We planned to get up early and hire bikes, but we first needed to get some baguette and pastries eaten and some coffee drunk!

When we were finally ready to hire the bikes there were none left! Undeterred we headed to a cycle hire shop closer to town.  Once the Hythe Adamsons were fully kitted out with helmets, we headed off.  Well I say we headed off… most of us did.  Gordons seat fell down and by the time he had fixed it he saw us in the distance and set off to catch us up… except it wasn’t us he caught up with it was another family! So when we all got to town there was no Gordon to be seen!

The first stop, once we had Gordon back in our peloton was the salt flats where we could see the manufacture of the famous Noirmoutier salt. From there we headed on down the coast, and saw some sheds selling oysters, which looked perfect… and for less than  £10 you could buy an oyster knife, a bottle of wine and a dozen oysters that had just been picked out the sea! if only they were this accessible in the UK!!

We carried on along the cycle path, headed for the Passage du Grois, a road only accessible when the tide is out and until the 70’s was the only way onto the island.  We arrived and cycled out to one of the emergency towers, which are there incase your car breaks down! if it does, you climb the tower, and wait for the tide to go out again!  There were hundred of people out collecting their sea food, some of them after razor clams, other mussles, oysters or clams.

http://uk.ile-noirmoutier.com/activities-outings/shellfish-gathering

We decided to head back, and at this point it was clear that the children would be in need of serious medical attention should they not be given some baguette instantly! amid the drama and whinging we made it back to a shop for an SOS stop for some bread and pate, washed down by an ice cream given to us by a stranger who had finished his holiday and had 8 ice creams left over!

After a brief stop to get bread for the evening meal, and to buy a new fin for the paddle board, we headed back to the camp and the kids hit the beach.  It was all going really well until one of the paddles got lost.

After extensive searching we gave up, and transported the contents of freckles culinary offerings over to the beach side tent. We cooked up moules, clams we had foraged, prawns, burgers, sausages, and opened oysters and much wine! the children continued to search with binoculars for the missing paddle.  At one point there was an unconfirmed sighting…. categorised as drift wood.  Shortly before a medical incident involving Joel, and enthusiastic first aider and a near miss of a head injury diagnosis!  Thank goodness there were some responsible adults around!

Once the ferrel children had finished their tent disco and gone to bed, we openend some port and cheese and rounded off the night with a walk along the beach with the worlds brightest torch looking for the blinking paddle!

In lots of ways had we not lost the paddle, the evening would have been less fun, but it is a shame that we won’t have it for tomorrow.

With the Hythe Adamsons headed back to Saint Malo very early the next day we called it a night, and a great end to their french adventures.

Last night when we went to bed we had just seen a few flashes of lightening.

Strangely there had been high wind through the evening (and not from Stewarts bottom for once) and as we went to bed the wind completely dropped.

As we got into our beds the heavens opened, and for what seemed like forever the rain bucketed down hard onto the camp.  Fraser was snuggled in his tent, completely oblivious to what can only be described as biblical rain! The thunder rumbled and the lightening lit up the whole sky.  Lady Penelope in her double bed beneath us was warm and dry as toast.  Stew and I took it in turns to get up and remove the water pools from the canopy outside the van, but in the end the weight of water was just too much for it and it ripped under the strain! We have well used our sun awning over the last few years, and will be definitely investing in another.  https://www.funkyleisure.co.uk/vw-t2t25-camper-van-sun-canopy-awning–brilliant-orange-10771-p.asp

The next morning as we woke up we could hear the rest of the campsite cleaning up from the storm.   As fraser staggered into the van he was baffled as to why his pillow was wet! The tent survived the storm remarkably well, with the only casualty being his pillow… as we walked around the rest of the camp it was cleat that others hadn’t been as lucky!

I headed on into town with Penny to get supplies (after id eaten all the cheese the night before!) as we had visitors arriving!

When the Hythe Adamsons arrived at camp we headed to the beach to get some clams ready for dinner tomorrow night.  All the children (and adults) loved collecting the clams and it was absolutely teaming with the shell fish. I do wonder if the storm the night before had confused them! with a huge bucket full we headed back to camp, opened some wine and oysters and settled down for a long relaxing lunch!

Once the other Adamsons had checked into their tent, we went back to the beach with the paddle boards and got the boat out.  We all went out to the ponton in the middle of the sea which aside from being covered in bird poop made a fun adventure and Fraser and Joel particularly enjoyed the ride back being towed on the paddle boards!

We got ready and headed to the campsite for more seafood and fun before setting back into our beds.

With low tide in the morning, we got up and headed into town. The town is only about a mile away and its along a causeway.

We had a walk around the town and looked in our favourite shops.

After buying more baguettes we headed back to the campsite for some lunch and to get all out boating equipment inflated!  I think it was our first proper french lunch of the holiday with lots of cheese and ham!

Once we had finished lunch we set about inflating all of our boats!  We have a little inflatable tender with an outboard and a couple of paddle boards.  The rest of the day was brilliant on the water! The paddle boards were great fun!  everyone managed to stand up and the children were fab.

For the children it was an ultimate burger on the bbq and some pork chops…. whilst Stew and I had oysters and prawns again and chatted until late… there may even have been some more cheese and port involved!

Just as we started to see a few flashes of lightening we went to bed.

During yesterdays adventure we got to chatting that it was within cycling distance (just) to the next island that we were staying.  If we packed up and were ready to go early enough the children were really excited about the possibility of cycling to the bridge onto the island.  We thought that this would be roughly equal to yesterdays distance.

Overnight rain had mean the pack up took a little longer, and the dirty sand typical of french pine forrest camping was everywhere! We finally were ready  to go about 30 mins after the children declared they were ready on their bikes!  Penny had borrowed my basket and filled it with snacks, and they had both even done their bike ride wee!!

Meanwhile I was left with the unenviable task of emptying the portaloo, doing the food shop and driving to the island all on my own!

The first leg of the cycle ride took the adventurers back to st jean de mont, so a familiar route, but this time the wind was in their face. Once again they stopped on the sea front for a picnic and an ice cream. Then back on the bikes past all the french campsites which were all empty… the season seems to have closed.  The next bit of the cycle path was through the forrest for about 20km.  Fraser described it as a roller coaster as there were lots of little humps.  The forrest was deserted… on the whole journey they only saw about 10 people.  This part of the journey was fun and kept the children going really well.

I was tracking their progress from the van and trying to meet up with them at parts… and accidentally went over to the island once when I was thinking there would be somewhere good to stop before I got as far as that.  I looked at the map and turned around and went back over the bridge.  I saw a tiny layby and pulled in to assess my options…. as I glanced to the track in the woods on the left I saw 3 familiar little heads pop over the hill! Fabulous timing as their legs were starting to wear out.  Some treats topped back up pennys basket and both the children were brimming with pride that they had already cycled 28 miles and had decided they would ride the whole way to the campsite! I was astounded!  As well as being astounded I was also facing the wrong direction on a fairly major route.

We planned that I would find somewhere to turn around and try and see them cross the bridge at the same time as I did!  By the time I got back they were already powering up the bridge.  I know I always say this, but I really do love a good bridge, and the bridge on to Noirmoutier is a favorite… probably more because its a bridge to one of my happiest places in the world!  It seems also that Fraser shares my love of bridges too and was super motivated to cycle across it!

I decided that I would use the opportunity to go back over the bridge for a third time so went back over just in time to catch them at the very top taking a selfie!  So once again I was going in the wrong direction!!!

Stew reports from this point there was perhaps a little regret about the decision to cycle to the campsite.  The path was very flat from here, and the island was windy. But they carried on, stopping for a can of pop and a beer with only a few miles to go.

I drove on through the island and passed the town, before disaster struck… or rather I struck… another vans wing mirror with freckles! Ooooops! It did some damage too, as they don’t make them like they used to!  I literally clipped the wing mirror and it pulverised a modern vans mirror whilst simply pushing freckles mirror in! So now I have found out what to do if you have an accident in France! Every day is a school day!

Once I made it to the campsite, I managed to check in, extravagantly book a fridge for the 6 nights we are here so that the wine is nice and cold to go with all the sea food we plan to eat, and then get the camp set up, just as they all arrived.  They were super pleased with themselves and in amazing spirits having completed the full 40.3 miles from camp to camp.  I was also pleased that stew was so tired and happy when I had to tell him I crashed Freckle!!!! I just gave him a cold beer and all was ok!!

The children were ravenous, and had a feast of meat on the BBQ, before we all went to the beach for a play in the sea.  The sea was like a pond and will be perfect for getting out the paddle boards tomorrow.

Showers all around and there were no protests when they snuggled into their beds!  Stew and I sat outside with a dozen oysters, a bowl of Prawns and a bottle of wine… before the cheese and port came out.  Standard Noirmoutier.

As we were going to bed, Stew decided that America was a fabulous Adventure and he would declare it as a trip, but France feels like a proper holiday, and I have to say I agree!

We woke up to a much warmer morning… Fraser and I got the bread and Stew got on it with the the coffee. The aero press has stolen the place of the handpresso on freckle and makes a great coffee whilst saving on space! https://www.coffeeisland.co.uk/catalog/viewProduct/13?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI7ZCr9NCM3QIVDpPtCh3R8gXpEAAYASAAEgKvt_D_BwE

It works brilliantly!

We decided over breakfast that we would try a longer bike ride… about 8 years ago we went to st John de mont and stew had the best burger of his life… my recollections were less positive but we thought it was a good target place to ride to!

23km to the town, seemed like a good challenge to the children! We set off along the cycle path which stretches along the whole of the Vendée. Through saint Gilles and on past st Hilarie de Riez.

Along the way we planned a weeks cycling holiday! We will need some accomplices though!! The weather was perfect and the route was flat and mainly off road.

We arrived and had a picnic on the beach front and the children played on the sand. A quick walk through the town to find and ice cream some chi chis, was followed by a rest in a cafe with a coffee!

Back on the bikes and out bottoms were already starting to tell us this was one of our longer cycles!

We headed home, through saint Gilles in full flow on the last day of their summer season. It was packed but the children did an amazing job of cycling through the busy streets.

Back at the camp a cool off in the pool was very much the order of the day. Back at the van we got ready to get back on our bikes and head into the town for our last evening in saint Gilles. Penny decided her bike seat had been replaced by a pine cone whilst Fraser planned his “cycling outfit” for the cycle holiday! I just felt every. Single. Bump.

We headed to the beach front where stew and Fraser had huge bowls of moules…. the temperature had dropped and the earlier sunshine had left with us all feeling chilly.

We moved around the town to the carousel which the children wanted to go on…. they have been going on it for the last 8 years, and we feared they might be too big, but the sparkly lights and traditional horses drew them in!

Ice creams all round before a dark cycle home and all to bed! Bet our bums hurt tomorrow!

When we went to bed last night we were braced to wake up to rain… we had unusually put away all the random stuff and when we work up it was lovely!

Fraser and I cycled for baguettes and pastry and we sat in the sunshine to eat it… as the morning progressed the temperature dipped a little bit we thought that the festival in the town might be on and so we headed off…

It’s a lovely short (5km ish) cycle into town along a flat off the road cycle path along side a river or canal… I’m not sure which… in fact I’m not sure I know the difference! Anyway… it was wet, and a bit green!!

We arrived to an overcast town, with a few spots of rain in the town…. we had a look around the shops and found a shop with a glut of souvenir ash trays…. random but who brings these home any more! 😂

We walked around the market as it closed and looked in some lovely stylish shops… a guy went and spoke to one of the kids as the only hoodies I remembered to pack (at the last moment!!) were their school ones and this chap had gone to their school!

We headed back to the fete, where we knew we would be able to get a yummy French lunch…. and we weren’t disappointed! From big German sausages, oysters and wine to moules, chips and beer the Adamson’s has the lot…. in the rain!

After lunch we wanted to taste some wine… that definitely sounds more sophisticated than have a few drinks… but Hargroves we let you down! Our terrible French was not enough to blag our selves as much as “that” day… we did but the Christmas Day wine and some other nice bits but standards slipped and there were no near misses on the cycle path!

Back at the van we all chilled out, did some reading and then headed for a swim… almost! There was a pooh in the pool, Fraser didn’t have Speedo’s on and the water was cold… but part from that it was a complete success!

Steak and pork chops on the bbq and lots of bag and ball for the children rounded off a very Adamson day in France!

That music…. you know the music on brittany ferries… you will know it if you have ever been on the over night ferry! Does anyone know if you can download it as a phone alarm?! Well, it woke us up after a rocky night at sea. I was sure I could hear Stew off for a wonder in the cabin next door… but he assured me not!

I remembered with the club thing we have for getting cheaper ferries that we got free breakfast… so I popped down to the cafe for essentials… coffee, pastries and fruit, and we cleared our stuff out the cabin and headed for freckle. Not before I stopped in the makeup shop to take advance of some testers!

Back in the van the (always slightly nervous) wait to start freckle began! The radio 1 summer mix was lined up and passports at the ready!

We headed for a quick nose around saint malo, past broken back car park and to have a look at a potential campsite for our last night.

Obviously the bridge at Nantes was a highlight (who doesn’t love a big bridge).

Once on the main road, the route was clear and we went past all the entertaining farm artwork from bales of hay and things!

We had to stop at decathlon… to buy a load of bits we forgot (like bike helmets!)

Then the food shop for cheese and oysters before the final push for the coast!

We arrived at camping cypress https://www.camping-lescypres85.com/en. and found our pitch. We’ve got a lot more stuff this year so it was an interstingbfindung places to put it!

A trip to the beach and game of bat and ball was as energetic as it got for all of us!

Once back from the beach we feasted on oysters, prawns and sausages! The children are settled down for a bed whilst we wait for bed time as we are super tired!

The 2018 sneaky get away, our bonus holiday has snuck up on us! After a truly awesome summer to date we thought it was only right to end on a high in French France!

After a day or frantic packing we set off in time for some food in whitely…. and then on to the ferry port. Grandad stowed away for the first leg of the journey… and we thought he was going to try and sneak on to the ferry, but the customs check of the van would definitely have picked him up!

We headed past west end church where we broke down last year…. relieved as the Rescue Spencer’s are ahead of us this year and unable for a salvage mission and rations!!! The picture of Freckle being fixed that I shared on twitter last year made it into the RAC training manual!!! We were already remembering things we had forgotten before we even went off the drive!

We got on the ferry destined for saint malo… as we cast away we watched the navy taking their flags down at dusk…. We headed to our spot on the back of the ship to and as we got to the round tower we could see grandma and grandad waving us off! Past spice island (always packed there) and on past southsea.

After a brief pint in the bar, the terrible Caberet was too much for us to bear so we beat a hasty retreat to the corridor outside our cabin, and whilst the children slept stew and I assumed our usual positions for a gin and tonic.

Sarah’s sea legs don’t make her the best of drinking buddies in high seas and so before long we were tucked up in our bunks for the night being rocked off to sleep by the waves dreaming about adventures in our favourite places!