Many people wax lyrical about La Rochelle but on a damp morning we were
underwhelmed. After heading for a Champion supermarche which was closed
until 2.30pm on Mondays we found it difficult to navigate around the
city, all signs pointing to the new Port de Minimes where we failed to
find the motorhome parking area so after a circuit of the busy town ring
road, we came across the crowded Parking de Pleasance and found a space
thankful that we only have a small campervan. There was a service point
and several motorhomes that seemed to be permanently parked. After a
stroll around the quite interesting town centre and harbour area, we
decided to head south calling at the now open supermarket then on to
Fouras and the campsite at the Pointe de la Fumée among the oyster shacks
where at last the sun was shining again.
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La Rochelle harbour entrance
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Continuing to our destination of the Ile d'Oléron we stopped to look at
the old transporter bridge just south of Rochefort then on to St Trojan
d'Oleron and the helpful tourist office to get a map and guide (with an
unofficial motorhome parking area nearby). Ostréiculture is the main
industry around here, Marennes on the mainland proudly boasts to being
"The City of Oysters". St
Trojan d'Oléron has a less than impressive
musee d'Ostréiculture (which we didn't visit) among the rusty sheds.
Musee de Ostréiculture - St Trojan d'Oléron
Having studied the maps we drove the length of the flat island to the Phare de
Chassiron a local "Land's End" with a few gift shops and cafés, a large lighthouse and interesting new rock garden still
being completed for the main holiday season. Most parking areas had height
barriers but one was ok but no overnight parking allowed. We dutifully
followed the camping car parking signs around the headland and cote
sauvage to the large aire near St Denis d'Oléron. The village about a mile
away was a pleasant seaside resort with a marina and sandy beaches with a
fine selection of colourful beach huts!
Beach
huts at St Denis d'Oléron
With a couple of days of sunshine we
hoped the weather had turned for the better (but it didn't last) and we
continued along the coast skirting Bordeaux on the very busy free
autoroute and headed for Arcachon and the Dune du Pyla, the
largest sand dune in Europe and very impressive once past the gift shops.
Surprisingly for a major attraction once we had paid to park (overnight
motorhome parking allowed) the dune was easily accessed up the steps which
are repositioned every summer, and then you can wander freely over the
massive top which stretches for about a mile and a half. Plenty of
visitors were rolling and sliding down the sides as well as paragliding.
In the evening I walked back up to the top hoping to get some sunset
photos but sea mists rolled in however my digital camera produced this in
the fading light
The rain and gale-force winds returned
the next day as we drive down the coast to Biscarrosse Plage -
luxury villas, Mimizan Plage - mostly apartment blocks, and Cap Breton
where there were a few hardy surfers and a casino, possibly the ugliest
modern building we've seen in France. I'm sure these resorts would be more
appealing when alive with holidaymakers on a glorious hot summer's day!
Casino at Cap Breton
Not overly impressed by this rather flat
pine forested area we turned inland to the hills and the French Basque region
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Rochefort transporter bridge
Dune du Pyla
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