We set off from Bognor about 2pm although our crossing wasn't until 9pm, nice meal in a lorry services at Folkestone, watched the World Cup opening game.

Reaching France we travelled for about 4 hours navigated the Paris peraphique in the early hours and then pulled up at an Aires for the rest of the night. We only used the Aires with petrol stations as they felt more secure. travelled all the next day with good rest breaks and reached Narbonne in the south of France about 10pm. Stayed in another Aires for the night as the campsites don't open until about 8.30 am.

We hadn't booked anywhere as we wanted to look at a few sites to pick the best one. The first site looked a bit old fashioned so we went on to the next on my list,Les Mimosas. Lovely site very clean and we had a choice of pitches. Very sandy ground but quite hard so if you camp in that region take all purpose tentpegs. We had a small tent just to shove our bedding and sundry items in to give us more room in the daytime and to shove Mr M in if he snored.

Lovely swimming pools and nice all round site good for families. Belgians on next door pitch invited us to watch Englands second game on their large LCD tv, evidently most of Belgium is supporting England. This put a smile on MR M's face and believe me it takes a lot to make him smile as I realised during this holiday.

The pitch with me cooking our meal on the George Foreman very useful if you have electric hook up easier than BBQ.

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y103/mazwad/cookingsmall.jpg


Mr M relaxing whilst I was cooking, well he did all the driving much more tiring than the navigating, sorting out tolls, booking in at sites, speaking any French that was necessary, asking the Belgians if they would possibly charge his phone at our van charge didn't work, making numerous cups of tea, paying for the fuel, washing up, washing clothes etc. I am so gonna get to grips with driving the van. The only thing apart form driving that he had to do was put the bed down at night and up in the morning and he huffed and puffed over that small task.

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y103/mazwad/mrmrelaxingsmall.jpg

The pools, one was heated with a spa part, another had a slide and there was a large one out of the picture for serious swimmers which I never tried as I am a lazy beggar.

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y103/mazwad/poolsmall.jpg
I will do another post later.

thanks maz!

I like your camper van! it looks really super. my mum and dad have just got a new one, my mum went for a drive in it yesterday and she said it was great ... and she's a nervous driver!

it must be hard driving on the "wrong side" of the road in a van though, so I'd let Mr M take the brunt of that gig!

Glad you had a good time ... the weather looks great :sun:



This put a smile on MR M's face and believe me it takes a lot to make him smile as I realised during this holiday.



oh dear! was he a grumpy old sod then? you can tell us ... we wont tell Crit!! :w00t:

Love the hat Maz :thumbsup:

And what are Mr Maz's tattoos?

Yes Dol he was a grumpy sod at times but he lovesdriving on the other side doesn'tfind it at all confusing and he does have a very good navigator;).


His tatooes are all indian based Fee, a squaw on his arm and a wolf and eagle on his chest.

We spent 6 days in the south until Mr M decided it was too hot. We were going to go on a day trip into Spain but he didn't want to drive anymore in the heat. We did visit Carcasonne a beautiful walled city but very comercialised inside.

Carcasonne

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y103/mazwad/carcasonnesmall-1.jpg

We set off for cooler Northern France for the second week taking a different route to the one we had travelled down on that had taken us over the mid Pyranees. The old van had struggled a bit so I looked for a flatter route. We headed towards Tolouse and then Limoges visiting Rocamadour

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y103/mazwad/rocosmall.jpg


We also visited the village of Orador St Glane which has a particularly sad story I will relate in brief.

During 1944 when the Germans were already losing the war they suspected resistance members were in this village. They went there in force separated the men from the women and children and shot them all. The women and children were herded into the church which the Germans, and some conscripted French, barracaded and set fire to. Over six hundred people died there that day but a few survived, only one woman who escaped from the church and I think five men who played dead. The whole village was then set ablaze.

What remained has been left exactly how it still stands today as a monument to those who died. Sadly as far as is known this village did not house resistance members.

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y103/mazwad/oradorcarsmall.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y103/mazwad/oradorsmall.jpg.

I`ve been to Orador St Glane a few times and it really makes you stop and think. Very moving and very sad. Looks like you had a good time and that really is my sort of holiday.

Lovely part of the world Maz and a great way to see it.

My husband is a miserable g!t when he's driving, too. Which makes me wonder why we have so many driving holidays!

It's our kind of holiday, too. In fact, we're going to France again this year. We're visiting friends in the Limousin region. Never been there before, so really looking forward to it. I see you went through Limoges, Maz. Any recommendations?

Gosh Maz, how sad were those last two pictures. Its lovely to leave the place exactly how it was left as it makes everyone think and feel sad.

Brilliant photos ...... and you look very 'at home' in your camper van :good:

Lovely pics Maz, nice camper van and hubby's not bad either.

Orador St Glane is not far from Limoges and definitely worth visiting imo. Rocamadour is within easy reach as well and nearby the caves of padirac.

Google Gouffre de Padirac for a look, we went there 20 years ago and I remember it being spectacular you go in a gondola for part of the trip.

These are the only places we have visited in that area but the scenery nearby is beautiful. I am sure you will have a great time there Patsy.

Part two


On the way to Guines to our second campsite we had a puncture and unfortunately Mr M couldn't remove the wheel nuts. After spending about 10 mins scratching our heads and cursing a motorway patrol vehicle stopped on the other side of the motorway and the driver called across to us to ask if we needed help. He couldn't undo the nuts either and called out a breakdown vehicle with a tool to release them, we were soon on our way again £110 lighter in our pockets. Fortunately we had insurance to cover this but had to pay there and then and claim back at home.

Guines camping, you can see the difference so lush and green. This campsite is about a 20 min drive from Calais and I would recommend it.

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y103/mazwad/tentandwashingsmall.jpg

Cool day in the North

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y103/mazwad/marybeachsmall-1.jpg

We finished our holiday with a trip to a wine warehouse and then had half a day in Belgium.

We love the campsite at Guines as it`s well run and is in a good location for site seeing in that area.

Fantastic Maz...thanks for sharing your adventures...:good:

You have taken some excellent photos...you obviously have a good eye for a shot!