{"id":41,"date":"2018-08-28T18:29:02","date_gmt":"2018-08-28T18:29:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tappstravels.co.uk\/?p=41"},"modified":"2026-08-16T22:03:06","modified_gmt":"2026-08-16T22:03:06","slug":"france-2018-02","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tappstravels.co.uk\/?p=41","title":{"rendered":"FRANCE 2018. 02"},"content":{"rendered":"

That seemed to work!\u00a0 And now I’m getting the hang of putting pictures where I want them!<\/p>\n

After a night on Plymouth docks, we were in the queue well early. \u00a0We got through security with a friendly, but rather cursory, inspection of the caravan’s front locker. Maybe we don’t look like serious threats to national security.\u00a0 Thankfully! \u00a0We were directed to the very front of one of the caravan lanes where we waited – and waited – and waited.<\/p>\n

Hundreds of cars each loaded to the gunwhales with young children and covered in roof boxes and bike racks with at least ten bikes each were shepherded onto the Armorique and hidden on various decks that caravanners never see (thankfully). This is going to be a very full and noisy crossing!\u00a0 After the cars, the dreaded camper vans, more late arriving cars, then caravans were taken aboard. \u00a0Sailing time (08.00) came and went. Then even more last minute arrivals were loaded. \u00a0Our particular row of three caravans was being kept in reserve. \u00a0We were still on the dock right in front of the loading ramp raring to go some 20 minutes after the boat should have departed.<\/p>\n

Fortunately it hadn’t left, but our ring-side position had given us the ideal opportunity to study the sea conditions. For a little under 90 minutes we had a prime view! \u00a0I can confirm that it was actually rougher in Millbay Docks with the ferry tied up alongside the quay than it had been in the middle of the Bay of Biscay in June when we crossed to Santander!<\/p>\n

Sensing another potential disaster we debated renting a lock-up on board – a nice cabin.\u00a0 The discussion was short and sweet.\u00a0 One glance at the hoards of little ones and their much-tattooed parents was the decider.\u00a0 \u00a326 well spent! \u00a0Glenda dosed herself on 17 Dramamine – well, we’d left the cannabis behind this time. \u00a0(Just as well, because, obviously, we would have had it stashed in the caravan’s front locker and this would have been the world’s shortest ever travel blog).<\/p>\n

Leaving Plymouth Sound, the captain ordered all outside decks to be closed for the duration. \u00a0For safety reasons. \u00a0High winds on the high seas. \u00a0With a wind speed estimated by a sailing expert as at least 40 knots on the bow and with a boat speed of 15-20 knots, we were well into the apparent wind speed of a violent storm (Beaufort force 11). \u00a0Having stepped out onto the stern deck briefly I can confirm it was bloody breezy.\u00a0 I know, the decks were no-go areas, but someone had to take the following picture. \u00a0At the time I was being soaked by spray from the bow wave some 168.3 metres forward of my position.<\/p>\n

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Well, on the basis of “it can’t get any worse”, the chances are it’ll get better (and maybe Glenda will stop muttering about Northumberland! \u00a0Just maybe!!).<\/p>\n

At least the cabin was a peaceful haven. That is until a hoard of the very little people from whom we were trying to escape started a game of hide and seek on our deck. I put ten of the blighters out on the deck and that sorted them out! \u00a0I think the rest of them beat a hasty retreat to deck 7!<\/p>\n

(If you were thinking of reporting me to the RSPCC or the RSPCA or the RSVP – I’ll have to confess that I made that bit up – probably!)<\/p>\n

Before leaving home we had decided we would like to visit a campsite for the first few days that we had never been to previously. \u00a0Concarneau and Beg-Meil were mooted.\u00a0 The only site to reply to our enquiries was near Concarneau. \u00a0It was advertised as a small, friendly, peaceful site in the country near the town. \u00a0And some pitches had a sea view.\u00a0 Excellent.\u00a0 I made a three day reservation.\u00a0 Except Glenda had reservations of a different kind.\u00a0 So the deal was we would look elsewhere if this site proved unsuitable. \u00a0Well, it was a packed, busy, noisy site close to the centre of town.\u00a0 We had a “We aren’t staying here Barry” moment and promptly scarpered.\u00a0 True enough, the staff were very friendly but having happy staff is not always enough.\u00a0 After a quick look at the alternative site up the road, we elected to go to Camping Keranterec at La For\u00eat-Fouesnant – where we had been before.\u00a0 Best laid plans and all that!<\/p>\n

We pitched on space 121 because most of the places we had been told were free were actually occupied. Salamanca came to mind. So we didn’t join anyone else on their pitch this time.\u00a0 It was raining a steady heavy drizzle when we arrived.\u00a0 Suffice it to say I got pretty wet.\u00a0 Still we have a nice view – as proved at breakfast time…<\/p>\n

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Monday dawned a nice day and we went for a gentle stroll on the coastal path to the port area…<\/p>\n

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… and on into and town.\u00a0 At least we now know the way to Wales from here!<\/p>\n

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We had covered six or seven miles by the time we got home. \u00a0And we had had a lovely lunch in the local traiteur’s with the native painters and decorators – surprise, surprise!<\/p>\n

And that concludes our first full day in France.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

That seemed to work!\u00a0 And now I’m getting the hang of putting pictures where I want them! After a night on Plymouth docks, we were in the queue well early. \u00a0We got through security with a friendly, but rather cursory,… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-41","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-france-2018"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/tappstravels.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/tappstravels.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/tappstravels.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tappstravels.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tappstravels.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=41"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/tappstravels.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8081,"href":"https:\/\/tappstravels.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41\/revisions\/8081"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/tappstravels.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=41"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tappstravels.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=41"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tappstravels.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=41"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}