St Malo to Bonterra Resort Spain and Back

 We were finally off on our delayed trip to Spain. Revised to August probably, not the best time for a Spanish trip. 

We had opted to use the Western route through France  via Bordeux crossing into Spain at Urrugne, with a one night stop at Zaragoza. We had allowed 3 days for the journey through France and had booked all the camp stops before we left, as it was August!

The trip from St Malo to our first stop at St Jean D'Angley was fairly uneventful, except took a lot longer than anticipated. The site Val de Boutonne is on the outskirts of the town and easy to get into, we have stayed there quite a few times. As mentioned, I had pre-booked, the site was not completely full, but very busy.

A slight drama at the entrance however and Pebble got her first war wound! A tiny scratch. As we were about to go through the barrier, an Italian managed to jump in front of us and then reversed. Den managed to avoid him but collided with a STOP sign! Fortunately minimal damage, but not a happy start. Crazy really because there was loads of room.

We had a very convenient grass pitch and spent a good first night. We had managed to stock up on provisions and fuel just outside the town, so we were well set up.

A nice site this one and well worth another slightly longer visit, perhaps next year. The town is an easy walk with bars and restaurants. As it was high season the snack bar on site was open for drinks and pizzas, free wi-fi. Mainly populated by French families with a few other nationalities passing through.

The next morning we were off for the long drive South. Urrugne and Camping Larouletta on the border. We have stayed there many times before. Again, checking in was no trouble as we had pre-booked. This was another very long haul and we would definitely be looking for shorter drives on the way home. The Bordeaux Rocade was busy and generally there was more traffic everywhere as it was a Friday and high season.

It was also very hot, well into the top 30's. Luckily we got a nice shady pitch.

The site was pretty packed mainly with French holiday makers. We actually found the lake which was rammed with families.

Everything was open which added to the family atmosphere. Usually when we come here it's end or the beginning of the season so much quieter. We had a cold beer in the bar and booked an evening table. Sadly, the meal was awful and the steak like cardboard, we made the best of it. With hind site the pizza looked more appealing, still they were friendly.

The next morning, Day 3, we were off to Spain and Zaragoza. As we drove away through France the mercury was rising 39C by the time we got to the campsite in Zaragoza. The municipal in Zaragoza is on the outskirts of the town. We have stayed on the Aire in the centre by the tram line but the campsite felt safer. Full of Spanish families enjoying the pool and the sun it was busy.

The bar was a welcome relief from the sun, a shady spot.

Not much shade on our pitch but we were only there for one night. We had a very pleasant meal in the restaurant and a comfortable though hot night's sleep. We were up early, ready for the final drive to the coast and the Bonterra Resort in Benicassim.

Three weeks later and time to go home again. This time we decided to take longer to drive through France. 

We had discovered ChatGP!! 

What a nifty little tool for planning, it saved me hours of work. Thanks for the suggestion from someone on Motorhome Fun, it works brilliantly.

Our new route back to St Malo. We planned to only drive a maximum of 3 hours a day Zaragoza, through the Somport Tunnel, Navarrenx, Bordeaux, Ingrandes, St Malo. 

We asked for sites with good facilities and a restaurant, not too far from the route we were following. The Bots came up with the goods, giving us loads of sensible suggestions which we then checked out on Camper Contact and SearchforSites.

The first site was back to Ciuadad Zaragoza, much quieter now but a good stop.

The next morning a lovely drive through the mountains and Somport Tunnel to Navarranx and Camping Beau Rivage. A great little site on the edge of an interesting village. The site had been owned by Brits but had been bought by a friendly new French owner. There was a small bar and pizza was available on certain days. Lots of Brits on site some in permanent pitches but all very friendly with tidy clean facilities.

The bar. Very well attended and pizza shack.

We walked into the town and spent some time strolling around the ramparts and looking in the museum.

The free town museum. I could just about work out the captions. How do these small French towns manage to keep everything so up together?

We had a quiet drink in the town square, watching the world go by! 

Definitely a place we would go back to when we have more time.

The next morning we were up fairly early and making for Bordeaux Lac. A site I had on my list to visit for a while.  A large site next to the arena on the edge of the rocade, so quite simple to find. The approach looked interesting. We hadn't booked this one so we kept our fingers crossed that there were no "events" planned there.

We checked in with another van, a huge German expedition van. Pebble was obviously over awed!! 

Quality not quantity we thought.

Just the thought of driving something that size made us feel queasy.

We were soon set up on the site and sat in the bar by the lake.

I think "lake" was a slight exaggeration, more like a collection of large ponds but nicely set up. Sadly the restaurant was closed for a private function, so that night we had to make do with store cupboard staples. We did however enjoy a few drinks in the very pleasant bar.

 We enjoyed a comfortable night on a fully serviced pitch. Slightly noisy, as there was a "rapper" event in the arena, but it finished early and didn't keep us awake. Bordeaux Lac is another site which we would be happy to try again and great for an easy stop over. A bus ride into Bordeaux would be well worth the journey....next time perhaps!

Our next stop, Le Petit Trianon at Ingrandes.  ChatGP had come up with the goods again. Another 3 hour drive and we had arrived at another quiet but well set up friendly campsite. In the grounds of a small chateaux, clean tidy site with a restaurant that was open.

Beautiful campsite in a lovely setting, we were practically on our own in a large flat well mown field.

This is a very well kept site with an outdoor unheated pool, fabulous on a hot day. 

We had dinner in the chateau which was lovely, with friendly staff and good service. Another place to return to I think.

Our final stop the next day was Domaine Du Logis at La Chapelle aux Fitzmeens around an hours drive from St Malo. Another good find.

Very quiet in September, but I imagine, very busy in the high season. Bar and restaurant closed on a Tuesday, we survived.

 Another very well looked after site with good facilities and handy for the ferry. Our last French site for this year😞 

We found a five day leisurely drive suited us so much better, than a motorway dash. Less rushing and more relaxing is the way forward for us.

Never mind, next year is calling, it could be France.  

 

Review Brittany Ferries .Portsmouth to St Malo and Back.

 It had been around 20 years ago that we last travelled on the Portsmouth St Malo route. We decided to give it another go as we were travelling to Spain and using the Western route through Bordeaux. 

We booked the ferry back at the beginning of the year as originally we had been going in April/May. Due to the purchase of our new family member "Pebble", we delayed the trip until August. Changing the original booking was relatively easy as we had booked a "flexi", a Commodore cabin on the way out and a 4 birth indoor cabin ( which was all we could get) on the way back. So both overnight sailings. I guess we had rather a rosy view of our last Portsmouth sailing many years ago and thought it would make a relaxing start to the holiday.

Our sailing from Portsmouth made for a much shorter journey from Somerset and as we were not sailing until 20.18hrs, we had all day to get there. This felt like a good idea when we booked it initially one cold wet January day. However, in reality, it meant we spent the whole day hanging around waiting until 15.00hrs to leave home. It felt a bit of a wasted day as we were really itching to get on the move. 

The actual drive to Portsmouth was very simple and quick, we were soon lined up on the dock waiting for the off. No real in depth checks, passports stamped and we were pretty much at the front of the queue.

 

The new St Malo ship was huge. Boarding was straight forward and we were soon happily settled in our Commodore cabin. Nice big bed, mini fridge, TV and bathroom with a porthole. Good start. The lady who showed us to our cabin  muttered something about the special lounge for our complementary breakfast, as it turned out we should have paid more attention 😔.

This was the positive start to the journey! ⛵⛵⛵

We were actually starving, so made our way to the restaurant Le Littoral on Deck 7. Seemed OK and not much of a queue. We got a table for two but the tables were very close together, so in reality we may as well have been on a table for four or even six. We got drinks and decided to go for the buffet with a main course 28.30 euros each, so not too bad price wise for food. That was before we got the bill at the end, when we discovered our mediocre bottle of plonk, which we thought was 17 euros was actually 27 euros, a bit steep we thought! 

The buffet was acceptable though a pretty small selection, we noted they didn't top up the smoked salmon or prawns, so I guess we were lucky to be early. The main course was OK, a beef stew of some description. After the wine we just wanted to get moving and then get some sleep. The ship bobbed on the water but didn't actually go anywhere!! We left the port finally at 22.30hrs, apparently waiting for fuel. The total bill for the meal was 93 euros, not too bad but we felt the drinks were a rip off. Maybe we should have bought a meal deal package, still you live and learn. The service was pretty good though but we had got to the restaurant pretty smartly, when it was relatively empty.

What can I say about a peaceful night sleep...NOT! What with the engine noise and aircon blowing and doors banging it was anything but peaceful. To add to our enjoyment and relaxation the "peaceful" wakeup music went off at 5.30am as cabins had to be vacated by 6.15am. Never mind, a complementary breakfast coming up, we couldn't wait!!

Eventually we found the mysterious Commadore Lounge behind an unmarked door at the end of a corridor. We should have paid more attention when we boarded. Interestingly, the lounge was packed with people in the know all munching on their free fayre. There did not appear to be any checks on who was in there, which begs the question about "complementary" food and who qualified. The breakfast was very poor quality, mushy scrambled eggs, beans, mushrooms and bacon on a bain marie. Drinks in paper cups from a machine and dried up overbaked croissants and pastries, we didn't bother.

Disembarkation was simple, no checks and we were soon on on the way to Spain. 

So much for a relaxing start to the holiday, we were shattered.

The return journey was much of the same. The parking in St Malo port is dire, so do not arrive early as parking is restricted. As our return ferry wasn't until 20.30, we drove out to Cancale along the coast and spent the day overlooking the sea, which was very pleasant. 

Boarding for the trip home was easy, again no checks. We had been very good and were not carrying any contraband food. 

We tried to get a cabin change onboard as we had altered our return trip and been allocated a disabled dog cabin, as the only one available. Interestingly it seemed OK with an enormous wet room. I was not too keen on the "doggy" aspect of the cabin though it seemed very clean. Den went for a quick shower which quickly turned into a deluge, as the whole cabin flooded. Literally water everywhere, we were sailing or rather sinking!! 😟😟 After a visit to Reception, we were quickly moved to a drier 4 birth cabin, what a relief. The ferry definitely wasn't full and there were other cabins available, C'est la vie. We spent a quiet uneventful night and even got an extra hours sleep with the move back to GB time.

Another meal in the restaurant, much as on the way over, except it was busier and the service poor. We avoided the wine, but had a small drink in the bar before bed time, wine was only 8 euros a glass ( another rip off), listening to the entertainment with the other cruisers. An early night was welcomed and we had the excitement of telly in our cabin.

Would we use this crossing again......NO. Far too stressful and hugely expensive. A drive to Folkestone or Dover perhaps, with a night stop on the way, may be on the cards for a future trip. Possibly consider one of the shorter ferry crossings if pushed.

Sorry to the lovers of Brittany Ferries. This is very much our personal view and no doubt many feel, it's the perfect start or end of a trip for them. Each to their own opinion but definitely not for us.