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 HOME                                                FRANCE HOLIDAY 2022: PICTURES

7th June – 7th July. In Motorhome.
Liz + Chris in Campervan. Hugh flew out from Gatwick to join us at Biarritz.
We all went down to the Corbieres, near the Mediterranean and back  to Biarritz 2 weeks later for Hugh to fly home.

Starting and finishing at Ouistraham. Total 1909 miles. 16 different sites.   3 France Passion sites. 7 new sites. 8 previous sites.

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For full Itinery (with details of campsites pictured below)  
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 Click on place names on the itinerary below to go direct to the pictures
[in same sequence as the itinerary] 
Ouistraham, Thury-Harcourt, Domfront, Mayenne, Laval, Chateau Gontier, Montjean sur Loire; Chalonnes sur Loir, Argenton, Bressure, Parthenay, Chef-Boutonne*; Aigre, Rouillac, Chateauneur- sur-Charente, Chalais, La Roche Chalais, Villefranche de Lonchat, (near St. Antoine de Breuilh, St. Aulaye; Pellegrue, Sauveterre de Guyenne, Langon, Villandraut, St. Symphorien; Sore, Pissos, Liposthey, Bayonne,  Biarritz; Bardos, Bidache, Navarrenz, Oloron-Ste.-Marie, Aramits; Oloron- Ste – Marie, past Tarbes, Lannemazan, St. Giron, Foix, Lescure, Mas d’Azil; Sabarat, Foix, Tarascon, Ax-les-Thermes, Col de Puymorens, Mont Louis, Matemale;, Mont Louis, Villefranche de Confluent, past Prades, Ille sur Tet, Estagel, Paziols, Tuchan; St. Paul de Fenouillet, Quillian, Puivert, Foix, St. Girons, Mane*; past Tarbes, Pau, Orthez, , D10 to Bidart/Illbarritz*; past Dax, Tartas, Souprosse*, Mont du Marsan, Castelialoux, Marmande, Duras, St Foy, St. Aulaye, Villefranche de Lonchat, La Roche Chalais, Chalais, Barbezioux-St.-Hilaire, Segonzac, Chez Richon; around Poitiers, Loudon, Montreuil-Bellay, Doue-en-Anjou, Gennes-val-de-Loire*; Rosiers-s-Loire, Bauge, La fleche, Sable-sur-Sarthe, Le Horps, Lassay-les-Chateaux*; Bagnoles l’Orne, La Ferte-Mace, Falaise, St. Pierre-sur-Dives, Merville-Franceville Plage. Ouistraham, Portsmout, HOME.
*New campsite. France Passion sites are in italics    

                                To enlarge pictures click Ctl +    To make smaller click Ctl -     To return click Ctl 0
  Montjean sur Loire    West of Angers  
 
 
 
  Our first French restaurant 10 minute stroll from the campsite
 
  View of the bridge from the restaurant  
 
TOP The village church at sunset - view from campsite Sculpture of typical Loire Terns
     
  Chef-Boutonne    South of Poitiers. Campsite and restaurant owned by English cook enthusiast  
 
 
TOP    
  St. Aulaye   By the Dordogne  
 
 
 
 
  One of the many cats who run the site Our village friend, originally from Westleton in Suffok
   
TOP      
  St. Symphorien    In the North part of Les Landes forest  
 
  The small pool and restaurant Under the wonderful pines
 
  It was almost cool by the pond
 
TOP Surprising flock of nuthatches, damsel fly and friendly goats
  Biarritz   South of Les Landes, near Spanish border  
 
  The smallest pitch ever. So glad Hugh has arrived safely
 
TOP View South towards Bidart where we camped on the way home He can safely wear this as his violin is 600 miles away
     
  Aramits   South of Pau in the foothils of the Pyrenees  
 
  Or first proper camp after Biarritz. Essential shady pitch at 39 degrees cent. 20 metres from essential pond. 70 metres from essential snack bar.
 
  Breakfast Lunch
 
     
 
     
 
  Identified as a cat by Liz Unidentified green eyed fly Stag beetle Egyptian Vulture
 
TOP Nearby farm Friendly cows
  Mas d’Azil   West of Foix  
 
TOP Most interesting thing in the site was this modified Dutch ambulance (?) and its owner.
  En Route to Matemale Col de Puymorens    Just East of Andorra  
 
  The highest part of our journey  
 
     
  Matemale    East of Font-Romeu, North of Col Quillane  
 
 
 
  Matemale village The Lac
 
  Botany Botanists
 
TOP       Nuthatch
     
  Tuchan     La Peiriere campsite    One of our favourite sites so there are many pictures
 
  Our favourite pitch Our favourite hosts
 
  Walking home from the village. Our pitch is on the left of the trees Our local castle waiting for the storm. Press Control and + sign to ennlarge
 
  Our friends  
 

  View across the pool to the bar and restaurant Hugh photographing local wildlife
 
  Entrance to village No comment
 
  Buying our lunch Veggies
 
  Typical street view and less typical doorway Church bell
 
TOP Liz showing off her bionic knee Richard and Angela; farmer and artist. We later visited them in Yorkshire. Angela's website
     
  Mane   North west of St. Girons, just before the motorway Not special but very convenient for starting motorway drive to Biarritz
 
  The Mane campsite. It was almost empty. New to us.
 
  Our pitch Good village restaurant
 
TOP Over the river to the church and the interesting but closed shop
     
  Bidart/Illbarritz  South of Biarritz close to airport. Very crowded with small luxury sites and packed with motorcyclists attending the Biarritz Wheels and Waves festival
 
  Our luxury pitch The rear of our pitch with our tiny bit of flowery meadow with goldfinches
 
  Luxury campers; the hut had shower, fridge microwave etc Goldfinch in our meadow
 
  Our neighbours' bikes
 
TOP The swimming pools Goodbye to hugh. Off to the airport after the stress of getting a taxi.
     
  Souprosse    A France Passion site.    Between Dax and Mont-de-Marsan     Because of a threatening windy thunderstorm we were moved up to near the barn to avoid tree branches that might fall on us.
 
     
 
TOP Our friendly Stonechat Black Redstart. Difficult to photograph (obviously)
  Chez Richon    A friendly France Passion site in the Cognac region.  There are more pictures of this site in 2019  
 
  Our pitch in the orchard by the farmhouse of Michel Forgerons. And view of the vineyards from our pitch.
 
  At our cognac tasting
 
TOP Entrance Boundary
     
  Gennes-val-de-Loire    On the South side of Loire from Rosiers - S -Loire. Better than the campsite there.
 
  Entrance Our pitch
 
  Very nice walks by La Loire The bridge over La Loire to Rosiers-s- Loire and towards home.
 
TOP By the bridge. There was a family cycle festival that Sunday.
     
  Lassay-les-Chateaux. Between cognac and angouleme, A France Passion site where we were given (sold) a wonderful dinner in their house by our wonderful hosts.
 
  Our home next to the sheep pen Our neighbours - we had to capture escapes ones.
 
  Very nice walk accompanied by buzzards and these friendly cattle in front of the local castle Off to work
 
TOP With our friendly host and dog The cockerel who woke us; always wanting sheep for company
     
  Merville-Franceville Plage   East of Ouistraham    Our final 2-night stop.
 
  Our pitch Immature Linnet
 
  At last a swim in the sea Start of our beach walk to our restaurants (top left) with a view of our future ferry
 
  Jellyfish Black headed gull
 
  Our ferry Our first evening dinner. Restaurant was full bookd so we were outside with offered blankets
 
  Our friendly helpful waiter Local gymnast
 
  Our usual position - arriving very early. We are top (left of the boat so likely to be off quickly)
 
  Only another 6 hours Bye to La Belle France
TOP