We began our trip in the Netherlands, prepped the caravan and set off at 8am. The drive was estimated at 8 hours but of course, with a caravan things take a little longer. Our plan was to do a full day of driving with few stops and end at the first campsite, that would mark our halfway point! As we drove the air conditioning was turned higher and higher, cramps started forming which tested our resolve! We made a stop around 13:30 to have a quick lunch break and were met with some well received cheese sandwiches from the fridge (with a cool dynamic power system that can draw power from the car or the mains).
As the temperature rose, our spirits lifted till we eventually arrived at our first campsite…with just one small issue. No one was at reception! The owner has never set up a website or advertised his phone number. The idea is that the campsite spreads by word of mouth to avoid the mainstream campers. This means that you cannot make a reservation and just show up! It has worked for many years, but we discovered that the owner was sick! This meant we began phoning local campsites. The phone calls didn’t last very long as each time we were met with borderline laughter as every campsite was fully booked for the next month!Eventually we admitted defeat and began searching for an empty car park to spend the night.
Stayed up quite late, charging my powerbank and making use of the free WiFi at the McDonald’s, backing up all my photos and downloading movies from my Blu-ray archive server. Eventually I relented and went to sleep in the car. Truth be told it was actually quite comfortable. Not to say that I would do it regularly, but with a pillow and sleeping bag, it wasn’t too bad!
We all woke up around 08:00 and set off at 09:00 sleepy eyed but excited for what lay ahead. After a long 9 hour drive we arrived! Battered and bruised, I quickly set up the tent with help from my significant other and we collapsed into bed. The tent was very hot but after slowing down my heart rate, it became quite comfortable. My body didn’t give me much of a choice after the long 2 day journey. Probably not much for an American but quite significant for we Europeans!
The next day we woke up well rested and the reality of our French paradise began to set in! There is no need for an alarm clock here as the wonderful heat will coax you out into the fresh air and fill you with energy. Lets just say it was worth it! I filled the water tank of the caravan and promptly explored the campsite which yielded the following.
- Mosquito infested toilets who prey on you at your most vulnerable. Barbaric creatures…
- A luxurious pool and jacuzzi that is never very busy which is very welcome!
- A tennis and basketball court, wisely empty due to the mid day sun.
- Lots of water fountains
- Very relaxed french people (Quite rare sight)
- 2 Peaceful camp cats, one white, the other ginger.
With our home base fully explored we had a day of relaxation and even visited the pool during the final hour of its opening. We then ventured to the beach for a night walk by the water. We bought an ice cream each which fueled our grand expedition. The view was a welcome sight after a lazy day.
