Awaycation Autumn 2024 - Day 5

Up and away before 10am. Destination Alcoceber. All the jobs done and luckily the motorhome service area was free.

First stop the Intermarche at Angeles sur Mer. There were quite a few motorhomes and vans in the parking. We took the A9 into Spain. 

There's not much to report. A few stops along the way for coffee and lunch.

Eventually arriving at Kione reception around 5.30pm. Checking in was easier than last time. The apartments have been upgraded. Molly is parked outside and locked up. All the security kit and pedal locks etc have been deployed.

Now we can relax.

Awaycation Autumn 2024 - Day 4

It was nice to escape from the rain and winds. 

The CCP aire at La Cavalerie isn't the quietest in the country, situated as it is alongside the road into the village from the A75. It was noisy with traffic until around 9pm and then it kicked off again around 6am.

The town is also about 780m above sea level. It was nice in the sun, but overnight it must have got down to around 0°C. When I took Reggie out for a pee at around 6.30am there was just a touch of frost on the grass.

The aire isn't that large and it seemed ideal for A-class vans towing trailers with cars. 

One French Rapido had a very dull blue Cinquecento on the trailer. Not the original 500 but the 80's hatchback.

We were away at 9.44am today. Back onto the A75. I had set Max to take us non-toll to Béziers and then onto the N9 to avoid the toll A9.

Possibly as mistake as we caught a wide load trying to navigate through the villages along the route. We were stuck behind it from Nissan-lez-Enserune to Coursan. The bridges over the canal and Aude were probably the worst.

I was surprised to see Nissan twinned with Ampthill in Bedfordshire. I lived nearby for 15 years and this is news to me!

We decided to take a pitstop at the Lidl in Coursan.  This proved a success as the wide load had disappeared....  Our one stop strategy out of the window. Still, two stops wasn't too bad.

The second was at Médor et Compagnie in Narbonne. As we followed Max's instructions we didn't even realise we had gone around Narbonne itself.

It is a city we know quite well as we have been here many times before. Even arriving several times on French and Belgian Motorail when on the bike.

At Médor we picked up three kilos of "Easy Barf" raw dog food. This plus the "dogador'  already in the freezer should last us until we get home. 

Back on the road and on the N9 (under a new name) and heading for Fitou. We stayed here what must have been 18 years ago in a friend's villa.

In the end Max took us on the scenic route to avoid Perpignan along to Leucate and the coastal strip to St Cyprien.

We arrived at the aire about 1.30pm. The machine at the front was designed for someone standing about 4 feet tall. Once through all the details, regno, length of stay etc, it refused my Halifax Clarity card. So we went back to the start. This time with the assistance of a Dutch lady whose husband was emptying their cassette. It worked with my First Direct debit card.

For one day the cost was €11.16 inc local taxes and ehu. That's not going to break the bank. 

As I type this up, it's about  9.30pm and it's as quiet as the grave...

We had a walk around the marina and looked at some of the yachts and catamarans. There is some serious wedge here!

When we were here in November 2022 there was not much open. Today in the sunshine with temps around 20°C, cafes and bars were doing good business.

We stopped for an ice cream 🍨🍨. Not something we do often. A cone yes, but not a glass filled with stuff!!!

Before our microwaved risotto for dinner we had another short walk going the other way from the aire's entrance. More expensive floating palaces!

Hopefully a quiet night and away tomorrow into Spain and the last leg of the journey to Alcoceber.

Photos to follow in an update.

Awaycation Autumn 2024 - Day 3

Well that was a night to remember. We avoided the thunder ⛈️ and lightning but didn't escape the high winds and torrential rain. At least Molly stayed watertight. We think.

The alarm was set for 8am again but this morning Reggie was up earlier.

Breakfast done and dusted and all the hookup jobs undone, we used the motorhome service point. Water in. Water out etc.

Almost the same as yesterday we were on the road at 9.46am. Out of the village and onto the N7. A little trickery saw us take the toll A71, DOH! A fuel stop for diesel at €1.609, the cheapest we have seen so far, and the whizzing past Clermont-Ferrand towards Millau. The only toll on this leg should have been the €16 for the Viaduct.  

Next stop at the services at Veyre on the A75. Lunch and a walk for Reggie.

We had another stop by the Garabit Viaduct. Photos taken. Coffee bought from machine. Then off again.

Millau Viaduct. I had planned to go to the aire to walk up to the viewpoint.  Of course, plans thwarted as they are working and southbound traffic contraflows onto the northbound carriageway. If I had known then I would have saved the €16 and gone through the town.  Annoying!!!

We arrived here at the camping-car park aire at around 1630. Hooked up etc. It's right on the side of the road to and from the A75. A little noisy but we'll see what tonight brings. 

We have walked in La Cavalerie and there wasn't much open. They do have a magnificent Templar Hall in the centre.

Reggie stayed in the van with his dinner. 

So what next? Dinner we bought earlier and then read again. There's no WiFi here. It was poor last night. At least there's low signal 5G.

Tomorrow? Narbonne for dog food and then St Cyprien. 

Awaycation Autumn 2024 - Day 2

What a night. Not too bad but it rained a few times. Not the biblical downpour that Noah anticipated and BBC Weather said would happen, but still enough to deter even the most ardent Peter Stormer from spending too long out in it.

Today's route as chosen by TomTom was terrible. The N104/A104 is as bad as the M25. Our run from Formerie to the old N1 near Beauvais wasn't too bad. After that. Traffic. 🤬🤬🤬🤬

We managed a stop near Fontainebleau for a quick snack. The rain heavy at times. The overheads on the motorway advising of heavy rain. 

We decided that both Chatillon and Beaulieu sur Loire were not far enough.south to maybe avoid the exhausted hurricane's rain. 

So a quick rethink. Max set for the CCP "camping mon village" at Saint Pierre de Moutiers. To speed things up I took off "no tolls" and we ended up on the A6 and A77. 

Another stop for Reggie to pee and us to get a coffee. 

Again we arrived around 5pm after a tour of the village. The Aire is a little sloping but the are some hard standing pitches. Two left and the grass completely empty! To level up both levellers are on the left.

Only one photo today. As we left Formerie.

Tomorrow? Who knows!

Awaycation Autumn 2024 - Day One

With the ferry at 0945 we decided that with 14 miles to drive to Dover, we would get up at 0645

My planned leaving time was 0745. We eventually packed the last stuff in the moho and set off at 0743

It was pretty easy going and the rat trap maze through the works was navigable. At French passports there were only two cars ahead of us and we were quickly through.  As we travel on British passports we checked the dates on the stamps... 

Boarding Liberté meant going up to deck 7 behind another moho. It seems this isn't the usual RoRo boat.

The pet lounge on deck 9 is easy enough to locate. Today there are 7 humans and 4 dogs.

And away we go. The captain said sea conditions are moderate to rough. As we exited through the harbour wall into the channel we started to roll.

Next stop France.

We actually left at 0935 as everyone was onboard. The crossing wasn't that bad and we were in sight of Calais when we had to slow as the berth we were to go on was occupied. It turned out to be P&O Pioneer.

So the time we had in hand evaporated. 

We were off relatively quickly. In the almost 50 years of travelling through Calais, this is the cleanest air has ever been. 

Our first stop is the Picard at Coquelles to collect three kilos of "dogador" for Reggie. There are many Picard stores across France, but few seem to stock it. It's 100% "volatile" so it needs some veggies added to it. 

On the way we past the roundabout that has one of the tunnel borers on it. We have passed this so often but never taken a picture! There's a first time for everything.

Once away from there we aimed for the Intermarche at Abbeville. But not before a lunch stop at the A16 Aire Baie de la Somme. We have stopped here many times. It's changed a bit. Now sporting a Pizza Hut and Starbucks!

The Intermarche and other outlets is on the site of the old sugar factory. All that remains is the chimney. I guess as fashions change, industries come and go.

We bought "essentials" and then set off.

There are no spaces set aside for larger vehicles so we parked away from the store across three bays. It wasn't busy at all. The exit onto the service road alongside the old N1 is also tight and it looks as though larger heavier vehicles has ripped some of the kerb up.

Backtracking a little returned us to the A28, then off via Aumale to Formerie. We arrived just before 1700.  

It rained before we got the Taylormade screen cover on. My windscreen sponge/squeegee cleared it.

Dinner was a simple one of cider and toast and pate.

Tomorrow? We head south.

Anniversary Cream Tea

Day 1

Actually our wedding anniversary is Monday but we started with the cream teas in advance.

Day 2

Lovely. 

Bought online from The Cornwall Company. Superb stuff.

The box came with four scones, jars of jam, teas but only one clotted cream...

Awaycation Autumn 2024 - Northwards?

I sent this to Blogger by email and it was refused for some reason. 

It worked okay on Travellerspoint,  and so rather than type it all out again I have simply linked it....

HERE

North of the Somport Tunnel

Molly new seat covers!

New seat covers. They were a very tight fit. Cheap at £39.95 but difficult to fit over the driver and front passenger seats.

Tight and baggy!! How?

They'll have to do.

Recommend? No.

Southeastern Railways to Ebbsfleet - Delay/Repay

I forgot all about doing the delay/repay claim until nearly a week had passed. The online system allows you to claim within 28  days so was okay.

I filled it all in and they can easily link to my Key smart ticket card. I was amazed that within 3 hours they had refunded the full fare.  Now I just have to wait for it to appear in my bank account!

Awaycation Autumn 2024 - Rough Route South

So after a bit more work with apps and the map books, I have two now, I have a kind of route planned for the journey from the ferry port at Calais to the apartment in Alcoceber.

In total four overnight stops on the way down. The first has been booked for months as it is a small Camping-Car Park Aire (CCP) with only 6 pitches and it does get full quite early.  Hence we booked an earlier ferry so that we can arrive in daylight (!) and maybe choose the pitch rather than being the last in and having what's left! That's at Formerie.

For the second overnight I was looking at a place on the Loire at either Bonny or Beaulieu sur Loire.  They aren't too far apart but it looks as though all the rain in France has caused flooding and both the sites I fancied seem to be closed "temporarily".  One is a municipal aire and the one at Beaulieu is a CCP aire. 

This meant a rethink. Not that far away and still showing as open is the aire at the marina in Châtillon-sur-Loire. I dropped them an email today to see that everything is okay.  The aire looks really nice. The overnight price on the website looks very competitive.

Using the ruler and counting the page "squares" on the map on the inside cover of the map book, I have calculated that with a lot of toll-free motorways on the A77/N7/A75 we could cover more ground on day 3. So once again I was looking on Search4sites and the CCP website. I have found what looks like a very nice aire at La Canourgue to the north of Millau and the famous bridge. I've not booked it as it's easy enough to check out the pitch availability on the app when on the way. 

I have some credit left on my CCP account as we topped it up in May/June and didn't use it all plus I found an error in my calculations meant I was £38 in credit on the Halifax Clarity card we use in Europe.  So I used €40 of that and topped up a bit more onto the CCP card.  It makes booking aires in advance easier and also, when tapping in and out it takes it off the card and not off the bank card.

From there we will have an exciting €16 journey over the Viaduc de Millau. It's one of the few tolls we should encounter along the route.  Apart from the A16 from Boulogne to Abbeville, and the A9 to get to the Spanish border that is!

The fourth and last stop I am planning is at Saint-Cyprien Plage Marina aire.  We stayed there in November 2022 and it was perfect for what we needed for a single overnight. Hopefully it won't be full, but there are alternatives not too far away on the CCP app.  

One of the reviews gives it low marks because it's "basically a tarmac parking area" - that's what aires are unless they are former campsites!

This time next week we should be on our pitch at the Marina at Châtillon-sur-Loire.  😁