Chris Anthony

Camping Holiday France 2013

Wednesday 10th July – Thursday 15th August
Liz + Chris + Hugh in our Campervan Kon-tiki

Ferry Portsmouth to Caen (Ouistraham). Hugh flew back on 27th July from Avignon [Flybe]

Total: 1,880 miles; 3,008km

Ouistraham, Mayenne, Bauge, Lac Rille; Langeais, Motorway past Tours, Vierzon, St.-Paulien, Rochelambert; Le Puy en Velay, Valence, Die, Hirondelle at Menglon; Gap, Barcelonette, Larche; Towards Gap, Sisteron, Nr. D.-des Anges, Moulin de Vendre at Niozelles; Apt, Avignon; Past Arles to clos du Rhone at Les Sainted Maries de la Mer; Nimes, Ganges, Le Vigan, St. Julien de la Nef; Le Vigan, Meyrueis, Causse Mejean;  St. Enemie, Mende, Lac Naussac; Grandrieu, Col de la Croix de Bor; St. Flour, Riom es Montagne, Trizac; Bort-les Orgues, La Courtine, past Aubusson, Generailles, Chatelus Malveix, Boursolles near Roche;Bonnat, Ciron, Rosnay; Ligueil, Crouzilles, Domaine Coton at Le Perriere; Langeais, Ferte Bernard, Belleme; Montagne au Perche, Livarot, Ouistraham, Portsmouth.

Note: Excellent Campsite on river beach and swimming and interesting town at L’lle-Bouchard on R. Vienne between Rosnay and Saumur.

Langeais, Langeais, Motorway past Tours, Vierzon, Bourges, Montlucon, Gannat, to Vichy Thiers, Ambert, Chaise-Dieu (good mountain site here), St. Paulien. St.-Paulien, Rochelambert. [322 miles]. Advise go on towards Clermont Ferrand on the Motorway and avoid crowded complex extensive Vichy at all costs.
15th July. La Rochelambert near St. Paulien*. 2 nights. This was alternative to nearby excellent Vorey that was full (see 2010). Good site with restaurant, small shop, small pool. In low hill countryside with nice walks.

Past Le Puy-en-Velay, St. Agreve, Valence, Portes-les-Valence, Crest, Die, Recobeau-Jansac, Menglon. [133 miles]
17th July. Hirondelles campsite near Menglon*. 1 night. Good campsite for children but not otherwise. Huge paddling pools. Very very long campsite under pine trees by river [almost inaccessible]. Nice countryside. (Alternative to Lus de la Croix Haute)

Luc-en-Dios, Col de Cabre, [diversion through narrow mountain road to La Faurie], Veynes, Gap, Barrage de Serre-Poncon, Barcelonette, Meyronnes, Larche. [125 miles].
18th July. Les Marmottes at Larche. 4 nights. One of our top sites. About 1800m. Excellent restaurant on site and also in village. No pool. Good shop. Very many high mountain walks. Crag martins in village. Many lesser whitethroat warblers and many Winchats. There is now a small coach service up the road to the high plateau for wonderful mountain walks [to Italy].

(We had intended going to our usual Farigoulette lakeside site near St Laurent near Verdon Gorges but this was full)
Barcelonette, towards Gap then South, Tallard, Sisteron, La Brillane, Niozelles near D. des Anges [104 miles]
22nd July. Moulins de Ventres near small chapel - D. des Anges*. 4 nights. Excellent site with excellent restaurant, large proper pool. Nice bike rides and walks. Free WiFi.

Niozelles, Forcalquier, Cereste, Apt, Avignon (take outer ring road signposted Arles, Nimes)[70 miles]
26th July. Pont d’Avignon campsite. 1 night. Good large site, snack bar, shop, small family pool. Easy walk or ferry into Avignon, packed with restaurants etc. Hugh flew home from here by Avignon airport. The airport has many names so can be confusing. It is on the main road near Caumont East of Avignon [Flybe].

Noves, Graveson, Arles, Saintes Maries de la Mer [76 miles].
27th July. Le Clos du Rhone near Les Saintes Maries de la Mer. 3 nights. Wonderful pools and large site. Good bars, shop and excellent Restaurant. Next to beach for good swimming.

St. Gilles, Nimes (horrible), Sauve, St Hippolyte, Ganges, St. Julien de la Nef. (83 miles).
   We went to this campsite because our usual nice one at Le Vigan was full.
30th July. Isis de St. Julien. 1 night*. Very nice large shaded site by the river which has many small beaches for swimming. Small children’s pool. Nice restaurant and bar. Free wifi. 

Le vigan, Mont Aiguoal Met Observatory(great views, worth the slight detour), Col de Peyguret, Cabriac, Meyreuis. La Parades, Mas de Val [63 miles].
31st July. Causses Mejean 3 nights**. Wild camping. Best wild camping in France (their description is ‘Camping Sauvage’ which is perfect for this place. Overseen by vultures. Good bike rides and walks.

St-Chely-du-Tarn, Ste-Enimie, Sauveterre, Le Bec, Mende, Badaroux, Laubert, Chateuneuf-de-Randon, Naussac (just before Langogne) [60 miles].
2nd August. Les Terraces du lac, on lac Naussac.* 3 nights. Excellent site on terraces overlooking lake and beautiful countryside. Swimming in lake and boats available from nearby Loisir centre. Small childrens pool. Administered by a hotel on site. Excellent restaurant. No shop but the bar will provide coffee milk bread etc (not wine). Great walks and bike rides around lake. Very friendly. (We met Andrew and Di here. Andrew solved my horrible gear change problem by lubricating the linkage system. He then serviced the fridge so we could wild camp later.)

 Langogne,Pradelles, Le Sauvetat, Grandrieu,Col de la Croix de Bor [47 miles]
5thAugust. Col de la Croix de Bor. 2 nights**. Great wild camping site at 4,500 ft in Margeride hills. Good walking country. Always have huge thunderstorms with hail here.

St. Alban dur Limagnol, Motorway north to St. Flour, Murat, Riom es Montagne, Trizac [92 miles]. One of best drives on our journey.
7th July. Trizac municipal site. 3 nights. No pool but could swim in the etaing on site. No shop etc. Wonderful village surrounded by good walking on plateau or cycling. Good restaurants. 

Riom es Montagnes, Bort les Orgues, by Ussel, La Courtine, Felletin, by Aubusson, Generailles, turn right to Chatelus Malveix, Boursolles near Bagnat and Roche [112 miles].
10th August. Ferme de Boursolles. 1 night***. France Passion site. Very peaceful. Hoopoes and golden orioles. Good for cycling and great walks.

Chatelus, Bonnat,Aigurande. Le Fay, St. Gaultier, Ciron, Rosnay in La Brenne [68 miles].
11th August. Rosnay municipal. 2 nights. Wonderful municipal site on edge of lake by very small village. Whole area has many lakes, some of which are bird sanctuaries. Grey and Purple herons, Night heron. Excellent cycling. Site has no pool or shop etc. Very near village has shops and excellent simple restaurant.

Le Temple, Previlly sur Claise, Le Grand Pressigny, Ligueil,Bournan, Crouzilles (East of Chinon on Loire) [58 miles].
13th August. Domaine Coton in Le Perriere***. 1 night. Great France Passion site. In beautiful farming country. Bought some good wine from their caves (set in limestone cliffs on edge of farm). Excellent for walking and cycling.

St. Gilles near L’Isle Bouchard (where there is a good campsite with beaches) Azay-le-Rideau, Langeais, Cinq-Mars, Champchevrier, Chateau du Loir, Le Grand Luce, Connere, Ferte Bernard (campsite locked closed for 3 hour lunch break so we ignored them), Le Theil, Belleme. [127 miles].
 14th August. Belleme  municipal. 1 night. Good simple site. Nearby town pool is really best for children. Steep short walk into nice old town. Good restaurant and one excellent expensive one.

Mortagne au Perche, Moulin la Marche, Vimoutiers, Livarot, St Piere-Dives, Troarn, Herouvillete/Escoville, Ranville, Ouistraham [88 miles].