France Aug 2012

In June our daughter Louise and family told us they were going camping in France. "So why dont you come with us" she said!!  "Are you sure you want us to come?"  "Yes & the kids are looking forward to you coming too". So no choice then, we had to go!.

So we booked the campsite at St. Valery Sur Somme in Picardy & the ferry from Dover to Calais return. We left home in Cheshire at 5-30am  on Fri. 24th Aug & went to our daughters to collect the eldest grandson, Sam (14 yrs old) as he'd decided he was going in our camper so he would have some pleace from his younger brother & sister!!.
At 6am we were on our way at last, our 270 mile journey to Dover had begun. Joan & I shared the driving, Joan doing the first leg to our change over & break at Toddington Services on the south bound M1, which turned out to be  pleasant & sunny trip, & hopefully would continue all that way to our destination in Picardy.
We arrived at Dover to meet up with our daughter & family around 11-30am. an hour before our sailing. The ferry crossing was good, a calm sea and sunshine!! 90 mins. later we were off the ferry at Calais and on our way south on the A16 towards St. Valery sur Somme. An easy 80 mile journey. 2 hrs. later we arrived at our site "Chateau Drancourt"  www.chateau-drancourt.com
 a large site catering for touring caravans, motor homes & tents.



                                                Our VW camper & Khyam awning.

                                                                Familys tent.
                                                    

                                                            
St. Valery -sur-Somme is on the Picardy coast adjacent to the Baie de la Somme and at the mouth of the river Somme. It is 30 km north west of Abbeyville and to the west of the Somme battlefields. It is a pretty historic town and well worth a visit, consisting of narrow streets with bars, cafes & restraunts, as well as local shops.
Saint-Valery has a narrow gauge railway running around the length of the bay, connecting La Crotoy with Novelles sur Mere via Saint-Valery.

                                                          Quay side in St. Valery

                                                                    
                                                             Bay of the Somme.

                                                        Narrow Gauge Railway.

Unfortunately all too soon the holiday must come to an end.
An early start on morning of Fri 31 Aug. was required so an alarm call was set for 6-30am. But first a cup of tea! Breakfast followed by the task of packing up! fortunately it was a fine morning although some dew around.
By 9 a.m. we were on our way, following the A16 north to Calais for the 12-30 ferry.. After another good crossing we arrived in Dover, and by 1-30p.m.our long drive home began.
All was well until we got to the Dartford Tunnel, It took around an hour to get through the tunnel purely due to the volume of traffic!! .......well it was 3 p.m. on a Friday afternoon!! Once we had got through the tunnel the traffic did ease a little & we made good progress and arrived home about 8 p.m. tired but a good holiday was had.