Maiden Big Voyage for a Neo France Italy & Greece. Part 1

First big trip away with Krystal our Neo. We managed to book a last "Camping On Board" spot to Greece courtesy of Anek Ferries. So two weeks to make it to Ancona and the boat trip. We decided to do Dover to Calais by ferry and after an uneventful trip we were soon safely on our favourite "take off" slot. Les Erables in Echalles over looking the Channel. The sun was shining!

Views towards the white cliffs.

After a great meal in a local restaurant we were off on the road to our first stop at Guignicourt.  Camping au Bord de L'Aisne. An expensive one night stop, though loads of space on the site. It was convenient and clean with good toilet facilities. Supermarket shopping and cheap fuel across the road, so a handy stop.

Ever on wards!  The next morning we picked up the toll road to our next stop Dijon. Camping Du Lac Kir. We had used the site before and it was another good "one nighter" we thought.

 

We had a good wander around the local park by the lake complete with beach. Lots of locals out and about enjoying the sunshine.

The beach at Lac Kir, almost in the town centre is a 5 minute walk from the campsite.

Amazing how French towns and villages manage to keep their facilities so pretty and cared for.

Time to leave Dijon and Krystal managed to get her first war wound. A tight turn out of the campsite, a large German with an even larger caravan inconsiderately parked and an encounter with an exit barrier.

Ouch!! Don't know whose pride was most damaged Den's or Krystal. Anyway they are both over it now. I think the bike rack and the bumper took most of the impact. We unloaded the bikes and think that most of the damage is cosmetic and fixable when we get home. Lesson learnt if in doubt get out! We were both concentrating on avoiding the caravan and making the tight turn we didn't look behind. The post took most of the damage but was still standing decorated in a lovely shade of silver grey paint.

Once we had got over the shock we headed towards Annency. Camping Municipal Les Champs Fleuris and our first proper stop and large drink. A very friendly site near Duingt. Through Annency at the other end of the lake.

A stunning setting. Lucky for us the French holiday season was just about to end and the site was emptying. Super fabulous weather for the first two days and plenty of time to relax by the lake.

There are loads of bike tracks which run around the lake and the local village is just up the road. We stayed at the top end of the lake which is much less touristy. 

Mist over the mountains. The weather did change and on our last night the rain came down very heavily. Fortunately we had packed up the night before so were quickly on our way the next morning.

Soon we were heading over the alps into Italy and our next stop at a place called Asti. Camping International Le Fonti. The weather gods were smiling on us and the sun came out just in time to navigate ourselves through some delightful Italian hill villages and our first Italian stop. A very pretty site in the vineyards.

We were on the hill overlooking the swimming pool. Very friendly owner and again great facilities. We enjoyed our first Italian meal in the campsite restaurant.

Good swimming pool we watched the aerobics!

We were heading towards Florence or Firenze for a bit of culture! We chose Firenze Camping in Town which was a brilliant site, easy to find with a shuttle bus into the city for 3 euros return.

It really was a huge holiday complex and very busy with good restaurant and pool complex.

A tight pitch but fine. We were really pleased we had brought the Fiamma sun screen we really needed it here it was so warm.

Florence was manic and thronged with visitors and massive queues. We soaked up the atmosphere.

A couple of more interesting locals.

Even a Chinese school visit. Check out the uniforms!

A few days in Florence and we were ready for some R&R in a slightly more rural setting. 

Our next stop was Il Falcone in the mountains just outside Orvieto near Tody. A fabulously quiet pretty place amongst the olive groves on rather a steep hill. We made it safely and spent a great 3 nights here.

Looking towards Rome.

The swimming pool was pretty much deserted, we tried it out.

Pitched amongst the olive trees.

The local village very quaint and quiet but good for a drink and a wander.

Finally after three days we were heading to the last Italian stop on this leg of the journey.  Camping Bellamare just outside the port of Ancona.

Another large brash camping complex but good fun. We had a very nice meal in the camp restaurant.

A quick bit of toe dipping. The campsite is just down from Rimini and very popular for family holidays. The beach was heaving with umbrellas. Sadly we had to wait until 3 o'clock when reception opened for business, by then there was quite a queue.

Not a bad pitch for a one night stop! Tomorrow we were off for the next bit of the adventure and a "cruise" to Greece.