Noodle’s first big trip!
Page may contain affiliate links & we may recieve a percentage of any qualifying purchases.
Just gotten back from our first long test trip with Noodle. Down through France on the back roads to the eastern Pyrenees and Ellen’s parents’ place. Then a week down there followed by a slightly faster trip back via the Autoroutes.
We left on the 18th July and headed down for an overnight stop on Dover seafront. Turns out this is a great way to get the cheaper ferry early in the morning. We just got up and dressed then drove round the corner to check in, leaving the bed set up.
Once through and waiting to board we packed down the bed, brushed teeth and had a cup of tea/coffee whilst we waited to board. After breakfast on the ferry and disembarking on the other side, we headed to pick up some wine and for me to remote into a work meeting before having showers whilst parked in the car park. Unfortunately we didn’t have time to get to a nice spot for this, as thanks to Brexit there’s now a long delay getting off the ferry into France. 🙄
Morning ablutions done and on our way, we headed south west through the countryside toward Rouen. On our trip down we wanted to avoid the autoroutes where possible to save money on tolls and fuel at higher speeds. From experience on motorbike tours this is also a preferable way to travel. It means you get the see the actual country. See the landscape and architecture change with you. Rather than the verges of a motorway for hours on end.
Stopped for the first van lunch in an aire around midday and then onward down through Rouen and down toward Orleans. Along the way we crossed under something we found particularly interesting. We found ourselves driving under what looked like a canal aqueduct spanning over the horizon either side of us, cutting through the landscape. Ellen had to look it up and it turns out it was the first attempt as an air suspended railway. Like maglev, but using air like a hovercraft to ride above the rail! Definitely look it up, the trains look like something out of the Fallout games!
Reaching the campsite at Rte de la Vallée, east of Orleans, we got some photos for the DVLA change from Light Goods Vehicle to Motor Caravan application and then set up for the night. That evening after dinner we headed to the inland lakeside beach over the road from the campsite. Ellen was brave enough to go for a swim but I wasn’t feeling it after the drive. Miserable sod I know.
Next morning we set off toward Millau, again trying to take the back roads. But on the way we decided to drop off the main route and stop off at the town of Sully-sur-Loire to take a wander around the town and castle/Chateau and grab the standard French faire of fresh bread and pastries. We didn’t go into the castle due to time, but have put it on the list for next year’s travels.
Then continuing onto Millau as the weather heated up dramatically. We stopped at a L’Eclerc about an hour out for supplies and some mosquito repellants (we’re buying a flextail Tiiny Repel after this). When we did and stepped out of the nice air conditioned van cab, it was like being hit by a wall of heat! There’s worse problems to have I suppose.
On the road again, the heavens opened with a torrential downpour and due to time we jumped on the autoroutes to get to Millau at a decent time.
The campsite in Millau was a bit tight to get into but stunning. Thankfully the weather held that evening and we got to sit out the back of the van with a drink and dinner. Though we’ve agreed we need outside cooking options as cooking in the van is not pleasant in the heat!
Next morning the rain arrived and we had accidentally left the water heater timers on AC electric mode over night rather than just diesel and the battery was sat on 5% when we woke up! We took that as a sign to make a move early and have a more leisurely drive down to the Pyrenees. So we grabbed some Croissants from reception and then after draining the grey, filling the fresh and emptying the bins etc, we headed out. Obviously we had to have a brief stop under the Millau Viaduct for a photo and quick coffee now the battery had a bit of charge.
Next stop was lunch and shower stop at Lac du Laouzas. I’d been here on the motorbike a few years prior and wanted to come back with Ellen. Parking up on the waterfront was a lovely spot to have a shower and lunch, although we have since realised that this is where we drove away leaving Ellen’s fairly new Crocs and our step outside. 🤦🏻♂️ Hopefully someone found and can make use of them!
We arrived at the house in good time and spent a lovely week (as always) in the stunning area it is located. Ellen has been coming here over 15 years and I with her since not too long after we met. This is also where we got engaged in 2021, up one of the surrounding hills, so it’s a special place to us both.
We spent the week at the house, exploring the area again, seeing family friends and enjoying the new wine bar that recently opened up. Then it was time to head back home.
This time it was a whistle stop drive back to the U.K. with only one overnight stop. First stop… L’Eclerc in Limoux for a new step 😅… but then onward via Millau again to go over the Viaduct this time and get some pics with decent weather. Then on to a basic campsite west of Moulins in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes. This was a quick overnight with the temperatures a bit more forgiving than on the way down.
The next morning, we set out early and headed to Versailles for a car park lunch. Here we learned some harsh lessons about waiting for the ticket at the machine in French car parks… I won’t go into that further but it was a bit stressful. After, heading toward Calais we also learned that we need a better SatNav app than Google maps that can account for the height of the van. There are a lot of tunnels around Versailles with height restrictions. We did know this but we don’t know the area well enough to know where they are. So naturally ended up pulling over at various points to find a way round when presented with a height barrier no taller than a car. Even an SUV would struggle with some of them.
Eventually we managed to get out of Versailles and on toward Calais. A quick dinner stop on route and then onward to the ferry and home.
It’s been a great week away and though half was spent out of the van, we have learned a lot of things about how we use the vehicle, what we need (The second rear window I put off is definitely needed! That'll be an interesting retrofit), what we can probably do without etc. Oh and to remember not to leave the water heater running on AC all night off grid 🤣
We are also still loving every minute and found that we just didn’t want to stop travelling in the van. Even when there was the beautiful family holiday home at the end, we were still a bit sad that we had to stop for the week. (Nicer problems to have, I know)
The thought of next year is getting even more exciting now!
