France 64 - after the excess of sand our first night on a french aire

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With our holiday almost over we pointed Suzy up north through the Poitou Charentes department of France. We were heading for a small fishing village on the Gironde called Mortagne sur Gironde which we had read about in a blog called Our Tour written by two long term travellers in their motorhome Dave. Having read that there was the only memorial in welsh on french soil what self respecting Welshman or woman could miss it? The coastline is lovely in that part of the world and the weather pleasant too.

Our stop for the night was to be an aire. We had used german ones for a while but this was to be our first taste of a french one. We usually baulked at stopping as we like showers when it is hot but to go to this little piece of heaven we had to bite the bullet and use the aire. Not that it was a problem - our biggest problem our shower room waste pipe seems to be blocked. I had tried to push wire down but still it remains firmly blocked and will stay that way until we get home and have time to investigate.

The aire is set to one side of the harbour with what looked like space for 30 motorhomes. Electricity points were available for about half the motorhomes and when we arrived they were all being used. However, folks move and before long our neighbours a lovely french couple with no English mimed that we could use theirs. We declined as we do have a solar panel which keeps our lights and tv working and gas to run the fridge. Before long the neighbours to the other side moved and we plugged in to our own supply. The nights charge is 7 euro 50 and is the same whether or not you have access to the electricity. Behind us fields, a stream, a farm and in front of us the harbour full of yachts. Further up the harbour front we found spaces for a further 30 motorhomes all again with electricity points for half of their number. The place was heaving with mostly french motorhomes and a handful of us Brits. OUr new next door neighbours again with no English again laughed at my feeble attempts to dry my washing without putting out a clothes line. On aires you should not camp. This means no tables or chairs out although everyone seemed to ignore the rules and we could only follow the french example. No awnings and certainly no washing lines out. Madame next door who was lovely took me round her van and pulled out her bike rack for me to hang my knickers on.

There were stalls selling fresh fish in cardboard boxes which were being devoured by the french, a stall selling bread, croissants and pastries, another selling vegetables and fruit. And further down an estate agent and a lady selling roasted chickens and roasted potatoes in garlic and chicken fat. Tea sorted then. Yummy Scrummy what a feast we had sitting out in the sun. Bread and wine on our table with its green chequered table cloth. We could have bought crepes or galettes from her too for pudding. The sun shining, yellow Brimstone butterflies fluttering amongst the Michaelmas Daisies. Heaven on Earth.

We walked up from the quay into town, uphill and a bit of a hike in the hot sun. The tourist office did not open on a Sunday so we called in to a local shop to ask if they knew where the memorial was. I got blank stares - my French not good enough to manage much more than a bit of pidgin English, French and welsh to ask where the chevalier mort francais, twysog Cymru was commemorated. They looked blank and I gave up in the end. By chance we spotted a sign showing a viewing platform over the estuary and a park so we walked down. We quickly spotted the viewing platform covered with people like ants and in a quiet corner the memorial we were looking for. A huge sculptured white hand with a slate middle. Rather large I wondered why the villagers seemed to not know what I was describing as I had mimed a hand to them as well.

The memorial is to Owain Lawgoch or in English Owain of the Red Hand and known in France as Yvain de Galles. He was Owain ap Thomas ap Rhodri and was born somewhere around 1330. He was a Welsh soldier who served in Spain, France, Alsace and Switzerland and led a free company fighting for the FRench against the English in the Hundred Years War. He was the last politically active descendant of Llewellyn the Great and was claimant to the title of Prince of Gwynedd and Prince of Wales.

The history of the family goes something like this. After the death of Llewelly the Last in 1282 and his brother and successor Dafydd ap Gruffudd in 1283 Gwynedd paid fealty to and accepted English rule. Llewellyns daughter Gwenllian was commited to a nunnery in Sempringham in Norfolk and the sons of Dafydd were kept in Bristol castle until they died. From a second wife of Rhodri ap Gryffydd if history is to be believed the line of Owain Llawgoch came. Owain was in FRench service y 1369 and his welsh lands confiscated. An all too familiar story in Welsh history.

He died at the hands of a Scottish mercenary who was paid the sum of £20 to despatch him.

We walked through the village calling in at the church which was open but dark and gloomy. We passed french children who all politely called out Bonjour Madame et Monsieur. I love the friendliness and respect of the young in France. On our way back we called into a pattiserie and bought a custard flan and two tartes fruites rouge covered in redcurrants and raspberries. 2 euros a cake but worth every penny for the delight they gave us when we ate them in the early evening watching the quiet harbour fill up with boats.

A good nights sleep - in fact the best we have so far this holiday. In the morning at 8 approximately the rent collecter called. A pleasant young man who began knocking on doors for our 7 euros 50. Some motorhomers had escaped earlier without paying and some people were still in bed. He started at the bottom of the site and before long we were all out - well at least those of us awake - to pay him and wish him a bonjour. He carried on going back and to catching people trying to sneak out without paying. How could you not pay when the town had made such an effort to provide a perfect spot for a motorhome with every facility you could possibly want. Places to dump your rubbish, places to buy your food, restaurants handy, electricity, water and a view to die for. If all aires were like this one you could spend an entire holiday flitting like a butterfly from one to the next one. I dont want to go home!!! But I ask the question - why dont we do aires in Britain? Caravan and Camping club sites are too far out of towns as they are designed for the tugger in his car and caravan. Motorhomes bring in revenue. How difficult would it be to provide secure parking and a bit of electricity? The words " Build it and they will come" comes to mind. If councils provided the facilities as the french towns do we would flock to them with our motorhomes and spend our hard earned cash.

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Photos

Mortagne sur Gironde
Memorial to Owain Lawgoch

Mortagne Sur Gironde
Another french roundabout

Mortagne sur Gironde
the aire on the harbour

Mortagne sur Gironde
The view from Suzys window

Comments

[Jackie]

Sounds like an excellent Aire
Not sure exactly where it is but will look out for it when we travel down through France in January.........we also do quite a bit of travelling in a camper van - www.mytb.org/jackieandchris2011

[JenGog]

not sure where it is
The small village is on the Gironde just below Talmont, Royan and La Rochelle. Very pretty place. The monument is in the local park. If you can get on the aire you walk around the end of the harbour and go up the hill until you reach the top. At the top is a crossroads. To the left takes you out of the town. straight across the town centre and to the right the park and viewing area. Turn right at the top of the hill walk a short way down and into the park. You should see the viewing platform in front of you and the monument is hidden to your right hand side. Its worth a visit just to stay on the aire