Devall Travels

I have a habit of booking the first and last nights away on our trips to cement them in place. This time I have booked the first only online.

It's a place where we have stayed before and it's about two hours down the coast at Cayeux-sur-Mer. There are now three Camping-Car Park aires in the area and I have chosen the one closest to the ville.

We stayed there the last time in 2024.

Cayeux - CCP Aire Centre

Cayeux - Beach Huts. Removed after summer season.

At the moment it's just for the one night. I booked us from 12 noon so we have plenty of time to get there and know we have a space.

We actually have three nights to work our way across the the central Normandy coast and the D-Day beaches.

After the heat and hassles of the last long trip to Spain and France, we had fallen out of love with motorhoming, just a little.

Apart from a short trip, without Reggie, to Sissinghurst, we have done no trips at all in Malibu Molly. Some vloggers we watch on YouTube expressed the same sentiments about travelling in these heatwaves that western Europe has been having since around mid June. and yes. We are aware it's hotter in Africa, the Gulf and Australia!!! But they are used to the temps. For us, it's very unusual.

When you have a dog you are often restricted anyway to where you can go and take it/them with you. When you have an old dog, or one that has a few health problems, you have to be even more thoughtful. And we are!

The mountains in Spain have been pretty reasonable on the two previous occasions when we have "done" the Picos de Europa and Pyrenees. This year one day temperatures came up at 41C. The rest of the time they hovered around 35C to 38C.

So this week we saw there was an offer at the Camping and Caravanning Club for £17.50 a night for a grass non ehu pitch. I booked us two nights at Canterbury.

Tuesday

We arrived around 3pm. Were shown to pitch 137. Plenty of shade. The temperature was a moderate 26C. Luckily on one side of the pitch is a small wooded area. SHADE!

We setup. Got the table and chairs and got the coffee on.

Then Claire suggested we get the new unused windbreak out. It went up easily enough. It gives a little privacy and maybe stops Reggie seeing the squirrels!

Dinner tonight Iceland kebabs with potato salad and coleslaw. Then an evening chilling.

Wednesday

A day of doing nothing really. Sitting in the shade of our little wood, reading and generally chilling.

Without the required glasses we missed the eclipse mostly as we could only see a glare! Oh well. The next one is in 2090.

The eclipse ...... or not.

The photo taken using the front camera on the phone, pointing over my shoulder....

Thursday

Reggie was up earlier for the first of his pee trips out. Then again an hour earlier. Then again. Two walks to the dog waste bin before the the heat of the day.

We breakfasted outside again.

Then packed up. The windbreak went down and packed away easier than expected. On the way home we called in at GO Outdoors to pick up a new table. We have a small one but when we need to enjoy the al fresco dining experience we have problems. For £20 we picked up another Hi Gear table that will suit us perfectly. I am using now as a laptop table!!

Outside temperatures today exceeding 30C!

So? Just a few days away. It felt so relaxing to be away. No pressures. So much so we are going again in a few weeks. Same offer, no EHU etc.

Continuing with the longer stays idea, I was looking for another site to follow the Cote de Nacre week along the D-Day coast. Our wedding anniversary is in the week after Nacre.

The plan to keep days on the road short for the dog's sake means I was looking at nearby Normandy and across into Brittany.

I alighted on another Sandaya site. Sandaya Mont Saint Michel Campsite.

Another campsite that is actually open. The reviews on their site and again on Tripadvisor were very good. I waited for Claire to give it a once over and we booked it.

What was different is that this is a premium pitch that comes with a private sanitary unit. It's marginally cheaper than Nacre too.

I have allowed for two overnights between the two sites. There are only 80 miles between the two though. There are places on the way I'd like to divert to along the way.

Places like the Airborne Museum in Sainte-Mere-Eglise and the other D-Day museums along the way.

There are options such as Camping-Car Park for the nights where we are on the road. More to come.

With all the health problems we have decided that France, Normandy and Brittany, is the limit. We also have to take into consideration that the heatwaves that have brought incredibly hot weather to parts of Europe, that travelling with a dog who will be 16yo by the time we depart is not enjoying spending too long in the van.

So I began to work my way across the English Channel coast from Calais where we will arrive towards Brittany. The idea is to keep the daily mileages quite low so that we arrive early enough to enjoy where we are.

The first booking is for a week. I decided to check out Sandaya Côte de Nacre. We have had a few stays with them and they have been okay. What's more importantly they are open! It seems that France closes down, in the main, at the end of September! Saying that, they also close some of their sites!

Why a week? This stay is around five days into the trip. I am looking for aires on the way down and a week means we have a base and a chance to chill out.

I think that even as a planner of trips on the bike, I was over optimistic about distances and times at points of interest. It was even worse when there's a group. After four years of motorhoming I still think I haven't learned!!! So this trip will be test to see if we can be less optimistic and more realistic on what is achievable every day.

This site is close the the beach and promenade in the town. It's close to the Normandy D-Day beaches and places to visit. A bonus is that Reggie is allowed on the beach in the low season. Whether he will walk that far is another matter!!

We can go out to see the sights and come back safe that our pitch will be there awaiting us. With the awning rolled in, we are pretty much able to drive straight off the pitch.

Packing light is a must. We got too many things wrong in June. The heatwave in the Picos de Europa and Spanish Pyrenees with temperatures over 35 °C all day caught us out. We had expected much lower temperatures and came with jeans and hoodies! None got worn!!!

Both France and Spain are being plagued by another heatwave with forest fires 🔥 spreading everywhere as I write this and so we are hoping that the September weather will be back to normal...

After a few days of being back and the van stationary on the drive I had a look to see the mileage we did.

Unfortunately I reset Trip B at Plymouth just before we got on the ferry. I'd forgotten it at home before the trip.

So the mileage for the trip comes out at 1610.6 miles. Plus 281 miles from home to the dockside. So a total of 1891.6.

Before setting off I withdrew €200 from the foreign exchange office in Folkestone. That went into the wallet with the €5 note from last time. I had €8 in 50c to €2 coins.

From that starting point we have come back with €85 in notes. The largest cash payments were to the vets and totalled €105.

On top of that we spent £955.85 on the Clarity card. We use it for everything.

I don't think that's bad given we were away for 21 days in total.

On top of that the bill for autoroutes from Emovis comes to the invoice total for £119.95.

What a couple of days these turned out to be!!

The rough plan was to leave Bernay and with only 60 miles to the vets in Buchy, to call in somewhere on the way.

I had toyed with the idea of Monet's Garden at Giverny, but it doubled the mileage to Buchy. On top of that we had a long drive to Calais and the CCP after the vet.

Instead I saw the Le Bec Hellouin was en route. So we set off.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Le_Bec-Hellouin

A few miles short I began to shiver and feel really cold.

By the time we got there i wasn't feeling good. Claire took over the driving and after paracetamol and a rest I felt much better but tired.

Once out of the vet's I drove again to the services at Baie de la Somme. Still feeling okay. Claire drove again towards Calais and I took us into the aire.

Then it all went wrong. I was tired and had a lie down, then the shivering started, worse than earlier. I was under the quilt and shivering, yet really hot.

Claire called 112 which wasn't much good. So we ended up breaking camp and driving to the hospital. We parked up in the car park near "Urgences".

Checking in with my GHIC card was good. Over the next 12 hours I had loads of tests, urine and blood and then an MRI.

Claire alternated between the van and me in my little room!

We were booked on the 3.55pm ferry home. In the end we were discharged with a printout of all the tests data, and a dvd of the MRI.

How much? Nothing.

We had just over an hour and a half to go back to the CCP and dump the liquids and them go on to have lunch.

And he we are. Holiday over.

Today what should have been around a 240 kms drive in pretty much a straight line was far more complicated by TomTom.

Checking the route on Google Maps and on MyRouteApp was far more direct than the ridiculous roundabout route chosen by TomTom.

We did take a look at the Chateau at Chaumont sur Loire and they have motorhome parking in with the coaches.

And that was the problem. There were six coaches and their passengers were queuing to get into the chateau gardens. We decided to crack on.

Chaumont was on the original route!

It was after here that things went wrong that also meant more miles and of course, more tolls on a variety of motorways.

We stopped for lunch on the A28 and then set off again. Their was a fenced dog area, but Reggie couldn't be less interested.

We arrived at the CCP aire at Bernay at 2.33pm. NO problems with the barrier this time.

The site is a former municipal campsite, but the facilities/sanitaires are locked up.

Many of the pitches are divided by hedges, and we chose one of them. To use the ehu we need to have the passenger (left) side of the van nearest the hookup tower.

Once again it got hotter when the sun came out.

On the way up it hovered around 22° for some time. Just about right!!!

Since arriving we have deployed the roll-out awning to give Reggie some shade, then rolled it in when the breeze started flapping it about...

I was hoping it would cool enough to see what charms the village. So far at nigh on 6.55pm it's not cooled much.

Snacks tonight:

Very beefy!!!

Dinner (or tea to my Northern chums) is hotdogs and some salad. Very elfy.

And so to tomorrow? We have about 6 hours to get to Buchy and the vets for Reggie's worming. The appointment is 4pm. After that we will hot foot it to the CCP at Calais. It's handy for the port and Eurotunnel.

Last weekend it was showing only 5 free spaces from 102. Tonight as I write there are 41 free.

I decided to book a space from 5pm. We won't be there then but at least it's not pot luck as all the others since Frias have been.

To be fair, the app does give an indication of the number of free pitches. It's not instantaneously updated, but gets there quite quickly. It's easier to choose a backup where there plenty of options, as we found last night, but this area is less well populated with CCP's....

Where to go between Bernay and Buchy? Giverny? Monet's Garden. Even if we have a drive-by like Chaumont today, it will vary the route north-east and avoid Rouen!!

Another longish day for us and mostly on toll motorways A71 and A85.

We left Riom and headed north. The A71 seemed to go on forever. A short stop at the aire "Centre of France' for lunch at the McDonald's. A chicken burger each.

Next it was the Intermarché at Noyers sur Cher.

Whilst Claire was in the shop, Reggie and I were looking for shade.

Then to our first attempt at a CCP site at Pontlevoy. It was showing 20/20 pitches available. It wouldn't open the barrier. Thinking there was a problem we looked for another nearby. That's how we arrived at Monthou-sur-Cher.

Again we couldn't get in. I called the CCP number and they sorted it. It's far better with a picturesque lake nearby.

Here we are. Not much more to report.

On Saturday evening we decided that we had had enough of being pretty much stuck to the pitch. Cabin fever!! Temps in the day still hovering around 35 °C.

I've already had the Chips Rafferty wannabes scoffing at "only" 35!! Google Chips if you have never heard of him.

How I began to envy my brother Neill and his mate Patrick as they ride around the island of Ireland in the mere 20's and rain!!!

With the "free" days we had earned over the years, the total cost of the stay worked out at £12 or so a night.

I had actually thought about leaving earlier and finding a dog friendly hotel with aircon. Bugger the cost!!

In the end we decided to head north earlier. Don't believe Google when it claims higher ground will be cooler. It's not true in these circumstances. At 1350m above sea level in the Pyrenees in was 32 °C....

Anyway. We packed everything, except the ehu, away Saturday evening.

We left around 1040am. The first stop the same Carrefour we stopped on the way in. I filled the tank as diesel was €1.819. Whilst Claire shopped using the Clarity card, I looked for somewhere shady. Then saw the jet washes had a slot for tall vehicles complete with raised walkway to do the roof. So €8 later the van was a lot cleaner than it has been for weeks.

Then we set off looking for the A9. The TomTom had other ideas and we toured the area before coming across the A75.

In Serignan there was a classic car meet up. Claire took the photos.

Reggie doesn't like the dog crate so with the weather being as it is we need to give him a break every hour and a half. So the plan became the aire at the Millau Viaduct.

Crossing the bridge costs €16 and it takes around 2 minutes.... We have a video to link in here...

We had lunch at the aire. Then off again. The target was the Camping-Car Park aire at Riom. It was slightly cooler as we climbed into the Massive Central and the area of the extinct volcanoes. About a degree or two!!

Further up the A75 is the Eifel designed Viaduc du Garabit.

Just before Clermont-Ferrand is the "beau village" of Montpeyroux. We took a diversion. We have been before and there's a dirt parking area for campers. Claire hopped out and took some photos....

We arrived at Riom around 3.50pm. It was still hot.

We moved a couple of times to get the right angle to the sun.

That evening is rained, hailstones at one time, and we had thunder and lightning well into the night. Did it cool the air... did it 🤬🤬🤬.

Tomorrow's another longish day on the toll motorway....

What can I say?

We did nothing but try and find the shade.

With temperatures touching 35 °C plus during the day it was a gamble.

Sadly despite asking for a shaded pitch we seem to have been allocated the least shaded pitch. They had even decapitated the tree that would have provided shade.

Sandaya couldn't control the weather but they could have been more helpful.

The site itself has everything for the family. Pools and activities for children. There are several bars. The shop was okay. We only ate "out" one evening with takeaway pizzas.

Had the weather been more on the average for the time of year it would have been more enjoyable.

Keeping Reggie cool we kept him wrapped in a damp towel, and frequent foot soaks in the bucket.

Today we set off after about 5 hours sleep.

A few fireworks doesn't usually affect us. We live near a live ammunition Army firing range. The sound of small arms fire interdispersed with larger caliber weapons is a daily occurrence.

But these Chinese made fireworks are LOUD!!

First thing trying to get out of the aire. Turn left. The sign indicated a one-way street. Several vans left before us.... Left, then back right.

When it was our turn we did the same, turning round and out the way we came in across a car-park no longer closed to traffic. It was used as firework central and had some food outlets for the firework operators...

Next stop at the automatic petrol station. Diesel at €1.349 a litre. With an Eclat discount card it would have been €1.269. I filled to the brim. I have yet to work out the mpg.

Then off we went on the N260 to Puigcerda and across into France and Bourg-Madame.

The alternative to go up to Andorra and loop back to Bourg-Madame was dropped last night. It added too many miles and hours onto the day.

More winding road and more places to add to the "another day" list.

We stopped at a viewpoint. On went the inverter and we had a couple of Tassimo coffees. A little later I stopped to take a photo of tbis Viaduct.

At Île de Tet we went to look for the Orgues. We found them but the "obligatory" campervan parking had no shade, and it was 31° again today, and it was gravel. The car park on the other hand was nicely tarmaced.

Once back on the road Reggie needed a break. And we did too.

We found a bakery patisserie and stopped. Seats outside in the shade, still hot but out of the direct sun. A chicken salad roll and coffee. Plus some strawberry tartlettes

Then back on the road. More twists and turns until Perpignan where for once we opted for the A9 rather than the old N9 and its departmental number changes.

It was worth it. There are some roads that are great when in no hurry, and the N9 north from Perpignan is one of the those.

A quick stop at the Carrefour and then to the site: Sandaya Blue Bayou. I has asked for shade. Mmmmm.

We quickly connected the ehu and rolled the awning out. It seems our pitch faces just south of west. So the sun is out the front window. The sun chases us from under the roll out to behind the van.

Reggie not enjoying the heat. We try to keep him out of the sun and often wrapped in a soaked in cold water towel. I think tomorrow we hunt in the boot/trunk for a better fitting toweling garment to soak through.

We aren't far from the bar and a few of the pools. So it might need me to look out my Speedo budgie smugglers. Or rather hummingbird smugglers....

We are here five nights. Hopefully the entertainment won't drive us too mental and we'll survive. It's too much to hope the weather takes a turn for the worst, or at least revert to lower temperatures!!

Rejoining the N260 for another day didn't seem too bad.

Today the end destination was the Camping-Car Park aire at La Seu d'Urgell.

When we arrived we should have turned around and gone elsewhere.

Not that the site was bad, but that next door was a huge pile of wood and pallets. Yes, a bonfire

It turned out that there was some fiesta on.

The fireworks started all over town at around 5pm and went on until after 2am.

Luckily we were on the far side of the aire but we could feel the heat once they lit the fire at around 1030pm. It was done with a procession of drums and those reedy sardana pipes.

The fireworks, in the main bangers, were very loud.

We eventually got to sleep around 2 45am. However, the explosions went on much longer.

It's taught us to research better!!

Today the trip is from Canfranc Estanción to Castejón de Sos.

It's only around 90 miles. We backtracked to Jaca and took the opportunity to top up the diesel and for Claire to go into Carrefour.

Around this area they are still working on the autovias. At Sabiñánigo we switched onto the N260.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N-260_road_(Spain)

The road is superb, mostly, with one section that's very narrow. On top of that we encountered the grass cutting team. A van each end of a column with two tractors doing the work.

By Ainsa we could see a parking area right by the river. We pulled in. With the dash showing 41 °C it was worth €2 for an hours parking for Reggie to have a paddle in river.

Next stop Castejón. A missed turn off the roundabout led to a trip around the block before getting it right.

Firstly we stopped in the shade of trees after the football ground and swimming pool. It was ok, partly shaded. We didnt stay long until moving to the proper aire.

It's a large gravel rectangle. Pitches marked out with logs and metal posts.

Only as it got dark did we see they were lights.

The heat started to fade as the evening drew in.

Tomorrow? Continue east towards France.

Another day of extreme heat despite us being 1135m above sea level at Canfranc Estancion.

The weather was around 35 °C most of the day. There's very little shade for us or for Reggie. So we have done nothing. Save sitting about.

To keep Reggie cool we have wrapped him in a wet towel.

When we were at the vet's on Friday they said that their part of Spain was supposed to be the coolest, weather wise!

Earlier today I booked us in for another night here. As we have 24 hours from around 8pm Saturday I expected simply to book again from 8pm again. It wouldn't accept that, so I booked again, but from 7pm!

Tonight we'll start to tidy away a lot of the gear to save rushing tomorrow.

There will be a bit of grey waste to dump as we have used it quite a bit, showers etc.

Tomorrow? We head south to Jaca, then east again along the N260 all the way to France near Puigcerda and Bourg Madame.

I had hoped to loop through Andorra to "bag" it. We'll see. I have two overnight stops set upon the TomTom.

On Wednesday we have five nights at the Sandaya Blue Bayou campsite. They called today and asked if we had any special requests. I had asked for a shaded pitch when booking and I mentioned that again.

The forecast for that area is actually lower than here. Fingers crossed.

• Saturday*

Morning broke a little too early for us. After the thud-thud of the music until 5am we hadn't slept well.

Still, our next stop was planned to be along the N240 towards Jaca.

With the heat already touching 25 °C by 10.30am, we decided to get on the road. Frias can wait for another day.

First stop was at Tobera. We had past it on the way in and now we were retracing our steps to the south along the BU-504.

https://www.wikiburgos.es/wiki/Tobera

A quick stop. The route us east and north east to Vitoria-Gasteiz and Pamplona. Bypassing both.

As we had plenty of autovias to use we stopped near Gasteiz for a coffee. Claire then bought a couple of rolls for lunch. Then decided to carry on.

The TomTom seemed reluctant to amend the route. It's a failure of Plan dot tomtom dot com that deleting waypoints seems impossible.

Eventually the aire at Jaca was set as the destination. By now it was getting late and of course it was full. Vans were parking up in the street outside. We could have done the same.

Instead we headed into the Pyrenees to Canfranc Estancion and the aire.

There was quite a bit of space and we chose and end space. Again no shade!!

When we stayed here for one night last year it was November and not overly warm.

You can book your space on the tourist board website. Even though it was only 4.25pm, the times to book from started at 8pm. I took that. You have to display the code they send. Of course with printer it's handwritten and stuck in the window.

Still super hot.