The Caravan Club Riviera Touch Tour One week on

I havent had chance to blog its been too much wow wow and wow. I cant believe a week has gone by only 6 more to go! We are in the Burgundy area of France. Tomorrow we move to Switzerland. We arrived here on saturday (i think!) We were greeted in the chateau by Gert who is the manager here at the Campsite with a lovely welcome programme, a nox containing two engraved winr tasting glasses and of course wine! What a welcome. The site is really just to die for

 T

The following day we had our own coach to take us to the wine museum. I must be honest and thought that it sounded pretty boring but it was amazing and really good fun. There were loads of animated films etc and even one of those simulators.We were bees! Yep flying ovwr the vineyards. It was great. We were then taken into this bar and again wow! I made a video but I cant upload the damned thing! It was all 1920s with an old organ but they were using wine bottles! We then had the most amazing meal in the restaurant that was a themed railway station. What a day.
Yesterday was a quietish day spent in the pool ( well it would be rude not to) and then last night back in the chateaus caves for....wine tasting!

Im not zure that it was any good. I may have to go again tonight!
Oh no I cant. We are going for a farewell meal in the chateau!. Switzerland tomorrow. We will certainly dry out there. The last time I was there I paid e8 pounds for a bottle of the cheapest wine! Today some are going to the market. Some are going to the monuments sere 22 SAS soldiers died and 300 British Troups. Me? Life is tough..I feel the pool calling but which one?!

Oh on my way up to the courtyard toblogg I saw these little creatures. They look a bit like otters but they re not. Their name begins with 'c' but I cant remember! Very sweet though!

Have a good day whatever you are doing. I will try hard not to get sunburnt!


http://www.domaine-eperviere.com

The Caravan Club Riviera Touch Grand Tour day 5

http://www.camping-castels.co.uk/camping-chateau-de-la-grenouillere-id253-id_camping8.htmlWe left Les Quatre Vents neararis yesterday morning. As Hosts we always try and have one team first away and the other set of hosts as tail end Charlie. It was only 132 miles to our next site near Blois. " easy" we thought. The reception at chateau due LA Grenouillere closes for lunch between 12 and 2. We left at 0755 only to arrive at 1156! The perephirique made the M25 look like a walk in the park! Anyhow we made it in time and the journey was worth it as this place is beautiful. We have stopped here many times before and it has lived up to its good reputation.Very quickly after us other members arrived and they soon made themselves at home

The campsite is set in the grounds of the chateau and really has the wow factor

My pics don't do this place justice as it has an old most all the way around the chateau with ducks on it and I guess frogs. Isn't that what grenouillere means?! I'm not sure on that one! The chateau of frogs doesn't sound quite right?!

Anyhow how much French do you want from my rusty o level?!

Last night we had a meal in the restaurant in the grounds and it was superb. Very difficult to find fault. The wine was rather expensive but there again I don't think it was from the local supermarket! I couldn't believe it. On our table was a couple from Ferriby and next to me was a gent from Hull! How far do I have to go to escape?! Once again the northerners far out number the southerners. Our poor co hosts-I find myself having to translate from Yorkshire into Cockney! They do seem to be coping well thoughand we thought the problems would be speaking French!

So today is a chillaxing day by the pool after a visit to the lovely Super U supermarket down the road as the next site is another Castells site but very remote and then Switzerland. If we weren't teetotal before you certainly will be in Switzerland when you see the prices! Time to stock up me thinks. Now we have an empty water butt can I put that to good use?!

Down to death with a bang or banger tonight..guess what's for tea?!

The Caravan Club. The Riviera Touch Tour 2014

Wow! We met our group at the lovely Led Quatre Vents Campsite and we all went out for a meal after having a welcome drink. Now the caravan club had put on tea and coffee?! Tea and coffee for campers?! Have they got the wrong hosts for this Tour?! You can guess a quick visit to the supermarket for vino and we were on to a winner! Tea and coffee?! What was all that about?!
Yesterday a bus collected us and took us into Paris for the day. Some went on the tourist bus but Dave and I decided ( well I decided!) to go shopping as we have been to Paris so many times before. Dave was totally undecided what to buy....

Nice car but it would clash with my caravan. What about this one?

Nice car but very boring looking. Oooh maybe my luck has changed?....

Louis Vitton

Cartier? Something small and expensive?!

What bloody Lincolnshire sausages from Marks and Spencers?! Had I forgotten I had married a bloody yorkshureman? The most unromantic man on the planet?!We were on the most famous and glamouous avenue in the world and I get M and S sausages?! So where were we?!...

The Champs Elysée! I don't quite know what to do with my sausages?! ( don't be rude!) 

Today we have moved to another great site near Blois. Its part of the castels group so is five star. Its going to be tough....the sun is shining. The pool is sparkling and out for a meal tonight. They had better not serve me sausages!http://www.caravaning-4vents.fr

Campsite from hell! You bill camp here!

OK so I have found some amazing municipal campsites in France but I have also found some at the other end of the spectrum and last night was one of those. In my worst campsite ever list this was definitely in the top 5 anywhere!
So it read really well in the caravan club book. Good security it said. Good restaurants it said. Good facilities it said. All I can say is they re bloody liars!
We pulled in to the little town of Ferrieres en Gatinais to find theentrance gate only half open. I pulled up and a lady in a French car and speaking French asked me if I wanted to camp. Well this was a big mistake " yes please. Two nights'. She looked a little surprised and took my money. I always tell people not to pay up front and I broke my own bloody rule! The grass was long and desperately needed a cut. The place was scruffy. Never mind it had good restaurants nearby, free WiFi and good facilities so I will remain positive.
We went for a walk in the medieval town. I have to admit that it was pretty but nearly all the shops and restaurants had either closed or gone on holiday! Hey ho..we will go and find somewhere to eat later on. At teatime all these vans kept coming in. I think they were gypsies at best and I'm being very generous here tradesmen.
We went for a shower...omg do you remember the sort with the chains that you pull? Luke warm at best. Off we go out....oh no you don't. They locked the main gates and we couldn't get out! Is this what the person who did the last review meant of good security?! I couldn't see a fire hose an escape plan or anything and I was looking! I went to the warden and explained that I was not happy and even the free WiFi didn't work!. She told me the security man would be on if there was any problems ( he should have been on our surveillance teams as he was bloody invisible!) We stayed in and went to bed listening to every sound until 0630 when all the tradesmen left for work. ( I don't know why they all had their own keys when the security man was there?!) I won't tell you about the disgusting toilet blocks or rather the French people. I have a strong constitution but they made me feel I'll within the space of a hour. Yuk disgusting continental toilets so everyone used the only two sensible ones. I will leave the state of them to your imaginations!
At 10 this morning we booled out of the campsite from hell. In fact we only just managed it in the long wet grass an it had rained heavily. Can I be done for bilking when I had paid for two nights?! They would have had to pay me to stay any longer!We drove 30 miles up the road and its a lot more like. Never again to that place! All that said the little medieval town was lovely!

Now the campsite doesn't look too bad on here but look at my car wheels now you can guess the length of the grass!

Yes visit the town but not the campsite! All in lives rich...the joys of camping!

Camping/travelling in Europe mobile phone tarrifs

I've been meaning to blog about this for sometime but wanted to check out for myself that its as good as its cracked up to be..and it is or so far so good!
I have always bought my phone and then paid ten pounds a month on line rental and then a Spanish phone and a wallet full of sim cards depending on which country I am in as until now this was the cheapest option until.......and I'm not on commission ( though I wish I was!) I complained at Car phone Warehouse when I was back in Hull who together with EE have come up with just about the perfect plan for us wanderers and my wallet is now empty ( it normally is-but no sim cards!)
OK I can call anyone anywhere in Europe and receive calls for free-unlimited. I can also send and receive texts anywhere to anyone in Europe for free. I get a data allowance in the UK which is huge and obviously gets eaten up abroad quickly but with the option to add more on as and when I need it! Fantastic and throw in a state of the art phone all for 35 quid a month...now we are talking! It sounds a fairly heavy price but when I was topping up 10_20 euros here and there it will be a lot cheaper and just one phone! I did go over my data allowance once in France but opted to pay for more and it was so cheap and clear exactly how much I was spending..3 pounds! Cheaper than many campsites are charging to use their WiFi! Some are as expensive as 8 euros a hour! Another money saving tip brought to you by yours truly! Scottish and Yorkshire blood-it must be a good deal to get me to sign up!
We are still here at my favourite little municipal. Its the first time that we've really had chance to explore as on our previous visit it was just an overnight stop and it was raining. Yesterday we walked into the lovely little town which has a great supermarket,restaurants and just about everything you could need..I will let you know later about the hairdressers-I must try the Coiffure! Eeks! Walking through the campsite there is a lovely little river that leads to a picturesque port. I saw French families on the large open spaces having a picnic..so very pretty and so very French on a Sunday afternoon.
The WiFi is excellent and involves my favourite word 'free!" . Its so good that we sat watching British TV last night but I seriously wondered why I bothered!
Its warm here. It was sunny yesterday. Who knows what the weather holds today..who knows its off to the hairdressers..chop! Chop!

Camping France v Spain? Have I been converted or corrupted?!

I am often asked " which is my favourite campsite" or which is the best country for. Camping. This really got me thinking. This year I have probably stayed at 25 sites in both Countries so feel as though I can now make a reasonable comparison. France, like most Brits was my first foreign camping adventure so it was my first love. Spain just seemed at the time a little bit too far and unknown. What has happened over the past 25 years or more?
Well I have to say whether its political,with EU money or what I don't know but campsites in Spain leave France sadly way behind. France in my opinion used to lead the way and were a camping mad nation but the Spanish have come along and really got their act together.
Yes, there are still small beautiful sites in both countries but facility wise..Spain has it. I can hardly think of a Spanish site that I have struggled to get my caravan on to. I certainly can't think of one that still has unisex toilet blocks or doesn't have a pool as standard! You literally drive along the A9 same climate on to the AP 7 and everything changes!
Spain often misses out with its history and culture. France has it in abundance everywhere. The Cost as have sadly taken over its identity. Head inland. There are places that you will be amazed at. Areas that make the lake district look brown and flat with waterfalls and lakes. Cordoba, Seville, Barcelona are leagues above Nice, Bordeaux etc but we miss them! France has my favourite Sommieres, Nies etc but Spain has even more but we have to find them.m
The other strange thing that I have noticed is the different types of campers. I talk to other Brits in France " this is the best site. We've been coming here to this pitch for 20 years. We be booked again next year' Helllooo how do you know its the best? What are you comparing it with?!" I guess its me being horrible and they are happy and have found their eutopia. Its a good job we aren't all the same and as for prices...you would have to pay me to stay on the site that I visited yesterday! What probably didn't help was the 20 mile journey that took one and a half hours! Traffic in southern France is horrendous where's in Spain they don't seem to have as many problems.
Service areas/Aires. France again used to win hands down every time with special parking areas for caravans and good facilities. OK so there are no designated parking areas generally in Spain but as for facilities and cleanliness..Spain has won again! Dirty, crowded toilets and rip off prices have become the norm in France. Again going down the same road how can you charge 6.40 for two white coffees in a paper cup in France and 2.40 for two cups ( in real cups!) In Spain?! I think I will die of thirst first!
Having written here just what I think I realise that I have been converted! I speak a little French and even less Spanish but the Spanish generally seem more accomodating.  Most of them try and speak english if I'm struggling but many of the French won't even try! I do know that I'm the ignorant one as I'm in their country!
My o level French does get pushed to its limits at times!
So do I have a favourite campsite? No. Is the simple answer but I have several favourites and the majority are in Spain with the exception of Hungary but that's another blog for another day! Go to Hungary you won't be disappointed!

PS and don't get me going on the cost of leaves in France! Lol

Just found this article....some of these take some beating!

http://www.europapress.es/sociedad/noticia-15-mejores-camping-espanoles-best-camping-2014-20140819105650.html

My favourite town in France. Sommieres

I don't really know why but I visited Sommieres about six years ago and fell in love with the place. I was going to say that it hasn't changed and its still beautiful. I don't suppose even in this day and age they could alter a medieval town that much. It is just like stepping back in time,beautifully preserved and without too much tourism. Another hidden gem in this area..as well as the campsite! You really couldn't be anywhere else in the world,its so..French! There's no other word for it. Walk through the old gates of the town, down the cobbled street and it opens into a square with people sitting chatting and drinking their coffees. My mind went into overdrive and I could imagine once upon a time a bustling market taking place. After visiting another very modern campsite in this area it was just what the doctor ordered..a return to traditional France that I love
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 I just couldn't stop taking pictures trying to catch the ambience of the place!This place is about five miles from one of my favourite campsites..heaven...no not quite, I still have to find the local vineyard but I'm certain that in this area it won't be too difficult to find! We certainly have the sun too.

So today we are looking at yet another campsite and then slowly start heading north to meet everyone in Paris for the start of our big 47 day entitled " The Riviera Touch' which after travelling through France, Switzerland, Slovenia, Croatia and Italy brings us back to the Riviera..hmm wonder how they thought of that name?! I'm really excited about that Tour. Please let's just hope we get a good crowd. It should be great fun.

Ahh well off to inspect another site today and then maybe poolside this afternoon...everything in moderation you know..

P.s the Aussie from yesterday must have left as I'm still in one piece!