To Corsica and Sardinia – The journey across France (7th - 10th May)

We’re never 100% certain where (or exactly when) we are going to go for our summer trip until we buy the ferry ticket from Newhaven to Dieppe, when we are obliged to focus, clarify our thinking and to do some planning! We’d fancied heading to these two islands having had a great time in Sicily in 2015, and enjoying the sense of ‘otherness’ that the Sicilians had of being part of Italy but not ‘Italian’. From what we’d read about Corsica and Sardinia, both looked to be inhabited by similarly minded populations – as well as having some fascinating history, scenery, and of course, food and wine!

So, having bought our tickets, discounted for the over 60s, a week or so before leaving in the second week of May, we were treated to some unusually glorious weather as we queued for the ferry, which stayed with us for the duration of the sailing.

This was the first time we’d caught the late afternoon boat, an additional sailing on the summer timetable, and it provided perfect timing for an onboard birthday picnic and a glass of chilled white wine as well as enabling us to get a comfortable hour’s driving in before stopping for the night. Using our trusty Aire de Camping Cars book, supplemented by the ‘Campercontact’ app for the first time, we took an easy option and stopped at Montville, north of Rouen so we could bed down by midnight French time. The 20 van Aire (free) was new to us and we pulled in about 11:30pm local time, expecting it to be half empty, but lucky to get the last remaining space! It seems to be the case that with more and more people travelling by campervan, even outside the main holiday season, we can no longer assume that these Aires will provide a reliable stop for the night…

We woke the next morning (for the second time, having been treated to the bins being emptied right next to our van in the early hours, continental style) to blue skies, rapidly rising temperatures, and the discovery that we were next to a rather lovely leisure lake that had been built on a flood plain by the local council not that long ago, complete with pedaloes, a café and some very cute ducks, both real and rubber varieties! Fortified by breakfast and fresh coffee, we decided to join the locals for a promenade around the shore followed by a visit to the local boulangerie for our first baguette, before heading south. As it was a public holiday (VE day) there was a carnival atmosphere, which explained the numerous flags flying and martial music we could hear from the town square!

Driving towards Clermont Ferrand in order to pick up the A75 to benefit from a free motorway to get most of the way to the Mediterranean, we were both a little nonplussed to see just how much fuel costs had risen in France – from around €1.11 a litre last July to €1.40+ making about a 25% hike since last year by our reckoning. Added to the less than helpful post-Brexit exchange rate, we decided to reinstate the ‘2000 rpm’ driving style we’d tried (successfully) once before to save on fuel costs. This price hike caught us by surprise, leaving us to wonder out loud what else may have gone up since our last visit - and realising it would be the first time in our 25 year plus of campervan travelling together, we’d be paying more for diesel in France than the UK! (We have since discovered that the rise is part of the French government's plan to equalize fuel prices with petrol over four years, starting 2018, by raising the tax on diesel.)

As the temperatures reached the high twenties throughout the day, it suddenly felt like we were much further south than we actually were and that wonderful feeling of being away from the UK arrived much earlier than is usual for May! Realising our leisurely 2000 rpm driving style would put us near St. Amand Montrond by the time we would want to stop for the night, we followed the directions for a (second) small and free municipal Aire on the canal du Berry, having driven past the larger one first, which was rammed to overflowing. Seeing the entrance blocked by ‘route barré’ signs our hearts sank – only to be lifted by the sight of a lone campervan on the other side of the canal, possibly parked up for the night. Pulling in further down the canal bank, we checked that there were no prohibition signs and seeing none, decided this would make an ideal first free-camp of the trip. It’s easy to forget just how easy it is to do this in France and we spent a restful and cool night listening to the canal’s wildlife, with only the occasional passing car.

Morning brought a cloudy day and, unusually for us, we welcomed the cooler driving temperature as we headed off to Clermont Ferrand. Always up for taking the route less travelled, we decided to track across the Cévennes national park, a slow but beautiful drive through wooded mountains and valleys – even as the clouds descended and visibility dropped! Taking a gamble that we may get a space in the Aire at Florac (free), we crawled our way up the steep access road in the late afternoon to find just two spaces left – phew! When at capacity these Aires are little more than busy car parks for campervans, but often in spectacular locations, with this one delivering on both. The town was a fascinating mix of medieval dilapidation and municipal modern rebuild, with picturesque natural water features cascading past the old buildings. Clearly a magnet for lots of folk seeking an alternative lifestyle in a remote(ish) location, the many boarded up shops and houses were peppered with posters and adverts for just about every conceivable alternative therapy going.

Morning brought with it promises of a glimmer of sunshine, so we set off for the A75, aiming to get to a campsite somewhere in Provence for our fourth night on the road. A site where we could stay put for a few days to take stock of our ferry options to Corsica, and allow us to head for Marseille or Toulon pretty easily. And so with the sun shining we arrived in Châteaurenard, to La Roquette, a small site that had a pool, free Wifi, and an easy walk to the local shops and market – all the things we decided we needed to get sorted for our island adventures!

S&J May 13th