Chris Anthony

Camping Holiday France 2011

Thursday 16th June – Monday 18th July.

Liz + Chris + Hugh in our Campervan Kon-tiki.

Ferry Portsmouth to Caen (Ouistraham)
Hugh flew back on 3rd July from Avignon [Flybe].
Total: 1,953 miles; 3,125km.

Click here for all pictures for 2011 trip

Ouistraham by motorway [mainly] Falaise, Boussac, Poinsouze; past Vichy, Chaise-Dieu, to Vorey; Yssingeaux,  past Valence, Crest, Die to  Lus la Croix Haute; [past Barcelonette to Larche; past Digne les Bains to St. Laurent du Verdon; to Avignon; past Arles to Saintes Maries de la Mer; to Le Vigan; past Nant to Randals Bison [Causse Noir]; past Meyrueis to Causse Mejean;  to Ste. Enimie; past Mende and Chateauneuf de Randon to Col de la Croix de Bor; past Chaudes aigues, St Flour, Riom es Montagnes to Trizac; by Ussel, La Courtine, Auzances to Evaux les Bains; past Montalgut, by Montmarault and Sancerre to St. Satur/St Thibault; by Aubigny s Nere, Beaugency to La Ferte Bernard; By Vimoutiers, Troarn to Ouistraham, Portsmouth, Southampton.

Ouistraham. By motorway [mainly] Falaise, Alencon, Le Mans, Vierzon, past Bourges, St Amand Montrond, Boussac, Poinsouze [340 miles].

17^th June. Fri. Boussac/Poinsouze. 3 nights. ]. Le chateau de Poinsouze . A les Castels site. Excellent. By its own lake (kayaking etc) near chateau. Good pool. Excellent restaurant.

    Montalgout, past Past Gannat, Vichy, past Thiers, Ambert, Chaise-Dieu, Vorey[173 miles].

20^th June. Mon. Vorey* 2 nights. Excellent site in good walking country with nice pool. Local restaurants.

   Yssingeaux, Tence, St Agreve, past Valence, Crest, Die, Chatillon-en-Diois, Grimone, Lus la Croix Haute [155 miles]. NB: The interesting route by the col de Grimone includes nasty tunnel where we were damaged by a giant German van. Avoid if nervous.

22^nd June. Wed. 2 nights. Lus la Croix Haute. Excellent friendly site with good restaurant. Near nice village with more restaurants. Many good walks. On the road to Grenoble. Wonderful area.

   Veynes, Gap, Barcelonette, Larche [92 miles].

24^th June. Fri. 4 nights. Larche. One of our top sites. About 1800m. Excellent restaurant on site and also in village. Very many high mountain walks. Crag martins in village.

   Barcelonette, Seynes, Digne les Bains [deviation], Les Mees, Bras d’Asse, Riez, St. Laurent du Verdon [138 miles]. Had puncture [sorted by RAC] in Digne.

28^th June.4 nights. St. Laurent en Verdon. By lake near Verdon gorge. Huge friendly site under pines. Great kayaking in lake and gorge. Nice pool, shop and restaurant. Excellent restaurant in village. RAC [pronounced Rack] arranged for 2 new rear tyres.

   Greoux les Bains, pont de Manosque, pont de Pertuis, around Cavaillon, D7, around ring road to Avignon [103 miles]

2^nd July. Sat. 1 night. Avignon. Was Municipal site. New owners. Good. They said it may be full but it was only 25%. Hugh flew home next morning from Avignon airport. Easy access with parking for van. Enjoyable  airport.

   Noves, Graveson, Arles, Saintes Maries de la Mer [76 miles].

3^rd July.Sunday.  Saintes Maries de la Mar. 3 nights. Le clos du Rhone. Wonderful pools and large site. Good bars, shop and excellent Restaurant. Next to beach for good swimming.

   Aigues-Mortes, Nr. Lunel, Sommieres, Quissac, Ganges, Le Vigan [75 miles].

6^th July. Wed. Le Vigan*. 2 nights. Good very friendly site, small pool, shop, snack restaurant.

   Aveze, Alzon, Nant, Revens, Randals Bison [nr Languejols on Causses Noir] [41miles]

8^th July. Friday. Randals Bison***. 1 night. France Passion site on top of wild Causses Noir. Good restaurant for eating their bison.

    Meyrueis, Causse Mejean**, La Parade [25 miles].

9^th July. Saturday. Causse Mejean**. 2 nights. Wild camping. Vultures, deer, choughs.

   Down the hill to St. Enimie [13 miles, nearly 1 hour].

11^th July. Mon. St. Enimie*. 1 night. Nice little town on Tarn packed with restaurants [20 minutes from site]. Good small pool and shop. Good swimming in Tarn. Slightly difficult access for kayaks.

   Sauveterre,  Balsieges, Mendes, Laubert, Chateauneuf de Randon [nice hill village with good shops] Col de la Croix de Bor [50 miles].

12^th July. Col de la Croix de Bor**. 1 night. Excellent wild site in the Margerides. We had huge thunderstorm/hail in the night. Local villages damaged by hailstorms the size of billiard balls.

   St. Alban, Termes, Fournels, Chaudes aigues, St Flour, Murat, Riom en Montagnes, Trizac [102 miles]. Beautiful drive through Margerides and Auvergne but bit spoilt by the wettest drive in my life.

13^th July. Trizac. 2 nights. Wonderful village surrounded by good walking on plateau or cycling. Good restaurants. 

   Riom es Montagnes, Bort les Orgues, by Ussel, La Courtine, Felletin, by Aubusson, Auzances, Evaux les Bains [111 miles].

15^th July. Sat. Evaux les Bains*. 1 night. Site Ok. Village very nice.

   Montalgut, Montmarault, Cosne, Ygrande, Sancoins, La Guerche, Cours, Herry, St. Bouize, by Sancerre, St. Satur/St Thibault [128 miles]

16^th July. Sat. St. Satur/St Thibault.  1 night. Our usual ‘Sancerre’ site on banks of Loire.

   Henrichemont [deviation],  Aubigny s Nere, Clemont, La Marolle, Beaugency,Binas,  St. Calais, La Ferte Bernard [168 miles].

17^th July, Sunday. La Ferte Bernard. 1 night. Ok site. Very nice small town with excellent restaurants.

   Belleme, Mortagne au Perche [deviation]; Vimoutiers, St Pierre, Troarn, Ouistraham [118 miles; 4 hours].

18^th July. Ferry home from Ouistraham.