July 18th update

Our time at Dinan passed all too quickly. We walked into town along the towpath and explored on one day then spent another cycling around the area, both along the R. Rance and on cycle tracks away from it. All surrounded by lovely countryside and old traditional buildings.

On the cycle path alongside the R. Rance

Thursday 5th July

Stopped on a municipal site just north of Meyenne. A basic site but located at the side of a park with eated swimming pool (free access for campers) a boules pitch and crazy golf etc. Although only basic facilities we were only stopping one night so this wasn't a problem.

Friday 6th July

We headed off to Orleans where I had identified an Aire on the banks of the R Loire. When we arrived access was via a barrier that needed 5 euros paying to operate it. We thought, OK €5 won't break the bank for a nights stop so imagine our surprise when we discovered that it included electric hookup as well. Nicely landscaped and maintained it was an example that some campsites could look at and benefit from.

Saturday 7th July

One of a few 'black Saturdays' on French roads when half the country goes on holiday. Fortunately it all seemed to going in the opposite direction to us and we had an uneventful journey until our speedometer stopped working about half way to our destination near Romilly sur Seine. We arrived at the campsite then after booking in and finding a pitch (not easy) I phoned our breakdown cover which is part of our motorhome insurance. When they returned my call (much cheaper on a mobile) , although they could not get a breakdown van out as the MH was still driveable they contacted a garage not far away who said they could take a look at it on Monday for us. A full address was texted to me and a call back to check I had received it OK. Our site was OK but nothing special and if we had not have had sunshine I think we might have been disappointed as it was the most expensive site to date at €23.50 but it was handy.

Sunday 8th July

We woke to grey skies and light drizzle so decided that we would look for a different site in the area. My Autoroute program showed me a municipal site about the same distance beyond where the garage was so we upped sticks and moved on, what a contrast. A lovely little village (Mery sur Seine) on the banks of the R Seine and a very welcoming lady in reception. For €9.70 we got exactly the same as we had had on the previous site but much nicer surroundings. If any parts we may need for the MH repair take time to be delivered we would be quite content to remain here for a while I think.

Mery sur Seine just by the campsite

After finding the garage (they had moved 3km) it turned out to be a Renault agency who could not help with a problem on a Fiat chassis based motorhome. As we were already on the road we continued on to Epernay where we were heading to next anyway. On the way there Sues arm and ankles began really swelling up from insect bites  so on arrival we stopped at a pharmacy to see what could ease it. She came out with a carrier bag of goodies that although extreme seemed to work after a day or two. Because of this we did not stay more than one night there as it was not comfortable for Sue to walk at that stage. We could have stayed until Sue felt better but the site was quite noisy so we did not linger.

Tuesday 10th July

We drove on to Pierrefonds which is the setting of the castle used to film BBC TVs Merlin series. We hoped that it as spectacular as the TV series suggested it was........we were not disappointed. As we drove along the road to Pierrefonds we came over the brow of a hill about two miles out and there was the castle infront of us - spectacular. We found the site in town easily and after setting up the MH we walked into the village to explore. As we walked towards the castle we got glimpses of it between buildings then in the main square we saw it in all it's glory. We walked on and went round the castle which was really quite interesting and very different to a normal grand house or castle as there was virtually no furniture at all in it. It was very impressive though all the same.

Pierrefonds chateau

Wednesday saw light rain when we woke so we decided to head on to our next planned destination at Peronne in the Somme valley. Out campsite there was right on the edge of the Canal de la Somme which carries a very large number (or so it seems ) of large commercial barges, probably 200ft long and some pushing another of the same size. Manouvering those must be rather interesting. Peronne itself is quite a pleasant town despite being 90% destroyed in WW1. Wherever you look anywhere in this area there are memorials or cemeteries to do with this period of history. We had two nights here and could have stayed longer but the weather had turned by now to rain, rain and more rain so we moved on, this time to Ypres in Belgium.

Don't fancy manoeuvring one of these - barges at Peronne on the Canal de la Somme

Friday 13th July

Travelling on this day was not as relaxing as it had been up to then as we were coming up to a French Bank Holiday weekend (Bastille Day) so the roads were rather busy, especially around Lille that we had to navigate around. We managed though and drove in to Ypres and found our campsite. Once access was gained to it (it had an automatic barrier that would only operate once you had the card issued when you complete the automatic checkin, all very high tech but it worked. We set up the van, had a coffee then went exploring. About a ten minute walk found us in the centre of Ypres in the main square, very picturesque with building very much Dutch in style rather than the French style we had been used to. Sue found a chocolate shop (we were in Belgium after all) but resisted all temptations to buy and left empty handed. With the Menin Gate * at the end of the road we realised how compact the centre of this town was. We walked back to the van for dinner before coming back to the gate for the 20.00 Last Post Ceremony. This is carried out every night of the year at 20.00 in memory of those who lost their lives in the fighting of the Ypres Salient in the First World War. On the Friday night with several hundred other people watching besides us, as well as the four buglers sounding the last post  there was in attendance the Reading Bach Choir who sang three items, culminating in the British National Anthem. I don't mind admitting that my eyes were moist at the end of the ceremony, very, very moving.

Menin Gate at Ypres, very moving

* The Menin Gate is a War Memorial, constructed after the First World War in memory of approximately 75000 personnel who had died in the hostilities for whom there were no identifiable remains to be buried. Their names appear on plaques on virtually every surface of the gate which got its name from the fact that it bridges the Menin Road out of the town.

Saturday was a lazy day and we did a bit of shopping (yes the chocolates won) and a bit more exploring. We returned again to the Menin Gate for the evening ceremony surprised to see even more people than the previous evening, but then it was Saturday night.

Sunday 15th July

As the weather had turned wet and the forecast for the next week was awful we had decided to change our ferry booking and head home earlier. We drove to Dunkerque and boarded the 12.00 ferry to Dover. On arrival in Dover after a flat calm crossing again we headed to Eastbourne for a night at my mothers before heading on home arriving mid afternoon.

Leaving Dunkerque - the blue skies did not last

Wednesday 18th July

We have now been home a couple of nights and are already thinking about where we can go next........time will tell !