Mediterranean Coast

Moved along the coast to a town called Ouveillan, just outside Narbonne.  We walked around town found the local Tabac, these have become one of our favourite haunts as they sell reasonably priced beer/coffee.  Next day moved onto Narbonne, staying for a couple of days, went swimming it a large complex, swimming outside in their Olympic sized pool, (this was mainly to have a good wash). After catching up on shopping at the huge Carrefour and visiting the indoor market, we decided to move on and make our way to Espana, last stop in France being Port Vendres, just outside Perpignan.

Midi Pyrenees

Midi Pyrenees

We travelled next onto Rodez through the Midi Pyrenees, stayed overnight, woke the next morning to a heavy frost and decided to head towards the Med Coast.  We went over the Millau Gorge toll bridge, which was awesome.  Arrived at the Med Coast to three days of torrential rain, just like an English summer.



Is that toilet cassette full again




Frosty morning in Rodez - Midi Pyrenees




Driving over the hills



Millau Bridge



Millauu Bridge



Millau Bridge



Millau Bridge



The Bastide Area

Following on from Faux, we travelled into the Bastide (medieval) area, firstly stopping at Biron Chateau and then moved on to Monpazier, Belves and La Roque Gageac.  It was a really lovely area in France.



Biron Chateau

Monpazier

Typical street in Monpazier - our favourite village so far

Monpazier village square in the afternoon we saw the local selling wild mushrooms

Stopped for coffee in tabac and caught the local fuzz at their busiest!

 

Medieval buildings in Monpazier Square

Belves


Le Roque Gageac



Passed through Belves on the way to La Roque Gageac



Belves Square

  

Le Roque Gageac

Le Roque Gageac -  Old Troglodyte Fort, above the river



Le Roque Gagaec - very picturesque, on the Dordogne River








Faux Village

Faux – The Town of Faux

When we were staying at the vineyard in Montbazillac, close to Bergerac we noticed on the map, that we weren’t far from a village called ‘Faux’

We wanted a picture of both of us but there was nobody around, really nobody, we have noticed that it is very quiet in many parts of France, “today France is closed”



Village of Faux




Church in Faux village





S Faux



Vineyard at Monbazillac

Si got stopped by the Gendarmes and asked to blow into a plastic glove!

Si disguising himself as a chicken

Its a tricky operation - empting the toliet cassette

On the way to the Dordogne area, we stopped at a France Passion/Aire on a vineyard, in Monbazillac, Fabrise the owner invited us for a little aperitif, well  it would have been rude to refuse, and after a couple of tasters Si was conviced he should buy a number of bottles, which he did.

There is a downside to motorhoming and that’s empting the cassette (luckily not my job!) and yes Nigel your right, Si has still got that tee-shirt on – he’s getting his monies worth!!!

Fontet/La Reole Area

Fontet/La Reole

Arriving at Fontet Aire at the canal marina which runs alongside the River Garonne, drove to the mairie office to pay for the aire, (it went like an episode of ello ello), finally got set up and decided to do some laundry, although there are laundrettes in France we can’t find any or “they are closed”!!. We quickly made the site look like gyppo camp, but only this time with a backdrop of the Bordeaux vineyards.

View from RV, "tres beau"



Si at home on Dale Farm (bloody pikkies), hanging out his smalls!!


We went for a cycle ride down the canal, to a village called Hure.



"What an athelete"






It was so nice we stayed for 3 days.

La Reole was the town near by.


View from La Reole Town



The Gironde Estuary

The Gironde Estuary area is where the rivers Dordogne and Garonne flow together and out to sea.  We travelled next to La Rochelle, a busy city, with lots of shops and a port area, only stayed a couple of hours as we wanted to travel to the coast. 



Si was not so impressed with La Rochelle - he thought we were being followed by muggers

We have seen  many beautiful Chateau's along the way

 We moved on down to Mortagne sur Gironde just south of Royan and found a beautiful harbour, suggested in the book of Aires that it would get very busy very quickly which it did. The harbour is full of ducks, there are signs saying that the ducks have right of way around the harbour area.  We cycled up to the view point and around the area

Chilling out in the RV at Mortagne sur mer



View point - on a clear day you can see for miles over the Estuary




"Si won't mind if you have his breakfast"

 .

Moving on down the estuary we followed the scenic route through small villages and fields of vineyards, stopping in Bayle at the Citadel.


Oh look a different t-shirt



At the Citadel

French roads are very quiet

We stopped overnight in a town call Cadillac, a pretty walled town by the river on the way further into the Bordeaux region.





Si looking at where his next meal might come from! - in Cadillac



Bouchmaine - Loire Valley



Mistletoe growing in the trees on the river




Aire on the River Loire

 We decided to head south a little quicker, missing out Brittany (we will catch it on the way back), because the weather was turning wintery.  Parked up on a lovely Aire de Camping on the Loire River in Bouchemaine, we stayed for a couple of nights, caught up on the laundry, visited the local Tabac in town for a pitcher of wine, wine is cheaper than coffee! – ‘so wine wins, everytime’ and cycled along the river, in the evening we spotted 6 Otters in the river bank– it’s a bit like autumn watch here!.



Livin it up in the RV!



Le Mont St Michel

Walked up the causeway to Le Mont St Michel, known as one of the ‘must see’ images of Northern France, although it was raining it was still "c'est magnifique"

Normandy Landing's

Off the ferry and into Normandy, only not quite as smooth as we thought because we were the second vehicle off the ferry, the first being a white van man who took off into the sunrise, leaving Si to led the procession out of the ferry port, we were reliably informed that we just turn right and go over the bridge.  We turned right and went straight back into ferry departures.

The first few days driving along the D Day Beaches, historical sites, we visited Courseulles Sur Mer where the first house that was liberated on the day still stands and the US Military Cemetery and Museum at Omaha Beach, walking through the cemetery makes you realise the huge loss of life of so many young men, very moving.

War Memorial

Si looking out over Omaha Beach

Omaha War Memorial and Cementary

Where it all began ......

Si and Jo outside HMS Victory

Where did I leave my Landrover?

In the bar on the ferry to La Harve

For some time Si and I have thought about dropping off the hamster wheel for a while, backpacking around the world, travelling through south east Asia, or driving a motorhome round Europe.

So we decided sooner rather than later, while both could still walk properly! , also a number of things feel into place, I was made redundant from a job I would never voluntarily leave, sold our house and a number of other things.

After spending a couple of months living in a caravan in Adlington, we brought the motorhome RV and planned our trip.

After a few trial runs; Chatsworth Hall, were it rained for 4 days and nights, Strines Caravan Site; beautiful sunshine and Sunwell Terrace; great amenities – a big thank you too Steve.  We left for Hayling Island, Portsmouth, spent two days taking in the sites, before sailing to La Harve. “ Europe here we come”.