Month: July 2023

A final stop over at Camping de la Ferme Les Saules, just north of Bailleul in northern France, just by the border with Belgium. Only an hour from Calais. Nice little place with a great shop. Then a Sunday morning ferry and back home.

A single night at Camping Les Boucles de la Moselle in Liverdun, in north east France, just north of Nancy. Just a stop over on the way home. Big site, right by a river, the second tiem we have stopped over there. Then off up France, stopping off at some funky road side loos.

Three nights at Parkplatz Fadail in Lenzerheide. This was actually a massive car park, but was really good! Toilets and showers were in big containers. We were next to a massive coach-sized mobile home. It is a really big mountain biking area. Five minutes walk from a lake. Went swimming, and a couple of days going up the Rothorn gondolas to the top of the mountain. Amazing views. We met up with Charlotte, Bez and Archie who were staying nearby. Lou did a big trek up the lifts and across the valley with Charlotte and Archie. Bez did a load of biking.

Six nights at Camping Acquafraggia. Right by the spectacular Acquafraggia waterfalls (cascate). The longest we have ever stayed in one place! Did a walk up to Savogno Rifugio past a whole series of derilict houses. There was a great vantage point next to the falls on the way down. On Friday walked down the valley to Chiavenna, lunch at little restaurant and up to the top of the Botanical Gardens with a narrow footbridge over a min chasm. On Saturday we wanted to go up the mountain so we drove to Isola. We thought this was the Isola ski resort, but it turned out to be a little Italian village (Isola is actually in France!). Not much there, so on to Madesimo, an Italian ski resort. This was a fab little town, lots of mountain bikers using the gondola. We went up the gondola and then walked up to the top of Cima Sole at 2150m. Roads there and back were pretty cool – steep hairpins, narrow tunnels, and even a hairpin in a tunnel! I loved it, Louise didn’t. Spent the rest of the time lazing around and playing in the water below the waterfalls. It was too hot to do much else…. Then off north east over the border back into Switzerland, via the lakes at Silsersee (really beautiful) and Silvapanersee, and high mountain passes.

Headed east across Switzerland to spend 3 nights at Lakeview Camping and Resort on the shores of Lago Maggiore. Just over the border from Switzerland in to Italy. Fab little pitch up on a terrace, overlooking the lake. There was a private beach that you could get to via an underpass under the main road. Walked into Cannobio and did a lot of swimming in the lake. The weather was so hot we didn’t really want to do much…. It was nice to just park up and not move the van for a few days.

Three nights at Camping Alpenblick just outside Interlaken. In a little paddock area at the far end of the site. It was a fab, big site with static caravans, motorhomes, campervans, a few tents and a big reception block. Only 300m to Thunersee lake where we did lots of swims, and it was just next door to a paragliding landing area. Friday, got a bus bus into Interlaken and had a wander round. Saturday, super early start to go up to Jungfraujoch, at 3454m. Bus to Interlaken, train up the valley to Grindelwald, cable car that went past the Eiger, then final steep funicular through the mountain to Jungfraujoch with a big visitors centre including ice caves. Amazing views up on the glacier. Back down via Lauterbrunnen, where there were amazing views across the the north face of the Eiger. It was super expensive (177 Swiss Francs each), but totally worth it.

Headed down through France and stopped over at Nina’s house in Bourbonne-les-Bains. Met by their very friendly neighbours Chris and Monique and had a delicious supper and breakfast with them. The 2 houses were amazing, big rooms, tall ceilings, cellars and massive attics! We wandered around Bourbonne with Chris and Monique on Thursday morning, then headed off to Switzerland.

Off south in the evening, stopped over at Alan and Angie’s driveway in Vigo Village. Got there quite late, but it was nice to see them. Then up at 5.30 for an early Eurotunnel on Wednesday morning. Except it was delayed…..