Not long back from France....never again!!

Went to lac chalain in the Bus a few years back - broke the journey down at some place and I wish I could remember where now - trumpeted up at some fortified village tourist information office amongst a sea of Sun Flowers and were directed to a local farm house to pitch up. All I can recall is that ' Joseph' and his family were so welcoming , picked salad from their garden with the kids, and we had a cracking meal, and explored his ' cellar' !

After that we hit the Lac - friggin freezing! Saw many bats flitting across the lake, climbed the hill to the east and had numerous adventures over the following two weeks, dropped into Futuroscope on the way back and stayed at a municipal campsite and had time great time!

The journey is the adventure in a Bus!

 

With a 1-2-3 year old, the journey ain't so much fun. Driving through the night all well and good if your toddler doesn't want to play/scream/eat/Marmite just as you want to get that precious few hours of kip.
We camped with 3 month old and it was hard work, so much so we didn't camp again until the youngest was 4 or 5. The good news is they get older and less "work".

 

I live near Saintes...

I always travel at night ,wake up in a new place ,the excitement wakes me up...All my three were under 7 when I traveled through France ,maybe I forgot what a nightmare it was? never even thought of getting a bigger engine I have always been very happy with the 1600..

 

We have a 6 month and a 4 year old no problems with our trip to France/Germany.

Both boys were as good as gold, but then we seem to be lucky with ours, we know people who wouldn't do such trips with their kids.

 

I m with you Tatty. Did much the same as you, Harrogate to Chamonix for a week then back via Jura and Alsace. Last leg back was 19 hours ,uuurrrrggghhh!!! Would have been 16 if it wasn't for A1 roadworks. Put me right off the bus for weeks. (Going out in it this weekend. )
Was like you had to be somewhere at a certain time, me own worse enemy; get that get there head on. But when alls said and done it wasn't any fault of the bus, it was mine biting off too much. Great touring around the mountains, but not a lot of fun on the motorways.
It has to be said, next time to Chamonix its sleeping bags in the back of the T4

 

I think there's something to be said for not biting off more than you chew - and France is a really vast country. I've got a 5, 7, and 9 year old and 3 or 4 hours a day in the van is about the limit before warfare starts breaking out!

 

Perhaps that's what I've got to look forward to

 

Yep!

 

One day you will be to old ,so do it now

 

Check out the Scooby post on the Mech Tech part of this forum - that will get you there quicker!!!

 

I have broken down many times in France but it never put me of going again. OK I now have a T5 but that just means a can drive for 22 hrs towing a 2ton trailer (with ferry crossing) before I need to stop. I love to drive no matter what the vehicle.

Sure your be thinking about your next French connection before you know it.