Awaycation Autumn 2023 - France

Best laid plans of Mice and men etc...

I booked the crossing on P&O for after 11am so that we didn't need to get up at the crack of dawn to get the last packing (fridge etc) before the short drive to Dover Eastern Docks. So I was a little miffed today to get an email telling me that due to operational reasons the sailing time has been shifted to 10.05am. Over an hour earlier than booked. Bummocks, as someone that might read this would say!

It does mean of course when we eventually bump into France at the Port of Calais we will be over an hour earlier there as well. All being good. Of course our first stop, as it has been on the last three trips across in 2022/23, will be at Picard to get Reggie some dog food - Dogador. As we have a larger freezer in the 175 we need maybe to buy a little more than usual so that we don't run out. he really doesn't get on with tinned stuff....

We should be into the low season again once in September and so the ACSI card will come in useful. As such we may not need to book much in advance and be more flexible on where to to and when. In a previous blog I mentioned the vloggers we regularly watch and the idea of the Île de Ré has always seemed somewhere to go. But after a variety of bloggers my interest has waned.

Although we live about 400m from the sea, we still like to be near it when we go away. Whether it is to the timeshare in Spain or Florida, or when we are in the van. Sadly this summer the worst part of our trip was by the sea on the Camargue. Not the place as such, but the site wasn't good.

So I'll be looking at a mixture of campsites and aires. Whereas we have solar (internal lights) and gas (cooking and heating) I do like the idea of being able to go to the loo and have a wash in the site's facilities rather than use the van's bathroom.

So first night? Last year we stopped at Formerie in the Camping-Car Park (CCP) aire. It was okay and we arrived late after an accident in front of us had us stuck on the A28 motorway for a long time. But is it in the right direction?

Not if we are looking at maybe avoiding the love of the sea and replacing it with the love of the mountains! Where did that one come from?!

Those darned YouTubers again. If anyone read the earlier blog entry - https://devall-travels.travellerspoint.com/548/ - then you will have seen I was thinking about Germany and Austria for next year. However, I am thinking about it for this break instead!

More to come!

So until the next time.....