far!!! So funny!

Ile de Re

Not a great night as the kids were up a lot.... we decided we needed to go to a campsite with a washing machine again so we headed for Ile de Re.  We chose to stay on the mainland near La Rochelle.  The village was called L'houmobeau, and the campsite 'Le Petit Port'.  It was a lovely site, they put us right at the top of the site among some chalets on a good sized sandy plot.

Immediately got washing on, 4€ for a 10p size token.  30min wash so kids played on playground while we waited - pirate ship slide was to the kids current taste!  Managed a 5 min conversation with a 5yr old Frenchgirl!! Kids played with new sport set we bought at supermarket today.  Cut corn field was nice view to watch over for evening.  Chris lit a fire log as for the first time this holiday the evening was cool.

Ile d'Oleron

Don’t have to check out until 12 so had leisurely morning, gave kids ipad to watch a movie – the first time this holiday!  I went for a morning shower, again the first of this holiday!!  Slowly packed away, bought ice and set off heading for Ile d’Orelon. 

We chose to aim for an aire at Le Continiere, a very touristy fishing village but a bit tacky.  Got to the aire and it was full of gypsies - no holiday makers at all - so we immediately drove out and headed for the aire at Le Grand-Village-Plage, it was ok but we couldn’t actually find the beach!!  Instead we walked aimlessly around a municipal campsite adjacent to the site that seemingly had no services but was charging 39E a night!! Another ripoff!!

We had 1 more aire to check out but decided to come back here if all else

fails as there was plenty of spaces.  We drove this time to Le Chateau d’Oleron where the aire is on a beach road.  Arrived to find machine wont accept British cards or cash so we were stuck.  There was a snotty Frenchwoman behind us who wanted to get past so I had to explain that we couldn't get in, so she just tells us to move!!  Then, a council worker (with no English) insists we wait for another Frenchman to pay for us to enter – a bit awkward but with my now much more confident French I managed to get an old man to do it for us!! YEY!!  9,50€ for night, a huge site that used to be a campsite so old toilet and shower block.  Really odd as we were the only non-French people, but much more favourable than last night.

In afternoon we walked to the beach, literally just over the road.  Sandy bay but lots of seaweed so not really able to go in water, although some people were!!  There were lots of jellyfish caught up in the seaweed and there were jumping fish which were great interest to the kids – I've never seen jumping fish like these before!!  Did some sand art making the Dune de Pilat and then the pyramids, Mount Sinai and the Himalayas I think!!

 We then came back for a quiet evening, wine and cheese!!

A French Fleecing!

Decided to leave today and head north, first stop 30 mins along the road was Dune de Pilat.  4€ for the car park.  The walk up the dune was tough, plastic steps built into the side were subsiding and very difficult for Morgan but using the rope helped; next time we'll just climb up the sand. It’s the biggest dune in Europe and so unlike anything we’ve ever been on before.  Quite strange but also a truly amazing site.

The dune is growing between 1 and 5 metres inland a year so all the campsites in the forest around must be under threat.  Its 2km long,  we walked to the top Chris thinks about 105 metres high.  Evan ran up and was so full of energy – I found it a little harder!!!  We all enjoyed the slide down though! We didn’t have to pay the motorhome prices as we were narrow enough to get through the car exit and thankfully there were no height barriers!

We then started to drive north to begin our planned island tour up the west coast.  Horrendous busy main roads through Bordeaux but as we got the satnav to avoid all toll roads we quickly came off onto beautiful country lanes and through millions of vineyards again.  Really pretty.

We needed to shower so decided to find a campsite for the night, found one in the book that just said only 15€ a night with a pool at St.George-de-Didonne so headed there. Arrived, checked in, gave all my details to the woman and then she charged me 60€!!!!!! I nearly cried!!  But I just had to pay it – I’d conducted the whole conversation in French, all children’s dates of birth, addresses, names etc so I couldn’t change my mind… NOT impressed at all!!  We were shown to our pitch, opposite was a group of really dodgy looking 18 yr old French lads whose body language was awful – they just stared at us.  Then we realised that the couple next to them were complaining about them to who we assume were site managers or could have been the parents of some of them, they’d obviously had a loud night and were being made to apologise!!  Still, put Chris right on edge and we really weren’t comfortable.  We put up our beach tent and put everything inside it.  I bought 1 hr of wifi for 2€ for Chris – another ripoff, and a laundrette token for 5€.  I put as much washing as possible into the machine and hung it out to dry, bought a washing line and pegs for 3€ at the shop which sells everything!!  Despite a rather grey day it was now surprisingly clear in contrast to the weather forecast.  Chris went for shower and shave and to his delight the block right next to us has cubicles with toilet, sink, shower and heated mirror all together with a moveable heater!!! – so it should considering how much we’re paying!! Ha ha!!

I then took the kids to the pool, it had a small 2 ft deep pool for Morgan and Seren  and the main pool which unfortunately got deep very quickly so I had to watch Evan very closely- managed to get him swimming again.  I hope that he can show his instructor in September!!  He was real proud of himself again, and I was so pleased that he could remember!  Came home to spaghetti for tea which the kids were ravenous for!  The French lads were no trouble as they were obviously on best behaviour after last night!!  The site’s music and entertainment in the evening skit was unpleasantly loud, such a mistake to have come her but at least we made use of all the services that we could!!

Lovely lazy day

We decided to spend another night here as this aire is so beautiful.  We were chatting to an English couple last night who were trying to work out the tickets as you can actually buy a 3 day ticket here but if you don’t actually leave the aire then you have no reason to buy another 1 night ticket until you actually go.  So Chris took Evan to the supermarket and left me with guarding the plot duty – easier said than done!!!  A van did come and park right where Flo needed to come in so I had to explain to the French lady that Chris was at the shops and would be back – managed it though!!  VERY impressed with myself!!  The boys returned with lots of food and beach toys so we spent all afternoon back on the lake beach, kids did sand art– I managed to burn my back a bit though L Cant remember the last time I burnt.

Came back and had tinned sausage and lentils which was a nice change although Ren moaned loads.  We’ve been really impressed with the tinned casoulet and dauphinoise potatoes we’ve bought following a friend’s recommendation.  I took kids to play area after tea but like many French play areas you need to be a giant to use them!

Watched a beautiful sunset over the marina and the English couple who we spoke with last night stopped by again to chat so I asked them what aires they would recommend as we go north (as they’ve just come from that way), they gave us a few to stop at.  They were a really nice couple; one of the most striking things about this holiday has been how friendly most people are - we Brits too!  Millions of moths and flies in van tonight - the "Executioner" has been busy!

This stop has been a real pleasure, a gem.  Even more enjoyable as we were not expecting it.  Couple of points to note for Chris; the toilet in the neighbouring field to the aire was very clean and nice to use, but the shower/toilet in the aire itself was much less pleasant, the shower has saloon style louvre doors!!!

Arrived at the coast!

Woke early and packed straight away – one of our new chairs broke last night!! Can’t believe our luck with them!!! Chris got a directors chair style one yesterday which seems to be good as it is upright.  We drove through St Emillion, a gorgeous village, Chris remarked that he would have liked to have wondered around but the kids wouldn’t have appreciated it so the drive is a good compromise!!  This area has fields upon fields of vineyards and dotted throughout are the beautiful chateaux of the name of each wine.  Something about them is really amazing and I love seeing them.  We set the Sat Nav to Biscarosse-plage where we’d seen an aire to stay at, we glimpsed the Dune de Pilat as we drove past, I'm really excited to see it.  The area suddenly has a completely different vibe and the villages are a lot less pretty.  We found the aire but did NOT like it.  It was in a pine forest and crammed full, so, after picking up some massive pine cones, we decided to leave and drove a bit further south to a village called Gastes where the aire is right next to a marina and on the banks of the ‘Etang de Biscarosse et de Parentis’.

We were lucky to get a front row pitch and after scrambling together 7€ for the machine as our cards wouldn’t work, we set up.  It was stunning.  50m away from us was a river beach that had a marked out safe swimming area and lifeguard.  The water was so warm (21C!!!) and felt really strange to walk into – also lots of fish were swimming around much to Evan’s delight. There was a sandy bank at the the back of the beach so Chris went back and got his chair, we were all set up for a fab afternoon!!  Both Chris and I went in, kids had a great time.  It was lovely to see them enjoy themselves in the water so much and know that they are safe – it didn’t get deeper than 90cm, even 100m from the shore.

After food we went for a walk to find the village – didn’t find much just a couple of market stalls selling fruit and veg, so we bought a melon.  Then we were completely ripped off by a guy selling cheese who charged us 17€ for a piece of blue cheese we didn’t even really want!! Felt violated!! It did taste good though! Site was quickly filling up – a French family arrived and put tents and an awning outright next to us which was pretty rude(!) and they were proper arrogant too, had a boat so they were clearly far superior to us.  There was an old German couple also next to us who were lovely.  It rained in the evening and there was a big thunderstorm that passed over – the lady nearly gave Chris a heart attack which she came over to tell us that our vent was still open!!  It was the first evening since we’ve been in France that we had to spend in doors.  2 other German couples came really close to the old couple and we thought that there may have been a row but their quirky bohemian style was obviously charming!!

The hottest day ever!!

Made a quick exit from La Roque as had no breakfast stuff, so went straight to supermarket to buy some and then headed for aire at St.Emillion – a beautiful spot on a vineyard.

Think today was the hottest at 40C!!! Kids played in shade and with water from our pump shower.  It was really restful , only about 5 other people on site.  Chris and I showered behind a tarpaulin on Flo’s back door – worked well!!  Chris had heatstroke by the end of the day, don’t think he’d drunk enough so we went to bed early.