We crossed the Oggin!

Sometime early last Autumn Landytown announced that there was to be trip to Normandy over Easter 2011. Lizzie and I looked at the invite and thought for at least 3 milliseconds before signing up to go!
We started planning, and first decided our route to Les Chevaliers Camp Site at Villedieu-Les Poules.
After sometime working on a spread sheet of Driven Mileages and cost of Ferry Crossings, it soon became obvious that the route was Poole Cherbourg.  Time was spent getting all the paperwork sorted and various insurances taken out.

Oh and new Barbecue, a Cadac, which is the absolute Bees knees in Barbies. It barbecues, griddles, Fries and is also a Wok. More later on this gadget.

Emily was coming with us as well on this trip, so I borrowed a tent from Scouts, a super new Vango.

Whilst we were planning I got nattering with Andy, and we decided to extend our trip down to see him and Anne in their winter quarters at La Roche Bernard in Brittany.

The time came for the off!  We left home at 7.00am on the 14th April aiming to get to Poole by 10.00am, ready for the 11.00 Ferry.  The rest of Britain must have known that we were  on the road as they were deserted, and we arrived at our destination by 9.20.  Time for a mug of char and a bacon buttie.

Security was interesting as they inspected the van and the Freelander.  The woman security lady looked at me and asked if we had any bombs on board!  No, just Andy's frozen Haggis.

We were soon aboard the Brittany Ferry Barfleur, sailing towards Cherbourg.  Four hours or so later we landed and set off towards our site at Villedieu-Les Poules.  French roads are absolute bliss to drive on, and less than two hours later we arrived. Then the fun started, the town was full of road works and the road to the site was no entry. After a couple of false starts we eventually got in The warden looked at our caravan and said, that's a very big van, (it is not by English Standards) you need to be on a bigger site.  We were put on site 40, and the neighbouring one was reserved for Cathy and Rob.  Camp was soon established, and we were told that tomorrow when we left, we could leave what ever we wanted on the site.

The following morning we were away at about 11.00 heading for La Roche Bernard and Andy and Anne.  A couple of hours later we pulled in to the site we had booked there on the water front. Andy and Anne were waiting for us, so we set up up, showed them their shopping and then went for a walk around a beautiful little French town, before finding a small bar,

Dinner that evening was Duck in a Calvados sauce, all washed down with a few bottles of the local brew.

La Roche Bernard is an amazing marina, with thousands of boats moored there.  Just a few shots.

Lots more still to come, all about our week, Greenlaning, and Normandy.