The journey back to the UK
We started this adventure in October and it is already December and we are heading east so that we will be in the Calais area ready for the ferry to Dover in a week or two.
1st Dec
Andy got up and retreived the trail cam but when he checked the footage all he saw was him setting it up the night before and collecting it this morning! That was disappointing.
We got ready to go and drove over to the service area and dumped our waste and then headed up the hill and out of town. We were going to a free aire tonight at St Germer de fly and we drove through some lovely villages and then along some fast roads and then into the town where we drove past the Abbey and the town square and into the very tidy new looking aire.
VIDEO OF LEAVING AND ARRIVING
///mobiles.grids.kindly
We backed the van into a space at the edge of the aire and walked down into the town square where we got great views of the monument and the Abbey and walked through the arch to the front entrance of the Abbey, which was closed.
VIDEOS OF ABBEY AND SQUARE
We popped into the convenience store and bought some wine and beers and sat in the wind rocked van watching F1 and Youtube.
2nd Dec
A quiet night until the farmers got their tractors out and started work, the road was 10 metres from us!
Two other vans spent the night here too, one panel van and one motorhome.
We got on the road after dumping our waste and drove past the Abbey again on our way to another free aire in Clermont, at the top of the hill in the Marie car park.
///motorboat.hippy.detours
VIDEO OF LEAVING AND JOURNEY
There were no services here so we had topped up with fresh water before we left. We drove along some fast dual carriageways and through some beautiful villages including Beauvois and then we were entering Clermont, a very busy town with tight turns and steep hills and a restricted weight road (3.5t) which led us to the aire at the top of the hill and through some challenging gates which were just wide enough and high enough to fit through!
VIDEO OF ARRIVING IN CLERMONT AND THE AIRE
We parked facing the Marie and walked down the hill to explore the town, where there was an old stone arch, Porte Nointel which was built in the 14th century! It stands in the same cobble stone street as the church of Saint Samson of the 15th century.
PHOTOS OF PORTE AND CHURCH
The town was getting ready for Christmas and had decorations up everywhere.
PHOTOS OF DECORATIONS
We sat in the bar on the corner (name here later) for an hour or two drinking some very nice Affligem beers (28 euros) whilst people watching and then walked back up the hill to the aire.
PHOTO OF BAR AND SELFIES
As the evening turned to night and we got to bed a car full of French teens pulled up and played their loud music until around 10pm and then left! Not really a problem but as Brits we tend to think the worst when this sort of thing occurs.
3rd Dec
A peaceful night, once the teens had moved on, and we awoke to a cold but sunny morning. We are heading off to do our washing and a bit of shopping today at a Carrefour supermarche in Soissons and then on to a Camping Car Park aire in Ciry Salsogne.
///quoted.entry.drenched
We squeezed through the gates and left the aire at the Marie, turning left and heading down the hill and past the bar (name here later) and out of town and on to the supermarche at Soissons.
VIDEO OF LEAVING AND JOURNEY
We parked in the car park and got the washing started and popped in to the cafe for lunch, Salmon and chips (Saumon et frites) which was very nice and more than enough!
Then Sue went shopping and Andy sat in the van and programmed the Satnag for the aire in Ciry Salsogne which was only 20 minutes away.
We left the supermarche with all of our washing done and were soon arriving at the aire which was next to a large lake and looked really nice and well kept,
VIDEO OF ARRIVAL
We topped up our water and parked, backing onto the lake and plugged into the 6 amp supply. Water heater on and we both had a shower and then settled down to watch the first 80 minutes of Les Miserables as Andy had never seen it, (he doesn't like musicals).
4th Dec
Andy got up and went to retreive the trail cam which he deployed last night next to the lake, which had no media of any wild life again!
It was yet another really quiet night and we both slept well until around 9am. Andy worked on the website whilst Sue got the pork and veg hot pot on the go, slow cooking it all day.