Chilling in Coulon

 Continuing our little ramble around France we headed for our next stop Camping Venise Vert near Coulon. Situated in the Marais Poitevin ( Green Venice), a large nature reserve that lies between Niort and the Atlantic Ocean. The area covers over 100, 000 hectares of land and is the second largest National Park in France.

Coulon is one of the "Character Villages" of France. A very French holiday area in the heart of the Marais Poitevin with numerous windy rivers and streams running through it. A great draw for canoes, paddle boards and fisher folks.

Our campsite was about a 20 minute walk from Coulon on a lovely French site. Complete with very hot water, clean loos and showers, a swimming pool, jacuzzi, a small bar and restaurant we were soon set up. It was very hot and humid!

 Enjoying the hugely unseasonable very hot sun.

Having a meal in the very nice camp restaurant. Confit of duck!

We set off to explore Coulon. A very interesting village and quite busy with mainly French tourists. There were dozens of boats waiting for passengers, so obviously it was a very popular place.

There was a massive local fayre going on which looked very well attended. The donkey racing looked like it could have been worth finding, although we didn't actually get round to it! Apparently Coulon is big in the "donkey" world.

There were loads of visitors enjoying the river and the general atmosphere.

I am always surprised how these small French villages go to so much trouble with their environment. This little bee sculpture for instance.

Interestingly the corn was so much bigger than the Somerset varieties.

Houses were carefully placed on both sides of the many rivers and small streams with small boats moored for the trip across. In olden times even cattle were transported that way. Now it looked like predominately holiday homes.

At least the postie didn't have to actually row across the river to deliver the mail.

Lots to see in Coulon from the wine shops to picture galleries. It's only a small place but they even had their own land train.

On our second morning we got the bikes out and rode into the village to suss out a French car boot sale. It was massive. Lots of very interesting items sadly not enough room in the van to bring any home.

Certainly an area of France well worth exploring and one we are sure to visit again.

Trials in Tours

 We had always promised ourselves that we would return to Tours and have a proper look around. This year provided just the right opportunity and we arrived in Only Camp Tours on a very HOT afternoon.

Only Camp Val de Loire is around a 20 minutes bike ride from Tours Centre Ville in the suburbs of Saint Avertin. The camp site is right on the river, not luxurious but pretty spacious with just about adequate loos and showers.

Spot Krystal, view from the river bank.

After a restful night which was very hot ( thank goodness for our fan!)

We set out on our bikes to find Tours. Directions appeared pretty easy, turn right under the first bridge and straight on. Easy to get lost then !! We started on the right route but soon got confused ( its doesn't take much !!) Should we really be entangled with French fishermen on a tiny track. I was following Den. Then there were the bridges!! Loads of them, we negotiated the island in the middle of the river and then found ourselves on the back streets of Tours. With a bit of help from a local and a few minor words from Google we eventually found our way to a main road.  Bear in mind here, I am not the best on le velo. I did manage in heavy Tours traffic on the bike tracks quite well all things considered. The 20 minutes progressed to about an hour. Finally we found the Centre Ville.

I suppose the riot police, dogs, bikes and police cars should have been a clue. We were suddenly in the middle of a full French protest. ( something to do with climate change we think ) There was a lot of singing and jumping about in the fountains, with a few tractors parked around the place.

Police bikes and tractors on display.

 

Den took a few pictures then we snuck around the corner and found a quiet bar for a large drink. I really deserved my Aperol Spritz.

I actually took us 16 minutes to cycle home. We never did get to the old town, but now we know the way, there's always another day. We will have to come back to Tours.

Day 2 in Tours found us cycling along the river bank in the opposite direction. We passed the very nice looking large Municipal swimming pool, next to the camping. Certainly worth further exploration.

Loads of water sports going on in the river.

We had a lovely lunch in the local restaurant by the river. Tours has plenty more to give. Next time we will make it to the old town.

August Expedition. South of Rouen

 Set off for the next stop after Guines near Calais on a dull, dry, morning. Minor excursion via Guines to find the new Aldi supermarket in the village. What we hadn't realised was it was market day. 

Den stoically waved  through manically parked French cars, to find the road closed, due to a market. Eventually we weaved our way amongst the "one way" and "no entry" signs and gave up on shopping! Aldi would have to wait. Just outside Guines and heading for the motorway, we encountered the dreaded "route barre" signs, no diversion signs to be seen. Without Madam SatNag's help, we eventually escaped to the right motorway and were on our way. Then the torrential rain started!!!

Happily, the weather gods were on our side. After finding our way through Rouen, navigating the bridge and traffic we were through. Thank goodness we did have the correct Crit Air ticket, then there  was a new Madam SatNag, comment.

 " Do you wish to enter the Crit Air Zone?" she asked. 

"Oui" we said, not sure what would have happened if we had said "Non".  

Our little yellow ticket performed as expected. I don't think anything would have happened if we didn't have one, but we were already stressed enough. There were cameras around, but not sure if they were turned on. Also little signs saying we were entering a Zone. C'est la vie, we survived!

Three hours of driving later and the sun had come out. We arrived at Camping St Nicolas in a place called Le Bec Hellouin. Home to a beautiful Benedictine Abbey, owned by the French Government, a peaceful pretty place.. Not a massively well known tourist destination, but well worth a visit. We were soon duly signed in and soon set up amongst the shady trees.

Really nice site, set in an old apple orchard. We had stayed here many years ago. Pleased to see the site has been updated. Restaurant ( small but perfectly formed ), bar, mini shop, swimming pool, tennis courts and loads of room. All for 30.10 E in the high season. Wine and local cider for sale.We booked a table for the evening meal and chilled!!

Dinner was lovely, Den got his mussels fix, I had fish. Lots of late arrivals mainly French but still many spaces. A relaxing 3 day stop. We walked down through the trees down a very steep path 500k to the village.

On a lovely day a beautiful walk, very uneven under foot and very steep in places. Coming home was fun but we'd had a beer by then so we were very sure footed!

The village was much as we remembered. Beautiful Abbey grounds and church.

We thought this was a clever touch. Framing a flower. These were scattered around the village.

All in all, a very nice chilling three day stay. Dinner again tonight in the restaurant and moving onwards tomorrow. Back to Tours. It's been beautifully warm here top 20's but thankfully not many biting insects. We will be back.

Restaurant, Bar and Shop. Swimming pool behind which is also used by locals but very quiet and almost empty during our stay.

Path to the village.

August Expedition. France Guines near Calais.

 This year we have decided to do a little French Tour as a shorter alternative to our planned Greek trip. 

An easy drive to Folkstone found us boarding Le Shuttle on a beautifully hot day.

The camp site we were aiming for was Bien Assise just outside Calais. Not a site we would normally stay on but we were meeting our son and family for a couple of days. At 50.40E a night, slightly more expensive than the last time we stayed. We had last been here around 30 years ago, surprisingly not many changes. The same swimming pool, bar and toilet block. 

Restaurant here. 

The site was more spaced out with huge pitches and very well kept grounds. Far fewer caravans around than the last time we were here.

Our son had a deluxe pitch, for an extra 10E a night he got a shed, BBQ, picnic table and benches with onsite drainage. Must be a family, genetic thing, he has a converted van and a tent for the kids.

We slummed it in the cheaper seats!!

We had a little wander into town, nothing much had changed, a lot of the small shops had closed although a new Aldi and Lidl have opened. 

The French are so imaginative about their roundabouts.

Lots of happiness with the weather though, well into the 20C with a slight breeze so quite comfortable. Meal out tonight and moving on demain!! ( tomorrow)