Monday, October 11 Week 2

The fridge needs to be filled up again and the gas bottle needs to be filled up too - and half the day is almost over. OK, we don't get up early, it's already dark long before morning. And filling up the gas bottle is a bit of an odyssey. Our credit card doesn't work at the first LPG filling station and the second LPG filling station isn't easy to get to. The GPS data is confusing. But we manage it after all.

The sun is shining, it is pleasantly warm and so we spontaneously stop at a beautiful little ACSI campsite on the Dordogne.

We suddenly have a new roommate. He actually slithered unnoticed through the insect screen door and made himself comfortable in the bed.

Tagsstrecke: Vézac - Sainte Foy La Grande

Distance: 100 km

Average consumption: 9.4 liters

Average speed 38 km/h

Travel time: 2 hours 36 minutes

​​​​​​​Pitch costs: 18 euros including water/electricity, ACSI

The parking space in Mortagne-sur-Gironde is located by the harbor and there is still plenty of space at the back. Unfortunately, the restaurants around the harbor are already in hibernation.

So after a small lunch we set off on the e-bikes on a beautiful route to Talmont-sur-Gironde and back.

Wonderful evening atmosphere at our parking spot.

Tagsstrecke: Sainte Foy La Grande - Mortagne sur Gironde

Distance: 129 km

Average consumption: 8.9 liters

Average speed 51 km/h

Travel time: 2 hours 30 minutes

​​​​​​​Pitch costs: 9.90 Euro incl. V/E, incl. electricity

Wednesday, October 13

So here we are, after 9 years and about 1 month, back at the Camping Municipal in the very north of the island of Oléron. We have a special memory of this part of the island. More on that tomorrow. Now we're just enjoying the beautiful weather.

Tagsstrecke: Mortagne sur Gironde - Saint Denis d'Oléron

Distance: 108 km

Average consumption: 9.3 liters

Average speed 38 km/h

Travel time: 2 hours 48 minutes

​​​​​​​Pitch cost: 15.00 Euro including water/electricity, without electricity

Today's cycle route is 42 kilometers long with wonderful views of the sea. The small villages we cycle through are empty and seem sleepy. We rarely meet people. The cycle paths have most of the traffic, but even that is limited.

In September 2012, shortly after the lighthouse on the northern tip, my cell phone rang. Our lovely neighbor, who was looking after our house, reported, horrified and desperate, that our house had been broken into. Suddenly the world no longer looked so radiantly beautiful. Many thoughts raced through my head, a few phone calls had to be made. The network was unstable and made me even more desperate.

Since the break-in had already happened and the police had secured the house again, we decided not to go home until the next day.

We returned home tensely after 1.5 days. We couldn't have been prepared for the sight we saw when we got home. Everything from the basement to the first floor was in total chaos. The burglars had done a great job and almost nothing was where it was supposed to be.

But fortunately that is in the past and here too, time heals all wounds, but you can't completely forget it.

But today has reconciled us with this island and shown us its beautiful sides.

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Pitch costs: 15 euros including water/electricity, without electricity

The ferry from Royan to Le Verdon sur Mer saves many kilometers and is also a change.

We enjoy a delicious lunch in the ferry port of La Verdon sur Mer and then drive to Soulac sur Mer. The parking space here is just behind a tiny dune. We get a spot in the front row and have a view of the sea. A long walk along the beach helps us digest our food. And later we enjoy the first sunset on the Atlantic.

Tagsstrecke: Saint Denis d'Oléron - Soulac sur Mer

Distance: 95 km

Average consumption: 8.8 liters

Average speed 36 km/h

Travel time: 2 hours 34 minutes

​​​​​​​Pitch costs: 5.22 Euro without everything, V/E possible for a fee of 3.70 Euro

We start the sunny day very leisurely. Around midday we unload the e-bikes and ride to Montalivet les Bains for lunch. That's 40 kilometers there and back. On the way back we enjoy the pleasant temperatures in front of the Pfüdi or on the beach. A lively conversation with our neighbors rounds off the day. We really enjoyed chatting about all sorts of topics.

In the evening it gets quite cold and so we retreat to our motorhomes and start a cozy evening.

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Pitch costs: 5.22 Euro without everything, V/E possible for a fee of 3.70 Euro

Impressions from the Etang de Biscarrosse - the pitches are either quite full or quite earthy and furrowed.

So we end up at the parking space at Contis Plage, which is also very busy. Lots of French, lots of Germans, a few Dutch and two people from Graubünden. Germany and Holland in particular have made themselves very popular here. Some people take up two parking spaces at once. Something that is unfortunately becoming more and more common. And if you then politely but firmly object to this, you are often treated in a stupid and arrogant manner. Where will this lead?

At the end of May 2013 there were about two handfuls of motorhomes here and now in mid-October 2021 there are about 55 motorhomes here!!!!

Tagsstrecke: Soulac sur Mer - Contis Plage

Distance: 206 km

Average consumption: 9.1 liters

Average speed 51 km/h

Travel time: 3 hours 58 minutes

​​​​​​​Pitch costs: 9 euros including water/electricity