Dordogne & Lot & Garonne, France June 2012

Saturday 23 June 2012

Derbyshire – Buchy

A very easy run down to the Channel Tunnel we left Derbyshire at 9.30am, detoured  for a bit of shopping and then found a Tesco supermarket right next to Junction 10 M20, ideal, just before Eurotunnel junction, I will remember that for next time.  Arrived at the terminal at 16.19hrs. We were booked on the 18.20hrs but managed to catch the 17.06 departure.  We were the only Motorhome on this departure and listening to the news, felt quite smug as we heard that all cross channel ferries were delayed by 1 hour due to adverse weather conditions.  This is such a brilliant service, shame they can’t compete with the ferry prices.  A slight delay in getting off at Calais as unfortunately a French White Van man, had to be pushed off the train ‘en panne’.

Buchy Aire

Our first port of call was Boulogne, Le Clerc supermarket to top up with diesel @ €1.27 a litre it was worth almost running on empty.  Considering we had partially filled up at home and had to pay £1.38 a litre we were already saving money.  So tank full, onwards and downwards to our first overnight stop at Buchy.  A very popular aire this 6 other vans here including 3 Brits.  Easy to get to, it’s 6km off A28, Junction 12.   Satnav will have you exiting at junction 10 because it’s shorter in miles!!!!  Motorhome parking is behind the coach parking, next to College.  Free parking, but  €2 jeton for water & electric.  This being a Saturday night, it was very peaceful, I would imagine it could be quite busy on a week-day during school term.  Buchy is a lovely old town, unfortunately we arrived at 9.40pm and we were too tired to go and explore, plus it was raining!

386 miles recorded since leaving home.

24^th June, 2012

Buchy – Nieuil l’espoir

Sunday morning, still raining, we drove through town and its Sunday market to the A28.

Nieuil l'espoir

Aire

Much quieter on the roads today, as we head for our next stop at Nieuil l’espoir, south of Poitiers.  This Aire was very pleasant and very popular, fortunately we arrived at about 5.45pm just as most of the French were packing up to go home after the weekend and a few spots had become free.  There are spaces for 10 vans here, in hedged emplacements.  Free parking but pay for water and electric.  The Aire is at the Aire de Loisirs & Base de Aquatique, a series of fishing lakes, signed off the D1 just before the town.  The weather had been improving all day, in fact we registered 21C at 9pm.  Now that’s more like it! Woody did a great commando crawl over a little wooden bridge, what a wuss, silly dog, but he had the locals laughing. After a quick meal we were able to get out and explore the area and town this time. 

268 miles recorded today. 

Monday 25^th June 2012

Nieuil l’espoir – Bourdeilles

Piegut Pluviers

09.00am and the temperature is 19C, and guess what, it rained overnight!  Never ones for taking a direct route when you can meander we set off via Gencay, Civry, St Claud to Montbron where we stopped off for lunch. This is another pleasant town in the Perigord Nord region where quite a few years back, when we were ‘tugging’, we spent an idyllic week on the campsite Les Gorges de Chambon.  It was nice to see that nothing had changed.  Moving on, we were pleasantly surprised to find that Piegut Pluviers were decorating their streets with garlands of paper flowers ready for the traditional yearly festival which celebrates the regions culture, language and specialities.  Apparently it changes towns every year so we were lucky to ‘chance’ up on it.  Very colourful, so much so, we missed our turning and ended up doing a little detour, on very minor roads, until we got back en route.  Our next overnight Aire was Bourdeilles which we had had recommended to us by a fellow motorhomer.  We arrived at 3.30pm, plenty of time to wander around here.  Again, another pleasant Aire, in a large field, edge of village, by the river.  Basic ‘stand up’ WC, Borne and services available.  Parking €3 per night collected 9-9.30am.  Just missed this village’s fete by the look of things as they were taking down their decorations. A few bars/restaurants a short walk away from the Aire.

107 miles recorded today.

Bourdeilles

Bourdeilles Aire

Tuesday 26^th June 2012

Bourdeilles – Mauroux

A little cloudy this morning, the plan today was to head slightly SW via Riberac, Montpon Menesterol to Duras & Eymet, an area we haven’t covered before, to see why this area in particularly is popular with the Brits (as featured on the TV show ‘Little England’).  Duras is a pretty hilltop bastide town with an Aire just below the Castle right outside the Municipal Campsite.  But as we found, it was parking only, the campsite and its facilities were not open until 7 July.  When I presume you would be charged to park etc.  Good place for a lunch stop though, shady trees to help with the 38C heat recorded today. Phew! 

Eymet

Next stop Eymet.  Pleasant enough town, with an interesting medieval centre bordering the River Dropt.  Lots of Brits around, in fact the first voices we heard were Brits sat outside a bar, and the second voices, and the third voices. A stroll around the square revealed English estate agents, English grocer, you get the picture.  We’ve certainly colonised this town.

OK so tonight’s stop-over was not planned.  I thumbed through ‘All the Aires’ book looking for something close by, particularly as the heat was getting through to us a bit.  Here we go, moaning about the weather, now it’s too hot.  First ‘look see’, Cancon.  Free electric point, already taken by a French Van who was probably running his air-conditioning off it.  The Aire is conveniently situated in the town, but we felt it could have been a bit noisy at night and there were no designated parking areas for Motorhomes in the car park, so after a sandwich and a cup of tea…. ‘cup of tea’, in this heat, we must have been mad….. we left in pursuit of somewhere else.  According to the book there was an Aire at Tournon d’Agenais about 45miles away, so we popped the co-ordinates into Wanda and set off hot, weary but hopeful. However, that somewhere else turned out to be very elusive.  We must have driven up and down the same stretch of road 6 times.  Each time “You have reached your destination” said Wanda.  “Oh no we haven’t” said we.  No sign of any aire.  We tried putting in the co-ordinates from the French Aire de Services book.  Same message.  We asked at the garage opposite thinking that maybe they would surely know where the Camping Car Aire was.  Oui, they said and gave us alternative directions which turned out to be a patch of land by the recycling bins.  Now, no way in my imagination, did I see this scruffy bit of land and translate it into “Views over Tournon d’Agenais; Hilltop Aire.  Small lake; Camping chalets in summer; sp Loisirs de Camp Beau and signed”.  Completely baffled, and getting a little tetchy by now we decided to give it one last go to find this blasted Aire and took the small road up to the top of the village as it would give us a great view point, surely we could spot it from up there!  Well we did, and it all became clear, where the entrance to the Aire should have been, there was now a brand new building of some sort.  The Aire was still there but we couldn’t see how we could access it.  Not wanting to spend the night by the recycling bins, next to a busy main road it was back to the book and find the nearest aire to Tournon.  Luckily there was one at Mauroux 5 miles away.  This turned out to be a good choice in the end.  It was in a wooded picnic area, with toilets, washing up sinks, barbeques and all the services FOC on the edge of the village. We were the only ones there, and it was very pleasant and much cooler under the trees and a very peaceful night followed.  Unfortunately the boulangerie had closed otherwise I’d give it 10/10.   

Mauroux Aire

155 miles recorded today in blistering heat. Double Phew!

Wednesday 27 & Thursday 28 June, 2012

Mauroux – Buzet sur Baise

Still Hot and Sunny and not wanting a repeat of yesterday, which was spent in the van, travelling around in soaring temperatures we decided to head for Buzet sur Baise, an aire we have used before, for some chill-out time.  Based at the Aquitaine Navigation centre between the Canal de Garonne and the River Baise this grassy aire has free WC’s and pay-showers €2, other services could be obtained from the office. A firm favourite of ours, we enjoy sitting by the lock-side watching the antics of the many boats that pass by. Ideal for walkers or cyclists with shady canal paths in both directions.  The village has its own Chateau and a Wine Cooperative (which offers free tasting on certain days all year). Vineyard walks, shops, bars, and restaurants.  We noticed a new SPAR shop had opened in the village since our last visit.  Weather cooling off to 32C.

47 miles recorded today

Buzet sur Boise Aire

Woody (almost a year old)

Friday, 29 June 2012

Buzet sur Baise – Lauzerte

Lauzerte Aire

Nothing to report on this journey, apart from spotting a new aire at Castelsarrasin.  Seems they are trying to get Motorhomes away from the canal side to a purpose built area where they can charge them €6.  No views, but in a nice quiet housing area, within walking distance to town.  We decided to pass on this one and headed to Lauzerte, where we tried out the aire just on the outskirts of the town on the D953, adjacent to a picnic area. Not one of the best stops, but next to a small pond, FOC services, plus WC.  Fortunately the road noise was drowned out by a waterfall.  We were joined by a French van for the evening that let their Belgium Shepherd and Newfoundland dogs into the water for a swim before bedtime.  Mmm nice, smelly, wet dogs, in a small van overnight, eek!

 96 miles recorded today

Saturday 30 June 2012

Lauzerte – Catus

Cahors Saturday Market

Aire at Cahors

Aire at Catus

A nice leisurely drive to Cahors this morning after stopping off for Bread.  We really like this town, on the river Lot with the medieval Pont de Valentre, said to the the most photographed bridge in France, outside Paris. Lots to do and see, ancient quarters, cobbled streets, secret gardens, cafes and restaurants galore, one of the nicest stop-overs in the region.  The red wine’s not half bad either. We parked at the aire St Georges FOC in the town.  There are only 3 designated spots for Motorhomes but you can park 5 at a squeeze, if like us, you do not want to stay overnight. 

It’s on the riverside and a short walk over the bridge and you are in the main area for shopping, sightseeing etc.  

Saturday Market in progress always a good excuse for a ‘look see’.  We decided we would try and buy the Breathalyser kit here.  (New french law introduced July 2012). Having discovered that most Tabac’s sell them we tried around 4 to find that they had in fact sold out and they were doubtful if we would be able to find any at all.  We had also tried at Supermarkets earlier in the week with the same outcome.  Getting a little nervous now, as the deadline for the new law was about to become due tomorrow.  We tried one more Tabac in the old quarter, who, thankfully, still had racks full of the things. A twin pack cost 3€.  Much cheaper than we had seen on sale in England.  No doubt when the panic to buy is over, you will be able to pick them up at supermarkets etc. in France, no problem.  

After a leisurely lunch we headed for the Aire at Catus.  The heat was building again as we parked up, winched out the sun-blind and cooled off with a nice chilled beer.  (Shandy for me).  Catus is a pleasant, quiet spot and parking is by the river at Place de la Verniere, a short walk from shops and restaurants etc. Do not be fooled into thinking there is lots of shade (as per picture in All the Aires) as you can see from my photo they have cut/trimmed the avenue of trees that would have given some relief from the sun this year.  By 7pm 4 French vans had parked up alongside us for the evening.

35 miles recorded today

Sunday 1 July, 2012

Catus – Prayssac

Sunday market, Montcuq

Back tracking today to Montcuq and its Sunday Market. Lots of British voices here too.  This is such a pleasant region with lots of pretty villages bordering the River Lot.  After a morning of sightseeing via St Vincent-rive d’Olt, Luzech, Puy l’Eveque we came to rest at the Aire in Prayssac.  A short walk into town to meander around the ‘Boot Sale’ still very much in evidence before returning to the van for a meal and a comfortable nights sleep.

47 miles recorded today

Montcuq's 12 century tower

Praysacc Aire

Monday 2 July, 2012

Prayssac – Tremolet- St Leon St Vezere

Beau Village - Belves

One of those days again, set off well with a stop-over for lunch at Belves (Beau Village) then it all went a bit pear shaped as we couldn’t decide where to stay for the evening.  Travelling NW and along the Dordogne River we headed for Lalinde.  A really pretty town on the river with Chateau, unfortunately the ‘Circus’ had hit town and the Aire by the canal was awash with travellers.  Not feeling brave enough to camp with them we scuttled away and returned the way we had come to the next Aire at Tremolet.  This is another pretty village, very quiet, plenty of parking areas at the Aire and as we were the only one there we had our pick.  I don’t know why, maybe it was just too quiet, but we decided to move on and head for another favourite of ours at St Leon St Vezere.  

Chateau, St Leon sur Vezere

A really hot day in the saddle… 30C, tempers fraying, we finally arrived at St Leon at 6pm.  Not much shade here, so out with the sunshade, cool beers and we were happy campers once again.  The last time we were here, April, 2011, we were lucky enough to stay in the Municipal campsite by the river FOC.  

Since then, renovations opposite the Mairie have been completed and it now boasts an excellent shower/loo block that appears to be open to all.  Also, the parking at the Aire which was, back in April, FOC, is now, during July and August, €5/night.  I think we would have been happy to pay €20 we were that hot and tired.  

Riverside restaurant, St Leon sur Vezere

A Dutch, and 2 French vans kept us company for the evening, one of the French vans left quite early (probably to avoid paying).  Turned out no-one came to collect the charge in the end and we were the last to leave at 10.30am. St Leon is a Beau Village, with a couple of nice restaurants, café by the river and small grocery shop.  Pretty walks around the village and the surrounding area.  Canoeing on the river for the more adventurous.

90miles recorded today

St Leon Aire

 Tuesday, 3 July 2012.

St Leon-Lanouille(via St Robert, Hautefort & Base de Loisirs Rouffiac)

Hautefort

Beach at Rouffiac Aire

First a wander around Montingac, popular tourist riverside town, then travelling north to Hautefort and its magnificent chateau. A slight detour to ‘tick off’ another Beau Village, St Robert where we stopped for lunch.  From there we trundled north to Base de Loisirs de Rouffiac to check out a possible stop-over for the evening.  Really nice area, the Aire is brand new, not yet in ‘All the Aires’ book, with water, waste & wc cassette facilities. Signed in the Coach park. It’s on the fringe of a wooded park and within a short walk to one of the largest lakes in the Perigord with many sports activities (windsurfing, canoeing, climbing, paintball, archery etc).  It has a man-made sandy beach with part of the lake sectioned off for swimming.  Camping and Bar/restaurant on site.  BUT at a sweltering 37C, and no shade in the parking area, we headed off back to Lanouille for the evening about 5 miles away.  The aire in town was next to a busy road but at least we had trees to shelter under, which with hindsight wasn’t the best of places to be as during the night a terrific thunderstorm hit.  Facilities at the Aire are very good, all services FOC including 2 electric points.  There is also an automatic, self clean WC just across the road with instructions in English!!!  Town centre with shops, bars, restaurants is a mere 5 minutes walk away.

78 miles recorded today

Wednesday 4 July 2012

Lanouille, Pageas, Lathus St Remy, Montmorillon

A walk amongst the wild flowers at Pageas Aire

Well after the heat of yesterday and a very T-stormy night which had us moving the van out from under the trees just in case!!! Things were a little fresher this morning.  We called in at the Pageas Aire for lunch.  This is a pleasant Aire, by a fishing pond and a guided nature walk.  Free borne facilities and clean WC’s.  There’s also a popular restaurant adjacent if you don’t feel like cooking.  We contemplated staying here for the night but as we had only driven 33 miles we felt we should press on.  Turning to our Aire De Services book we spotted Lathus St Remy, just north of Bellac and about the right distance for a stop-over before visiting the vet at Montmorillon.  This is a newly appointed aire, right outside the Municipal Camping (which wasn’t open at the time) and opposite L’etang de la Trie.  There are 8 designated spots for Motorhomes and if you have a long cable, 1 free electric point.  The campsite has a newly constructed shower block with washing up sinks, WC’s etc. which, despite no hot water available, were easily accessible. At the time we visited all Borne services were free, but as the Campsite wasn’t open it’s difficult to say whether they would remain free in high season.  There are signed walks from the aire and the town has 2 Boulangeries, Bars, restaurants, SPAR and a mobile pizza van on Wednesday nights.  We were joined, eventually by 2 french vans and are pleased to say had a very quiet, undisturbed nights’ sleep.

127 miles recorded today

Lathus St Remy Aire

Thursday 5 July 2012

Lathus St Remy, Montmorillon – Vendome

Cite l'ecrit, Montmorillon

Montmorillon Aire

Our first port of call was the Vet in Montmorillon.  We had telephoned first last night and were given a 10.30am appointment.  I have to say that this is one of the nicest Vet’s I have encountered in all our trips to France.  Docteur Jean-Pierre Ehm met us at the door with a welcoming handshake and we were asked to wait for a couple of minutes whilst he finished cleaning his table down.  His English is excellent by the way, so no stumbling through with our ‘leetle french’.  We had brought our own Drontal tablet so stamping the Passport & consultation for Woody came to 22€.  Job done, we left 15 mins later to explore the town.  If you are thinking of using this Veterinaire than you will probably be pleased to hear that there is an Aire by the river where you can stay overnight.  Borne services are by credit card but waste water and chem. wc emptying are free.  It is only a 10 mins walk to the Vets, which is next to the Eglise St Martial.  It’s a very interesting old town with an ancient quarter ‘Cite de l’ecrit’ and even boasts an English grocer were you can buy bacon, sausages, scones and teacakes if that what floats your boat.

Vendome

Now follows a not so short run-around looking for an overnight stop.  Trying to stay ahead of the rain clouds we trundled north through the Loire passing several suitable, but not quite right, aires on the way. Just an observation, but why are there so many Motorhomes buzzing around the Loire area?  We eventually ended up at Vendome.  This is another old but attractive town and the ‘aire’ parking is outside the Municipal campsite. A park with open air swimming pool is opposite and it is only a 5 mins walk to the main centre where there are shops, bars and restaurants in abundance.  We were the first to park up and just when we thought that maybe we would be the only ones here another two vans turned up, both of them British.  (Which now makes a grand total of only 7 other British vans we have seen this holiday).  Both on their way back home we exchanged stories, as you do, and then retired for the night.  However, it was not to be a particularly quiet night.  The only drawback to being so close to the town centre is that sometimes you find the town centre does not sleep.  Or rather, some of the younger occupants of the town centre do not sleep.  We were subjected to A) ‘drive bys’, mostly single men, obviously on a mission! B) Drive bys by gendarmes, looking for men on a mission and last but not least C) Teenagers on scooters, teenagers throwing bottles, teenagers partying until at least 2 am. Not even a short downpour dampened their enthusiasm.  My roller-blind was on red alert and I am surprised it wasn’t smoking by the morning the number of times it went up and down.  It was a shame really, such a lovely old town and well worth a visit. Perhaps we would have felt more comfortable staying in the campsite.

Vendome Aire

171 miles recorded today

Friday 6 July 2012

Vendome – Disaster

Woke to 16C overcast with a slight breeze.  We were trundling along very nicely thank you when, slowing down at traffic lights on the very busy N10 just south of Thivers, we came to a juddering stop.  Engine still running, turned it off, turned in on again, it wouldn’t go into gear.  Husband getting slightly agitated now as is the hundred and one articulated lorries that are following us.  Tried the gears once more, nothing, kept slipping into neutral (automatic gearbox).  Bo****cks, sh*t, OMG, what do we do now?  Where’d we pack the triangles he yells?  “I don’t know” that’s your job!  Hubby finally draws breath long enough to remember where HE packed the triangles and dons yellow jacket and sets about placing them behind the vehicle.  Meanwhile, 101 articulated lorries are now squeezing themselves between us, traffic bollards and traffic lights 50 yards away.  Scary stuff.  Having placed his triangles, very artistically I must say, some way behind us he now rings our breakdown insurance company who promise to get a recovery vehicle to us asap.  Time to practice my queenly wave, I smile apologetically at the other vehicles, try a few shrugs, well we are in France after all,  until a very nice gendarme pulled up along side, and with his ‘leetle inglish’ asked if we were broken down and had we called for help.  Happy that we had, he smiled and sped off leaving us to our fate. mmm….nice….. 15 mins later the keystone cops arrived.  A large people carrier carrying 7 burly gendarmes pull up, within minutes they had closed the road off in both directions and pushed us to the opposite side of the road into a safer position. Job done, they jumped back into their vehicle and they too sped off into the distance. Bye……. Breathing a great sigh of relief that we were now out of danger and away from those blasted lorries we did the only thing we could do and that was to make a cup of tea until the recovery vehicle arrived.  45 minutes later, motorhome with resident dog, was loaded onto the flatbed truck and we were deposited in Garage Herman, Chatres awaiting the next part of the recovery process. It was now 2pm. To cut a very frustrating and annoying story short, 7 hours later, yes, in all, it took 7 hours to get a hire car sorted out, thanks to the archaic system between the AA.UK & Europcar.fr. Finally, we had a hire car and a new tunnel booking for the next day.  All we had to do now was drive the 90 or so miles to Rouen, find a hotel and then make the tunnel crossing for lunchtime the next day.  (That’s after we had exchanged the French hire car for an English hire car in Calais). Simples.

Needless to say we did make it home safely and our motorhome, well, it finally arrived at our local Renault dealer 10 days later.  Not the best of endings to what was otherwise a really good holiday.

And in case you are wondering, it wasn’t a simple clutch job, oh no, just our luck, the robotic arm had died and was going to cost a small fortune to put right.  However, thanks to an understanding person at Renault UK, the company helped us out with 75% of the costs. We shall be forever grateful. Three cheers for Renault UK.  Hip Hip Hooray!!!!

STATS

We have spent 14 nights away from home and driven 2048 miles

Paid out £337.65 for diesel

Spent €3 for the Bourdeilles Aire and €56 for the unplanned hotel stop at Rouen thanks to the breakdown.

Tolls (including Dartford tunnel) £9.36

New friends this trip include Keith and Carole (Brits living in France) who we met at the Prayssac Aire