French Caravan Tour 2014 A six week tour towing our caravan starting on Sunday 17th August and ending on Sunday 28th September using ACSI card or Camping Cheques where possible. ( both offer off peak site discounts) Total Mileage 1655-- (plus 567 miles touring from campsites= 2222 miles grand total) This year we started by driving direct from Calais to Chartres. Our planned route was Chartres -Neris les Bains- Ruynes en Margaride,, Meze - Villes sur Auzon - Palau del Vidre and returning via Issoire - Nevers & Chartres before heading for Calais and home. The only site we reserved this year was At Palau del Vidre to ensure that we got our preferred pitch we stayed longer than planned at Meze and did not got to the planned stop at Villes sur Auzon To see my Picasa Photo Albums for some of this tour click on the direct link:- https://picasaweb.google.com/johnjeanjames/PostcardFromFrance20141 https://picasaweb.google.com/johnjeanjames/PostcardFromFrance2014202 https://picasaweb.google.com/johnjeanjames/PostcardFromFrance20143 https://picasaweb.google.com/johnjeanjames/PostcardFromFrance20144 A summary chart giving details of mileages travelled and campsites follows the photographs Please e mail your comments and suggestions about this site to :- info@jj99.co.uk |
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Home to Chartres 268 miles |
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Coffee stop on D90 en route to Chartres via Rouen - a damp start but it did get better |
Before we left home we picked a plentiful supply of tomatoes which lasted for several weeks
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St Adrien at Belbeuf just south of Rouen where a chapelle is built into the face of the chalk cliff - we had lunch here - the car park is large and there is usually plenty of space |
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Chartres to Nevers 179 miles - Lunch at Aire des Gite de Loups and tea at Aire du Grande Meaulnes |
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Steel statue of heron
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Coffee at Aire du Heron on A10 with far reaching views to the east (?) |
Livres comme L'Aire --books and beanbags provided foc |
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The campsite reception office |
Emplacement 49 at Neris Les Bains was on a hard standing and very close to the facilities |
The lower section of the campsite was near the lake and was very shaded - there were also wooden chalets on the hillside overlooking the lake |
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Neris les Bains - colourfully decorated roundabout
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Neris les Bains- the municipal bathing station |
Neris les Bains - the Theatre |
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Le Pavillion du Lac next to campsite |
Neris les Bains - Town Hall
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Campsite lighting |
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Church window depictin George& the Dragon |
Neris les Bains - St Georges church |
Neris les Bains - St Georges church |
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Neris les Bains - Glass pyramids protecting the Necropolis by St Georges Church |
View down to the Necropolis |
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Montlucon
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Nevers to Ruynes en Margaride 128 miles |
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' coffee stop at Gorges la Sioule |
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Ruynes de Margaride to Meze -149 miles -mainly on A75 |
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Coffee stop at Aire de Garnigue just before the Millau Viaduct
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Meze |
Paella for sale in Meze Saturday Market |
Meze |
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Entrance to Beau Rivage Campsite, Meze |
Old Mill Building on site at Beau Rivage |
Beau Rivage Campsite, Meze |
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Meze memorial statue - "To the memory of the fallen of the Etang de Thau." ? 2010 |
Meze |
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The harbour, Meze |
Nets drying - Meze |
a colourful 2CV - quite rare nowadays |
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The marine shrubland between Meze & Bouzigues |
Le Grand Bleau, Bouzigues - we enjoyed lunch on the 2nd floor with views across the inland lake towards Sete |
Bouzigues |
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a view across the lake from Bouzigues towards Sete |
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Meze to Palau del Vidre - 101 miles - easy route along Autoroute |
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Took the Autoroute and stopped on the Aire des Gasparet for coffee |
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Sunday is Market Day in Collioure |
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The pool and new reception building at Le Haras, Palau del Vidre |
New Decorative Steel / Glass artwork on site at Le Haras, Palau del Vidre |
Le Haras, Palau del Vidre |
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Mobile wine press -on site at Le Haras |
More Decorative Steel / Glass artwork on site at Le Haras, Palau del Vidre |
Old horse drawn plough -on site at Le Haras
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Palau del Vidre following major prunning to the trees in the square |
Palau del Vidre |
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Shrine to Sant Galdric |
The road back to Le Haras from Palau del Vidre |
Facade retained but shop closed years ago |
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Port Argeles |
ND Consolation at Port Argeles |
Port Argeles
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The Promenade at Argeles sur Mer |
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Palau del Vidre to Issoire - 265 miles |
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Heading north up the A75 tea stop at the Aire de Garabit overlooking the Viaduct The Garabit Viaduct (Viaduc de Garabit in French) is a railway arch bridge spanning the River Truyère near Ruynes-en-Margeride |
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Issoire just off the A75 -cross this roudabout to get to the Municipal Campsite |
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Issoire to Nevers - 127 miles |
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Hotel de Ville, Dampierre |
Dampierre sur Loire |
Just after Gien, Dampierre was a convenient and pretty place to stop for coffee |
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The entrance to the campsite at Nevers |
The campsite is situated on the River Loire next to the old stone bridge leading to the town |
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Nevers - Echaugette tower with the tower of Cathedral Saint-Cyr et Saint-Julitte behind there is a blue tourist route marked on the pavement guiding you around the historic town |
Nevers - this tower in next to the Faience Earthenware Museun |
The ancient 12th century church of Saint Genest has been restored during the past couple of years
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Pont canal du Guetin takes the Canal Lateral across the River Loire 15km from Nevers |
at the Bec d'allier' -the confluence of the Loire and Allier |
Apremont sur allier -a 'Plus Beau' Village a short drive from Nevers - the gardens here are well worth a visit |
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The path to the green route is well marked |
Walking back from the 'green' path |
the green route - a path alongside the river |
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Nevers to Chartres - 153 miles |
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Chartres cathedral from the big wheel |
Notre Dame de la Belle Verrière ... It is a blue Virgin against a red background and is described as “the most beautiful stained-glass window in existence.
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Chartes - just friends |
Enjoying a Grimbergen by Chartres Cathedral |
Chartres Vegetable Market |
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Chartres to Home -285 miles |
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l and a shady spot back at home |
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Summary of route and campsites
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At Palau del Vidre Locally sourced fresh figs |
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