BY MOTORHOME FROM ENGLAND TO GREECE

The Log of a 2,000 mile journey

Margaret and Barry Williamson

The log can be read in conjunction with our: Travel Notes Greece.

A full sequence of photographs of the journey can be seen at: Photos of Journey to Greece.

This daily log gives an account of a 21-day, 2,000-mile motorhome journey, leaving the UK on 18 December and driving through France and Italy to Finikunda at the southern tip of the Greek Peloponnese. This will be our 11th visit to the beautiful country of Greece, an ideal place for the winter motorhomer.

The proposed route will take us from Portsmouth to Cherbourg by Brittany Ferries and then via Alencon and Tours to Limoges and Perigueux, where we will meet fellow motorhomers Keith and Brenda Durham. Keith has contributed a number of 'Broadsides' to this website - a radical and humanitarian take on world events - and has just handed another over for publication.

After Christmas with the Durham's, we aim to travel east to Aix-en-Provence and then the town of Aups, south of the Verdon Gorge. There we will meet up with Martin and Clare Wiltshire (also contributors to this website) who now combine motorhoming with winters in their French home and summers fruit-picking in the UK.

Crossing into Italy close to the Mediterranean, we can motor across Northern Italy to Ancona for a ferry to Greece.

This log of what actually happened on our journey should be read in conjunction with Travel Notes Greece, which give a lot of background information on travelling and motorhoming in this glorious country, as well as details of the motorhome we used.

The overall daily distance driven is given in miles; individual distances are quoted in kilometres. Costs are in Euros, the exchange rate at the time of travel is around 1.4 Euros to the Pound Sterling.

December 18     53 miles     BOURNEMOUTH-CHERBOURG, FRANCE

Back on the Road

After breakfast and baths, photos and farewells, we left the home of our friends, the Kenyon family, to drive our motorhome from Bournemouth to Portsmouth. With a lunch break at the services on the M27, we were in good time for the Brittany Ferries boat to Cherbourg at 3.30 pm. The Val de Loire crossed the calm Channel in 5 hours, with surprisingly few passengers just one week before Christmas. Fortified by a flask of coffee, digestive biscuits and a large slab of Cadbury's chocolate (a present from Ian K), we disembarked at Napoleon's natural harbour and drove all the way round the roundabouts to the spacious, free, overnight motorhome and caravan park. Since our last visit, it had been enhanced with toilets and a picnic table. Our neighbours were 2 British caravans, bound for Spain, and a French Camping Cariste.       

December 19    118 miles     CHERBOURG-RANES (Normandy)

Remembering the June 1944 Liberation at Ste Mere-Eglise

Got a phone card at the ferry terminal to ring a favourite campsite at Alencon, which proved to be closed till March (whatever our article in the MMM might have said!), though Alencon is still on our route.

There is only one easy way out of Cherbourg – south down the N13/E3, the Route de la Voie de la Liberte, commemorating the D-Day landings. We bypassed Valognes but stopped after 45 km to walk round Ste Mere-Eglise, whose famous church features in the film 'The Longest Day'. US Paratroopers parachuted into the town square on the eve of 6 June 1944 (D-Day), while German snipers fired on them from the church tower. A stained glass window depicts the scene and a model of John Steele hangs from the bell-tower, where he dangled from his parachute through heavy fighting (and amazingly survived). Infantry marched on the town from the landing at Utah Beach – the Battle of Normandy (and the liberation of France) had begun.

A short walk away, towards the Camping Municipal, is a memorial to the 3,000 American troops who were buried there temporarily. We explored the small town and read the information on view, though the Paratroopers Museum was closed (this being Monday). We tried the Maison de la Presse, to buy up-to-date guides to campsites and overnight stops (Aires de Repos), but Madame said it is 'not the season'!

Another 27 km to lunch at St Jean-de-Daye, enjoying the last of our pork pies with a chunk of Stilton cheese on an empty car park by the village pond, where a Nativity crib stood. The best of both worlds – English food and French space! On a dry, sunny morning, it's so good to leave the confines of an English winter's roads. We did meet traffic in St Lo, 8 km on, but the route was well signed. A fill of diesel at the Champion Supermarket on the way out of the city cost €1.009 (under 70p) a litre, cheaper than petrol (and less than at regular filling stations where it is typically €1.12).

We continued south on the N174 through the Vire valley, then D524 east to Tinchebray and Flers, and D924 towards Argentan. As we climbed, the colder air became misty in the absence of wind. We turned south on D909 at Fromentel, 26 km from Flers, stopping at the historic village of Ranes, 11 km down the road. A sign led to the Camping Municipal, alongside the sports ground – gates open wide, a faded pricelist showing charges in French Francs, and the facilities firmly locked!

An enquiry at the Bar Camping across the road established that the camp was closed but we were welcome to park inside its gates, and so we did: a quiet free night under the trees in the cold eerie mist. (Sadly, the electric points had been turned off!)

December 20     104 miles     RANES-NEUILLE PONT PIERRE (Val de Loire)

Via Alencon and Le Mans to a splendid Aire de Repos

22 km south of Ranes we met the N176, leading 18 km east to Alencon, where we had good memories of the Camping, the medieval lace-making town and its market. The Camping de Guerame was indeed closed (we wondered where the resident 'gipsy' population had been moved on to), but outside the gates is a Borne de Services (which dispenses water and swallows waste). There was no indication that it was hors de service (out of order) and we proceeded to empty our waste tanks into the appropriate orifice. To our horror, it had been closed off and a pool of sewage began to rise from the grid – we could do nothing but beat a hasty retreat! Taking the N138 south, we passed Leclercs and Decathlon superstores with height barriers – not previously noticed in France – perhaps indicating that the gipsies had become a nuisance in this area (as had we!)

On the Le Mans ring road, 49 km south of Alencon, the Decathlon had an unrestricted car park, where we lunched and shopped. This chainstore caters for every kind of sport and outdoor pursuit and we bought cycling and camping equipment, including Thermarest mats and a cycle helmet for Barry (who'd presented his to Ian Hibell for compulsory use in New Zealand). The new helmet even boasted flashing rear lights! At Ecommoy, we filled up with diesel, LPG (or GPL in French!) and water at a Super-U, and shopped at the Lidl across the way (French cheeses, pate, etc, as well as the usual items).

Continuing south towards the Loire, we stopped 20 km short of Tours when we saw the sign for an Aire de Repos alongside the police station in Neuille. This one had a working Borne de Services, plenty of parking space and even 8 free electric hook-ups! Our neighbours were an English Hymer (on its way to Benidorm) and a French motorhome heading east for the ski slopes. Monsieur lent us an extension lead to help us reach the electric point, saying he wouldn't be leaving till 9.30 am – how kind (but see tomorrow!) 

December 21     138 miles    NEUILLE PONT PIERRE-ORADOUR/GLANE (Limousin)

Across the Loire to Oradour

Breakfast (well before 9 am) was interrupted by a power cut. Emerging into the ice and frost, we found the Frenchman had gone, taking not only his extension lead but also our French socket adaptor! Luckily, we have another, but what a dastardly deed! Entente cordiale?

#We drove on to Tours, following the Poitiers signs round the ring road to the east of the city. This crossed the River Loire and the Cher on the A10 motorway, which we then exited at St Avertin to avoid the Peage (toll). The N10 took us south, freely and quietly, crossing the Indre at Montbazon, with a glimpse of its tenth century dungeon. We drove through flat agricultural land at about 350 ft, through St Maure and past a new monument to a martyr village at Maille: Les Nazis ont pille et brule (looted and burnt). At Pont de Piles we crossed yet another of the rivers watering France, the Creuse, then saw the Vienne at Ingrandes.

In busy Chatellerault we lunched in the vast car park of a Champion supermarket and sent text messages to Keith & Brenda, who we would join for Christmas near Perigueux, and Martin & Clare in Provence. Our route is taking shape! Leaving the N10 (to Poitiers), we turned south-west on D749, a scenic road following the Vienne, through Chauvigny to  Lussac-les-Chateaux. Here, as the sun broke through at last, we joined the busier N147 towards Limoges. We passed a good Aire de Repos at Moulismes (toilets, water, dump point, parking) but it was still early. We continued to Bellac, turning left on D675 just before the town, south-west through the Forests of the Woods of the King for 20 km, then 11 km south-east on D9, a lane leading to Oradour-sur-Glane, where all was frozen (at over 800 ft).

The modern town has a new Aire de Repos with plenty of space (though the water was all turned off). Deciding to visit the Martyred Town tomorrow, we worked on emails and website for a couple of hours. We were joined by 2 motorhomes – French and Belgian – for a bitterly cold night.

December 22     73 miles     ORADOUR-NONTRON (Dordogne)     (€10.00 per night)

From the sadness of Oradour's Ruins to the joy of friends at Camping Moulin de Rouchilou

On a bright, freezing cold morning we relocated to the car park of the Martyred Village – the original town of Oradour, destroyed by the retreating Germans on 10 June 1944. The modern visitor centre, which normally gives access to the site for €6, was closed (from 16 Dec-31 Jan), leaving us free to walk the ruins.

Shocked by the size of the town, the extent of the damage and the realisation that virtually all the inhabitants were killed, we were literally sickened at the sights. The roofless buildings were still just as they had been left after the burning and bombardment: the railway station, post office, schools, cafés and hotels, shops and businesses, garage, barns and homes, with rusting bicycles and cars, sewing machines at the dressmaker's, ovens at the bakery … The men had been executed, while hundreds of women and children were shut in the church with the priest and burnt to death. Inside the ruins of this church, we were finally moved to tears by the charred remains of a pram by the altar. Beyond belief – the act of one Christian country against another, in reprisal for the heroic and justified actions of the Resistance soon after D Day?

We left on the D9 and N141 towards Limoges, turning south-west on D20 to cross the river at Aixe-sur-Vienne. From there N21 led into the Dordogne (Napoleon's new name for the ancient region of the Perigord), the road remaining high (maximum 1,400 ft). At Thiviers, we turned west on the lovely D707 (narrow, but thankfully quiet), which wound its way through 32 km of woods and tiny villages to the town of Nontron.

Here, we met  old friends, Keith & Brenda Durham, whose Hobby motorhome was already installed 1 km south of town on the former municipal campsite, now privately owned and run by un grand homme avec un grand chien. We filled our water tank at last (which was lucky, as the campsite facilities froze overnight and remained closed), settled next to the Hobby and enjoyed our neighbours' company, food and drink for the rest of the day.

December 23/26     At NONTRON, Camping Moulin de Rouchilou    (€10.00)   

A Frozen Christmas

The 5 days at Nontron were the coldest we have experienced in nearly 11 years of motorhoming, though it was our warmest Christmas in terms of friendship and companionship. Together, we walked into Nontron through the gardens of its chateau to shop, visited the Christmas Eve street market and walked to the local bakery across the frozen river in the village of St Martial de Valette for our baguettes and croissants. Evening meals were taken in turn, the conversation running into the small hours. Keith's beef curry warmed our Christmas Eve, while we hosted the Christmas lunch – a splendid free-range fowl of the locality with all the usual trimmings, champagne and wine, followed by Margaret's Xmas pud, fruit, nuts, chocolates, liqueurs.

After selling up in England, Keith & Brenda have just found a house, about 40 miles to the east, and hope to complete the purchase in February, so there was much poring over photographs and maps. The Perigord region is nothing if not rustic, and they have chosen a farmhouse, over a century old, with nearly an acre of land. We look forward to seeing it on our next visit.

The weather remained bitterly cold, dry and crisp, the campsite lying at 470 ft, well below the town. We kept warm during the day with all our heaters running – an electric fan heater, gas blown-air heating on a thermostat, plus a small gas heater on the wall. At night, we were snug inside warm sleeping bags under a duvet plus a blanket – and an electric underblanket – while the temperature fell way below freezing indoors and out! For the first time, we found our own taps and toilet frozen in the mornings, thawing as the day went on. The campsite manager said it was exceptionnel – it certainly was for us!

December 27/31     40 miles     NONTRON-CODERC     (€15.00)

To the Camping du Bois de Coderc, near Perigueux

The coldest night was our last at Nontron (minus 9 degrees C outside). After 5 days of good company, music, food and wine, we left the campsite manager lamenting his burst water pipes and said farewell to Keith & Brenda, who were heading south for some sunshine before returning to finalise their house purchase. In dire need of water and a washing machine, we were pointed towards Camping Coderc, 10 km north of Perigueux.

After shopping at Lidl in Nontron, we returned along D707 to Thiviers, then south on N21, via Sorges (the truffle capital of the Perigord, and thus of the world), where we noticed a good Aire de Repos for a warmer season. About 30 km from Thiviers, shortly after Sarliac-sur-Isle, a well-signed left turn by a 'Bar Relais' leads down a narrow lane for one km to Camping Coderc. The campsite is listed in our elderly Caravan Club guide as 'Camping au Fil de l'Eau', open June-Sept, but it has now been renamed and taken over by two couples who are resident on the site and open all year.

We were warmly received by the Dutch pair (whose English partners were away for Christmas), and we have the site (with excellent hot showers and toilets) to ourselves. We made good use of the laundry (3 wash-loads), worked on our laptops and watched a video or two ('Inspector Morse' which M's Mum had recorded for us). The frost has scarcely lifted for days and we crunched through the crisp fallen leaves of oak and sweet chestnut as we walked in the woods by the river Isle which borders the campsite. The trees were shrouded in white, the smoke rose from a nearby farmhouse chimney, where Pere Noel was still to be seen climbing the walls in his red suit. The birds were out foraging: robins, great tits, blue tits, blackbirds and a green woodpecker.

It was also a time for mending – from patching trousers and repairing curtains to persuading the heating thermostat not to cut out so readily! It is still freezing hard at night, but we haven't suffered the terrible snowstorms which have brought parts of France to a standstill in the north-west. Our Dutch hosts kindly printed us the weather forecast from the internet and the television Meteo completes the picture! On 28 Dec, all roads into Belgium and Italy were closed, and we hear that Austria and south-east England are also snowbound.

On 30 December there was a dramatic change in the weather - from ice to rain, from outdoor temperatures below freezing to over 15 degrees C! Mike and Sylvia (co-owners of the site) had just returned from Northampton, allowing Dutch Fred and his wife to go home for New Year. Sylvia was kind enough to take Margaret with her to the local shops in Trelissac, but no, we didn't wish to take over a share in the campsite!