May in France

A 44-day adventure by Peter Read more

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Trip start
April 30, 2025
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Day 1
Wednesday, April 30, 2025 at 6:33 AM
☀️ 9 °C
Altitude: 30 m
England Lewes 50.910267, -0.00570950°54’37” N 0°0’21” W
Rainbow Inn
April 30 in England ⋅ ☀️ 9 °C
We left home Tuesday afternoon and after filling with diesel and checking tyre pressures we were off on our way to France. Only as far as The Rainbow Inn near Lewes as this is our overnight stop before catching the Newhaven- Dieppe ferry later in the morning.
Time now for coffee ☕️Read more
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Day 1
Wednesday, April 30, 2025 at 9:59 AM
☀️ 18 °C
Altitude: 7 m
England Lewes 50.792286, 0.05411450°47’32” N 0°3’15” E
Newhaven Ferry Terminal
April 30 in England ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C
Now waiting to board the ferry to France. It’s the 30th of April and the sun is shining. It hopefully will be a pleasant crossing maybe out on the deck with cold beer.
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Day 2
Thursday, May 1, 2025 at 8:51 AM
☀️ 16 °C
Altitude: 10 m
France Dieppe 49.931232, 1.08673749°55’52” N 1°5’12” E
Dieepe
May 1 in France ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C
As expected the crossing was super smooth and the sun shone brightly. We are now parked in the Aire close to the ferry terminal for the evening. Not cheap at €19.50 for twenty four hrs but at least we can have a look around before moving on. Didn’t realise the French had beach huts but “hey” why not.Read more
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Day 3
Friday, May 2, 2025 at 10:30 AM
⛅ 14 °C
Altitude: 28 m
France Port-en-Bessin-Huppain 49.3462, -0.75938549°20’46” N 0°45’34” W
Port-en-Bessin-Huppain
May 2 in France ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C
Reviews on Search for Sites give good reviews for this Aire and I completely agree. €9.00 a night for large parking spaces, clean and quiet and only a five min walk from the port with plenty of bars and restaurants for everyone’s enjoyment.
Hungry Seagulls come as a default setting on the coast.Read more
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Day 4
Saturday, May 3, 2025 at 9:49 PM
⛅ 17 °C
Altitude: 11 m
France Beauvoir 48.593648, -1.5118348°35’37” N 1°30’43” W
Beauvoir
May 3 in France ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C
We are now parked up at Camping and Car Park site in Beauvoir which is a short cycle ride from Mont-St-Michel. This site is the best CCP site we have ever stayed at. It can hold 180 vehicles in a modern and smart environment. As for the Mont-St-Michel I recommend a visit if you are close by. Its streets are very busy even when it is not holiday season.Read more
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Day 5
Sunday, May 4, 2025 at 11:35 AM
🌬 15 °C
Altitude: 25 m
France Moidrey 48.585396, -1.50620148°35’7” N 1°30’22” W
Old Windmill
May 4 in France ⋅ 🌬 15 °C
A short ride on the bikes along the river and you arrive at Moulin de Moidrey where they still make flour as it was done back in the day. Had to have some for the bread-maker (me) back home. Then down the road a bit for a couple of bottles of Cidre.🍺Read more
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Day 8
Wednesday, May 7, 2025 at 11:40 AM
⛅ 13 °C
Altitude: 7 m
France Le Grand Vieil 47.000622, -2.25087247°0’2” N 2°15’3” W
Ile de Noirmoutier
May 7 in France ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C
Been here for a couple of days now out on the bikes and around different parts of the island. If you fancy a bit of bike riding it does not come much easier than this. Completely flat and well marked cycle routes for all to enjoy. We are again parked on a CCP motorhome park which is very busy but we appear to be the only Brits here at this time.Read more
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Day 8
Wednesday, May 7, 2025 at 12:15 PM
⛅ 13 °C
Altitude: 7 m
France Le Grand Vieil 46.997303, -2.238346°59’50” N 2°14’18” W
Cimetière de Bateaux
May 7 in France ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C
This place popped up on Google maps when I was investigating bike routes around the island so off we went for a look.
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Day 10
Friday, May 9, 2025 at 12:08 PM
⛅ 17 °C
Altitude: 248 m
France Oradour-sur-Glane 45.929512, 1.03785845°55’46” N 1°2’16” E
Oradour-sur-Glane
May 9 in France ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C
Cutting a long story short this village is where On the 10th June 1944 German Waffen-SS-troops murdered all but 7 of the people living here. So that means 642 French men, women and children’s lives were lost to machine gun fire, grenedes and setting fire to the church with the women and children inside. While on a bit of a roll they then burnt the village to the ground which has been left as was to remind the visitor of the horrors that occurred here.
Why did they do this? Nobody really knows the answer but it has been suggested that the villagers were assisting the resistance of which there is no proof.Read more
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Day 12
Sunday, May 11, 2025 at 10:06 AM
🌧 14 °C
Altitude: 66 m
France Vézac 44.824005, 1.1696244°49’26” N 1°10’11” E
Vezac
May 11 in France ⋅ 🌧 14 °C
Drove down from the Limoge area yesterday and are now parked up in Vezac in the Dordogne which is our favourite part of France. It’s a bit wet at the moment but the forecast for the upcoming week looks good.Read more
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Day 16–22
May 15, 2025 at 2:00 PM - May 21, 2025
6 nights
⛅ 22 °C
Altitude: 64 m
France Castelnaud-la-Chapelle 44.803768, 1.15945344°48’14” N 1°9’34” E
Camping Maisonneuve
May 15–21 in France ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C
Have now spent a bit of time on this site soaking up the sun, watching the Hot Air balloon’s fly over and riding the bikes around the various villages in the area. Time to pop in a few photos of the site and Castlenaud plus Glynis checking out the river for our up coming Canoe trip.Read more
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Day 17
Friday, May 16, 2025 at 12:30 PM
☀️ 19 °C
Altitude: 198 m
France Domme 44.801285, 1.21461944°48’5” N 1°12’53” E
Domme
May 16 in France ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C
It’s a bit of a slog on the bikes up to the fortified town of Domme but well worth the effort. Great views and interesting buildings await. It’s Market day today so a wander around that and lunch at one of the many eateries that abound is the order of the day and to hide from the sun for a short while of course.Read more
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Day 19
Sunday, May 18, 2025 at 9:30 AM
☁️ 15 °C
Altitude: 65 m
France Castelnaud-la-Chapelle 44.803738, 1.15949644°48’13” N 1°9’34” E
Dordogne Canoe Trip
May 18 in France ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C
It’s a long and lazy Sunday morning gently floating along the river in our hired canoe grabbing a few photos and getting surprisingly sun burnt.🥵 Stopped along the way from Carsac to Castlenaud at one of the many takeaway places found along the river bank where Pirate Burger was spotted on the menu, ordered and purchased along with a cold beer.🍺Read more
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Day 22
Wednesday, May 21, 2025 at 3:46 PM
☁️ 18 °C
Altitude: 240 m
France Martel 44.938431, 1.60795344°56’18” N 1°36’29” E
Martel
May 21 in France ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C
After stocking up with food and diesel in Sarlat we have moved a short distance to the medieval village of Martel belonging to “Les Plus Beaux Villages de France “🇫🇷. Interesting little place full of narrow streets and passage ways plus the architecture that you come to recognise as part of the Dordogne Valley.
In 1183 Henry Court Mantel died here, although that didn’t mean much to me the visit Dordogne website assures us all that he was the elder brother of Richard the Lionheart and I know we have all heard of him.Read more
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Day 22
Wednesday, May 21, 2025 at 9:50 PM
🌧 13 °C
Altitude: 241 m
France Martel 44.938618, 1.60758444°56’19” N 1°36’27” E
Train de Martel
May 21 in France ⋅ 🌧 13 °C
Just can’t resist a tourist train especially one as good as this mainly run by volunteers. Running through the country side of the Dordogne Valley as well as clinging to the cliffs, going through tunnels and stopping on a viaduct to take photos. Who could ask for more and all for €13.00 a personRead more
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Day 24
Friday, May 23, 2025 at 2:00 PM
☁️ 13 °C
Altitude: 1,414 m
France Orcines 45.770691, 2.96185345°46’14” N 2°57’43” E
Puy de Dome
May 23 in France ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C
Yep a different day and a different train!🚂 This one winds it way up to the top of the Puy de Dome Volcano 🌋 situated close to Clermont Ferrand in the Auvergne region unfortunately the weather was not great but we had a bit of a look round before heading back down again.Read more
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Day 27
Monday, May 26, 2025 at 5:46 PM
☁️ 17 °C
Altitude: 6 m
France La Gaconnière 45.896542, -1.2039445°53’48” N 1°12’14” W
Le Chateau-de Oleron
May 26 in France ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C
We have not been to the ile d’Oleron before so we have decided to pop in for a look round before starting the trip back to Dieppe. And would you believe it? Yes another tourist train to have a ride on. Mainly taking in the Citadelle and the port area with all the little painted shops and restaurants. All in all it’s rather pleasant. We have the motorhome parked up on the municipal aire in the above named town and it’s not a bad spot at all. €16.00 a night Electricity, hard standing or grass with showers and toilets on site and easily the best free WiFi so far.Read more
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Day 29
Wednesday, May 28, 2025 at 12:23 PM
☁️ 18 °C
Altitude: 10 m
France La Brée-les-Bains 46.016153, -1.35280846°0’58” N 1°21’10” W
Antioche d’Oleron Camping
May 28 in France ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C
We have moved further up the island now towards the light house. The plan being to explore a bit of the surrounding area on our bikes but first a trip to the local market which is open every day during the summer months.Read more
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Day 30
Thursday, May 29, 2025 at 3:17 PM
☀️ 18 °C
Altitude: 9 m
France Saint-Denis-d'Oléron 46.046428, -1.41221346°2’47” N 1°24’44” W
Phare de Chassiron
May 29 in France ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C
Bikes are off the back of the motorhome and we have peddled our way along the coast to the light house. Grabbed a few photos while wandering about before heading off again to Saint-Denis d’Oleron for ice cream by the port.Read more
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Day 31
Friday, May 30, 2025 at 3:00 PM
☀️ 25 °C
Altitude: 7 m
France Boyardville 45.968221, -1.24312745°58’6” N 1°14’35” W
Boyardville
May 30 in France ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C
Bike ride down to Boyardville took a little longer than expected today along the excellent cycle paths that scouted along the edge of the forest where the shade from the trees 🌴 was most welcome from the heat of the day. A walk along the beach and then off to the shack selling fish and chips that we had spotted earlier in the day.Read more
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Day 34
Monday, June 2, 2025 at 7:37 PM
☀️ 18 °C
Altitude: 42 m
France Caen 49.196644, -0.38021149°11’48” N 0°22’49” W
Caen
June 2 in France ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C
Things have not gone quite to plan and I am tired and needing Beer! We left our campsite on the Ile d’Oleron Sunday morning for the thirty five minute drive to the bridge and the mainland. I knew that being a bank holiday it would take a bit longer but was not prepared for what followed. A seven hour traffic jam awaited us and we then had to endure another one as we approached Niort. That’s it says I and we pulled off the road for a rest at approximately eight in the evening. So today I have had to do more driving than I would like but we have made it to the CCP site in Caen ready for a look around the memorial tomorrow before making our way to Dieppe for the Ferry on Wednesday.
Now where have I put that bottle opener ? 🤪🤪Read more
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Day 35
Tuesday, June 3, 2025 at 1:42 PM
☁️ 20 °C
Altitude: 61 m
France Caen 49.197456, -0.38400549°11’51” N 0°23’2” W
Caen Memorial
June 3 in France ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C
After visiting some of these sites you start to realise that they are all very similar in design and obviously similar content but this one is on a much larger scale. Unfortunately we missed the Cold War era section but as the CCP site is next door next time we come this way we will come back for another look.Read more
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Day 36
Wednesday, June 4, 2025 at 12:15 PM
🌬 15 °C
Altitude: Sea level
France Dieppe 49.940036, 1.08248549°56’24” N 1°4’57” E
Heading towards Home
June 4 in France ⋅ 🌬 15 °C
After leaving Caen we spent our last night in France parked up in Dieppe waiting for the noon ferry ⛴️ the following day.
Not very busy on board and a reasonably calm sea made for a pleasant crossing. It didn’t take long to find ourselves back in England but we are not off home just yet as we have a few days booked on a site in West Bay on the Dorset coast.Read more
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Day 39
Saturday, June 7, 2025 at 11:12 AM
🌧 15 °C
Altitude: 7 m
England Bridport 50.709736, -2.76180850°42’35” N 2°45’43” W
West Bay
June 7 in England ⋅ 🌧 15 °C
The weather has been bit of a mixed bag while we have been here. Had it all really. Sunshine, heavy rain, cloud and a bit of wind but not the thunderstorm that the weather app had forecast. Still managed a good walk round, drink some beer and eat donuts 🍩Read more
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Day 44
Thursday, June 12, 2025 at 7:02 PM
☀️ 23 °C
Altitude: 33 m
England South Cambridgeshire 52.265518, -0.02313852°15’56” N 0°1’23” W
Home
June 12 in England ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C
We are home now and at the end of our trip to France but before we go, while away we unashamedly allowed ourselves (well me really) to buy some very tacky tourist bits and pieces.
I will leave Trevor to worry about which one he is getting for Christmas this year but it might be the smelly soap.Read more
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Trip end
June 12, 2025