The final chapter – from Amiens to Wolverhampton

This post covers our last day in France and the final journey home.

Our last day in France! We set off from the campsite then proceeded to drive around Amiens looking for a park for Ace, finally finding one right outside the Jules Verne Museum.

We walked into town to admire Amiens Cathedral, the tallest complete cathedral in France with the largest interior volume. We walked inside this world heritage listed building, admiring the chapels, one of which was dedicated to the Allied soldiers from the UK, USA, Canada and Australia.
Above: Ace at Amiens

Below: Amiens Cathedral - I won 2nd place for this photo in the Guardian Saturday Magazine 2 weeks ago for the theme of space

We stopped off for half an hour in an internet café to update our website (yes, shamefully, we have not updated it again until now, apologies!) and then had a quick bite to eat in a café before heading back to Ace.

It was getting late in the afternoon and we had a good 2 hour drive ahead, but I still managed to drag Sarah into the Jules Verne Museum right next to Ace. The “father of science fiction” lived in this house with his family from 1882 to 1900. It was quite interesting exploring the house, the library, the study, the winter garden, the salon. The 3rd level of the house was devoted to posters and other paraphernalia from his books and from movies based on his books.

Finally we drove off towards a farm campsite near the coast where we had spent our first night in France in June, it seemed fitting we would spend our last night here too! We stopped twice en route, once in Abbeville for fuel and groceries and a second time in the middle of nowhere for me to take some photos of some beautiful black and white cows. I love the cows! And they love me!

Left: Jules Verne Museum

We arrived at La ferme des Aulnes and Sarah stayed in Ace as I went and checked in. Once again I jumped into a golf cart and whizzed past Sarah and off into the well laid out area where the pitches were situated. Unfortunately being so close to Calais, the campsite was full of whinging poms! The 2 or 3 couples we saw were absolutely miserable! We had a quiet night and went to bed early.

The next day we got up and drove off towards Calais on the motorway. The fog was quite incredible but we managed to get to Carrefour for one final spend up. We bought a bottle of champagne, a bottle of whiskey and a couple bottles of wine.

We hot tailed it towards the ferry and waited in the queue. A mixture of emotions overcame us, happiness that, apart from a lot of pregnancy sickness in the final weeks, we’d lasted our trip without any major problems, joy at the prospect of seeing family again, and sadness that our trip around Europe had finally come to an end after 5 months on the road.

Left: I love the cows! And they love me!

The ferry headed off and an hour or so later we could see the white cliffs of Dover! It was amazing to be back in England after 5 months away and incredibly strange to drive on the left hand side again and see signs in miles and yards!

It was quite a long drive back to Wolverhampton, but thankfully the sun was shining and it was a lovely autumn day. We arrived back at Sarah’s aunty Anitas around 5pm. We parked up Ace for a well deserved rest!

Left: Ace in the ferry queue

We did it! 142 nights on the road, 14 countries visited (including whistle stop tours in Monaco and the Vatican!) and 11,000 miles journeyed. Our travels around Europe in a motorhome had come to an end. Thanks to everyone who has read this blog, looked at the photos, made a comment, tried to make a comment (apparently it didn’t work sometimes?) or emailed us while on the road. We really appreciated you keeping in touch!

But this is not the end of the story for Sarah and I (and chicken junior!) - this is only just the beginning!


Above: Happy times on the road - Sarah and I at Mont St Michel in June

From Mulhouse to Amiens

This post covers our journey northwards towards Calais, visiting the medieval towns of Langres and Provins.

On Sunday afternoon we drove 2 and a half hours to our next campsite – Lac de la Liez – situated just outside the medieval walled town of Langres. The campsite was very busy with British and Dutch tourists, all of the pitches anywhere near the facilities blocks were taken. We set up Ace on the first fairly decent place we could find then donned our bathing suits and headed towards the heated indoor pool. We had a quick swim but we’d had enough within a few minutes and headed, dripping wet, in the cold air towards the shower block. As we split up Sarah thought some old bloke was looking at her strangely….

Half way through her shower, the lights went off. Oh no… maybe this strange man had crept into the shower block, turned off the lights and was now waiting to attack her? Or maybe the lights are on a timer and exactly the same thing had happened to me? Yes, I had to run out of the shower in the nude to hit the switch again, luckily there was no one about!

Above, left and below: Langres

Not overly impressed with luke warm showers and lights that switch themselves off, we decided to only stay one night at this campsite. The next morning, Monday 1 October, we packed up and headed into the nearby town of Langres, which sits high up on a hill and is surrounded by a huge town wall. We parked Ace up just outside the wall under some trees whose leaves had just started to turn a golden yellow. Langres was quite a charming little place.

We walked along the main street, window shopping as we went, and finally ended up in a bakery café eating a warm croissant and drinking a cappuccino. We took the long way back to Ace, exploring more of the town on the way back.

From Langres we continued north towards our next campsite which was about 2 hours away. We stopped twice en route, the first time was for me to take some photos of wildflowers along the road. After 15 minutes or so, Trudy had got out of the van and shouted “hurry up!” so I headed back with a three pretty flowers for her as a peace offering.

Our second stop was for me to pop into a supermarket to get some food. Sarah stayed in the van – until now we’ve omitted some details from the 2nd week of September onwards…. We’d discovered in Spain in late August that Sarah was pregnant! WOOHOO! From about the 6th September however, she had been feeling very ill, all day!

Lying on the bed in Ace she sent me brain waves.. matt buy some fish, matt buy some fish… must’ve worked because even though it wasn’t on the list I came out with some fresh salmon, yum!

We continued north after our shop, eventually turning off the main road and heading a few kilometres deep into the countryside, where the roads were barely wide enough for Ace to fit down. Somehow we ended up driving past the signs to our campsite but we realised our mistake and headed back.

Above: Don't be Trude! Wildflowers

Below: Ace on the farm, sort of...

We arrived at the small farm campsite which was pretty informal. A friendly woman greeted us and told me where everything was. The facilities were pretty basic but the pitches were nice and big and shaded by lots of trees and shrubs. Even though it was in the middle of nowhere, the campsite was quite popular, there were 3 british motorhomes and a dutch motorhome there. We had salmon and chips for dinner and watched more of Heroes Series 1 on DVD.

The next day, we drove slightly out of our way towards the medieval town of Provins, a half an hour drive from the farm. We parked along a residential street on the outskirts and walked into town. The low town was quite a pleasant place with interesting shops and a beautiful old wooden church, but it was the high town with its medieval buildings we had come to see. Sarah struggled up the hill but eventually we made it to the top.

Left: Tour Cesar

Below left: View from Tour Cesar

I decided to climb the 12th century Tour César which gave a great view over the town and surrounding region. At the top there were a few thousand tiny flies, so I don’t think Sarah would’ve enjoyed it anyway! Back on terra firma with Sarah, we walked towards the old town. On the way Sarah threw up into a paper bag, unfortunately some of it leaked onto my fleece!

We searched the old town in vain for a boulangerie where we could grab a croissant, but the only eating places here were posh restaurants. We headed slowly back to Ace and sought out the nearby McDonalds with our GPS. Our baby just loves a nice McDonalds and Mum is never sick after a plain cheeseburger and fries!

Below: Historic building, Provins

Many things that Sarah used to love to eat (plums, porridge, vegetables etc) now are thrown back up. A packet of ginger nuts and a bottle of powerade are now her new companions!

After our Mac attack we set sail for the town of Amiens where we had stayed in early June, a 3 hour drive north. As we got to the campsite, I checked us in as Sarah was vomiting in Ace. I chatted to the friendly receptionist and was chuffed she remarked that my French was very good. I returned the compliment and told her that she spoke English very well. She then looked at me like I was crazy until I explained that I remembered her from when I was there in June speaking English to some Dutch people. The campsite was a lot less busy than the summer, but the weather was no different, a grey blanket of fog and cloud overhead. We set up Ace on a nice pitch and started to make plans for our last full day in France.