The grand tour of France in a motorhome September 8th Day ten

 Up early for a quick getaway down the A71 to Bourges. We stop in a parking bay which is marked as an Aire for camping cars on Search4sites. It feels isolated, away from any hubbub. The van in front moves. We decide to move too. That gut feeling thing? When your gut says “this doesn’t feel right” – it means it probably isn’t. We promised ourselves we would always follow our gut instincts.

I run up the grassy hill alongside through the trees to discover a huge car park above us and reassuringly there are no height barriers and plenty of spaces that will accept a motorhome. We move to this car park and find a parking space right alongside a very busy main road in full view of offices. It feels much safer although it is a tight squeeze getting into the bay between the trees without hitting low lying branches. For reassurance I put on both steering wheel and actual wheel clamps. We have Vanblitz growler as well, so I know deep down it is probably overkill. I think the Aire car park spooked us a little.

The town centre is a 100m walk away. Stunning cathedral exterior and entrance. The carvings are exquisite. Some good medieval streets to wander around with half timbered houses.

 We came here for the ‘evening light painting show’ when all the buildings are lit up with moving mural displays. We are really looking forward to it and are bitterly disappointed to discover that from today they have decided to cancel it. The decision was made earlier that morning and the publicity about it was only just now being disseminated on the net!

We stroll the town centre, peer in shop windows, stop for a coffee and then decide to push on somewhere else but not before calling in at a Decathalon. I have lost my treasured Petzl headtorch. I have no idea where or when! Very frustrating this getting slightly older and more forgetful malarky.

 

Somewhere else turns out to be an Aire by a lake at Saint Armand Montrand. It is a busy stopping off point on the way south towards Provence. We get a grass pitch between some big hedges which we share with a small German VW camper van and then head out for a brisk walk around a lake which has a nature reserve and a sailing club.

 Helpful information:

Route: A85 – A71

Distance: 131 miles

Costs: Aire one night 9 euros for water and waste dumps but no electricity. However, the pay machine wasn’t working; the barrier had been fixed at permanently open – so we got a free night! Headtorch with red light  – 25 euros