20th Oct

This would be our third trip to France but this time we will be travelling from Poole to Cherbourg on Brittany ferries.

We set off after making sure that we had packed everything and got groceries and fuel and very soon the Satnag was telling us that there were delays on our route. We were fine for time as our ferry wasn't leaving until tomorrow morning at 8:30 and we had arranged to park over night at the terminal in the boarding lane for £15.

We eventually arrived at the ferry port after a few diversions and parke in the lane by the check in kiosk, which was closed as every one had gone home. (No overnight ferries from Poole!)

PHOTO HERE

Andy went to scan the QR code to pay the £15 and checked out the nice clean and warm toilets. There was also and elsan point and a tap for fresh water if you need it, we didn't so back to the van to settle down and watch three episodes of 'Riot women' ob iPlayer and then after a pot noodle each, bed.

21st Oct

We were woken up by a loud knocking on the door of the van at around 6:15am but by the time Andy had got to the window there was no one there. We got dressed and put the kettle on and Andy checked with the chap in the kiosk about sailing times etc. and then we turned the gas off and drove through passport control, no biometrics (Entry Exit System) here and parked up and waited for our turn.

VIDEO HERE

Soon we were called over to the vehicle check area and a nice young man came into the van for a look around, all clear and we were on our way.

BOARDING VIDEO HERE

We parked and sat down on the cafe deck and had breakfast as the ferry left the port.

VIDEOS HERE 

The journey took four and a half hours and was smooth and we just snoozed until it was time to get back in the van and drive off and into Cherbourgh.

VIDEO OF DISEMBARKING AND CHERBOURGH

It was about 30 odd minutes to the Aire at Surtainville which we had chosen as our first stop and we were soon pulling in and we chose our spot.

ARRIVAL VIDEO HERE

PHOTOS OF AIRE

We had a quick walk over the dunes to the enormous beach which was 2 minutes away. As we climbed over the dunes the wind hit us, we thought that this must be the beginning of storm Benjamin which was coming from the south west. The next few days would be interesting!

Back at the van we had a good evening watching three episodes of 'Riot women' on BBC 1 and hit the sack.

22nd Oct 

A good nights sleep and breakfast and then a 3km walk on the beach and back along the path where we discovered a rather large catterpillar crossing the path.

VIDEOS OF WALK ON BEACH

CATTERPILLAR

Andy got the drone out and video'd the beach and Aire.

DRONE

Back to the van for hot dogs and then off to the U market on our bikes to get some wine. It was about 3 km to the shop but very hilly.

We got two 5L boxes of wine, red and white for 26 Euros ! That worked out to about £2.30 per litre and they were very drinkable!

We had a nice afternoon/evening drinking our wine and eating our Quorn korma as the storm hit us for real.

We went to bed as the 50 MPH gusts rocked us and torrential rain blasted the van. Not much sleep tonight we think.

23rd Oct

What a night!

Very worrying to be honest with the high winds. We are parked against a hedge which is sheilding us a bit from the weather but still scary. We didn't get much sleep but as morning came the rain died down a bit and the sun tried to shine.


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