Our trip to France 2019

I am not sure what category this fits but admin can move ...

We had our trip on WB Yeats on Tuesday 21st.
As we have only one exit door we always request to be parked with door facing walkway but also near lift as too many flights of stairs.
Surprisingly we were one of first to be boarded at 2.30 and in cabin 10 mins later.
We left at exactly 4pm.
Checked out the menus in Lady Gregory restaurant €60 per person!!, by time you add wine and tip, an expensive meal. Instead we went to the self service, Nigel found gluten free choice was very poor, (probably no better in expensive restaurant) there was another eating area but I didn’t see it.

The interior colours are muted...grey, design of carpeted areas...no comment

We had the 2*2berth, smaller than Oscar Wilde but beds were comfortable and 4 big pillows and a big tv screen. Shower area was small but adequate.
Very smooth crossing.

The ACSI app worked well in cabin, I didn’t need wifi. Planned a possible route.

Our first stop was 2.5 hrs from Cherbourg, at Mont St Michel, ACSI 1370 Camping Aux Pommiers €18. Heated pool, nice toilet block. Shops outside gate. There is a large Aire along the road charging about €13.50 but worth staying in campsite.
Walk/cycle along canal (2km to Causeway and another 2km out onto island at Mont St Michel.

The roads over here are excellent , smooth, ( at home if you are familiar with new stretch of M11 at Jack Whites) no rattling noises inside MH.

Weather excellent 22 deg, perfect, I would be quite happy with no hotter.

Fuel prices vary € 1.48 - €1.64 glad we topped up at Campus beside Aldi on East Wall Road €1.349 before short distance to Dublin Port

Our first 2 days at Mont St Michel and drove south on motorways (not tolls) past. Rennes and Nantes then inland from St Gilles Croix de Vie, to a Yelloh Village called Le Pin Parasol (ACSI 1571, €18) incredible price for all the facilities. It covers a huge area with two extensive swimming areas at opposite sides of campsite and also on Lake Jaunay , very large grass pitches with hedges. As this week UK school holiday break, there might be more than usual for May.
On this campsite they don’t use cash, but you can put money in reception on your account for the duration and any purchase are zapped on the disc on your bracelet, or pay by credit card / contactless swipe even for small amounts like an ice cream.
What I did notice at far side, within campsite there is an exclusive motorhome area, an Aire, I enquired on leaving, it costs €12 per 24 hrs, but you don’t have access to the pool.

Four days later drove further south, past the outskirts of La Rochelle, as we have been to I’le de Re several times we headed to I’le d’Oleron.
ACSI No.1706, €18 Le Suroit up in NW side of island.
Plenty of places to stop off at on the way to stock up on groceries though Fuel was cheaper down near the island about €1.36, though we had already topped up.
You don’t have to pay crossing viaduct.
The weather is to be hotter around 25deg in next few days.

I think this is as far south we will go, as we are now planning on seeing son and family back up in Carnac, before they go home and maybe we will tour around Brittany.

Nigel cycled upper end of ile d'Oleron yesterday. The cycle paths are not as smooth as I'le de Re, nor as numerous even though he had map which showed cycle paths in red but confusing especially in the villages.

Today is Ascension Thursday and big holiday w/e in France which is why we got booked in early in week. Yesterday we heard someone tried to find campsite in I'le de Re and everywhere was booked up.

This year we are staying longer on campsites and driving less, so it will not be a very interesting blog.

Rambler (Jason) and Eirebus (Dave) you set off around same time as us, where are you at this stage?

Sent from my iPad

For those using ACSI Camping Card discount period is up to early July (check date on relevant site) , the discount starts again Sept or even late Aug.

It is Sat of this French holiday w/e and the pitches are emptying already, I thought they would leave tomorrow
Sunny and blue sky here in I'le d'Oleron but I think the temperature is good in Ireland too for Vantastival w/e.
I see rain here for next week.

Our pitches have filled again. I heard next w/e also a holiday but not as big as this one.

Now Whit BH weekend here in France. We had our first very wet night today we drove from Carnac Plage where we stayed 2 nights in a 6 berth mobile home for the 2 of us with our mh parked outside. Son and family in another mobile home. They are on WB Yeats now this evening where he said "bit choppy".
We are in Benodet ACSI 1425,Camping Le Helles. Blue skies, sunny,mainly white clouds but very stormy.
Friend on Med said breezy there.
If you are in France today what is your weather like?

The weather is to be bad for most of next week here in Northern France.
So far we are still in Benodet with lots of sunshine and showers.
Deciding whether to break up week in several places around Brittany coast or take more direct route.

We go home again on WB Yeats on 19/6.

No matter if at home or anywhere in world our forecast of choice is yr.no (make sure place names shows French flag and not somewhere like America!)
I then do long range.
Actually by weekend it isn’t too bad here in northern France.
We have been on this ACSI 1425 (west side of Benodet) has free WiFi and TV reception is brilliant, we are watching BBC weather, doesn’t look like the heatwave at home that there was this time last year. BBC Weather map only fleetingly shows very northern France.

After Benodet we drove north to Lannion to Camping les Capucines ACSI 1527.
Lovely weather so close to English Channel where we have been closely watching the weather which has been exceptionally bad in UK and Ireland, nothing like the heatwave of 2018.
We only stayed one night and moved east to St Lunaire beside Dinard. ACSI 1433 Camping La Tousse for 3 days, weather a bit cooler.
Nigel cycled around Dinard but walked along the GR34 coastal path in both directions.
I only stay at the campsite but he has taken lots of photos.
We have 3 more days, heading off towards Granville today then the WB Yeats on Wednesday 19/6.

We are now in Yelloh Village camping Les Iles ACSI 1384. First time I have been on a site where every pitch has its own private sanitation cabin toilet/shower/hand basin, hairdryer, outside on the deck a separate sink for washing dishes. €20. The weather has been lovely but tonight we are due to have heavy rain and thunder.
On WB Yeats tomorrow afternoon. (19/6).
For any ACSI numbers I have given in my blog will only apply in 2019, but I have given campsite name which is in the index at the back of the maps insert.