When we are ready to leave we alert our neighbours that we are disconnecting the electricity. In a mixture of Franglais we have quite a chat before setting off.

There are two options for destinations today as we expect the first one may be full. Our journey is a mixture of roads; cross country and dual carriageway, and we notice the effect of the newly introduced 80kph limit on single carriageway roads. Everyone is observing the restrictions and there seems to be none of the tailgating ‘trains’ of cars that used to be so familiar.

Just north of Angers we turn towards Grez-Neuville and cross the river to the aire. We are pleased and surprised that there is plenty of space and we park near the river under shady chestnut trees.

After lunch Ali wanders across the bridge to see if the town is worth a visit. It’s nothing special although there are towpaths that would be nice for a riverside walk on a sunny day. But we are content to watch the occasional boat go past from our shady spot.

The only blight is one French motorhomer’s party, about a dozen of them all enjoying themselves a bit too loudly. They eat, play boules and then at dusk, take ages putting stuff away and saying their goodbyes all talking at volume 10.

Finally it goes quiet, save for a drunk heading home singing his head off.

Then the owls started….