RETURN FROM GREECE TO ENGLAND, via ITALY and
FRANCE
Margaret and Barry Williamson June 2014 Continued from: Return to Greece: Spring 2014 After a winter in southern Sicily at the magnificent Camping Luminoso, and a spring cycling in the familiar mountain territory of the southern Greek Peloponnese, we begin our reluctant return to England. Reluctant for the usual reasons, familiar to all long-term long-distance travellers, but also full of hope. We plan to replace our comfortable though cumbersome arrangement of our 6.6 metre Lunar Quasar caravan pulled by a 6 metre 3.5 ton mwb high roof VW Crafter van. A total length of 12.6 metres or 42 feet! We have our eyes and future travels plans focused on a nimble 3.5 ton under 7-metre motorhome! Sparta to Camping Isthmia Beach, Corinth
(Korinthos) – 92 miles
Open 1 April-mid Oct. www.campingisthmia.gr. €19.70 inc 10
amp elec and showers. Free WiFi around Reception only. N 37.88886 E 23.00575
After weeks of deliberation we were still undecided about taking the
caravan on to Eastern Europe, or whether to return to the UK and exchange the
caravan/VW combination for a motorhome. The ideal would not be another weighty
and thirsty RV but a 3.5 ton coachbuilt model, preferably with a garage for the
bicycles, and we'd found a possible contender on-line at Marquis Motorhomes.
Reluctantly we bade farewell to our host at Sparta, the ever-smiling
Peter Kapetaneas, and set out for Corinth, which would be the decision point:
west to Patras for a ferry to Italy, or east to Bulgaria.
We circled round the congested centre of Sparta, crossed the bridge
over the Evrotas after 4 miles, then headed north for Tripoli (Sparta's new motorway
link as yet unfinished). The smooth road climbed to 900 m or almost 3,000 ft
before joining the A7 motorway at 37 miles. The first toll, 9 miles later and
just past the services, was €6. We drove through a mile-long good modern
tunnel, followed by a shorter one, before passing the ancient stone quarry from
which Greco-Roman Korinthos was built, at 71 miles.
A second toll (€6.40) came at 75 miles, then another service station.
There was a good view of Akrokorinth high above on our left, before joining the
E94 (Athens direction) at 83 miles. At exit 10, 5 miles later, we turned off
south for Isthmia. The left turn down a lane to the campsite is signed after
another 3 miles.
The securely fenced site lies along the pebbly shore near the southern
entrance to the Corinth Canal. It was very hot – over 30 deg C inside the
caravan – and the site was mainly filled with statics, with no sea-view pitches
free. The young man in Reception warned of a group of students due to arrive
tomorrow.
After lunch we went on-line to check availability on ferries to Italy. Disappointingly,
both Minoan Lines and Superfast appeared to be fully booked for at least a week.
On the telephone it was the same story from Minoan but Superfast had just got one
cancellation for the next day. Decision made, we booked the 5.30 pm sailing
from Patras to Ancona tomorrow, with 'Camping on Board'!
Excited, we nipped out to the AB Supermarket 2 miles away, for supplies
and cash, then parked and ate over the road at Goody's, before walking across
the bridge and back for a view of the Corinth Canal. Its sheer rock sides and
long narrow channel are an unforgettable sight, also available as a bungee
jump!
Back at the campsite it was still hot and airless, the mosquitoes were
out in force and a thumping disco sounded from the adjacent hotel. One night
here would be more than enough!
Corinth to Patras, South Ferry Port – 111
miles
Overnight Ferry 'Superfast XII'
to Ancona, Italy
Away after breakfast: 3 miles back to the motorway, then west for
Patras. There was a toll of €6.30 at 14 miles, after we'd passed Corinth,
though much of the road is not even a dual carriageway. It's a dangerous and very
busy highway, with road-widening works underway, but there is no alternative
except the impossibly narrow coast road. The weather remained hot and humid,
with a short heavy rainstorm along the way.
We passed the service station near Ancient Sikyon after 20 miles,
taking a break at the next services, Akrata, at 50 miles. A third services is
at Egio, 15 miles later. To avoid the mayhem of Patras city centre, keep left
(signed Pirgos) after passing the turn-off for the new Rio Bridge. The best
exit for the new (south) ferry port is junction 2.
Inside the new port it was chaos, with nowhere to park, wait or queue
and no signs, but at least the men with guns and dogs were keeping away any
would-be illegal emigrants, who had plagued the old port. Barry circled while
Margaret went in search of a ticket office and we eventually managed to park
among the trucks, though a lorry driver protested.
On board, the Camper Deck was packed full, airless, vibrating and noisy.
We have many happy memories of 'camping on board' but it was on a spacious open
deck - never like this! After sailing at 5.30 pm Margaret went to Reception to
complain and ask about the cost of a cabin. The nice young man in uniform
accompanied her to see the situation for himself, then offered us a 2-berth
en-suite outside cabin FREE OF CHARGE! We celebrated with an excellent 3-course
meal in the a la carte restaurant, a great treat, then had a restful
quiet night.
ITALY – Friday 13 June (and a
Full Moon)
Ancona Port to Camping Mar y Sierra, Stacciola
di San Costanzo, Puglia – 33 miles
Open all year. www.marysierra.com. ACSI Card €16 inc 16
amp elec and showers. Free WiFi around Reception only. N 43.74600 E 13.08140
After a leisurely shower in our free cabin, we went down to the caravan
to make breakfast: a great combination!
The camper deck was still throbbing uncomfortably, so we spent most of the
voyage reading in the cool peace of the ship's forward lounge. The on-board
WiFi was not working.
Docking in Ancona at 5 pm (Italian time), it was almost as hot as Greece.
We crawled through 10 miles of slow traffic to join the A14 towards Bologna,
leaving it 18 miles along at exit 14 (toll €2.60). The campsite is 5 miles from
the Autostrada: 3 miles inland on rd 424, then turn right (signed
Stacciola) by an Opel garage, continue uphill and bear right at the camp sign
after another 2 miles.
The campsite is set on gravel terraces on a steep hillside, making
access to the pitches difficult. Its 'sea view' is obscured by woodland, full
of birdsong and an occasional red squirrel. The free open air pool was thronged
with children on a school camp. An on-site restaurant supplied a take-away prawn
pizza, with a less than generous topping. Later the heat erupted in an
overnight thunderstorm.
Next day being wet and very windy, we stayed a second night and spent
time planning the route back, phoning campsites and looking at more motorhomes
on-line. We decided against breaking the journey in Milan when Camping Citta di
Milano quoted €38 a night!
Stacciola di San Costanzo to
Camping Mombarone, Torre Daniele, Settimo Vittone, Torino – 333 miles (alt 927
ft/281 m)
Open all year. www.campingmombarone.it. €16 inc 4
amp elec and showers. Free WiFi on pitches near Reception. N 45.56474 E 7.81668
With a long journey to the Aosta Valley ahead, we were on the road
before 8 am on Sunday: always the best day to cross Italy in the absence of
trucks. It was 2 miles downhill to rd 424, then another 3 miles to Marotta to
join the A14/E55 to Bologna. The road works we remember are all finished now,
with 3 fast-flowing lanes in each direction.
It began to rain after Imola and on round the Bologna Ring. At 120
miles we joined the A1 and continued past Modena. Italy looked much greener and
less parched than Greece, with fruit trees and vines thriving across the
plains. By the time we stopped for lunch on Parma services at 166 miles the
showers had stopped.
At Piacenza (200 miles) we turned west onto the quieter A21, crossing
the 45th Parallel near Voghera 21 miles later. Half way between Equator and
North Pole – and it did feel pleasantly cooler! At 265 miles by Alessandria we
took A26 northwards, soon bridging the broad River Po near Casale Monferrato.
We turned off northwest at 287 miles, on the A26 for Aosta. The contrasting
scenery was amazing: white egrets waded in bright green rice fields on either
side as we crossed the flood plain of the Po, with the snowy peaks of the Alps
emerging from the haze ahead. At 322 miles we kept right onto A5, north past
Ivrea, exiting at Quincinetto 10 miles later. One single toll for the whole day's
journey came to a little over €30 – and well worth it!
The campsite was just a mile away and easily accessed: turn right,
cross the river, turn right again and the entrance is on the left. It's a
lovely little site with a view of the mountains, a very friendly
English-speaking Reception, excellent ablutions, and bread rolls on sale in the
morning. There is a footbridge from the site to the adjacent 9th century Church
of San Lorenzo, or it's an easy walk back to Quincinetto. We'll certainly stay
here again when using the Mont Blanc Tunnel. The only negative was the 4-amp
hook-up, which wouldn't run the microwave (or much else!)
Next day was warm and dry again. We did the laundry and hung it out in
the wind, planned our route across France and booked the P&O Calais-Dover
ferry. After lunch we walked across the bridge over the Dora Battea River to
Quincinetto, where the motorway soars above the narrow cobbled lanes and church
of the medieval centre. The glacier-blue river, parallel canal, railway, main
road and motorway all flow down the valley past this quaint village.
Settimo Vittone, Italy to Camping
Crotenots, Le Miroir, Cuiseaux, France – 212 miles
Open 1 April-mid Oct. The
Website, €12.40 inc 6 amp elec and
local tax. Shower token €0.80. No WiFi. N 46°34'14" E 5°21'28"
After a showery night it felt cool and green. Away at 9 am, we returned
1 mile back to the A5, to climb northwards. The motorway soon crossed the
regional border into the magnificent Aosta Valley, running through several
short tunnels. Castles perched high on rocky crags guarded this historic route,
which turned west with the river at St Vincent (17 miles), now at 1,320 ft/400
m.
Just past the Aosta services we paid our last Italian toll (€27.10) at
30 miles. There is a choice of Alpine crossings from here – turn off north to
the Great St Bernard pass or tunnel into Switzerland, or continue west - as we
did - for the Mont Blanc Tunnel into France. A series of shorter tunnels took
us past Morgex to join the SS26 at 57 miles, up at 4,224 ft/1280 m. A mile
later, at 4,554 ft/1380 m, we had a stunning view of the White Montain itself
before entering the 7-mile Tunnel that runs below Europe's highest peak. The
toll for this was €57.
FRANCE
At 65 miles the Mont Blanc Tunnel opened into a burst of French
sunshine as we entered the Department of Haute Savoie at 4,046 ft/1226 m. The
onward road hair-pinned steeply down, with a speed limit of 25 km (16 miles) an
hour for caravans or vehicles over 3.5 tons. We joined the A40 (the Autoroute
Blanche) for Geneva 3 miles later, with a view of the Glacier des Bossons
on our left. After feeling alone on top of the world, we suddenly found
ourselves following a Shearings tour bus!
The A40 motorway gradually descended, through a pair of cash tolls (€7.20
and €3.70), until we collected a toll booth ticket before stopping for lunch on
the Valleiry services at 127 miles, down at 1,800 ft/545 m. On we drove,
through the tunnels and over the viaducts of the magnificent Jura Mountains.
After the Tunnel de Chamoise we climbed a col to 2,132 ft/646 m at 158 miles,
then dropped steeply for 6 miles (with lots of speed warnings) to cross the
River Ain at 987 ft/299 m. Four miles later the A40 turned abruptly north, past
Bourg-en-Bresse.
At 183 miles (altitude 790 ft/240
m) we took A39 north towards Dijon, leaving it at exit 9 (205 miles) for Le
Miroir, with a final toll of €26.40. Misled by the SatNav, we meandered anxiously
round 7 miles of increasingly narrow lanes and crossed the motorway twice
before finding the quiet rural campsite. It actually lies to the east of the
motorway, only 4 miles from the junction!
The resident owners sell local
wine and honey, as well as running a rather formal restaurant (3-course menu
for €17; BBQ on Fridays for €11). We simply ordered some croissants for
morning, which were scrumptious. The other campers were mostly Dutch, with one
other British caravan.
Le Miroir to Camping Municipal
Val-de-Vesle, Reims – 247 miles
Open 1 April-mid Oct. www.reimstourism.com. €13.70 inc 8 amp elec and showers. No WiFi. N
49.16687 E 4.21416 It was 4 miles back to the A39 via
Le Miroir, for a fill of diesel (better price than Italy), then north on the
motorway along the western edge of the Jura National Park. At 69 miles we
joined the A31 near Dijon, turning northwest 47 miles later onto A5.
Lunch on the Chateauvillain Orges services
at 133 miles. Another warm day, though a head wind made for a slow journey and clouds
were gathering over the infinite flat greenscape of wheat fields, cattle and
woodland. Near Troyes we joined A26 at 174 miles and continued north for 60 miles
to meet the A4. Here we turned east for 1 mile, to take exit 27, near Chalons-en-Champagne.
The toll for 232 miles of A-numbers was €46.
Along the D944 for 10 miles towards
Reims, then right on D326, past tall grain silos and over a canal, following
camp signs to a pleasant grassy municipal site. The weighty security gate needs
a code from Reception (which is open 8-8). We'd booked ahead on the phone and
found our pitch marked 'Williamson – Reserve'. British neighbours on all sides
ignored us, suffering from WVS (White Van Syndrome)!
Val-de-Vesle, Reims to Camping
La Bien Assise, Guines – 184 miles Open 5 April-27 Sept. www.bien-assise.com. ACSI Card €19.40 inc local taxes, 6 amp elec
and showers. Free indoor heated pool. WiFi expensive (from €2 for 1 hr). N 50.86611
E 1.85694
Along the busy D944 into Reims,
where in a confusion of road works, diversions and traffic we somehow found the
Reims Ring and followed it anticlockwise to join the A26. This motorway, aptly
named Autoroute des Anglais, runs
northwest all the way to Calais! The first services, Champ Roland, at 35 miles
would be excellent for motorhome parking overnight, with a separate parking
area, a dump and token-operated water and electricity - but we had a ferry to
catch tomorrow. At 76 miles in
Picardy we crossed the River Somme near St Quentin. On past Cambrai and Arras,
names redolent of the Great War. As we passed the exit for Vimy (at 125 miles) we
caught a glimpse of the Canadian Memorial up on Vimy Ridge to our right,
alongside a Commonwealth War Grave and a coach park: poignant sites we have
visited more than once on these battlefields. Lunch on the St
Hilaire Cottes services at 150 miles, before paying a toll of €32.60 and taking
exit 2 at 173 miles. Road D943 then led to Guines, where the entrance to La Bien Assise is on the left of a
roundabout. The large campsite is set in the grounds of a small chateau that serves as a Logis de France Hotel - the hotel is
open all year, the camping is seasonal. Convenient for
both Calais and the Channel Tunnel, it's a popular site with the British, who
were out in force. Campers have access to the hotel's free indoor and outdoor
pools, an upmarket restaurant, and an excellent take-away and bar. Margaret
enjoyed a swim before collecting our supper: one freshly cooked home-made
cheeseburger and one salmon & leek quiche, only let down by the reheated
French fries! Guines, France to Gullivers
Camping & Caravanning Club Site, Milton Keynes, England (via Calais-Dover
Ferry) – 18 French miles and 142 English miles Open 14 March-10 Nov. www.campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk.
Senior Member Rate £19.05 inc 16 amp elec and showers. WiFi £2 for 24 hrs (or
£10 per week). Along a new road from the campsite roundabout, it was just 5 miles to
junction 40 onto the A16 (toll-free). From exit 47, 7 miles later, we drove 6
miles to the port at Calais. We'd booked the 11.35 am sailing but, arriving
early, were directed straight through for the 10.45 boat. It was a smooth crossing, the ferry busy with French school parties. A
free food voucher for £20 issued with the ticket bought two full English breakfasts
and coffee, before docking in Dover at 11.30 am (English time). ENGLAND Gradually readjusting to driving on the left in the congested traffic
of southern England, we followed A20, M20 and M25 anticlockwise. After 49 miles
from Dover we crossed the Thames via the Dartford Tunnel (toll £2.50) and on to
join the M1 north past St Albans. From exit 14 (Milton Keynes North) we followed signs west for 3 miles
to the Camping & Caravanning Club site near 'Gullivers Land' theme park,
where we had a warm welcome from a friendly Warden. A relaxing evening, with Radio 4 freely available and the novelty of
British TV: 'Midsomer Murders' and 'Have I Got News for You'. Milton Keynes to Clumber Park
Caravan Club Site, nr Worksop – 116 miles Open all year. www.caravanclub.co.uk Member
Rate £20.50 inc 16 amp elec and showers. WiFi not working. No phone signal. Back to the M1 and north for 102 miles to exit 30 (Worksop). East on
A619 and A57, past Worksop to the A1 junction. Here we turned briefly south on
A614, then right into Clumber Park through a stone archway. Signs led for a
mile to the Caravan Club site, busy on this sunny Saturday afternoon – the
longest day of the year. We'd booked a few days on this site, assuming it would be a good base
for visiting Marquis Motorhomes at Dinnington. However, we were very
disappointed to find the WiFi was out of order long-term, nor was there any
mobile phone signal. This was only explained after we had paid and the staff attitude
was deplorable: 'go and chill' they told Margaret. After pitching the caravan, we nipped out in the VW to shop in Worksop
and check out an alternative site: Riverside Caravan Park in the town. Kath,
the Warden, couldn't have been friendlier, there is a good phone signal and
WiFi available, and we agreed to move there next day. Weeks later, we are still
trying to get a refund from the Caravan Club through their complaints procedure
… Clumber Park to Riverside
Caravan Park, Worksop – 8 miles Open all year. www.riversideworksop.co.uk £18 inc 10 amp
elec. Good long showers £1. WiFi at various prices, eg £25 for 7 days. No
laundry facilities. The Warden at Clumber Park was even impatient at the request to stay
and eat lunch before leaving, even though other campers were doing the same –
not to mention the fact that we'd paid for the night in any case! What a relief
to drive away. Riverside Caravan Park, tucked behind the County Cricket Ground and
bowling green, is a beautifully wooded site and we were welcomed onto a very
spacious hedged pitch in a quiet corner. Hard to believe we were only a
5-minute walk into the centre of Worksop, with a great choice of shops and
places to eat, as well as a thrice-weekly street market and access to the
Chesterfield Canal towpath to walk or cycle. As an ice cream van called to cheer us up, we felt very much at home.
Just as well, since (little did we know) we were to remain here on-and-off for
over a month! We would recommend this site, and especially Kath the Warden, without
hesitation. She helped us enormously in different ways through a difficult
period, allowing us to store things in her garden shed and giving a reduced
rate on nights when we left the caravan unoccupied. (continued at: Marquis Malpractice)
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