Finally time for the homeward bound journey after a lovely month in Spain. This year we were told the weather had been unseasonably chillier than normal in Spain. A bit strange as most of the people we met had healthy sun tans! As we understood it, instead of the high 20's, the sun had been in the mid 20's with a smattering of actual real rain! During our visit the weather had been pleasantly warm for us, which meant, as a bonus, fewer flying, biting and stinging creatures!
Looking at the weather ap, France had been having more than it's fair share of wet, miserable weather. We counted our blessings, at least we had both developed healthy tans. Originally we had planned 7 days to travel back to Le Shuttle, we decided to stay with the sun for as long as we could. This left 4 days for the trek home.
Our journey down to Benicassim had been pretty straightforward and all the stops had been fine. However, we decided to try a few different sites on the way back, being later in the year there would be more sites open we hoped!
We planned an early start with a first stop at Zaragoza. On the way down through Spain, we had stopped at the municipal site Ciuadad Zaragoza which had been fine. Clean, serviceable, with an easy in and out. Unfortunately the site restaurant there was pretty uninspiring, with a main menu consisting of pizza. Just about OK for a cold beer. Very busy with Spanish families.
This time with the help of Camper Contact and Searchforsites, we headed west from Zaragoza up into the mountains, to a site called Camping Verula Moncayo
The drive was very pleasant going through small mountain villages passing all the bodegas in the wine area. It could be an interesting area for a summer Reviews of the site were mixed, it appeared to have a restaurant, so we hoped to be in with a chance of a decent meal of some kind. We always aim to arrive mid afternoon. Our initial impressions of the camp site were that it appeared to be in a lovely spot in the mountains. On the edge of the village of Vera de Moncayo with the mountains in the background. We were greeted by the camp owner who showed us around the site using a large beach umbrella as the rain had started.
No English spoken here, but the owner was well used to Google translate. Toilets and showers were in porto cabins, scruffy but clean and the water was hot. We found a pitch on fairly solid ground very aware that the heavy rain could cause problems in the morning the next day.
Not many people on site but a few tenters in the bottom field. We would imagine this to be a lovely spot for walkers and the monastry up the road would have be a good place to explore. However, rain stopped play and we were too tired to wander far.
Camper Contact told us there was a restaurant next door so we went in search of food. This turned out to be a very entertaining experience!! The restaurant was in a large lean too obviously used by the locals. We wandered in to be greeted by a Spanish after dinner group well into a large number of bottles of the local red vino. The restaurant owner making good use of jolly old google translate showed us the menu.
"Sorry steak not available" said Google.
"I only have one left!" We had asked for two.
"That's OK", we said "We will share"
It was a long wait as the chef then had to be summoned. He appeared from nearby and was soon happily banging about in the kitchen. While this was going on, we were serenaded, increasingly loudly, by the Spanish drinkers who obviously wanted the English to hear their favourite operatic Spanish songs.
The steak arrived 800g of full on Spanish rump, fortunately to share! A lovely meal washed down with local Spanish plonk. Thank you Google translate.
Definitely a night to remember.
Would we go back to Verula Moncayo? Not for everyone, scruffy but fun. Yes, thanks for the memories.
Next morning getting over the steak and wine, we set off back through the mountains heading for France.
A long, too long, drive. We were looking for another stop and settled for
Not a happy experience. North of Bordeaux at Salles in the Gironde. Looked good on paper but sruffy, dirty and the electricity went off.
It didn't look too bad but itinerate workers and other residents gave the place a very uncomfortable feel. We ate in the van as we really didn't want to leave it unattended. Showers and loos not too clean and outdoors cold water for washing up.
Not somewhere we will return to, probably made worse by the damp dismal weather.
Glad to be moving on we headed for the next stop Fresnay Sur Sarthe and
We had been to Fresnay many years ago and were pleased to be going back for a proper look.
What a delightful site. Absolutely beautifully kept on the edge of a small town by the river. The facilities were spotless and everything was really well maintained. A mixture of camping places and lodges with tennis courts, an outdoor gym,kiddies play area and a municipal swimming pool next door. We settled down on our pitch with the sounds of the river behind us.
The village of Fresnay Sur Sarthe was a five minute walk away. Very compact with a whole collection of shops and restaurants. Of course we had chosen the day when most of the restaurants were shut. We did eventually find an open Thai restaurant where we had a lovely meal. Again, free entertainment deciphering the restaurants Thai menu with the help of the owner who spoke only a little English. Pictures on the menu helped! It was a lovely meal with great service. Another one to return to.
Fresnay Sur Sarthe, we will be back.
Another long drive the next day and we were back at Les Erables in Escalles just outside Calais. One of our favourite spots overlooking Le Manche. We will be back later in the year.
