Excellent Campsite – DJmotortouring

Frickenhausen Am Main (Franconia), Germany October 2025 (Tour 12)

Apologies, we’ve long since returned to the UK from Tour 12 and I’m still playing catch up with the blog.

In a previous blog (see Ochsenfurt) I suggested Franconia is as much about beer as wine although I’m not certain many people from Frickenhausen will agree with me on that point. In this charming little village, one of the oldest in Lower Franconia, wine has long been a passion and I suspect beer comes a poor second. The whole area is a natural paradise; a dreamland of sorts with some of the most picturesque vineyard scenery to be found anywhere in Germany. Numerous tiny vineyards are clustered along the gently rolling hills that line the River Main as it threads it’s way through lower Franconia and among them are various chocolate box villages such as Frickenhausen am Main. I took many photographs during our visit but none capture the natural beauty of the area quite like the one below which I found on a travel site (bayern-reise.com). It’s surreal, almost magical…

Talking of photographs, there’s a well maintained cycle path to the front of Frickenhausen which stretches some 30 kilometres along the north bank of the Main and should provide some fine photo opportunities of both the river and surrounding countryside. However, that is one for the future because during this visit I was of a mind to explore the village and then take a short hike up, into and around the local vineyards.

I entered Frickenhausen, which remains surrounded by perfectly preserved 15th and 16th century walls, through it’s lower main gate (the Unteres Tor). This is the most westerly of four gates into the village the others being the Oberes, the Muhltor and the Maintor. There’s also an impressive round tower built into the walls (the Joachimsturm) although access to that tower is limited to members of the local wine growers association on account of their having acquired it as a meeting place.

At the village entrance… “The South begins here”

With just over 1,200 inhabitants Frickenhausen is a small village but inside it’s walls there is a much to suggest this place was once an important and very rich town. Sold by the Prince-Bishops of Wurzburg to the Wurzburg Cathedral Chapter in 1406, it was under the latter’s tenure that the town gates and surrounding walls, together with many of the older buildings, were constructed but; there is much about Frickenhausen which attests to the town’s continuing success until well into the 19th century. One only has to look at the number of beautiful stately half timbered town houses to be found on Babenbergplatz and along the village’s principal streets (the Hauptstrasse, Fischergasse and Muhlgasse). Most were built between the 17th and 19th centuries.

Of the other buildings in the village/town, those which stand out are the Roman Catholic Parish Church of Saint Gallus; the two story Town Hall complex (which has been extended over the years since it was first gifted to the town in 1476); the Schwarzenberg Palace, the Marian Column (next to the Town Hall) and an old village fountain. My favourite is the church which, most unusually, has a small World War II cemetery outside but; special mention should perhaps also be made of the huge 14th century wine cellar built by the Wurzburg Cathedral Chapter. It has long been owned by the Meintzinger Family (i.e. since the 18th century) and much of it is still used by Meintzinger to produce and store wine but parts of it have been converted into an elegant boutique hotel… and what a hotel! Dogs are not allowed or we’d have booked into the hotel like a shot. I had a quick look inside and it’s terrific.

The Town Hall Complex. Sankt Gallus is behind it.

There are two gates at the eastern end of the village. The larger of these is the Muhltor which leaves Frickenhausen via the Muhlgasse and follows the Main to Marktbreit. The smaller gate is the Oberes Tor which leaves the village by the Frankischer Marienweg and along what is sometimes called the Kapellensteige on account of this particular exit leading up through the Kapellenberg Vineyard to the Saint Valentine Chapel and, beyond the chapel, to the “terroir f Frickenhausen”. It’s not a particularly steep walk up to ‘terroir f’ but it’s different and worth doing for the views alone.

There are a number of recognised trails through the vineyards surrounding Frickenhausen but one of the more interesting is the ‘Wine and Bible Walk’ up to ‘terroir f’. I should explain that the terroir f initiative constitutes a collection of sites across Franconia, each with a different theme, which are intended to entice tourists into the vineyards so as to educate them in some aspect or another of viticulture. Frickenhausen selected the connection between wine and religion as a theme. Wine has long been honoured in some way, shape or form by many of the world’s religions. Even the Quran describes wine as a “good gift of creation” (to be imbibed in the hereafter if not on earth). There are plenty of examples along the walk to ‘terroir f Frickenhausen’ as to how Christianity has celebrated wine over the years and the terroir f exhibit itself (at the top of the hill a little way beyond the Saint Valentin Chapel) comprises a steel template of Leonardo da Vinci’s Last Supper mounted on a series of large limestone blocks. The Last Supper, of course, gave rise to the Eucharist with it’s sacramental bread and wine. Whatever one’s religion, ‘terroir f Frickenhausen’ makes for a magnificent viewpoint and I’m advised too that on occasion it is used for wine tastings. Different or what?!?

Continuing with the wine theme, Vanya and I enjoyed a late afternoon wine tasting session back at our camp site which was organised by the camp site management. We learned something about the local grape varieties (Gruner Silvaner, Muller-Thurgau and Bacchus); bought a few bottles of ‘Silvaner’ and; after a fine meal in the camp site restaurant, returned to the village in the evening to put our learning to the test. I’d picked out the Winebistro Vinothek, on the ground floor of the town hall complex, as an ideal place to test ourselves… and so it proved. They were most welcoming and produced an outstanding Riesling. In fact, the whole wine tasting experience in Frickenhausen surprised us with Vanya who, up until then, would only drink Weisser Burgunder (and that would have to be from a Bocksbeutel) really enjoying both the local Silvaner and the local Riesling. It seems to me that Frickenhausen’s passion for wine is tangible and infectious.

We really enjoyed Frickenhausen am Main and would have stayed on but we were on our way back to the UK and to that end had booked a hotel further west in Saarland. We had to move on but we’ll definitely return. I think also this is an excellent place from which to visit some other attractive towns and villages in the area – Sommerhausen, Marktbreit, Kitzingen, Volkach and, further afield in Baden Wurttemberg, there’s Bad Mergentheim.

Until then, I’ll leave you with a thought – “Wine improves with age. The older I get, the better I like it.” – That’s Anonymous but it does fit.

Ochsenfurt (Lower Franconia), Germany October 2025 (Tour 12)

We first visited Franconia during Tour 8 (in 2023) and a number of visits since has seen the region become a firm favourite of ours. This stay was a short one; just two days in Lower Franconia exploring the small town of Ochsenfurt and it’s tiny neighbour Frickenhausen Am Main. Ochsenfurt (that’s Oxford in English) sits on the left bank of the River Main some 12 miles south east of Wurzburg while Frickenhausen is a village on the right bank of the river, just a mile east of Ochsenfurt.

We had checked into an outstanding camp site (Knaus Campingpark) which is within easy walking distance of both Ochsenfurt and Frickenhausen and over the two days had sufficient time to properly acquaint ourselves with both places.

We started with Ochsenfurt, a small picturesque town with a little over 11,000 inhabitants. In medieval times the town would most likely have been graded as a city as it was completely surrounded by walls. Much of the walls, together with the original town gates and towers, still stand. Ochsenfurt also had a small castle but; there’s little left of that these days and what there is now serves as a tiny history museum. Inside the walls is a compact town centre of narrow streets and several colourful, well preserved, half timbered buildings; the best examples of which are on the Hauptstrasse and date from between the 16th and 18th centuries.

Cross the Main using the Frankischer Marienweg Bridge and you’ll arrive on Bruckenstrasse. The first building to the right of this street is the history museum, known locally as the ‘Schlosschen’ (or ‘Little Castle’) although it’s proper name is the Heimaatmuseum. It is almost all that is left of the old castle and is easily recognised by a stone carving on it’s front inviting you to ‘Visit Beautiful Ochsenfurt’.

Walk the length of Bruckenstrasse and you’ll soon reach the Hauptstrasse which is Ochsenfurt’s high street and very much the centre of the medieval Old Town (die Alte Stadt). Stretching from the Klingentorturm in the west to the Oberes Tor in the east, the Hauptstrasse runs the length of the Alte Stadt. It’s no longer the largest street in Ochsenfurt but it is certainly the prettiest with it’s rows of half timbered buildings, an unusual water feature (not unlike a small “Bachle”), the Roman Catholic Church of St Andreas or St Andrew’s, and no less than two 15th century town halls. Oh…and there’s plenty of interesting boutique shops and cafe bars to be found on either of Bruckenstrasse or the Hauptstrasse.

The large red building near the far end of the Hauptstrasse is the Rathaus (town hall). Built in 1497 it is actually known as the ‘new’ town hall. The older town hall, on the corner of Bruckenstrasse and Hauptstrasse, isn’t much older but it was deemed too small and now houses the town library and a small cafe. The new town hall is easily recognised by it’s colour and it’s intricate clock tower. The tower comes to life every hour on the hour with the skeleton moving, the oxen bumping their heads together and some of the windows opening to reveal the faces of councillors looking out over the town. The show is all too brief but still impressive.

There’s a local market in front of the Rathaus every Saturday

Also on the Hauptstrasse is the Roman Catholic Church of Saint Andreas (Saint Andrew’s in English), parts of which date back to the late 13th century. It’s big and impressive and towers over every other building in the old town. A couple of chaps started practising on the church organ while I was there and, I don’t know what music they were playing but, the rich resonant tones of the organ filled the church with such grandeur and joy. I’d never thought about this before but, all too often, these incredible and often magnificent looking instruments are used to play such sombre or solemn music. What a waste.

I made two trips into Ochsenfurt that first day. One on my own which ended with a couple of cold beers in a small bar on Bruckenstrasse, opposite the Schlossen. The second was with Vanya (and our dogs) and ended with a wine tasting session back at our camp site. Franconia is renowned for both it’s wines and it’s beers. There are many vineyards in the area but the great majority are on the Frickenhausen side of the Main while the breweries are on the Ochsenfurt side. Indeed, despite it’s small size, Ochsenfurt has two private breweries each of which date back to the 19th century. One is the Privatbrauerei Oechsner (which produces a very good Pils) and the other is the Gehring Brauerie, which beer I have yet to taste. Germany is well known for it’s many beers but few know that the Franconia region has the largest concentration of breweries anywhere in the country.

A word or two about the Knaus camp site we were staying at. There are currently more than 20 Knaus camp sites across Germany. I don’t know whether they are all owned and operated by the same company or if they are simply part of a collective but; from what I have read about them they are all quite unique. They all appear to be of a high standard in terms of facilities, fixtures and fittings but attractions at each camp vary enormously and are often aligned with local interests and/or amenities. Some will appeal more to young families; others to those whose children have grown and flown. We fit more into the latter category (empty nesters) and this particular site on Frickenhauser Strasse appealed to us not least because the friendly and very welcoming management team has formed an association with a local winegrower who happily visits on a daily basis to conduct wine tastings. We loved it and we also liked the onsite restaurant.

Rivergaro (Emilio-Romagnia), Italy September 2025 (Tour 12)

Having made the decision to stay ahead of the rain by driving further east, we arrived next at Rivergaro in the Emilio-Romagnia Region. Those words almost make it seem as if we stumbled on Rivergaro by chance but, that was certainly not the case. Vanya puts consierable effort into finding unusual and interesting campsites and she did it once again with the Agriturismo L’Urteia in Rivergaro.

The Agriturismo L’Urteia is a model farm at the northern edge of Rivergaro which, over a period of time, has been developed further to include holiday lets, a small shop and a restaurant and, most recently, a small campsite which can currently accommodate 8 or 9 motorhomes (no caravans) and a few tents. It is well set out, spotlessly clean and has all the facilities that campers might need. The farm also brews their own range of craft beers. It’s a great little place within easy walking distance of the town too.

Rivergaro is a small town of some 7,000 inhabitants on the River Trebbia. It is considered to be the gateway to the Piacenza Hills and by extension to Emilio-Romagnia’s best Piacenza Wines. Vanya and I were pleasantly surprised by the local wines. I particularly liked the Gutturnio which is a soft red wine made from a blend of the locally grown Barbera and Bonarda (sometimes called Croatina) grapes while; Vanya was impressed by a fizzy white wine made entirely from the local Ortrugo grape known as Ortrugo dei Colli Piacentini. Both of the wines we tried are produced by a local family business ‘Podere Le Lame’ and came recommended by Marco, the owner of the Caffe Italia in Rivergaro.

The town has a few interesting features being, the 19th century Parochial Church of Santa Agata on Via San Rocco; the 17th century Oratario San Rocco Pellegrino also on Via San Rocco and; the Santuario della Beata Vergine della Grazie (sometimes referred to as simply the Madonna della Grazie) which is up above the Piazza Paolo on Via Castello. The most pleasant part of the town for me however is the main square through which the Via Roma passes. This is where many of the locals socialise around noon and/or during the evening. I was delighted to be able to sit on the square early in the afternoon drinking coffee and again in the evening when Vanya and I had something to eat at the Caffe Italia. Lively town squares such as this are what make Italy.

Rivergaro’s principal square. I can tell you nothing about the statue

Throughout our short stay in Rivergaro, the weather was changeable (that’s a euphemism for “often wet”) but, it certainly didn’t deter the locals from getting out and about and the welcome we received from Marco in the Caffe Italia that evening was great. He simply couldn’t do enough for us and, after hearing that we didn’t have time to visit the Podero Le Lame winery to buy a bottle or two of the white wine which Vanya was enjoying so much, he gave us some at cost price. This is a place we will return to and we’re agreed that the ‘Urteia’ be classified as an Excellent Campsite. (https://www.urteia.it/en/camping)

Saint Raphael (Provence-Alpes-Cote d’Azur), France September 2025 (Tour 12)

The weekend over, we continued south down the A7 and then east along the A8 to Saint-Raphael on the Cote d’Azur; passing the first 1,000 mile mark of this tour on the way. According to the weather forecasts we had at least one more day of fine weather in France before wet weather arrived and Vanya wanted to revisit Esterel Caravaning where we stayed earlier this year when visiting Saint Raphael. She was being troubled by her arthritis and desired a lazy day in the sun at what turned out to be her favourite campsite of Tour 11 (so much so we stayed seven days instead of the one we originally booked).

I’ll not risk repeating myself here regarding Esterel Caravaning or Saint Raphael. If you want to know more about what attracts us to this place, you need only use the website search engine and enter ‘Saint Raphael’ (to find out about the town of Saint Raphael) or ‘Esterel Massif’ (to learn about the Esterel campsite, the surrounding area and the other places in the area that we visited during Tour 11). During this visit we weren’t blessed with the same wonderful weather as earlier in the year (The bad weather arrived a day earlier than was forecast and, because of the particularly heavy rain, the drive down took over an hour longer than anticipated) but, no matter, the weather improved sufficiently after our arrival and our second stay at the campsite went well although we did little more than chill for 24 hours.

A few photos, some of them from our last tour. That’s how lazy this visit was. I couldn’t even be bothered to leave the campsite.

However, the wet weather wasn’t finished with us. More was forecast and it would be the south of France and the north of Spain which would bear the brunt of it. It was time to head east into Italy…

Lahnstein (Rhein-Pfalz), Germany June 2025 (Tour 11)

Lahnstein, in the Rheinland Palatinate, is a town of some 18,000 people which sits at the confluence of the Rhein and Lahn rivers. Although we drove through the town many times during trips out to Boppard, Koblenz and Rheinbach (more about those places later), we didn’t get to wander the town itself. We’ll correct that some time in the future because this is an area we will most certainly return to.

We’d booked into Camping Wolfsmu:hle on the banks of the River Lahn for a couple of nights. The site is conveniently placed for visits to various small towns and villages along the Rhein and Moselle Rivers and, initially, we had it in mind to visit Boppard (on the Rhine) and Koblenz (at the confluence of the Rhine and the Moselle). However, we were so impressed with the site that within an hour or two of settling in we asked to stay an extra night with a view to also visiting Cochem (on the Moselle). Our pitch, the setting and the camp facilities were all first class but it was the welcome we received from the kindly site manager (Gerd) and the Dutch family managing the camp restaurant-bar that really made the place. Without any doubt, Camping Wolfsmuhle is worthy of inclusion in our list of ‘most excellent campsites’.

As it happened we managed to see Boppard (and a blog follows) but the planned visits to Koblenz and Cochem gave way to a lengthy and time consuming search for a ‘Schaukelstuhl’. I should explain that a few days beforehand, Vanya had seen a camping style rocking chair which she coveted. It was a Berger Soria Rocking Chair (a Berger Schaukelstuhl) and, having discovered the manufacturer and model, Vanya also identified a number of retail outlets within a 40 mile radius that should sell them. We wasted the best part of a day hunting this blessed chair down but none of the outlets we visited had any in stock (because they were on offer and had sold like hot cakes). In the end, I telephoned the Fritz Berger Retail Outlet in Rheinbach (which we would pass on our way further north) and they agreed to hold one for me until I arrived. Bless them.

We made it to Rheinbach and Vanya secured her rocking chair but we’ll have to return next year if we are to see Lahnstein, Koblenz and Cochem. Fingers crossed for next year.

Figline Valdarno (Tuscany), Italy May 2025 (Tour 11)

Being just 15 miles south east of Florence, the historic town of Figline Valadarno is only about 85 miles from Torre del Lago Puccini but; in terms of the weather, it was a million miles away as we arrived. The sun was shining; there was barely a cloud in the sky and; it was warm. Moreover, it was set to stay that way for the forseeable future.

I know I’ve been rather going on about campsites during the last weeks (which is rich coming from someone who used them only rarely in his early tours) and I’m sorry about that but; Vanya once again did us proud with the 5 Star Hu Camping Norcenni Girasole Club just outside of Figline Valadarno. I’ll write more about the Norcenni Girasole at the end of this blog (such that you can skip it and move on if you are not particularly interested in camp sites). For now it will suffice to say it is to be listed as an Excellent Campsite – only our fifth in the last 7 years.

Figline Valdarno is, for me, a quintessential Italian town; not necessarily for it’s landmark attractions and monuments (although it does have a couple of places of interest) but; for it’s pure Italianism. It’s one of those places where I’m content to lounge in the main square over a coffee; watching and listening to old men noisily playing cards at tables outside the cafe-bars and middle aged women chatting and laughing with neighbours by the fountains or haggling good humouredly with shopkeepers over the price of tomatoes – all of it so very Italian. I did just that for an hour. I sat in the early morning sunshine, sipping coffee outside a bar on Figline Valdano’s main square (the Piazza Marsilio Ficino) and revelled in it.

The Piazza Marsilio Ficino (named after a famous 15th century humanist philosopher whom, I confess, I have never heard of) is in itself one of the town’s principal attractions. It’s a large rectangular piazza (more like a trapezium really) which was designed to hold a large farmer’s market. It is almost entirely surrounded by arcades except for access points and one corner where the town’s 13th century Collegiate Church of Santa Maria holds pride of place. I cannot say for sure that the piazza is still used as a market place (it probably is) but the arcades are home now to a handful of bars, a few shops, some offices and, at the opposite end of the piazza to the church, a former 14th century hospital (the Spedale Serristori) which closed in 1890.

Alongside the Piazza Marsilio Ficino, near the church, is another much smaller town square, Piazza Bianchi. This holds the 14th century Palazzo Pretorio with it’s attendant tower. Originally home to the town council, it is now used to store town records but, for a short period in the 19th century, it was also used as a prison. At the foot of the tower is a small chapel dedicated to the town’s soldiers who fell in WWI.

Another significant building in the town is the Teatro Comunale Garibaldi. This 19th century theatre, named after Guiseppe Garibaldi, is used to host theatrical and/or musical performances and can accommodate an audience of about 500. Judging by the many old posters adorning it’s walls, especially on the stairwell, this theatre has hosted some quite spectacular events since it’s inauguration in 1872. I was unable to access the auditorium. The entrance was closed whilst, inside, a pianist was rehearsing a movement from Beethoven’s 9th (the Choral Symphony). It was a joy standing outside listening for a short while – an Ode to Joy, I hear you say. Sorry.

Teatro Comunale Garibaldi & Part of the Town Walls

Inside the Garibaldi Theatre (not my photo)

Outside, to one side of the theatre and underneath some of the old town walls, is a fenced off area which is used as a summer arena (music and theatre productions) and can accommodate an audience of up to 180 but, again, I couldn’t gain access.

I wandered the town for a while but, because I had spent so much time ‘people watching’ on the Piazza Marcilio Ficino and ‘eavesdropping’ on the pianist in the Teatro Comunale Garibaldi, I didn’t get to see much else but; I don’t regret a minute of it. I suspect we’ll return at some time in the future.

Okay, a little about Hu Norcenni Girasole Camping. It really is first class. From the moment we started the check in process until the moment we left, it was almost perfect. We booked in for two nights and almost immediately increased it to three so that Vanya could enrol in a cookery class and perfect her Ravioli. We would have stayed longer except we had already lingered in France for 7 days at Esterel Caravaning and we needed move on, deeper into Italy. Having said all that (and this is a postscript), we returned to Hu Norcenni Girasole for another night when retracing our steps through Italy.

The site is super pet friendly and has all the facilities you could need and more. It provides a regular shuttle service into Figline Valdarno and coach trips to Florence and Siena when demand warrants it. We have stayed at three Hu Campsites in total and all are good but Hu Norcenni Girasole is very much a step above the others. The service ethos from it’s staff is as good as I have seen anywhere (and that includes some of the world’s top hotels) and it operates two features which set it apart from the others: a well stocked enoteca and well informed sommelier (where we chose to drink wine most nights, in preference to the more crowded and noisier bars) and; a top chef who offered cookery lessons to small groups. Under Chef Mario’s tutelage (the chef has worked all over the world and even cooked for the late Queen Elizabeth II), Vanya was able to perfect a home made ricotta and spinach ravioli which even I enjoyed (and I’m not a great one for pasta and have never been keen on spinach).

Oh! And the cooking…

Saint Raphael (Provence-Alpes-Cote d’Azur), France May 2025 (Tour 11)

Esterel Caravaning proved an excellent and enjoyable campsite in terms of facilities and nearby places to visit. The town of Saint Raphael, however, was to be our last trip from the campsite this year. It was almost time to move on into Italy.

Saint Raphael was never on my radar as a place to visit but it is now. It is a sizeable, lively seaside town (perhaps the largest in the Var Department) and it offers most everything you would expect of a decent French resort on the Cote d’Azur: a wonderful climate; a wild rocky coastline (especially the Esterel) with magnificent beaches and a beautiful turquoise sea; colour and culture; style and elegance; glitz and glamour; history and monuments; world famous food and restaurants; festivals and fetes and; of course, close proximity to plenty of other exciting resorts on the Riviera (e.g. Antibes, Cannes, Menton, Monaco and Saint Tropez to name but a few).

We parked up at the Convention Centre adjacent to the Port de Santa Lucia at the east end of the town (Nice one, Park4Night!). The Port de Santa Lucia is Saint Raphael’s second port and more of a marina really for recreational boats (the original old port is to the west of the town) but; it has a fair range of shops and restaurants and from there it is just a short palm tree lined walk to the old town.

We didn’t get far walking the ‘marina’ before being seduced by a smart little fish restaurant right on the water’s edge, the ‘A La Maree’ restaurant. We were spoilt for choice by so many interesting fish dishes. It took a while to choose but I opted for a mixed shellfish entree from the restaurant’s ‘La Mer sur un Plateau’ menu. The dish was out of this world and included two different oysters, being 3 Fines de Claires no4 and 3 Creuses de Bretagne no2. The latter, when washed down with a good Sancerre were perfect. Vanya was equally pleased with her dish; one of the day’s specials, a duo of St Jacques et Gambas a la Provencale. There was a wide range of desserts to choose from and we both selected the highly recommended Soufflet au Grand Marnier. We had seen another customer order one and it looked great. Moreover, the restaurant claimed it as “notre specialite depuis 30 ans”. The souffle itself was without fault but there was such a strong taste of Grand Marnier, Vanya couldn’t finish hers and I’m certain I must have screwed my eyes up at least twice. Having said that, I’ll not let a surfeit of alcohol cloud my judgement, we enjoyed an exceptionally good lunch in a wonderful setting and then; it was time to explore Saint Raphael.

Just waiting for coffee now and a liqueur courtesy of A La Maree.

We ambled in the direction of the old town centre along what the Italians call a lungomare (which proves we’re in Italy now and I’m almost two weeks behind with the blog) but which in Saint Raphael is known as the Promenade des Bains. This promenade leads from the ‘marina’, past the town’s primary beach (the Plage de Vaillant) to the Jardin Bonaparte (and the nearby Ferris Wheel) and then on to the town’s Old Port on Le Pedegal River. By the way, the Pedegal separates Saint Raphael from Frejus.

The Plage de La Vaillant is a fine beach (one of many on the Cote d’Azur) but, to my mind, the best parts of the Promenade des Bains are the Jardin Bonaparte (a pleasant well designed English landscape garden which serves too as an area for outdoor concerts and shows) and, most especially, the Old Port. This is the original harbour where Napoleon landed upon his return from Egypt and, later, where he embarked from to take up his (temporary) exile on the Isle of Elbe. The Old Port is also the place to watch a local sport known as ‘Provencal Water Jousting’. This sport takes place between late May and early September and entails two opponents, each on their own boat, jousting (with shield and lance) from a platform mounted at the stern of the boat until one is tipped into the water.

From the park and the port it is easy to find the old town. We simply turned inland and headed towards the 19th century Basilica de Notre Dame; it’s dome easily visible from the shoreline. The full name of the church is the Basilica de Notre Dame de la Victoire de Lapente and it is one beautiful church inside and outside. It’s built of pink sandstone which I thought was quarried from the Esterel but, no, it seems the sandstone was actually brought from Provence. And the origin of the church’s name? It was named ‘de la Victoire de Lepante’ in recognition of the huge naval battle in 1571 (the last major battle between galleys) which saw a Christian fleet soundly defeat an Ottoman fleet. That’s the Battle of Lepanto to us Brits and it was the battle in which a young Miguel de Cervantes (he who wrote about “The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha”) lost his hand.

Basilica de Notre Dame from the Old Port

From the Basilica we headed into the narrow well shaded streets and alleys of the old town (or old quarter as it is more often termed in Saint Raphael)…

… and came across a former 7th century church, the presbytery of which houses the Musee Archeologique de Saint Raphael. You’ll rarely see me in a museum unless it’s raining but I’d have entered this one, were it open, just for the views from it’s 13th century medieval tower (the San Rafeu Tower). It supposedly offers one of the finest 360 degree views in Saint Raphael.

On the way back to the Van we passed another museum (the Louis de Funes Museum) which showcases the life and career of France’s greatest comic, Louis de Funes. He died in 1983 and yet he is still recognised as France’s greatest ever comic. He was ranked No.1 in the country’s box office figures for the best part of 20 years.

We enjoyed our brief visit to Saint Raphael town. I think there’s more to the old town than we actually saw and I would very much like to experience the town at night. Yes, Saint Raphael is a little touristy but that is to be expected on the Cote d’Azur.

The French Riviera has no shortage of beautiful places to visit and Saint Raphael is deservedly included amongst them. We stayed 7 days at the excellent Esterel Caravaning campsite and enjoyed chilling by the pool, wandering the Esterel Forest and taking day trips out to various places along the Riviera. I’d do it all again. I think also that, next time, I will make a point of walking part of the Sentier Littoral around Saint Raphael. I was advised the stretch from the Port of Santa Lucia to the Fournas Cove is a ‘must’ but there’s also Maubois Cove and, further along the coast (past Agay), is the Ile d’Or from Cap Dramont. We simply have to return (next year).

Esterel Massif (Provence-Alpes-Cote d’Azur), France May 2025 (Tour 11)

After selecting the Esterel Caravaning site as our next stopover, Vanya is now in charge. This 5 star campsite, on the outskirts of San Raphael and alongside the Foret Dominiale de L’Esterel (Esterel State Forest), appears to have all the bells and whistles you could ask for in a campsite and looks as if it could beat any of those we have used in the last years, except perhaps the one in Serignan (because of it’s food). Time will tell but, enough about campsites! You can google Esterel Caravaning if you want to know more.

That’s what I wrote almost two weeks ago (although I didn’t finish writing the blog) and I’m now playing catch up from somewhere in Italy. We stayed at the Esterel Caravaning site for an almost unprecedented 7 nights (not least because the weather was great) and we used the place as a base from which to make various sorties in the Van. These included visits to Figanieres (which involved driving through Callas, Bargemon and Montferrat; not all of them by choice), Agay, Port Grimaud and, of course, Saint Raphael itself. I’ll write separately about those visits. For the moment I’ll concentrate on the Esterel State Forest.

Esterel is a 250,000 year old volcanic mountain range (hills, really) of some 32,000 hectares, which includes almost 6,000 hectares of colourful natural forest (the Foret Dominiale de L’Esterel). The forest is criss-crossed by trails for walkers and mountain bikers and there are a few roads (built by the occupying German forces during WWII to provide easy access to the hinterland) but, the use of these roads is restricted particularly during the high season.

…and this large pond – and all before breakfast.

I made three visits to the forest and it is a beautiful place to walk although, even out of season, you will rarely have the place to yourself. You’ll stumble across the odd local walking his dog and it’s very popular with mountain bikers (one day I saw hordes of them) but; stay away from the wider trails or, better still, follow some of the many narrow gorges and/or deep ravines and you can avoid most everybody. There was one occasion when I felt I did have the place to myself. I was following what I at first thought was a dried up river bed but it led me to various small pools (complete with fish) and then a stream with some quite fast flowing water which ultimately disappeared underground. I was tempted to take a dip in one of the pools but the water was too cold. It’s pleasant stumbling across such places in what is a mostly arid park.

I mentioned the roads. Short stretches of them are open to the general public all year round. Some lead to small ponds or lakes; others to local tourist attractions, whether it be an old hermit cave or, the one I eventually picked up and which took me part of the way up to the Rock of Saint Pilon on the Pic du Cap Roux.

Objective: Saint Pilon on Pic du Cap Roux

… so I used the road which comes up from Agay.

Okay, some photos and a few words about Esterel Caravaning. They operate a very impressive campsite. The first photo, below, is an official publicity photo providing an overview of the site. The others are mine and, to some extent, they capture the mood of the place…

Sitting outside the bar in front of the pool complex…

The view out over the forest from our allotted parking space… until Vanya moved us…

… no, not to this one (but we did have our own bathroom).

There was a nice looking restaurant (two actually but, it being out of season, one was closed) although, in truth, the menu didn’t particularly appeal to Vanya. The wine selection in the restaurant is phenomenal – forty pages of wines, many of them very fine wines, including a Chateau Lafite Rothschild Premier Cru 2012 at 980 Euros a bottle. Sadly, that is well beyond my price bracket. The main bar was excellent, albeit a little expensive, but ‘happy hours’ (one at noon and another in the evening) made it very good value.

Of course, campsites are not just about a prime location and decent facilities (although you would have to go a long way to beat the natural beauty of the Esterel Forest and the broader Cote d’Azur and; the facilities/options at Esterel Caravaning are many, varied and, believe me, quite excellent). It is also about what you make of the opportunities while you are there. We were very fortunate in that during our stay we were able to visit some interesting and attractive places (I’ll write about those when I have more time) but, equally important, we met a pleasant and well travelled couple in Jan and Ian and they very much helped complete our stay whenever we met them during the ‘happy hours’. My goodness, I learned a great deal from Ian about Stoke City Football Club’s halfback line of Pejic, Smith and Bloor but; nobody and certainly not a Stoke City supporter (no offence Ian), will ever convince me that Gordon Banks actually saved Geoff Hurst’s penalty at Upton Park in 1971 to deny West Ham a League Cup Final appearance against Chelsea. I was there at the time; standing directly behind the goal in the North Bank and; I saw the ball bounce off Gordon Banks’ head.

L’Ametlla de Mar (Catalonia), Spain April 2025 (Tour 11)

We returned to L’Ametlla de Mar.

We were here just a few months ago, during Tour 10, and enjoyed it so much that we stayed for three nights. Rather than risk repeating myself too much, if it’s a brief description of the town and it’s principal attractions that you want, you should read my earlier blog on the place. I will say however that Vanya and I were very pleased to be back. The town doesn’t have a great many tourist attractions but; there are plenty of other places in Catalonia that do, if that is what you want. No, L’Ametlla de Mar remains a friendly Spanish fishing village at heart with a genuine and honest feel about it. It is a nice place; a place to absorb Spain.

We noticed a few changes about L’Ametlla during this our second visit but; nothing detrimental. The Nautica remains a recommended campsite but even more so now that they have cleaned up the small beach of Playa Pixavaques. Vanya actually used the beach for some sunbathing this tour although the water was far to cold for her to contemplate swimming. The company down by the harbour offering Tuna Tours is still operating and I am keen to give that a go but not in April. I don’t like cold water either.

Needless to say, we returned to Bar Pica Pica which, despite a change of bar staff, was as welcoming (and busy) as ever. The bar does not do good tapas and yet it’s tables on Placa Nova are invariably filled with locals. We got to talking with a very pleasant couple, a local man who spoke fervently about L’Ametlla and the surrounding area (and with whom Vanya was able to practise her Spanish) and his partner from Stuttgart (with whom I was able to practise my German). We also tried a couple of different restaurants this time around and weren’t disappointed. One was the Restaurant-Bar Nino on Carrer de Sant Joan (another bar very popular with the locals) but, sadly, I cannot remember the name of the other one which actually did the better food (too much wine).

L’Ametlla’s street art continues to flourish. Indeed, I found a new one and the town is now promoting them as an ‘urban art festival’ and has produced a map to help visitors search them out.

Yes, we stayed another three days and enjoyed the place just as much as before. We’ll be back again.

Canet en Roussillon and Saint-Genis des Fontaines (Occitaine), France April 2025 (Tour 11)

A major change of plan. From Chateauneuf du Rhone we were intending to drive down into Provence for a few days and then head for the islands of Corsica and Sardinia. However, the weather forecast for those areas is not good – rain and/or strong winds. Instead we are going to make our way to the southwest of France and then on into Spain. We’re on tour for the best part of three months and will therefore have plenty of time to catch up on Corsica and Sardinia later.

It was Vanya’s idea to book in at Yelloh’s Brasilia over the Easter Holiday and a good idea it was too. We usually book campsites one day at a time during our tours but at weekends we invariably book both the Friday and the Saturday because, so popular is motorhoming in France, it can prove very difficult to find empty spaces on a Saturday. Vanya suggested it could be the same over the Easter Holiday weekend and so reserved a space in Le Brasilia (located just outside Canet en Roussillon) for the Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights. It was an inspired thought because the place proved to be packed all over the Easter break with French and German holidaymakers. Of course, Le Brasilia is also Vanya’s most favourite campsite of all those that we have visited during our tours and it came as no surprise when she later booked us in for the Monday night too. No problem. What’s not to like about the Le Brasilia?

Canet en Roussillon is not one of my favourite places but the weather forecast for the area was promising and it does serve as a great place from which to take day trips out. On this occasion we visited nearby Le Barcares, Elne, Saint-Marie La Mere and, of course, Saint-Genis des Fontaines; although the latter was business in that I wanted to buy some wine from my favourite wine producer in the area. I do it every time we are down there.

No more about either Le Brasilia or Canet en Roussillon (you can refer to earlier blogs for further information on those those places) but, since I have not done so before, I will make brief mention of Saint Genis-des Fontaines. Individual blogs on Le Bacares, Elnes and Saint-Marie La Mere can follow.

We have visited Saint-Genis des Fontaines at least four times before (probably five) and never mentioned anything other than that I favour one of the local wineries – Les Vignerons des Alberes.The most significant building in the village (after the winery) is the Abbey of the Saint Genis which dates back to the 8th century. There’s not a great deal left of the original abbey but the cloister is remarkably well preserved and the lintel above the front entrance, which I understand dates to the early 11th century, is supposedly one of the oldest traces of Romanesque art anywhere.

So, here are a few photos.

The restaurant with the amazing sign is on Avenue des Ecoles, almost opposite Les Vignerons des Alberes. It’s name is “Y en aura pas pour tout le Monde” which translates to “There won’t be enough for everyone” – there’s confidence.

That’s the entrance to the winery, Les Vignerons des Alberes. While we were in there, a Pays de Catalan Choir entered and started singing. I don’t know what that was about but as they they left, they were gifted a couple of boxes of wine. We saw them later in the village exiting a small grocery store with a couple of boxes of eggs.

As for this year’s wine, I took away some boxes of the usual Cotes du Roussillon Rouge (Vanya added a couple of boxes of Chardonnay) and a few bottles of two reds recommended by a local; the first being a Premium Cotes du Roussillon Rouge and the other a Cotes Catalan Grenache. I’m looking forward to tasting those.