France's Atlantic Coast 2018

As always, we started from our "base station" in the evening to avoid the rush hour traffic in the Rhine-Main area and to get a little further towards our destination.

The parking space for 35 Mobile is located in the forest, the meadow spaces are not parceled out. V/E is available off site but was out of order when we visited due to storm damage. There is electricity, a nice barbecue area, a herb garden and a toilet in the flower garden nearby. The court fee is collected twice a day.

A tip on how to get there: Enter the Saarland Mining Museum as a waypoint/intermediate destination. Otherwise you might end up at the wrong end of the square like we did and then the entrance will be a bit difficult to find.

Whenever we go to France, we stop here first to stock up on supplies. As you can see in the photos, only the bare essentials...

After our shopping we drove on until we didn't feel like it anymore, but further than planned. The place to stay that we had chosen as a replacement is a small parking lot for 6 mobile homes (with a little good will from the other campers and the local residents, 9 mobile homes can also fit) directly on the Canal d'Orleans. The place has V/E, but no electricity. There is a bakery nearby, so fresh croissants and baguettes are provided.

Chambord - dream castle on the Loire and an absolute must if you are in the area. Built as a hunting lodge, it passed through a few hands, and Moritz von Sachsen was also the owner for a few years. In recognition of his achievements as Marshal of France.

The parking space is located in the immediate vicinity of the castle on the extensive grounds of the castle. However, the castle can only be seen from a few places. The pitches are parceled out and gravelled, but offer no service on the pitch itself. There is a central V/E station. As in our case, it can happen that an event takes place on the large meadow next to the parking space; in our case a 75th company anniversary. Then it can get pretty loud during the night. Our compensation was a big fireworks display as part of the celebration...

Wir hatten uns entschlossen, unsere Tour einfach umzudrehen, also zunächst durch das Landesinnere bis Bordeaux zu fahren, um dann der Küste entlang Richtung Norden zu reisen. Zwischenstation auf dem Weg nach Rocamadour, einem Tipp aus Facebook von Sylvia war Bellac, ein kleiner Ort, der im Jahre 12. Jahrhundert Stadtrechte erhielt. Seehenswert sind vor allem die Kirche Notre Dame und die alte Brücke.

Der Stellplatz für 5 Mobile liegt direkt an einem Park und dem Flüsschen, ruhig und schön. Die Plätze sind asphaltiert und markiert. Der Platz ist kostenlos, es gibt ein paar hundert Meter weiter eine Station für V/E. Die Toiletten dort wollten wir abder dann doch lieber nicht nutzen.

Fazit: ein schöner Ort und eine sehr ruhige Nacht.

A beautiful little place with a medieval old town. Beautiful little alleyways, an open market hall from the 18th century with the original roof truss (market on Wednesdays and Saturdays) and the church "St. Maur de Martel". The place, free but without service, is within walking distance to the old town and quiet from the evening.

Even if we only spent one night there, the city is worth a detour.

There are several stalactite caves in the Dordogne valley, including the Gouffre de Padirac, the Grottes de Cougnac and the Lacave caves we visited. The Gouffre de Padirac, where you are not allowed to take photos, offers the special feature that you first take an elevator down 75m through a large hole in the cave ceiling and then put parts of the cave back by boat. The Grottes de Cougnac offers prehistoric cave paintings and Lacave fascinating stalactite formations and a guided tour that can also be followed in German via an app. A mine train takes you 400m down and from there on foot with a guide through several caves.

Rocamadour - we didn't have this town on our itinerary. But a tip from the Facebook group "Mobile homes and motor homes, the most beautiful hobby in the world" led us there. Many thanks to Sylvia for this.

Rocamadour is a medieval pilgrimage town with a bishop's palace and a large number of churches and chapels, built in a confined space on and on the rock. Next to the Mont Saint Michel, Rocamadour is actually the second most well-known and visited attraction in France. And thanks to the recommendation of Park4Night, we stood in a parking lot at the foot of the city with a priceless view of Rocamadour. For us one of the highlights of this holiday and definitely worth a detour.

Camping La Pelouse is a "camping municipal" that appears to have been given into private hands. The young operator couple is trying to get the place back in shape. The result, however, was that only the older of the two wash houses was available due to work on the water pipes.

The place itself is a meadow place and parceled out with power connections on site, V/E and bread service. The exit is a bit tricky as it is a bit steep and the view of the cross street is blocked by walls.

What makes this place unbeatable is the fact that the city is a good 10 minute walk from there.

Cyrano de Bergerac - this tragic figure in the play by Edmond Rostand, filmed incomparably with Gérard Depardieu, was the reason for us to pay a visit to this city. Of course it's a fictional character, but ...

Bergerac is a small, old and charming town in the center. Not rich in sights but still worth seeing. The tobacco museum is particularly worthwhile, as it is dedicated to the history of tobacco consumption in Europe and has an important collection of pipes. Here you can find out how tobacco made its way from America to Europe, how it was consumed in different epochs and that tobacco is also a medicinal plant, for example against migraines.

We also recommend the church of St. Jacques with its bell gable and wooden balcony, the alleys and small squares and, last but not least, the statue of Cyrano de Bergerac on the Place de la Mirpe.

The ADAC Tour Set® writes about Pauillac: The beautiful town of Pauillac on the banks of the Gironde is the wine capital of the Médoc. It owes its reputation above all to the famous castles that are lined up in the north between lush vineyards ... "

And unfortunately that's exactly the point: the city itself doesn't really have much to offer. Apart from the humble beach promenade, there isn't much that a visitor might be interested in. The tourist office or center offers wine seminars and tastings (for a fee), and the staff is a bit dismissive to say the least. The large selection of wines from the various cooperative winemakers is of no use either, because a label is patient. We are used to different things from Tuscany. The only highlight: one obviously seems to be very proud of the German town twinning.

So we didn't stay here long and continued along the vineyards and chateaus towards Soulac-sur-Mer.

Soulac-sur-Mer - a small town on the Atlantic coast. A seaside resort with some beautiful houses from the Belle Epoque, but whose coastline is massively threatened by the sea. Basically, we stopped there for the night, because the pitch is right in the dunes with a beautiful view of the sea and the dunes. Falling asleep to the sound of the sea - that's something.

We did a bike ride into the town itself, but everything was closed except for the usual beach shops. pre-season.

We reached Royan, on the northern bank of the Gironde estuary, in about 30 minutes by ferry. From the ferry, the expanse of the Gironde estuary opens up, a journey that is not only worthwhile for reasons of time. Other than that, we love ferries.

In Royan, we were actually only interested in the market hall on Rue Henri Mériot. In addition to the architecture, there is everything that the sea and the region have to offer in terms of culinary delights. We parked in a residential area nearby (15 min walk) but could have gotten a spot very close by. You just have to search a bit and try it. The official camper places are definitely too far away.

The parking space is just outside Le Chateau-d'Oléron. The square is separated from the beach by the street. The city can be reached by bike in about 5 minutes.

The space is large, the pitches are not directly parceled out, some have a concrete slab so that you can set up your camping furniture cleanly. The wash house is simple but clean, the showers have hot water (which is not really hot everywhere).

We think it's a good starting point to see the place and at 10.50 not really expensive either.

The place itself with its older part is located within the fortress, which unfortunately was bombed by the Royal Airforce on the orders of a French general about 3 weeks before the end of the war and almost completely destroyed after more than 300 years. The place itself is manageable, but especially in the central area it is quite nice and well-kept. The market hall, which is open every day and offers a wide range, is also located near the tourist information office. The typical French market takes place on the square in front of it. Dates are available at the tourist information.

The old oystercatcher huts can be found further down at the harbor. In the meantime they have been renovated, brightly painted and populated by artists and restaurants, in which you can also get inexpensive fresh oysters and other seafood.

There is not much left of the actual fortress ...

The community-operated parking space is a nice starting point for a bike ride to the lighthouse on the northern tip of the island, the Phare de Chassiron. If the weather cooperates, there are plenty of opportunities for a stop at the beach.

The place is also not parceled out. It has sufficient power connections, V/E and is located near the place, which can also be easily reached on foot. As is typical for the country, a bakery truck drives across the square, honking loudly.

Unfortunately, during our stay we had a short but violent storm, in which a lightning strike not only disabled the entire electrical system on the site, but also our refrigerator. Luckily it still runs on battery and gas...

Der Großparkplatz liegt in La Rochelle, aber außerhalb der Altstadt, die aber gut mit Bus, Fahrrad (es gibt Fahrradwege) oder zu Fuß (15 Minuten) zu erreichen ist.

Der Bereich für die Wohnmobile befindet sich in dem hinteren Bereich. Die Wiesenplätze sind nicht parzelliert und bieten neben der zentralen V/E Station keinen Service. Auch ist der Parkplatz mit 15 Euro zwar recht teuer, aber, wegen der Nähe zur Altstadt, sein Geld wert.

As always, our first route is to the tourist information office, which is located in La Rochelle at the port. There you will get the "Plan de Ville" with the main sights.

La Rochelle itself has a lot to offer. Starting with the aquarium, an absolute highlight and particularly suitable for families. An absolute must for us.

46°14'31.6"N / 1°33'20.3"W

The parking space for 6 mobiles up to 7m max. was added to the existing parking lot, the entrances to which are provided with height barriers, and was not yet finished when we visited and was free of charge. But that will change in our opinion, because the mounting bases for presumably access barriers and a parking machine are available. The place does not offer any service, but it is still right next to the lighthouse and is quiet. The view from the Womo is just beautiful...

Of course, the square is the starting point for a visit to the lighthouse and its museum, which is small but informative. And of course the two towers (there is the old lighthouse and the new one) offer a wonderful view.

The Ile de Ré, like the Ile d'Oleron, is a center of sea salt production. The salt farmers have joined together in a cooperative in which the products are also marketed directly. To get straight to the point: the same products are available in the supermarkets at the same price.

On the Ile de Ré not only salt is mined but also wine is grown. You can find out more about the diverse range of wines, Pineau (an aperitif wine) or cognac - also as part of a tasting - in the winegrowers' cooperative. And of course also buy.

If you want to find out more about salt production, you've come to the right place. What is special about this actually small Ecomusée is the tour (in French - there is an information sheet in German), in which the system of salt production and the individual work steps are explained in detail. Here you can also learn the difference between the Fleur de Sel and the Sel Gris, the "grey salt".

Of course, there is also a small shop here that sells their own salt.

The pitch is right next to the campsite of the same name. The pitches are not all flat, but they are subdivided and have electricity. The central V/E station is located next to the entrance.

Contrary to what is occasionally described, the site does not have sanitary facilities; those of the campsite may not be shared. There is only a simple outdoor shower to wash off the sand after a day at the beach.

Nevertheless, the place is quiet and close to the beach, which invites you to take long walks.

Even if La Flotte is called the most beautiful place on the Ile de Ré, for us it is Saint-Martin-de-Ré. Also an old fishing town with a lovely little harbor surrounded by the Citadel's ramparts - quaint, charming and delicious. In addition to the shops and boutiques, there are plenty of restaurants and bistros. The highlight, however, is the ice cream parlor at the port, La Martinière, which serves salted caramel ice cream. awesome.

Oh yes, with the Womo you can also stay in Saint-Martin-de-Ré (and certainly stay overnight) - the P2 at the cemetery offers plenty of space and is intended for mobile homes. Free but without service. And in less than 5 minutes you are in the city.

When you come to the island (or leave) you inevitably pass it - Les Chateliers. The former Cistercian abbey, founded around 1150 and destroyed and rebuilt several times in the course of its history. After being destroyed by the Huguenots at the end of the 16th century, the abbey was abandoned. Used as a quarry, the monastery gradually fell into disrepair, the ruins were only secured in 1997.

Since the weather was a bit mixed and we didn't take any longer bathing breaks at the sea, we decided to extend our trip to Normandy. We therefore left the Ile de Ré in the direction of Nantes.

For our overnight stay, we decided on a winery that offers free pitches with sanitary facilities (shower/toilet) and V/E. However, a voluntary contribution is requested.

After our arrival, we were greeted by the owner of the winery and invited to a non-binding wine tasting (since the wine was good, we also bought some).

If you are in the area, be sure to stay here.

On the way to Normandy we made a stop in Nantes. It is good that you can stand on the Central Parking Nantes (47.211011 / -1.559847). Tip: Put your parking ticket on the dashboard or clip it to the left aisle at the bottom of the window. With us it hung (as always) above the windshield wipers, which brought us a ticket for parking without a parking ticket).

From there you can see the old town with the Gothic cathedral (marble tomb of Duke Francois II and his wife Marguerite de Foix; the crypt was closed for construction work), the Saint-Nicolas basilica on the Place Royale, the Passage Pommeraye, a beautiful shopping arcade from 1843 and the ducal castle.

A trip to the river island for the "Les Machines de l'Ile" exhibition (the highlight is the huge mechanical elephant) should not be missed either.

The small parking space is enough for 5-6 mobiles, alternatively you can also park in the parking lot of the sports field on the other side of the street when there are no events.

The course is beautifully situated on a huge park landscape interspersed with various lakes, which is ideal for walking or cycling. Actually too nice to just stay there overnight.

Agon-Coutainville - we had a holiday home here in 2015, the decision to buy a mobile home matured here, here we found our El Dorado for shellfish and crustaceans, Les Trois C (we reported on our homepage). Les Trois C is the reason for us to visit this actually typical bathing resort again and again, and this year as well. To our horror we found that the owner had changed. We found out from the former operators via Facebook that after the lease expired, the lease was set at such a high level that the young couple had to give up. Well, there are still shellfish and crustaceans; significantly more expensive and not quite as good as Madame's. Nevertheless, we have covered ourselves where we have been before...

We stood on the same site as in 2016, a beautiful parceled site with electricity and V/E, all included in the price.

We were also here in 2016, but with better weather. When we visited the 360° cinema there in 2015, it was clear to us that we wanted to stand here with our future mobile home. The view of the sea from the Womo is so beautiful that we came back here again this year.

We had chosen the pitch for the next two nights because it is right by the harbor and also close to town. When we arrived we saw that it actually consists of two squares. A part that is in front of the harbor with a view of the sea (this was already fully booked in the early afternoon), the other part is set back behind a wall and directly in front of the rocks.

Both spaces are parceled out but very narrow, so that you can have problems with large rear garage doors. The V/E (additional chargeable) has its best days behind it.

So we drove on and tried our luck in the next town.

We opted for a free parking space (without service) above Veules-les-Roses. Contrary to the other campers, we chose a place with a view of the sea and were rewarded with fantastic sunsets.

The place, named after the shortest river in France, the Veules, has some interesting things to offer. In the tourist office you get a city map with a city tour that leads through the old town to some beautiful points.

A nice pitch, located directly on a huge water reservoir. There are V / E as well as plenty of parceled out spaces. The trees are still young, so there is no shade yet.

The place is an ideal starting point for hikes or bike rides along this really huge lake.

Unfortunately, the square has been redesigned in such a way that the electronics and computers didn't work yet, so we didn't even get to the square. We then drove to the next place on the same lake.

A "holiday settlement" with holiday homes, larger parking lots, restaurants, shops, a tourist office, a marina and of course 2 parking spaces for around 130 mobile homes. Nevertheless, it is nice and quiet, although all hell breaks loose there in the summer.

There is electricity and V/E for the undivided pitches. The holiday center and the marina are very close by and the lake is also ideal for hiking and, above all, cycling tours.

Since it was our last evening in France, we explained our "souvenirs" for the final dinner.

Our first place in France was also our last place. One more delicious shop before we went back home. Our vacation is over.

The motorhome parking space is located in a suburb of Mannheim and is the ideal starting point for sightseeing in the city. It is a through space, that means you drive in on one side and out again at the other end - all spaces are to the right of the driveway, you drive backwards onto the square. The places are paved and dimensioned sufficiently wide so that you can easily set up table and chairs and extend the awning. Two spaces are located next to each other, separated from the neighboring spaces by hedges. So you don't stand directly window to window. In addition, there is a separate space for particularly large mobiles. There is a good connection to the local transport, so that you don't need your Womo to explore Mannheim.

All pitches have a power connection (currently € 1.00 / kWh). There is a central V / E station in the entrance area (!!), where the parking machine is also located (the parking space fee of currently € 10.00 can be paid with coins or an EC card). Electricity and water are only available in exchange for tokens, which can be obtained in exchange for coins or bills.

There is a special feature of the water column that we noticed very positively. Unlike most water columns, this does not calculate according to the flow time (the amount of water stored in bunkers is heavily dependent on the hose diameter), but according to the flow rate. Ie if you pay 1.00 €, you will also get 100 liters of water. We explain what that means with an example: When we arrived, the clock still had 30 liters of water from the previous one. I put in a token and stashed 70 liters. My successor can now fill in 60 liters free of charge. We think that's really great.

Small drawback: At night you can occasionally hear the main road (we slept well), during the day the sport planes and helicopters taking off and landing from the nearby airfield, although flight operations are low.

All in all, a nice, clean and very well-kept pitch that we have included in our favorites.

In the morning we first sent our mobile home through the car wash at GÜMA Caravan-Motorcaravan KG in Mannheim. Badly needed after 3 weeks on tour. Then we went straight home.

Our 2018 tour of France is over. The trip went a little differently than expected - from the route, the weather and so on. But still - a beautiful, eventful, interesting and, above all, incredibly relaxing time.

When the memories have been edited, cut, and set to music in the form of pictures and videos, you will find a more detailed report on our homepage at https://www.nanuq-womoblog.de and on Youtube at https://youtube.com/NanuqWomoB ... Find. Take a look, subscribe to our channel so you don't miss anything. But give us some time.

Have a great time, have a great vacation, interesting tours and always a good and safe journey.

Servis, until the next tour ...