Brittany to Britain

Wednesday 22 May 2013 and Thursday 23 May 2013

The Purpose of going to the camp site was two fold, firstly to use the internet which we did with abandonment. We have so much to do in the short time we have back in the UK so it was on we went to sort it all out. Secondly, it was to prepare ourselves for the return journey and clean the van and do the washing. 

We broke the back of the long list of things we on the first day which was as well, as Thursday the weather closed in and it rained in the afternoon and evening. 

Friday 24 May 2013

The heavy rain woke us up at 5am and we didn't really get back to sleep again. We held out till 07.00 and put the kettle on. By the time we had showered and had breakfast and Petra had her last look on the internet it was 11.00 before we set off on the 290km drive to Dinan south of St Marlo. Most of the drive was on Motorway and the 3 hour journey flew by. We had our lunch sitting outside a garage restaurant watching the rain come and go.

We arrived at Dinan at about 14.30. The Aire is situated at the bottom of the town near the river and nestling under a huge viaduct. we had to pay for car park up to 19.00 (€2.40) then it was free to the morning. After settling Bertie in the Air and a cup of tea, we set off to explore.

Walking out of the car park we turned right and walked down to Dinan Port some 200m away. The views as walked along were really nice but were just a taster of things to come. As we walked along the riverside path past the Boat Trip kiosk we turned left and started the clime up the cobbled street which took us to the walls of the medieval town and into it’s heart.

The walk up the hill was amazing, the architecture so complete and picturesque. It was difficult to know where to point the camera. As we approached the top of the hill there was a turn to the right which led up steps (and more steps) until you eventually arrived at the top of towns wall. The views of the town were well worth the effort and very interesting. We walked along the walls for 100m or so and dropped back down to street level. Carrying on up the hill we eventually came into the town centre and the main shopping area. The fantastic wooden medieval houses didn’t stop in the centre, it just seemed to go on an on for ever. How this town survived the two wars and the centuries is a credit to the people of Dinan.

We thoroughly enjoyed our visit to Dinan and we would say no trip to Brittany would be complete without visiting it. It was lovely to look around the artisan shops and the ambiance of the town simply made it a joy to be there. This was despite the threatening weather. 

Saturday 25 May 2013

It was a shame to have to leave Dinan it was such a lovely place, but onward and upward as it were. After a quick stomp down to the bread shop and an Artisan baguette in the larder for later we were off bright and early. 

First stop of the day was St Malo. Now St Malo is of course known as a ferry destination, but I bet not many people know that its origins can be traced to a Welsh monk called Maclou (hence the name), as we drove through the fairly extensive outskirts we were wondering if we had made the right choice. The Aire is situated right in the harbour area and next to a main road. Things didn’t look up as we walked down the road to the old town. We were surrounded on all sides by piles and piles of wood it was everywhere but the smell was lovely. Always loved the smell of knotted pine in the morning. 

Walking down to the marina we stopped at the lifting bridge and admired the views. What was in front of us was the huge walled fort, a fantastic stone construction complete with ramparts that completely encompass the old town 1754 meter long. It was constructed between the middle ages and the 18th century. Its heyday was in the 17-18th century thanks to seafarers and merchant shipping which of course still goes on to today. It is an impressive sight to see.

Walking to the old gate entrance we saw a Carousel which had been glassed in all around. Don’t think we’ve ever seen one like that before. Mind you with the weather like it has been lately it’s probably a good idea. As soon as you walk inside the walls the atmosphere changes and you get the feeling of narrow streets which is exacerbated by the hight of the buildings. Around the walls were shops and cafes and trees it gave a very nice feel. Walking up the high street it soon became clear that the shops were geared up for the tourist trade and we were enticed into any number of souvenir and boutique type shops. You could easily spend a hefty wedge here.

We really enjoyed the shops and eventually came out through another gate on the west side of the fort to the sea. We sat on a bench for a while and enjoyed the stunning views across the entrance to the harbour. Back through the gate there is a set of stone steps that lead to the top of the ramparts, the walk along them was simply magical. With the sun out and the wind dropped and the smell of the sea in the air, it was a lovely day. The sea was a beautiful turquoise blue with Old Gaffs sailing by. We must have walked a good km on the walls stopping all the time as there was so much to see. 

Saturday is kite flying day and we saw a man flying his large scale multi-coloured  Mantray. Wow, it was huge and looked so majestic in flight. There was also a collection of guy’s flying their stunt kites. It was all brilliant.

In the end we had walked all round the walls and ended up back at the Carousel coming from the other side. Back at Bertie we had our lunch and decided we really didn’t want to stay on the Aire overnight so we would move on.

Looking through the Aire’s book we found a likely contender, a small town called Dol de Bretagne (hope you are all following this on the map) and only 30km away. We arrived there at 13.30.

Now, one thing we keep forgetting is that in France everything shuts for lunch. Even on a Saturday and for two hours from 12 - 2pm. We of course walked into the town at 13.30 and it was all shut. But it was the strangest thing, the place was completely deserted. At Dol de Bretagne they have a lunch break and they all have one. They also have a public address system and every shop down the high street has a small speaker at the first level of the building. It plays non-stop music. So there we were walking down the empty high street listening to ‘Wake me up before you go go (Wham)’, ‘Total eclipse of the heart’ (Bonny Tyler) and Queen echoing around the place. It was a but apocalyptic and surreal and felt like we had stepped on to a movie set where the participants had somehow vanished.

In the end we took a turn off the high street and found the Cathedral. A mammoth construction for such a small town with the most peculiar tower. Most un-Bretton like and a bit on the ugly side. The inside was lovely and the stained glass windows a treat. Whilst pondering over the one in the naive a small elderly French gentleman approached us and started talking to us. We told him we were numpty English and we didn’t speak French, but it didn’t deter him one jot, no, he just carried on at full speed. We did manage to understand that he was a pilot during the war. We would have loved to have been able to have heard his story.

By now we had been on our feet most of the day and we made our way back to Bertie for a rest. Not before stopping however, at the local Patisserie and bagged a couple of slices of Flan. We enjoyed them with a freshly ground mug of steaming hot coffee. A perfect end to a perfect day.

Nice right hook!

Brittany

So it is with a bit of sadness that tomorrow we leave Brittany. We have really loved our month away and the stay in Brittany has been wonderful. Yes it could have been warmer but it hasn’t stopped us doing anything, the people have been friendly, kind and inviting. The scenery spectacular and the towns enchanting and full of history, art and culture. There is no graffiti, or rubbish on the ground, the houses are well kept and the gardens (both civic and civil) are beautifully kept. Some of the best being road traffic islands.  If you were to ask would we come again the answer is absolutely, If you were to ask would we live here we would also say absolutely. The only problem is where? with so much going for it Brittany is a very hard act to follow.

Sunday 26 May

We travelled 213km today and ended up just outside Le Havre in a small village called La Viviere St Sauvier. It nestles in the shadow of the huge bridge that spans the Seine and one that we would be crossing tomorrow. As a result there is a slight hum from the traffic. We had a walk around the town which was all closed as usual as it was a Sunday. Threading it’s way through the village is a small river and we stood talking to and old man about the fish, he had a lovely husky type dog.

Back at Bertie we gave him a bit of a spruce up and sat in the sun for the rest of the afternoon. 

Monday 27 May

Can you believe it, yet another Bank Holiday for the French. Mon dieu, they have more Bank Holidays than we have Rrrrroast Bufffff. We were up nice and early and on our way into Le Havre by 9.00am. It was only 20 or so km to the Aire at the port so we were settled in with a cup of freshly ground by 10am. After we went for a long walk around the city.

As it was a B s*****g H nothing of any interest (shop wise) was open so we made our way to the towering church that dominates the skyline. It reminds one of a miniature skyscraper  or concrete obelisk. In any case it deserved a look. On route we walked down the coast to the pebble beach. By now it was really getting hot and the day had turned out splendid indeed. We stood for quite some time watching the lads on their rollerblades, bikes, and scooters performing all their tricks on the largest skateboard park in France. It was quite exciting if not a bit nerve-racking to watch.

St Joseph church is not far from the skateboard park and we made our way down the road with it standing ahead of us. As you near it you begin to realise what a construction this. It is made entirely out of concrete from bottom to the very top. It is an amazing construction but not to everybody’s taste. Designed by Augustus Perret it towers 107m, used 700 tons of steel and 50,000 tons of concrete. The church windows are made of 12,768 pieces of coloured glass. The construction began in 1951 after the original was destroyed in the war, it was completed in 1964. It is now a listed building.

It had to be said that the inside of the church is very interesting as the huge tower is in fact hollow to the top and is visible from the ground. All the way up the tower are the coloured windows which on a sunny day like we had was a joy to see. (see Pics)

So that’s it now in France for possibly a month, we have to go back to the UK for some works to be done on Bertie, go to see Ben Waters at his garden music festival in Dorchester with special guest stars Mungo Jerry (ask your mom!) and of course visit a few friends & family. So when we are back on the road again we will post on Facebook.

To the end of Brittany we go....

Tuesday 14 May 2013

Today was a bit of a rest day on the account of the rain....So we inhaled the internet all day doing a bit of research, Blog and the like. To be honest, when we are on a campsite we really need to do it and we cannot waste a single second of Internet time. We also had a lovely chat with Josie and Kev’s Dad on Skype. What a fantastic tool that is.

Wednesday 15 May 2013

We were ready to move on today, not that we couldn’t have stayed longer on the site with all the electric hook up and wifi but the road calls and we want to move on. However, we were in no hurry to move on so taking advantage of the last few hours of our entitlement to stay, we did a bit washing and of course last bits on the internet and boosting of chargeable devices.

We eventually left at about 11.30 and made our way to an area recommended called Pointe de Pontusval. The north coast of Brittany is very rugged and some of the rock formations have simply been breath-taking. There are huge worn boulders everywhere and at Ponte de Pontusval they spill out of the sea onto the land and are scattered everywhere amongst the local houses. It is very interesting to see how the locals have built around them and in some cases built in the lee of the rocks to protect from the prevailing wind which in this region can be very wild indeed.

We parked Bertie in a car park facing the sea and had our lunch. It was great to look out to sea and watch as the sea crashed over the rocks in the distance. It turned out to be a really nice sunny day and it was really up lifting for the soul. From out seats we could see in the far distance to our left, ‘Phare de I’Ile Vierge’ the tallest lighthouse on Europe. To the right a much nearer lighthouse at Brignogan-Plages. There were tiny boats near the shore which despite being in the lee of the rocks breaking the waves, were still bobbing about quite violently. Oh, and fantastic sandy beaches with large clumps of grasses...

After lunch, we decided to get the bikes out and cycle to the nearer of the two light houses at Brignogan-Plages. It didn’t look very far away but, it was situated on the other side of an inlet so we had to cycle the long way round. It was a very nice ride though as the roads were flat and cycling was effortless. We found the ride there and the views of the lighthouse more rewarding than the Lighthouse itself once we were there it took only a few moments to look around and we were off again. Going back we took an even longer route that took us right into the countryside and at times we really felt we had gone to far. It all worked out in the end and we arrived back at the van a bit more tired than we had planned for but quite satisfied with our efforts.

Next on the agenda for the day was to find ‘Men Marz’ its a 26‘ manhir topped by a cross (the Miracle Stone). we had a good look around the stone and the area before setting off again this time to a small village called Meneham.

Often shrouded in mist (but not today), the village nestles where masses of rocks defy description. Dwarfed by boulders we found the stoned-roofed 17th Century post, once a protector of the coast from invaders. it used to have a wooden roof but the locals kept pinching the wood? There are also dwellings that have been restored and have thatched roofs. Personally, it all looked a bit new for my taste and would benefit from a bit of weathering. There was also a few Artisan shops and a cafe.

By now time was moving on and it was 16.30. We would normally be tucked up on our Aire for the night by now thinking it’s only half an hour to the G&T. Our chosen stop for the night was at a place called Portsall, A French holiday village with small beautiful Gites and only 1min away from the sea. As it turned out it really is a good site, a large grassy field. free which we like and it has the facilities we needed.

Thursday 16 May 2013

As the site we are on has turned out to be so nice, we decided we would stay for three nights. So today was a free day, but it rained in the morning which put a bit of a dampener on things. As it happens we had a leisurely get up and it was 10am before we started to thing about breakfast. By the time the rain had cleared away it was approaching lunch time  so we occupied ourselves doing stuff.

The sun came out all afternoon so we got the bikes out and went for a nice long ride down to the port. We sat on a bench admiring the views and waiting for the chandlery to open at 14.00. Kev collects Burgees and wants a Brittany flag for his collection. Unfortunately, they only had cheap nylon ones and he wanted sewn cotton. 

We cycled back up the hill towards the Aire but took a  detour along the coast and through the street after street of holiday homes. Some of them are quite lovely, stone built cottage sits comfortably next to contemporary wood glass and steel. We didn’t see a soul.

Back at the van, it was chairs out and Petra studied the travel books whilst Kev emptied and gutted the garage. Although the van had been valeted before we picked it up it really wasn’t up to our standard and bit by bit we are claiming it as our own. It took a good couple of hours and a couple of mugs of tea before the job was done. 

In the evening we played our games, we really look forward to our matches of Backgammon, Drafts and Rummicub. all washed down with lashings and lashings of Cab Sauv.

Friday 17 May 2013

Today was another doing day, well the morning was. Kev had been really bothered by the seats in the sitting area and wanted to investigate why they looked a bit baggy. This was especially the bench seat. He took it apart and it was soon clear what the problem was. After years of sitting on the cushions they had slipped round on the pad. They were carefully unzipped and pulled back into shape. Petra went round each cushion with a needle and pushed in all the loose threads. The result was amazing, it immediately transformed the look of the living area and the somehow made the upholstery look like new again. We did the same with the rest of the seats resulting in a very satisfying morning indeed. 

This spurred us on to have a go at other superficial things that had been niggling us like the pile on the carpet in one particular spot was all fluffy from where it had been folded and had piled. Out with the fuzz-away and in that’s another satisfying bit looking like new.

Petra did the washing and after it had stopped raining the sun came out and we had a great afternoon relaxing reading, sewing and sitting outside in the sun. In the evening Petra cooked a roast dinner (as well she could without an oven) and again we played our games in the evening. 

Tomorrow we are off on our travels again.

Saturday 18 May 2013 - Tuesday 21 May 2013

We had heard on the grapevine that Monday was yet another Bank holiday in France. We have no idea what this one is all about, but all the shops will be closed on Monday. On the way to our next destination we stopped off at Supermarket to get stocked up on food and water. Again we couldn’t find Lidl from the satnav directions but found it later on the way out .

The weather has changed and is less settled at the moment and being by the coast is not such fun at it could be. We decided we would find a bolt hole for a while and free camp in a village. We found our sanctuary for the next four nights in a really small village called Ploumonguer. We did try different site but it turned out they were having a pop concert and vintage car rally and well, we were off!

The Aire at Ploumonguer is really nice indeed. Each van has its own space surrounded by a 4’ privet  hedge. There is room for about 20 vans but when we arrived there was only us there. We settled in really quickly and went to investigate.

Nearby, were some football pitches and a club house which had toilets and washing facilities (two sinks) but free access to water is rare indeed and something we were going to take advantage of. We then walked into the village just 100m away. It is a very small village but does have everything you need including a small supermarket, patisserie and a bar (no WiFi). In the centre of the village is a church with the customary Brittany type spire. It all reminded us a bit of 'allo 'allo. It really didn’t take long to walk around the remainder of the village and before long we were back at the van.

In the afternoon the football pitch became alive with football matches and we could hear the game going on and the cheering every time a goal was scored. Then came the horns, the French really like their horns.....

Over the next couple of days we decided that we would continue with the clean up of Bertie. We do realise it must seem strange to spend a few days cleaning the van but we believe its the only way to get to know it and find out what needs maintenance, repair or replacing. It is through doing this that we have discovered a large list of things that need sorting on the van when we return to Premier to have some agreed repairs done. We have also got together a list of things that we want added to the van. For example we want to have fitted a external gas point to run the Cadac BBQ and have a better battery management system fitted to the solar panel. Most of the jobs are superficial or even cosmetic but we want them done. After all this is our house and home.

In all we have about 20 different jobs that need doing and we are planning our return journey to the UK to coincide with going to see Ben Waters' music festival at his home in Dorset 1st June. We do not have a date from Premier yet so the dates are all a bit vague and are reliant on all parts arriving.

Anyway the next few days were spent really cleaning the van. Kev even went on the roof of the van and spent the entire morning washing and polishing. One of the worst jobs was sorting out the cables from the Satellite dish and the Solar Panel which had been stuck down with mastic and a cable tie. The ties had perished leaving the cables flapping around. It was a devil's own job to get the mastic off. If anyone knows a quick way to remove mastic please let us know. It was a really hard days graft we both had and by 4pm we were done in and it took a couple of days for Kev to get over it. Still Bertie now looks as good as we can get him. Get the jobs done by Premier and we will be ready to go anywhere.

Tomorrow we are going to do a bit more sight seeing and make our way to a proper campsite. The internet calleth.

Wednesday 22 May 2013

When we awoke this morning it was a beautiful sunny day and it filled us with excitement for the day ahead. Today we go to La Conquet the furthest west we are going in Brittany and therefore France. After this trip out we head back to the UK for repairs to the van. 

It wasn’t very far from our Aire to the coastal town of La Conquet some 20 minutes and we arrived at 10.30. We parked up in another Aire (free parking town centre) and walked into the town. Where would you get that in England? We really liked the town it is very beautiful and right now quiet. The streets have shops that you would expect that are geared up for the tourist and we visited them all. 

We then walked out of the town and up the hill towards a mast at the hill top.The aim being to get the view of the town across the bay. As we approached the top there was a walled complex and a sign saying it was a place of natural beauty. We walked down the road and it was obvious that this complex used to be a military camp which has now been turned over to civilian use. We walked out the other end of the camp and we were met with the view we were searching for. It was right on the cliffs edge and we could walk down to what were once gun emplacements was now a beautiful wild flower grassy plateaux. 

We stayed for quite some time at this spot basking in the sunlight and smelling the grass, sea air and flowers. It really was a nice place to be. Walking back to the town was great too as we could see a different way to that which we came and we happily chatted and took photo’s as we went. Back in the town Petra went into a Patisserie to purchase our second breakfast, Kev had a whopping slab of Flan (custard tart) and for her an Pomme Bretton (Apple Cake) and a long bagette for lunch. 

On the way back Petra was marveling as to how cheap it was here and how little the cost of the food somehow seemed. When we got back to Bertie and had made the tea we found out why, the girl had miss understood Petra’s 'perfect' French and given her a plain Croissant instead!! Still, the Flan was far to big for Kev so we had half the flan and half a Croissant each.

By 12.00 that was that and we drove the 50km to the same campsite we were on on the 13 May. We intend to stay here for a couple of nights mainly to use the internet and do clothes washing etc. We were greeted by the owners who remembered us and we put Bertie on a really spacious plot in the full sun. Brilliant day all round.

For our dear friends Gaby and George....x

Moving along the north coast of Brittany

Thursday 9 May 2013

We were quite happy where we were but duty calls and touring we must go. The weather was clear blue skies if a bit on the cool side. We did the necessary with Bertie before we went, empty this and fill that but we are becoming so well versed at it now it only takes minutes.

The route we decided to go was around the Cote de Granit Rose, not sure why it’s called that but there an’t half a load of strange colour rocks about. It really is a lovely drive along the coast which has fantastic rock formations and huge rocks at that. Our first stop was at a place called Ploumanac’h. As we were quite early 10am, we managed to find a great parking space in the middle of the coastal town. We walked down the main road towards the sea and to a truly amazing cove. It had really strange rock formations and the rose coloured rock formations were extraordinary. The tide was out and a couple of old gaffs were beached against a rock and looked delightful.

We found a notice board that showed us a route to take along the coast to a lighthouse. Again it was one surprise after another as we weaved our way along the path. It was quite windy here and the seas were rolling in making huge waves against the sculptured rocks. We stood for ages watching as they crashed and foamed as they soared in. We finally came to the lighthouse that stood on a small rock promontory. We noted how cleaver the builders were to build not only the lighthouse but the out building to include the rocks.

By now the wind and cold was starting to chill so we made our way back to the town and to Bertie. Not before we took a tour of the local shops. Most shops sell very nice biscuits which they very kindly crush up a few for people to sample. We of course had to try them all and so didn’t need one with our tea. By now it was 11.45hrs and the car park was completely full to bursting. We realised later that it was V.E day today and is therefor a bank holiday.

After tea we set off for our lunch time stop. It was a place again on the coast but a very small and quite village called St. Michel-en-Greve. We parked in an empty car park and walked the two hundred meters to the beach. The beach was huge....really huge. and with the tide out it looked like a desert, you could just see the sea in the distance which swung around in a long curve to the distance. We thought it must be an amazing place in the hight of summer, you would never feel crowded.

After lunch we set the Tomtom to our final destination for the day, Penze a small hamlet with an Aire on a creek. On the way we spotted a Macdonald’s and parked up in Lidl to walk across the road. Wifi calleth. Unfortunately, like their portions the internet is the same where ever you go and it is S.....L.......O......W. Kev sat and spent nearly 2hrs doing some emails and downloading 12 photo’s to the blog. There must be a better way than this...Petra stayed in Bertie was was rewarded with a Mac flurry Dime with choc. There is no justice in the world.

We finally arrived at Penze at about 16.30hrs it really is quite nice and we think we will stay here two nights and go for a walk along the creek. Kev went to the garage and DISASTER the clothes rail had come adrift from the garage roof and the clothes were on the floor. With the amount of clothes and coats we have it was a disaster waiting to happen and a good opportunity to do something about it. We spent the rest of the day folding up clothes and putting up a new smaller rail. The garage looks better for is and we now know exactly what we have got.

Well, someones really upset him!

Friday 10 May 1013

We had a really quite night and slept well, when we opened the blinds in the morning the tide was high and the area looked lovely. Kev took some pictures in the morning light. After Breakfast we tidied up and went for a walk in the village. We are right in the centre of the village and quite a few people come down to use the kiddies swings not far away from the Aire. It is a very nice quiet place on the water side with benches and lots of grass. There is also a path that runs along the waters edge that we explored later.

Moving into the village there is not much to see other than houses. It is a one Patisserie town and that’s it. The road through the village runs up a hill and out into the countryside. So you can imagine it didn’t take us long to look around. 

Back to Bertie and after coffee we went on the creek walk. This really was a beautiful walk with bluebells and other woodland flowers in full bloom. The path was windy and a bit up and down but that just added to the fun. We recon we walked for about 4km along the creek before turning back. By now the tide had retreated leaving huge shiny mud banks. It was such a contrast to the high tide you could hardly believe you were in the same place.

In the Afternoon we relaxed Petra stitching and Kev trying to play his ukelele it was lovely and sunny and we had a really nice sunset. A perfect day really.........Until

In the evening a van turned up and parked next to ours. On the back it had a wooden box which turned out to be the dog’s kennel. They got the poor creature out of the box and tied it to the back bumper there it stayed till it was bed time and it was put back in ‘The Chokey’ . In the night at about 2am the dog had clearly had enough and howled the howl of the hound of the Baskerville’s. Did the owner get out and sort......No of course not.

On top of this there was a Wedding....ah....well no not really, when people get married in France it’s a good opportunity to make sure your horn works and it is acceptable to do this at any time of the day or night or even early morning.

Saturday 11 May 2013

Woke up tired this morning from last nights antics to the sound of a generator going full chat outside. In camping circles it really is bad form to disturb other campers and the most hated is the generator. Some like the Honda whisper are very quiet indeed and you would hardly know they were on others, are like a pneumatic drill and are very annoying indeed. Clearly, the one we could hear was of the latter school. Looking outside it was clear from the wire trailing across the Aire who the culprit was and yes it was our dog loving neighbour. What an unsociable person he had become. To add insult to injury he had placed the wretched thing facing towards us and nearer us than himself.

The man in the camper in front of us was so mad with the chap he got out of his van and turned the generator off. At this the un-socialite came out huffing and puffing and only the French can do and put it back on again. There ensued a short ‘chat’ between them and it then all went quiet. 

The advantage of having a portable home is if you don’t like your neighbour you can move. So that’s exactly what we decided to do. We had breakfast (Croissants collected from the Patisserie by Petra) and made ready to move on. Kevin was walking back from the bin and walked past the van in front, they said they wee moving on and Kev concurred we were doing likewise. We were just about ready to go when the man in front started his van and moved off. Then to our amazement, Mr Popular next door fired up his engine and he was off. We just sat there wondering what was all that about. Well, we thought for a second whether to stay not it was quiet again but as we were ready to go we might as well move on ourselves. 

It was all very fascinating to watch the interactions going on but a shame one person could have such a devastating affect on the ambiance of a very pleasant site.

Roscoff is only 19km from Penze and is another stunning Aire. The views were simply magic. After the antics of the morning and the fact that the weather was not that nice, it had turned wet and cold we stayed in the comfort of Bertie for the afternoon other that later on we went for a walk along the coast road looking for the services. 

On the way back we saw right next door to the Aire beautiful house that in it’s prime must have wonderful. It was all boarded up now with shuttering on the windows and a metal gate stopping entrance. But to the side in the Aire itself was a gap in the wall which enabled access. We looked around the back which was even more interesting than the front. It looks like it was once someone’s country pile in times past complete with stables and housing for the servants. In latter years it was used as an asylum which did give it a bit of a more sinister look to it.

As said the Aire is on the coast and is at the top of a huge bay. When the tide goes out here it really goes out. So far in fact that the sea disappears from view all together leaving a rather rocky and untidy looking beach strewn with odd rocks and seaweed. We sat in Bertie in the late afternoon with the seat facing forward watching the tide race in Petra did her tapestry. We like it here.

Now you see it....

......Now you don't

Spooky...

Sunday 12 May 2013

Unfortunately,  the weather did not improve by the morning and we had an admin morning doing what we do best......sorting stuff. But, by the afternoon the weather had changed completely, the sun came out everything dried up and we decided to get the bikes out. This their first outing since we left the UK and we were quite looking forward to cycling into Roscoff. 

Roscoff is a good half hour walk from the Aire so we were quite glad to have the bikes. It turns out Roscoff is a really lovely town. The houses are usually painted cream in colour with a slate roof and mahogany windows. They are all completely different but the unity of colour brings it all together for a nice airy fresh feel. The fact there is no graffiti or, rubbish about place, well maintained roads and fantastic spring flower displays all combine to produce a feel good feeling as you cycle along.

All towns in Brittany have a church with a spire. They are loosely similar and very ornate. Although you do get the feeling at some stage there must have been a bit of rivalry between the towns to see who could build the tallest, fanciest or grandest appendage to their church. Roscoff didn’t do too well in the race and the tower is a rather solid looking affair. 

We pushed our bikes along the cobbled streets and looked in the shops that were open. Then we cycled along the fishing harbour wall to see the boats high and dry against the wall. Finally we pushed on to the Ferry port to check on the priced of sailing from Roscoff. The ferry port is small but looked very easy to use so a real possibility.

Monday 13 May 2013

It is 66km from Roscoff to Guissey and that means we are not far from completing the north coast of France. We were in no hurry to set off today but we had decided that as it had now been two weeks since we had been on a proper campsite it was time to catch up. We have no charge left in the computer’s, 2 of the phones, and the toothbrushes. Because we are driving such short distances there’s not time to charge everything up whilst the motor is running. We also had a mountain of washing to do. 

On the way we wanted to go food shopping at a town called Lesneven which is a town we nearly came unstuck. Kev asked the Tom-Tom to find the local Lidl and off we set. The Tom-Tom is an amazing tool and we have no idea how on earth we could managed without it. But what it didn’t understand is that Monday is Market day in Lesneven and the main road and some of the side roads through the town are closed off to accommodate it. As we neared the centre of the town it became clear that we were going to be diverted and put simply, the walls started to close in. We came to a halt at a point looking at the Market stalls with a left turn looking only just big enough to get Bertie down. Kev hesitated for a bit but with traffic mounting up behind he really had no choice. We set off down the narrow road and weaved our way through parked cars and vans till we came out the other end very relieved indeed.

The Tom-Tom un-vexed by the event simply plotted the next available course and we arrived at the spot where Lidl was supposed to be.....No it was a E’lecerc......supermarket. We were ready to stop so gave up on Lidl and did our shopping. Once done we put in the numbers for the campsite. One hundred yards along the road was the Lidl !!! 

We were quite glad to reach the campsite at 12.30, it really is a quite haven away from it all. It’s a ACSI site so with our card we get a discount at €12.40 per night. This included electricity and all the facilities you would expect. The first thing we did was select a nice flat pitch which is surrounded on three sided by a 4’ hedge. We then emptied the van of waste and filled the water tank. Over to the pitch we plugged in and started charging up every electrical appliance we have and start the cleaning. Out with everything all cleaned and put back together again. The outside was given a good clean which by now was quite dirty. The site washer was put into action and so was their washing lines finished off in the tumble dryer at the end of the day.

By 5pm we were just about done in but with everything charged up and ready to go we felt quite gratified with out efforts. The evening was spent on the internet doing emails and downloading updates for the Tom-Tom and the blog.