As I mentioned a couple of days ago, I have been thinking about where to go once we are across the Channel on the timetable amended P&O Ferry. I had been hoping we would have been changed to go on the new ferry on the Dover-Calais-Dover route. called Pioneer.
Then today another email. This one saying we are still on the 1005am but the boat has changed from Pioneer to Spirit of France. Except I didn't know we were on Pioneer in the first place.
Anyway.... One we bump into France at the Port of Calais it will be around noon before we disembark. First stop Picard at Coquelles to stock up on dogador for Reggie.
We have a bigger freezer now and maybe we can get enough to last him the entire fortnight. He has around 160g of meat with every meal and this means that for every 500g pack there are just over 3 meals to the pack. We are away 15 days or 30 meals away. Or (9.6!) 10 packs! Even though dogador is listed on the Picard website, it seems very few stores sell it. Calais/Coquelles is one! Could we fit 9 or 10 pack into the freezer. We'll have to measure the space available and not need anything for ourselves!!
Thanks to Brexit we can't take his food with us. He is on a raw food diet. It has been good for him over the seven or eight years since we took him down this road.
So where we are going? France? Spain?
I have been distracted lately by blasted YouTubers. I have been tempted to head towards Germany and Switzerland this year rather than next year. I had already got it in mind for May 2024. Although..... You get the picture. The world is our huitre!
Claire and I originally though the cutting down the mileage and staying in one place for longer each time would be better. It all depends on the availability of sites. We can always guarantee an aire (more further down!) as many are 24/7 365 days a year.
After a few hours on the internet on site after site I am back to looking at Normandy and Brittany. I have been on the ACSI site and getting a little confused as many of them are saying the ACSI card (CC) can be used but then quoting €45 a night instead of the CC quoted price of €21 or €23. So this need a little more work I think.
Another thing I have found using the ACSI booking site is that many of the northern France campsites in the chains like Sandaya and Flower actually close on September 4th! Why? Ony your chosen deity will know why!
Bookings? I have booked Formerie already. There are only six emplacements there and there were five vans, including us, even in November.
From there I am thinking of some sites on and around the Normandy beaches. There are aires that we have seen on various YouTube blogs, but having to rush to get a pitch with EHU is something I can't be bothered with. I'm on holiday to relax.... I like the idea of Honfleur. But having seem at least three different YouTubers there it looks like everyone's worst nightmare. Almost 200 camper/moho's cheek by jowl and the aforementioned fight for the EHU pitches. Not for me.
Planning continues. The next day!
This morning I booked three nights in the Flower Camping Omaha Beach. The site is above the cliffs over the beach. We will be pitching up in the footsteps of the German defenders and the US invasion force. Gulp.
We stayed at three different Flower sites in June and they were all good, although the first one was a bit tight. When you stay you get points that can be used against future stays. It's about a tenner at the moment and so I left it there and a fourth stay here will add a few quid to it. It may all come in handy another time.
I decided to book a "PRIVILEGE Package (1 tent, caravan or motorhome / 1 car / electricity 10A) + Seaview 2/8 Ppl" I am hoping it is this one as some of the others look a bit to near the edge for me to feel comfortable!
From there I am looking at maybe a single night in a CCP as we move west towards Brittany. There is a new CCP aire near Mont St Michel. It's probably too far for us to walk and with Reggie not liking roads it maybe too far. I did look at a campsite really near with an off road walk to the causeway to the island, but it seemed reasonable until you factor in the €9.50 a day perking charge on top of the touring pitch.
More about Omaha Beach and the events of D-Day 1944.
It was suggested by a few friends that the UK has plenty to offer and I have to agree. Maybe another time, although we already Staycation in UK.
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