23rd April 2009

We didn’t bother with showers this morning, we had some breakfast, packed up, paid the bill and drove on to the next place.  We needed some provisions so stopped at a Leclerc supermarket and bought water, milk, bread, burgers for a barbecue, sweeteners. Paul got a new bag and I got some knickers. Living the way we are at the mo’ you can never have too many knickers!  We ate our lunch in the van in the supermarket car park – that’s becoming a bit of a habit - then drove to the town of Giverny where Monet used to live, to see the gardens.

It was absolutely beautiful – the gardens were so pretty. I don’t think its how the gardens where when he lived there mind you but it was beautiful in its own right. We went to the famous spot in the gardens where he painted his “Water Lilies” and stood on the spot and looked at the bridge, then had a wander round the house which was full of Japanese pictures. We took loads of photos and bought some postcards.

The Famous Bridge at Monet's Gardens

We left after a couple of hours and went the campsite we had chosen from our guidebook – well we got a bit lost at first and drove back up the same road, but we found it in the end. Although they had WiFi at €1 for 6 hours, it wasn’t a very nice campsite. Only 1 loo open and the rest were ‘squatting’ types - I just refuse to use them, yuck!! - And it was a bit like a Gypsy camp. The lady owner who showed us around said that some people lived there and they looked like typical gypsies so we didn’t stay. Shame as the location on the edge of a pretty village was really nice. Anyway, we drove on to another site which was in our ACSI guide and was in the middle of a huge wood in the Normandy area of France. It was called Chateau de Marcilly. There is no WiFi so we can’t check our emails and things and Paul couldn’t get a TV signal because of the trees but we did manage to borrow a lighter from our Dutch neighbours so we could light the BBQ. We ate dinner and chatted to the Dutch people and then went in and played Wii. With no TV signal, I expect we’ll move on tomorrow.

Chateau de Marcilly Campsite

OMG!  Although the campsite is in a lovely setting among the trees with cuckoos, an owl and a woodpecker, the showers are the worst yet!  Paul came with me, and just as well as there were two bloody great stag beetles in the showers. The showers are unisex and there was water everywhere on the floor so it was impossible to dry yourself properly, and to cap it all, the bloody lights went out after five minutes.  I wrapped myself in my towel and went back to the van.  French campsite showers are appalling quality, nowhere near as good as the UK.