Today has been spent on washing, ironing, cleaning, packing everything away, getting ship shape for our trip to Italy, Geoff made sure that everything was ok in the engine department, whilst I stripped the beds and washed everything I possibly could, including the quilts.
Geoff went to crib, whilst I was finishing up, Pat called on me, which was lovely as we will not be seeing each other for a while, we were both so grateful for letting us stay at her house when Hissing Sid disabled our engine.
It took us most of the day to finish off, but by the evening we were eventually ready to leave first thing.
Up very early, walked the dogs, quick breakfast and away by 10.00am, and travelled 270 miles to San Rafael, half way between France and Spain. We want to get out of Spain as quickly as possible, as they do not have the facilities that the French have. We actually stayed in a very quiet area, the campsite was actually closed, but we were allowed to stay overnight.
Camping at the wine farm
7.30am up and away, another 270 miles, I quickly took the dogs for a walk, they had fun chasing the rabbits, then we set off, stopping for breakfast about 10am, we were going to a place just over the border Port Vendres, when we arrived, it was so crowded, Motor homes parked everywhere, we turned around, and moved on. Geoff was getting hungry by then, so patience was not his middle name, but I quickly found another place to try, this was a wine Farm, at Saleilles, called Mass Alert, we have never done this before so it was interesting, we have a travel book called France Passion, (it is a membership only place, where a lot of farmers, and
Grapes everywhere you look
wine growers allow you to park for free) we have not worked out why yet, but you can stay overnight, you just have to say Hello, and you do not have to buy anything.
We arrived, and went up this dusty single track path, with vines either side, the owner appeared, and told us where to park, so far so good. It was lovely and peaceful, better still completely free, and Geoff had a chance to practise his French.
What a lovely peaceful site, vines stretching for miles, we walked the dogs along one of the paths, and Bella was trying to get into the rabbits holes, glad we couldn’t get into the other place.