Trebes is nice enough.  Bus stop to get to Carcassonne (quicker than walking from the site in Carcassonne) over the road, pleasant walks along the Canal du Midi where there are a few bars and things.  Small market on Sunday morning.

Canal du Midi

Our last day here so took a trip around the shops by the beach.  Not entirely tourist tat given a general lack of inflatable crocodiles, fans on sticks that spin around in the wind, and not too bad prices.  We were almost tempted to spend some money here… perhaps next time (and next time might not be too far in the future).  Different campsite next time, though, since the 15 Euros a night did not include electricity and one nearer the beach had similarly big pitches and was 17 Euros including 10 amp electric.

Protobello Road? No thanks, beam me here

Sunny days now so staying a bit longer.  Got the bus back to Collioure with a view to getting on the tourist train.  Sadly the tourist train was full of tourists so we went round the castle instead.  Not the best historic experience ever but interesting nevertheless and only 4 Euros and good views from various parts.

The clock thing

And somewhat randomly, here is a giant chicken.

And some boats.

Went to Perpignon in the bus, which is a really nice place.  Way to much to see and do in an afternoon so we just tramped around getting lost and wearing out our feet.  Then we discover there is a tourist train.  Although we usually associate Catalan things with Spain, there is very much a sense of that culture here.

Gate to the old city

A few windows

What a great place.  Camping du Stade, 15 Euros a night again, excellent pizza takeaway over the road, easy walk to the beach in one direction and to the village in the other.  Buses take you anywhere for one Euro, what’s not to love?  The weather, that’s what.  Cold, overcast and wet.  And we read on the BBC that a heatwave is on the way to the UK due to the great weather in France and Spain.

Visited Collioure which is a nice place, famed by painters for the light.  Not today, rain soon by the looks of things.

View from D114

Uninspiring place with the campsite an easy walk to the beach.  Smallish pitches but bigger than those you normally find near a beach.  Fine for a night but will not come back here.  A working fishing port apparently but here is the only evidence we saw of a fishing fleet:

Three men in a boat, one lost at sea.

Six days here because it is so nice.  Lazed around for a bit, got the bus to Martigues then to Istres on another day.  Got the dish out on Sunday and watched the Spanish GP, in France, in German.  No chance of getting Astra 2 this far south to get it in English.

Martigue with boats

Not sure what is going on here…

…but the local rozzers expect foul play.

We left home on 25 April, spent a couple of nights in Birmingham followed by a couple in Folkestone, arriving in France on Friday 28 April. Stopped in Guine for a night, then Guignecourt for a night grabbing some groceries on the way.

Sunday very windy so only made it as far as Langres, stopping for two nights to get a break from the driving. Next on to Macon for a night at the municipal site. Would have stayed for two, but the place seems to be getting a bit expensive for what it Is, these days.

Wednesday 3 May took us through Lyon with the usual warm feeling when emerging from the tunnel and seeing the river on the left and the old buildings on the right. And the dreadful traffic jam in the other direction. Pressed on to Chateaurenard, just south of Avignon. Stay six nights and get one free seemed like a good deal so we stayed for a week. Lost TV antenna to a tree

Wednesday 10 May we find ourselves in Massane Plage, a place we are getting to know well, on the Etang de Berre. Beach across the road with a bar and takeaway, big, private pitches and only 15 Euros a night.

Ready to watch Spanish GP.