Down to the South Coast

---

Frpm Versailles to Serignon Plage

We have moved on from Versailles where we had a fortunate wifi link in the camping space. Excellent but not to be repeated yet. We have wifi here but we have to go to restaurant or near to get it.

Not far from Paris, so they say, is Heliomonde campsite/home to loads of Parisiennes where we stopped in some great sunshine. We went into the pool. Michael hurt his back diving into it. Won't do that again. But it was a lovely site with lots of trees and very peaceful apart from being on the flight path for Orly Airport. We managed a tandem ride around the local villages and towns. But then this great storm threatened and then blew our awning almost off the van. It was a tremendous wind followed by a thunderstorm. We were cosy in the van and set off next day.

We have looked for some better weather and used the A75 south. To our surprise it is free as we have been avoiding the main motorways to keep to the old N roads as we have not been going very fast to date.

We stopped off in the Massif Central near to where a colleague of Michael has a property not far from Montlucon. It was just a France Passion stop (one night free and moving on next day with no facilities). With a bit of sunshine in prospect we stopped at a naturist place called Village du Bosc further south from where we cycled a long way round Lac de Salagou to Clermont l'Herault which was sunny and a nice stop. We got lost on the way back and eventually took to the road rather than find the VTT route along the lakeside. The next day was wet and we went looking for a solution to our gas problem. This was that we needed to be able to link to a French gas bottle rather than the English one we had with us. All was sorted in the rain.

After Aigues Mortes we settled at Saintes Maries-de-la-Mer in the Camargue which Lesley has always (it seems) wanted to visit. The site we ended up in was ok but overrun with biting insects so we left asap. Before we did that we assembled our tandem and took off across the Camargue to Arles. It was Sunday so it was mostly closed. We had a look at the amphitheatre, the theatre and the vaulting in the hotel de ville. On the way back against the wind we saw flamingos, plumes of insects over the barley fields, the famous white horses, the black bulls and an otter swimming in one of the canals alongside the road. That was a first for us both.

And of course we celebrated Lesley's birthday with cards arriving from David and Anne with presents enclosed which were a great surprise to Lesley. We had our first evening meal in a restaurant in town which was a very pleasant different experience.

But with the prospect of storms coming from the Alps we moved along the coast to Serignon Plage Nature. This did not have any of the biting things and so we liked this. It had wifi in the restaurant so we could update whoever wanted updating. The campsite wifi was very expensive compared with Versailes. But we have been able to sit in the sun and we sat in the shade. We swam in the cold sea and walked the beach up and down. We shopped in the textile side and we shopped in the naturist shop as well. We are eating well and drinking some of the local wine. We stay fit apart from Michael's back. Lesley is fine and even sleeping though the night sometime (but not often).

We have enjoyed the occasional viewing of the first series of West Wing loaned by fans Graham and Anne. We have read through loads of books. Or rather Lesley has read books while Michael is reading David Copperfield with enjoyment.

Shall update soon when we have gone somewhere else.

---

Comments

[Chris and Gwenda]

Good to hear from you
Hi there, Glad to get your latest up dates as we had been wondering what had happened thus far. Glad you are having soem good weather as June has been a write off. Worst since records were invented. All good this end with exception of boiler which has finally given up the ghost and with it holiday abroad in 2007. Compensating by trip to Northumbria and walking West Highland Way and possible trip with tent to Devon. Had Saints fan, friend of Rhians to stay so able to talk serious stuff. Have given up and sunscribed to Sky. Hope you enjoy festival.