This morning appears calm with just the occasional squally shower. Whether we stay or leave, the van needs servicing and we need to move from our grass pitch to one of the vacated hardstands. Very glad we took the trouble of putting mats under the wheels, we get out of our sodden corner with no trouble. By the time we've dumped and filled there are tiny patches of blue sky, and better still, no wind, so we ring ahead to Toulouse and set off at 10:45. Last yea...

The rain didn't let up for a minute last night and the wind is blowing a 5 or 6. We are woken at 7:30 by a series of emergency vehicles racing along the road outside the campsite, about ten inside fifteen minutes. The TV is showing the standard cooking, beauty and history programmes so we dispel any thoughts of a major incident nearby. The rain is heavy and forecast not good so we decide to remain holed up here for the day and plan our next few days ahead. T...

Last night was bitter cold, down to 4 degrees so we run the heating for a while before getting up. The tide is almost all the way in giving the estuary a very different look from yesterday. Canada geese and gulls float on the tiny incoming waves only 100 yards away and an endless stream of headlights arc across the bridge. Our plan was to go to visit Cognac and then onto a nearby passion, but with low grey skies and showers imminent we decide to drive s...

Cold but sunny this morning. Porridge for breakfast. This Passion has a service point so even though it's our first night the adage 'do it whenever you can' means we service the van before heading on our way. We pass alongside some more fields of stunted, black vines before joining the road to La Rochelle. At St Floeent-des-Bois we stop at a boulangerie for baguettes for lunch and the other side of the town the landscape changes to gentle rolling pastures. A...

It's still dark at 06:15 when the celtic strings music wakes us, and no lighter as we emerge from MV Armorique an hour later, although it's actually 08:15 in Euros. We stop for coffee at St Pierre de Plesguen from 09:30 to 10:00 and again near Bain de Bretagne for sandwich/baguettes at midday. From Rennes to Nantes it drizzles and rains most of the way. Just after 13:00 we leave the main roads and have about 8 miles through the vineyards to the France Pass...