France roadtrip and heading to Canada (June 2-18)

Caleb resting at the beach near Pornic, France on the west coast

“Camping” in France and heading home
Caleb
(mom's comments included)

After being in the cosmopolitan city of Paris for two weeks we decided its time to see the countryside of France. We rent a car at the Gare de Lyon, which is the largest and most beatiful train station in France, and start our journey West. Our camping fetish began when Shawn our next door neighbour told us about the camping in France.

In Spain we needed somewhere to stay and on the highway on the way to Barcelona, we hit a campground. So Mark insists on looking at it. When we get inside and check it out I was so excited I had to do everything they had in four hours. They had tennis, ping pong, arcade, pool, pool table, restaurant, supermarket, mini golf, bowling (lawn bowling, which I didn’t know) and its dirt cheap. We stay there for one night because whe’re leaving to Paris tomorrow and we only get around to swimming, arcading and ping pong.

Castles all along the Loire Valley

Our first campground in France was the campground called Parc des Allais located southwest of Paris along the Loire River. Basically in the middle of nowhere. (mom says it was absolutely beautiful) They do have a really nice tennis court and a nice swimming pool. All I did there was watch the French open (Roland Garros) on our 9 inch TV, and play tennis in the brutal sun. I’d say I got a little colour.

Caleb working on his tennis

The first day I think I got a little bit of a heat stroke because we were playing at 2 o’clock and the sun was just smashing down on us. We played for 10 minutes and we had to go in the pool we were so hot.
(mom says they also went bike riding, wine tasting, touring to the gorgeous mideival villages around the area)

Parc Des Allais Campground trailor - Caleb watching tennis

Walking along the fields around the campground

Trailor at Parc Des Alais

Inside our lovely trailor

After 4 days of playing tennis we got pretty good. One day we made a trip to the Super U (which is the most popular super market in France - its like a Superstore, there is also the Hyper U, bigger than the Super U, and the Marche U, smaller than the Super U) to get some groceries and we heard there was also an internet place nearby. Me and Artemis asked the supermarket cashier where the nearest internet place is because we weren’t quite sure. She says it’s in Chinon which is about 15 kilometres away. We don’t really think that’s right so Mark asks a different cashier and she says she didn’t know where one was. Both the cashiers where about 19-20 ish and they didn’t know that there was an internet café right outside the door! It was basically right beside the Super U.

(mom says The Loire valley and the Atlantic coast were spectacular. As it was off season we were able to get accommodation for a great price.)

Sitting near the beach of French Western Atlantic coast

Mark and Lianna went for a ride on their own one lovely hot day

We book our flight home on June 26 and we book our flight to Montréal on June 18. We just can’t believe its almost over.

After a while at the Parc des Allais we decide its time to leave and head to our next campground. We decide to head to the coast to meet Marks french friend Claire and her Canadian husband Rowan and also she said there are lots of campgrounds on the coast. We end up in a little touristy seaside town called Pornic which is famous for moules frites (mussels and fries). We head to the tourist information to find out what campgrounds are around this area. She sends us to a campground about 15 minutes away. Its very nice but the place doesn’t have a tennis court. It is pouring rain so the tennis court wouldn’t be much fun. And also the French Open is on and the cottage with a TV is 100 euro (160$ extra then a normal mobile home. We decide to stay because it is 6 o’clock and all the other campgrounds’ reception are closing and we don’t have much choice.

Atlantic coast south of Pornic

Mark testing out the wine from the region

Caleb chilling on the deck

The next day we drive out to St. Luce where Clair and Rowan live.It’s a cute little town near Nantes. When we arrive Rowan, announces that Mark had demanded for a French feast and he was making one. They also just had a cute little baby called Elliot.

We start with a very nice sweet melon and sweet white wine with a brioche with tomato and melted goat cheese for appetizers.
And then we have mashed cucumber with crème fresh and boiled potatoes and an amazing butter, shallots and white wine fish which is delicious.
After the amazing fish we have a huge cheese plate with three sheep cheeses and three cow cheeses.
And then as if that wasn’t enough we have a great dessert of an assortment of French pastries including: mille feuille, strawberry tart, chocolate éclair, lemon cheese cake and chocolate tarts.
We finish off with a nice walk through the little town of St. Luce. We have a great time and return two days after because mom forgot her video camera.

Caleb and mom walking around Nantes

We return back to our campground and decide to keep going down the coast. We find a nice place with a tennis court but its still raining. It starts to clear up and we try to play tennis but my wrist hurt to much so we decided to hold it off. We play lots of ping pong and have a good time there. We go for a bike ride one day and end up on the gorgeous beach when the tide is out. We walk along in the sand and decide to check out the little town. The main part of the town is one road with an arcade, tons of stores, ice cream and crepes places, restaurants and bars. We sit down and have a beer and me and Artemis have an ice cream. My ice cream is just gross.

Beach jumping shot

Beach jumping shot

Beach jumping shot

Beach jumping shot

There is also a fresh food market at the town everyday at 8 until 12. By now I'm just counting down the days left until we go to Montréal. I try to just enjoy travelling.

We drive back and stay in a cute town called Montsoreau which we drove through on the way to the coast. We stay at a campground there and they have free tennis! Yay! I try to play with mom but she’s to tired. Finally at night I play a few games in my flip flops with Mark. He totally whips my ass. I still had a good time. We stay there a few days and don’t do much (mom says: we visited the Castle of Montsoreau, and the Oldest known abbey in the region as well as went for walks through the beautiful towns and ate amazing food).

Castle of Montsoreau (sorry didnt get a picture of the actual castle)

Part of the old Abbey in the background

Lunch break below a castle in the Loire Valley - heading back to Paris

Then we head back to Paris early in the morning and get a hotel a block away from the Gare de Lyon.

Gar du Lyon from our hotel window

Caleb going crazy in the little Paris hotel room

View from the Pompidu Gallery in Paris

Buying a final pair of shoes in Paris

The next night, our last night in Paris, we decide to eat on the Champ Elysee. We land on what we are convinced is the best restaurant. It’s a moule and frites (mussels and fries) restaurant. We wait for 40 minutes and finally get a seat at 11 o’clock. We sit down and order a feast. Its so delicious we are just blissed out. We find out later on the plane talking to a French woman that it actually is the best moules frites restaurant in Paris.

Last night walking along the Champ des Lysses

Last night walking along the Champ des Lysses

Walking along the Champ des Lysses on our last night in Paris

The next day we leave to the Orly airport and have a whole mix up and find out that the flight is actually at the Charls De Gauls and we have to pay an extra 60 Euros 100$) to taxi to the other side of Paris. At the airport check in they don't have our name on the sheet so they can’t let us in the line. They tell us to go to the ticket booth. We go there and Mark explains our situation and we wait a bit and he finds our name. He gives us a paper and we head to the check in counter. He doesn’t have our name either so he has to call the ticket office guy and he says its okay so we finally get rid of our bags. And now its 12:45 and the flight leaves at 1:25. By the time we’re in the gate people are already boarding. We also find out that they stop in Quebec and it’s a 45 minute stop there.

Outside the Paris hotel packed up and ready to head back to Canada

The plane doesn’t have a TV on the seats but there is a TV in the middle on the wall about every 5 rows. They play “Race to Which Mountain” which is absolute crap and then they play “Yes man” which I really like. They also give you two meals. When we get to Montréal, Bubs and Gramps are waiting for us with party sandwiches from our favorite place, Snoden Deli.

-Caleb