Blogs from Nord-Pas de Calais, France, Europe

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Europe » France » Nord-Pas de Calais » Calais September 7th 2023

14. As we reach the final few weeks of our 10 week journey its time to wind our way through France, visiting friends and relatives and reflect on our wonderful trip. So lucky are we to have friends and family who have fabulous places for us to visit in France. We spent some vey hot days chilling with my sister and beau-frere just North of Bordeaux. Spent a lovely jazz evening at Montangne-sur Gironde, and enjoyed a karoke in their nearby town. When the weather changed we were able to visit the unique and extraordinary Chateaux Mercerie, and Chateau de Villebois Lavalette. About an hour North we met up and stayed with friends Chris and Gary. We helped them with a bit of extreme gardening then enjoyed a lovely BBQ party for Chris’s birthday, meeting many ... read more
Angers Castle
Ali & Monty, I'le de Re
 Jazz at Montangne-sur Gironde

Europe » France » Nord-Pas de Calais » Roubaix July 17th 2023

OK, All those who bet I couldn't go a day without a blog update - You win! Today wasn't meant to be about sight seeing, it was about resting our legs and checking the bikes over, going to a local bike shop and for Jeff to get a SIM card. After breakfast Jeff looked up a bike shop and we headed off. Interestingly enough it was were the Velodrome was from last night. On arriving we found that Jeff had looked up the administrative offices of Roubaix Cycling. We went in for a look anyway and were blown away. The front office was packed with artefacts and photos from Paris-Roubaix races across the decades. It had souvenirs for sale AND served coffee. We spent some time looking around the place, they were happy to accommodate us ... read more
Love the stools and table
The iconic photo in the shower room
The shower room

Europe » France » Nord-Pas de Calais » Roubaix July 16th 2023

Today we head off to Roubaix, famous for being the ending of the One Day Classic, "The Paris-Roubaix". It is a city with a very strong cycling heritage. With only 56kms to do we figure we'll take things easy today. We head out via McDonald's to get a coffee and find it's not open until 9am. Infact France seems to sleep in most days. We ride around and the streets are mostly deserted until the afternoon. The riding is easy with the wind at our backs again. We turn onto a canal for about 20kms. It's a great ride. Very flat (if a bit bumpy in some parts), no cars and sheltered from the wind. There are huge barges that pass us by. Jeff tells me this is a taste of things to come on the ... read more
Bridge over the Canal
The old Trading Place
Lille

Europe » France » Nord-Pas de Calais July 15th 2023

So after the tent were up we got some dinner (burger and frites) from a food van at the caravan and settled back to listen to a talented young man who sang for close to 2 hours playing an acoustic guitar. The place gradually filled up and and he really had the crowd engaged with a mix of both English and French tunes. With our new plan, we had to be in Roubaix by Monday. Two days to cover 140kms. Unfortunately there was no town 70kms away. We decided a longer day first up so we have 84kms to do tomorrow. Hotel was booked in no time (in Bethune Bruay). I got up at around 6am, and about half a dozen times during the night. Woken by either the wind or rain that came down quite ... read more
One Man Concert
Mandatory very old church in every town
Beautiful countryside

Europe » France » Nord-Pas de Calais July 12th 2023

As had been forecast it rained in the night but happily it had cleared when we woke. We have been exceptionally lucky with our weather all month. When it got too hot at 35 degrees in the Camargue we moved a little further north and had some cooling rain, but nearly always at night so never a problem and never much. Perfect really. We had decided a walk on the beach was the order of the day as we have not seen much sea this trip. When we were in the Camargue it was too hot to walk on the sand. So I picked a spot on the map and we headed out, to Wissant. The overnight rain might have cleared but we discovered it had left everything shrouded in sea style mist. This was the ... read more
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Europe » France » Nord-Pas de Calais » Calais May 10th 2023

When we travelled years ago and stayed in gites I often wrote about the gite, the people who owned it and the weather over the holiday . As we moved to motorhoming the blogs usually ended with facts. How many days we had travelled ? What the weather was like ? How many days of sunshine ? How many inclement days or thunderstorms ? The cost of camp sites, the mileage travelled. We tried to rate campsites based on facilities . A swimming pool , clean and refreshing to swim in gained bonus points . A restaurant was a must and the meal was scored on the quality, the price and the service . The reception was noted and the staff commented upon . The price of fuel was written down and a miles per gallon ... read more
Bought from Le tarte Tropezienne
And there is the shop on the corner

Europe » France » Nord-Pas de Calais » Calais April 27th 2023

Goodmorning - It is early and I am lying in bed still feel rough from my recent infection . Another one . The third in three months . 2023 has not been a good one for health . Just small niggling infections, lots of coughing , sore throats and feeling under the weather . No swimming this week nor any walking . Hopefully the driver won't succomb to it this week or next or we could be in trouble . Thursday - preparations under way. Clothes packed, unpacked, checked and packed again . Tablets and medicines all put in boxes . Large suitcases in the boot of the car with no name . Preparations are slow for me with the infection leaving me thoroughly under the weather . The mood for a holiday has gone on ... read more
The dragon
Trundling along the promenade
The dragon with his passengers

Europe » France » Nord-Pas de Calais September 23rd 2022

Last two days of our lovely holiday have been spent making our way up France. 200ish miles a day is plenty when you’re in a motorhome and not in a flying rush and don’t want to use motorways. Motorways send me to sleep. On normal roads I sit in my high up passenger seat and snap photos of anything I fancy as we go past. Motorways though have crash barriers which badly limits phototaking so I sit back, shut my eyes and next minute Bob is shouting at me to open the window and grab a toll ticket or pay the last one 😊 😊. The French non motorways are always a far better alternative. First night stop was at Camping du Vivier des Carpes which is near to St Quentin in the Somme Valley. There ... read more
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Europe » France » Nord-Pas de Calais » Dunkerque July 27th 2022

Dunkirk is our last night on this leg of our Europe trip. Tomorrow morning we are on the Eurotunnel back to England. After Chartres we spent a night in Paris with a friend of J's which was excellent. We had plenty of time so took a leisurely drive in to Paris and lunched on the way at Fontainebleau chateau. We devised a plan to park the car out of Paris near a station to avoid the Paris low emission zone. Like London the zone is large and the rules quite complicated so we decided to stay safe and park by an over-ground station near-ish to CDG airport. Our plan worked well as we found a space only 200m from a RER station from which it was only 5 stops to Gare du Nord where we changed ... read more
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Europe » France » Nord-Pas de Calais June 29th 2022

It struck me as I was belatedly sorting out the last photos from the trip that the text I put into the blog for the drive up to Laon two days ago should actually be in this one. Never mind. Not going to change it now because if I do and republish it will send everyone another message and I don't want that. ? Anyway we drove from Laon up to the north, near enough to Calais to catch the ferry in the morning. Stopped at a supermarket and had a nice shop choosing all of my favourite foods. Only regret is failing to find any Fallot Nut mustard which is a little bit specialised. Have bought it online in the last couple of years but postage to the UK is now so expensive I can't ... read more
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