Arrondissement de Béthune

Once we'd woken up properly from our overnight ferry journey we set off to find services for the van. It felt good to be on the road again, flanked by France's wide open fields. We therefore weren't too disappointed when we couldn't locate the water and emptying point at the Intermarché supermarket 40km away. After covering the same distance again, we arrived at St Venant; a town that seemed a little familiar. Looking back on Find Penguins we discovered that this was the very first continental stopover when our big tour began over 3 years ago!

St Venant's free, waterside aire is only a short walk from the town centre. It has black and grey water waste, bins, recycling and fresh water. We hadn't planned to stay here but quickly changed our minds and settled in for 2 nights. The simple depiction of a motorhome painted within the parking bay made us feel so secure and welcome. In the UK many people are less accepting of vans and there is always that worry that someone will object to our parking up, despite our best efforts not to get in anyone's way. Another stark contrast between the countries lies in the number of suitable places to stay. We slept in a few spots several times in Britain, but when searching the Park4Night app in France, the map is overflowing with possibilities.

Although warm, the weather was blighted by regular rain showers, so aside from a short trip to the shops we stayed close to the van. Will donned his waterproofs and fished, sheltering underneath our open window when it began to pour.Read more