We have been impressed with this tidy little campsite. We service the vans and leave at 11:20 for probably our last night together. We use the toll roads as much as possible, taking a break about half way at a 'green' picnic area. The roads are not too busy and the scenery is generally flat and green.

As soon as we leave the toll near Rochefort we call into the town to find a supermarket for fuel then rejoin the busy section around La Rochelle. The plan is to take Nick and Grete onto Il-de-Re as they've never been there, but as we rise up onto the bridge visibility is limited by the haze.

We drop down to Rivedoux Plage where we camped back in January on our way down. The tide is right in and it's 12 degrees warmer than it was then. There are 3 vans in the aire but we're not stopping there tonight and we continue a few miles more to St Martin de Re. The car parks we stopped in on previous visits, in pre-motor-homing days are now height restricted so we go to the proper aire.

After a bit of a faff with the barrier we get in and park just after 17:30, get the chair off and head into town, hoping to find somewhere for a meal. But before we can go a young Frenchman asks if he has to pay the full fee for the aire just to get water, and is upset to find he has. But no worries, we tell him to bring his van to the barrier and reel out Nick W's long hose to fill him up. We have a lovely chat while filling and he is happy he can have a shower after his long shift as a nurse. He's living in his van while he and his girlfriend save for a house.

Down in the port the pretty pale stone and wood-shuttered harbourside buildings are as charming as ever despite the cold. The Nicks sit and admire boats while the girls walk over to the fortress. A few restaurants are lighting up so we wander around checking out menus before deciding to try The Belem. In the foyer is a large wooden model of a sailing ship and the inside is decorated with other nautical items.

We have a lovely meal, which is our treat for Nick Ws birthday on Friday when we'll be at separate ends of the UK.