We wandered up into LaBastide d’Armagnac square on Saturday afternoon to find the demonstration of Tai Chi and Chinese Calligraphy. We felt a little shy, as this was an event organised by, and for, the local community. We needn’t have worried – we were welcomed warmly and invited to sit in a circle to watchRead more

We spent two nights at the delightful Aire in St Dizant. We seemed to be on a big piece of land belonging to the village shop and the shop sign included a welcome to visiting motorhomers. We were happy to buy our daily bread, some fruit and a box of ice creams from the lovelyRead more

The best advice for  motorhomers is to move on from anywhere that doesn’t feel comfortable. The French Aires de Camping Car are completely different to rest Aires on the motorways. For a start they are generally much safer and the local community provides them to encourage people to come and visit. We’ve had a lotRead more

The kind lady at reception gave us a map for an 8.5 km circular walk or cycle to the nearest town and back. She thought it might be too far for us! Hah! We thought about lifting the bikes off the rack but decided it wasn’t worth the effort for less than 6 miles soRead more

We fully expected to stay another night in Notre Dame de Monts. It was such a pretty place and we loved walking along the sea front and on the beach with the dogs. On Monday morning, we got up, walked the dogs through the pine forest and then left them to sleep while we walkedRead more

Sunday is a very quiet day in France. They really know how to relax and take time to be with friends and family. It’s also a quiet day for driving so we tootled along on quiet N roads towards the coast in the Vendee. Along the way we felt a little hungry, having not eatenRead more

Now just in case you are the kind of person that feels the need to correct other people’s spelling – this is the Loir river not the Loire. There are two, quite close to one another, in fact separated only by a vowel. We spent the night on a free Aire de Camping Car inRead more

We love the way that France provides places for motorhomes to stay overnight and fill up with water, dump waste and empty the chemical loo. These Aires are often free or cost a very small amount. 100 litres of water usually costs around €2 and you get a peaceful safe spot to sleep. The payRead more

  If you’re paying attention you might have noticed that I’m sometimes mentioning the price of things as I go along. It’s true that I’m from Yorkshire where we rival the Scots with our reputation for being careful with money but that’s not my main purpose. We’re attempting something we’ve never done before, which isRead more

This was our home for three nights after the long slow drive from Scotland. The first task was to take Poppy to see the vet. She needed special worming pills to prevent her being infected by nasty French and Spanish lung and heartworms. In the UK the only preventative treatment is a liquid put onRead more