France and Spain tour: May/June 2023

The original plan was to tour northwest Spain after a ferry from Plymouth to Roscoff, France. Weather issues meant we had to be a bit flexible! The log below is in reverse chronological order (latest part of trip at the top).

Saint Pol de Leon (Roscoff): 7-8 June 2023

Our final campsite before catching the ferry back to Plymouth. A spectacular coastline with many rocks exposed at low tide. Surprisingly windy and less warm than areas further south.

View across Baie De Morlaix including the Camping Trologot campsite.

Saint-Nazaire: 5-7 June 2023

We stayed in Pornichet at the excellent Le Bugbeau campsite, about 8 miles west of Saint-Nazaire. We cycled into Saint-Nazaire and explored the fascinating WW2 German U-boat pens. Incredible amount of heavily reinforced concrete! Whilst there we visited the memorial to the British servicemen who took part in Operation Chariot in 1942 to blow up the gates to the massive dry dock. HMS Campbeltown was rammed into the lock gates and later exploded. We also toured the French navy submarine Espadon, a diesel-electric vessel used in the early 1960s to sail under the Arctic ice.

Inside the submarine base – one of 14 pens

Memorial to the 100s of British servicemen (mainly commandos) who died during Operation Chariot

A visit to a fascinating 1960’s submarine – The Espadon

Cramped conditions in a 1960’s submarine. There are 3 tiers of bunks on each side.

Pons, France: 2-5 June 2023

Given the slightly crowded campsite we encountered on the Atlantic coast, our next stop was inland and the town of Pons. This is a medieval town with many old buildings, rivers and old tanneries. Our initial plan was to stay in a campsite 1 mile north of the town but on arrival we found it to be under development with no water or electricity! We elected to stay at the municipal site in Pons town. A good choice! weather was a hot 30°c outside and close to 40°c in the van!

Even in France we could not get away from the Pilgrim paths. This notice was on a Pons pavement.

A not-so-shy “Ratty” in one of the many streams in Pons.

On the Pons Municipal Campsite, Researching the next run/cycle.

On Caroline’s birthday (3 June) we cycled a 26 mile circular route to the River La Charente. That river earlier flows through the town of Cognac and reminds us of the Oxford stretch of the River Thames. A beautiful part of the world, sparsely populated, with rolling fields planted with vines, wheat and French beans. Alan tried fly-fishing on the river but the surrounding vegetation made it very difficult. Signs around the river suggested the river held, Pike, Perch, Zander and Black Bass. It was great to see the river teeming with life, including small fish, Herons, Kingfishers and Damselflies. On the way back, Caroline rode over a 1 metre long snake that had decided to try to cross the road. With the heat and sun we were getting dehydrated by the time we arrived back at the campsite.

The ride back to the campsite after the snake incident.

What a lovely part of the world! Fields of vines (Cognac region), wheat and French beans.

Our last day in Pons and a lovely, albeit hot, run along the rivers.

Moliets-Plage, France: 31 May – 2 June 2023

We left Spain and drove first to Biarritz town which we found to be very busy, highly developed and the roads narrow. We took the opportunity to stop at a supermarket on the outskirts. On returning to the motorhome we were told by a security guard that we cannot stay there overnight! I explained that we had no intention of doing so! All in all our memories of Biarritz will be of a busy, stressed out, not very pleasant place.

We drove about 50 miles north of Biarritz to Moliets-Plage, a large campsite with many facilities next to a dramatic Atlantic beach . The campsite was busier than we were expecting with mainly German visitors. We concluded that the Whitsun week must be a vacation time for Germans. The area reminded us of Le Touquet with the mainly flat geography, large sand dunes and woodland. Lots of marked trails through the woods for running.

The pitch on the Moliets-plage campsite. Most were not level and full of sand.

Ruiloba: 29-31 May 2023

We left Potes and headed north to the Atlantic coast. The drive out of the Picos was difficult as the roads were very narrow in places but at least the road surface was reasonable! Pitched on the Camping El Helguero campsite near Ruiloba which is about 35 miles west of Santander.

An interesting item on a local “Mirador”: the globe is positioned so that when the sun shines on it, the countries on the globe in shadow are actually in darkness at that exact time

Wild flowers at the Atlantic coast close to Ruiloba

We ran a short stretch of the Camino De Santiago de Compostela. This is one of the waypoints on that route.

An estuary and beach on the Camino 3 miles from Ruiloba.

We bumped into these kids on the Camino..

Potes, Picos de Europa: 24-29 May 2023

From Riaza we drove north east towards the Picos de Europa. The weather forecast for Potes had improved so we were pleased to finally be able to head for our original destination! The last 30 miles of the journey was difficult: twisty narrow mountain roads. It would have been bad enough in normal conditions but the Spanish authorities had elected to remove the top layer of tarmac on a 10 mile stretch requiring speed to be reduced to 5-10 mph in places. We were grateful to reach the La Viorna campsite 1 km outside Potes! The campsite is well equipped but the pitches are tight and it is extremely difficult to park a large motorhome!

Riaza to Potes with the Picos de Europa mountains in the distance

The road to Potes was challenging. The road surface became even worse later on..

The excellent La Viorna campsite at Potes

Some eedjiot on one of the Potes bridges

Our plan to run up the mountain was temporarily thwarted by this herd of cows. The adults had large horns. Fortunately, we were saved by the herdsman and his dogs.

View of Potes on the way up the mountain.

Near the top of the mountain was this hermitage.

Spectacular view of the Rio Deva valley and surrounding hills

Donki Xuti – we nearly took this one home.

Cable car at Fuente Dé to the top of the Picos

View from the road/river level looking at the chapel on the hill.

Stunning view of the Picos from the chapel viewpoint.

We took a difficult shortcut to reach this next vantage point.

Riaza: 23-24 May 2023

Drove north past Madrid. Pleasantly surprised to find little traffic on the motorway around Madrid. Stayed overnight at Camping Riaza – a very tidy campsite just outside of the village of Riaza.

Parc Natural de las Hoces del Cabriel: 21-23 May 2023

Headed from the Ebre Delta in the general direction of Madrid. Stopped for two nights at a lovely campsite on the shores of a very large reservoir – Ambalse de Contreras. The campsite (KikoPark Rural) reception was in an old, tiny pueblo complete with small church. It could have been a setting from The Good, The Bad and The Ugly! Spotted a lot of deer on the slopes around the reservoir.

Campsite highlighted. Nearest town is Villargordo del Cabriel

View of the old pueblo that now houses the campsite (Camping Kikopark Rural)

The restaurant and reception area of the campsite. Looks just like the pueblo used in the Good, the Bad and the Ugly!

View of part of the reservoir together with bridges for a high-speed train track and motorway

Two of many deer spotted around the reservoir

Ebre Delta: 18-21 May 2023

From Zaragosa we headed east towards the Mediterranean. Our first stop was the unique River Ebre Delta. A massive piece of flat silt land with paella rice fields and marshland. Many bird species including Flamingoes.

The Eucaliptus camp site highlighted on the Delta

Tractor with special wheels for the rice fields

At the Ebre Delta campsite (The Eucalyptus)

Traditional costumes and musical instruments including a Hurdy Gurdy.

Zaragoza: 16-18 May

We left a very wet Lourdes and drove over the Pyrenees into Spain and experienced a dramatic weather variation once we had crossed the mountain from wet to dry. Zaragoza was unbelievably windy but at least the sun was out! We stayed at the municipal site on the NW side of the city – one we had used last year. The site was next to a canal that we followed when cycling into the city centre and old town. There were plenty of cycle lanes in the city centre but very confused junctions meant you were not quite sure which way to look! As usual for Spain, there were impressive Cathedrals and Palaces in the old town as well as Roman building remains.

The journey to Zaragoza across the Pyrenees was a little challenging in places with narrow roads and 40 tonne HGVs.

Still crossing the Pyrenees but now in Spain and the weather is dry!

Zaragoza Basilica – Cathedral of Our Lady of the Pillar and the Royal Palace.

Ancient stone bridge over the Rio Ebro in Zaragoza

Lourdes: 15-16 May 2023

The weather forecast showed heavy rain for SW France and NW Spain. We therefore decided to change our plans and divert towards the east of Spain. We stopped at Lourdes on the way as Alan was curious, based on family tales, to see the grotto. We found our way into the complex at Lourdes and the heavens opened and continued throughout the night. It was good to see the famous grotto and the surrounding churches – very impressive. We were lucky to get off the flooded campsite in the morning without getting stuck in the mud!

Mass being said at the Lourdes grotto in the pouring rain.

Lourdes – just before the heavens opened!

La Rochelle: 12-15 May 2023

We spent 3 days just north of La Rochelle and enjoyed running into the town with its very impressive harbours and train station. A canal ran from close to our campsite into the port. It was like running back in Mytchett! We cycled the 28 mile return trip to Île de Ré. Dramatic changes in scenery along the way: Canal, yacht marina, old port, WW2 submarine base, industrial port area and finally, the quiet and picturesque Île de Ré. The route to the island included a spectacular 3 mile long bridge.