Chris Anthony

Camping Holiday France 2012

Thursday 14th June – Wednesday 18th July

Liz + Chris + Hugh in our Campervan Kon-tiki

Ferry Portsmouth to Caen (Ouistraham). Hugh flew back on 30th June from Perpignan [Flybe]

Total: 1,899 miles; 3,056km

Click here for all pictures for 2012 trip

Ouistraham, Mayenne, Bauge, Lac Rille; Langeais, Motorway past Poitiers, Limoges, Motorway past Uzerches, Tulle, Argentat; Beaulieu, Souillac, St-Cyprien, Le Bugue; Caduin, Agen, Cologne, St Cricq, Lac de Thoux; L’Isle-Jourdain; Motorway around Toulouse, Foix, Axat, Formigueres, Matamale; Mont-Louis, Prades, Thuirs, Argeles-s-Mer; St, Cyprien, past Rivesaltes, Estagel, Tuchan; Durban-Corbieres, Ripaud, Gleon; Portel-des-Corbieres, to Motorway past Narbonne, Beziers, Frontagnan, Les Tamaris;, Gigean, St-Martin-des-Londres, Ganges, Le Vigan, Le Valle de l’Arre; L’Esperou, Mont Aigoual observatory, Meyrueis, Causse mejean; Ste-Enimie, Mende, Chateuneuf-de-Randon, Col de Croix de Bor; St-Alban-sur-Limagnols, Chaude-Aigues, Pont de Lanau, La Belvedere (Neuveglise); St-Flour, Murat, Riom-es-Montagnes, Trizac; Riom-es-Montagnes, Bort-les Orgues, La Courtine, Gentioux-Pigarolles, Vauveix, Val de Vassiviere; Peyrat, Gueret, Argenton-sur-Creuse, Ciron, Port de la Brenne, Rosnay (in La /Brenne Region); Mezieres-en-Brenne, Bournan, L’lle-Bouchard, Saumur; Bauge, Sable-s-Sarthe, Evron, Carrouges, Falaise; St-Pierre-sur-Dives, Troarn, Ranville, Ouistraham, Portsmouth, Southampton.

Note: a) Excellent Campervan park at Nieuil on D28 off N147 opposite the chateau. Before Argentat. b): Campsite on river beach and swimming and interesting town at L’lle-Bouchard on R. Vienne between Rosnay and Saumur.

Ouistraham. Thury-Harcourt, Flers, Domfront, Mayenne, Montsurs, Sable, La fleche, Bauge, Noyant, Breil, Lac Rille [181 miles].

15th June, Friday. Lac Rille. 3 nights. Excellent site in woodland by a large lake which is a bird sanctuary. Easy very close access for launching kayaks. Small pool [cold out of season]; simple camp restaurant. Poor shop and no nearby village. Bread delivered. Spotted flycatchers, Black redstart. Little train ran around site on Sunday.     

Langeais, Montbazon, Motorway past Poitiers, then Lussac les Chateaux, Bellac, Limoges, Motorway past Uzerches, then Seilhac, Tulle, Argentat [148 miles].

18th June. Argentat. 3 nights. Le Chambon. One of our best sites on banks of Dordogne next to the best rapids. [Too full for us this year]. Small pool was closed [too early in season]. Very very friendly site. Excellent walks and bike rides. 30min walk to Argentat; lovely small town with excellent restaurants. Gt. Spotted woodpecker, cirl bunting.

Beaulieu, Vayrac, Souillac, (S. of Sarlat), St-Cyprien, La Bouisson de Caduin, Le Bugue [90 miles].

21st June. Le Bugue. 1 night. Camping Les Trois Caupain. Good site. Good pools. Excellent restaurant. Nice small town very close by.

Caduin, Beaumont-dePerigord, Villeneuve-s-Lot, Agen, Astaffort, Lectoure, Fleurance, Mauvezin, Cologne, St Cricq, Lac de Thoux [127 miles].

22nd June. Lac Thoux near St. Cricq. 2 nights. Very nice site under pine trees by lake; very good for kayaking. Lots of woodpigeons and collared doves; herons.

L’Isle-Jourdain; Motorway around Toulouse (as far as Foix), St-Rome, Nailloux, Pamiers, Foix, Quillan, Axat, Gorges de St-Georges, Puyvalador, Formigueres, Matamale [164 miles].

24th June.  Matamale. 2 nights. Camping du Lac. At 1500m. Great village restaurant. Wonderful grassy site with sweet smelling conifers, good views. Nesting redstarts and black redstart. Serins Crossbil, Bullfinch. Near lake. Nearby swimming pool/bar. Great walks and bike rides.

Mont-Louis, Prades, Rodez, Corbere, Thuirs, Elne, Taxo d’Aval,  Argeles-s-Mer [125 miles; + 50 miles to Perpignan airport and back].

26th June. Argeles sur Mer. 5 nights. Le Soleil. Wonderful pools and large site. Good bars, shop and excellent Restaurant. Next to beach. Bee-eaters, hoopoes and nightingales. Good bike rides. Good local restaurants. Watched Germany knocked out of Europe cup.

St, Cyprien, Canet-Plage, St-Laurent-de-la-Salanque, past Rivesaltes, Estagel, Paziols, Tuchan [50 miles].

1st July. Tuchan. 3 nights. Excellent site near village responsible for Fitou wine. Nice pool and excellent small bar and restaurant. Very friendly. Saw first wryneck in my life. Watched European cup final in bar.

Durban-Corbieres, Ripaud, Gleon. [18 miles].

4th July. Gleon. 1 night. Chateau Gleon-Montanie. France-Passion site in Corbieres, near Villesques des Corbieres. Excellent. Bought 3 cases of super wine (Their website). Nice walks. Friendly. Monsieur Monastier showed me round. He was a French Navy pilot based in Scotland.   

Portel-des-Corbieres, to Motorway past Narbonne, Beziers, to Sete, Frontagnan, Les Tamaris [74 miles].

5th July. Les Tamaris 2 nights***. Large expensive site. Good pool. Excellent walks and bike rides. Beach has breakwaters making sea swimming good. Good for birds. Big bar with karaoke sessions etc. Local restaurants.

Frontagnan, Gigean, Villeveyrac, Gignac, Anlane, St-Martin-des-Londres, Ganges, Le Vigan [73 miles].

7th July. Le Vigan, Le Val de l’Arre. 2 nights. Good very friendly site on banks of river Arre, small pool, shop, snack restaurant.

L’Esperou, Mont Aigoual observatory, Cabriac, Meyrueis, La Parade, Mas-de-Val, Causse mejean [58 miles].

9th July. Causse Mejean. 2 nights. Wild camping. Best wild camping in France (their description is ‘Camping Sauvage’ which is perfect for this place. Overseen by vultures. Good bike rides and walks.

St-Chely-du-Tarn, Ste-Enimie, Sauveterre, Le Bec, Mende, Badaroux, Laubert, Chateuneuf-de-Randon, Baraqu-de-la-Motte, Col de Croix de Bor [60 miles].

11th July. Col de la Coix de Bor. 1 night. Wild camp. In Margeride hills, Excellent site. Up long track away from road. Great views, walks and bike rides. A good restaurant is about a mile to west. Stonechat, Mistle thrushes, Skylarks, Montagu’s harrier.

St-Alban-sur-Limagnols, oast St-Chely-d’Apcher, Fournels, Chaude-Aigues, Pont de Lanau, La Belvedere (Neuveglise) [45 miles].

12th July. Neuveglise***. 1 night. Good friendly terraced site. Nice small pool. Lovely views.   

St-Flour, Murat, Riom-es-Montagnes, Trizac [58 miles].

13th July. Trizac. 1 night. Nice municipal site on edge of wonderful village. Surrounded by good walking on plateau or cycling. Good restaurants. 

Riom-es-Montagnes, Antignac, Bort-les Orgues, Thalamy, Aix, Courteix, St-Remy, La Courtine, La-Mas-d’Artigues, Feniers, Gentioux-Pigarolles, Vauveix, Val de Vassiviere [86 miles].

14th July. Lac de Vassiviere. 1 night. Best of many sites on edge of huge lake. Nearby restaurant. Sailing etc. Swimming in lake. Good walks and bike rides. Terraced and access for kayaks ok but a bit distant.

Peyrat, Bourganeuf, Pontarion, Gueret, Bretouillis, Bonnat, Aigurande, Le Fey, Argenton-sur-Creuse, St-Gaultier, Ciron, Port de la Brenne, Rosnay [119 miles].

15th July. Rosnay in La Brenne. 1 night. Wonderful municipal site on edge of lake by very small village. Whole area has many lakes, some of which are bird sanctuaries. Grey and Purple herons, Night heron.

Mezieres-en-Brenne, Azay-le-Ferron, Le Peti-Pressigny, Ligeuil, Bournan, Ste-Maure-de-Touraine, L’lle-Bouchard, past Chinon, Candes-st-Martin, Saumur [90 miles].

16th July. Saumur. 1 night. Good large site on island in Loire. 20 min to town. Disappointing; it now has its own small pool. The large adjacent municipal pool has been closed down. Nice walk to town with good restaurants.

Longues-Joumelles, Bauge, La fleche, Sable-s-Sarthe, Evron, Villaines-la-Jouhel, Pre-en-Pail, Carrouges, Putanges-Pont-Ecrepin, Falaise [147 miles].

17th. July. Falaise. 1 night. Municipal site at base of the castle and an easy stroll to the mediaeval town with many restaurants.

St-Pierre-sur-Dives, Troarn, Herouvillette Escoville, Ranville, Ouistraham [20 miles]. Portsmouth

18th July. Ouistraham, Portsmouth, Home [22 miles].