On the 21st we drove east along the coast and then north across the border into France. After a supermarket stop outside Biarritz we travelled on through a region full of huge vineyards. We stopped for 2 nights at a small campsite in Rauzan – Camping du Vieux Château – to the east of Bordeaux for that all important access to a washing machine! The site was in the shadow of the remains of a english style castle – Château Rauzan – which we unfortunately didn’t get a chance to visit.

On the 23rd we pushed on northward to a location recommended to us by several people – Île de Ré. The island is accessed by an impressive bridge and is full of amazing sandy beaches, all connected with a expansive cycle network alongside the roads. We had decided to have some proper relaxation time and had booked into the Camping Eden Villages L’Océan for 4 nights. We were even able to get the barbeque out for a few meals!

The island has multiple free electric bus routes that run on peak days so we used the service to visit Saint-Martin-de-Ré. It is one of the most attractive towns on the island’s coast, ringed by star-shaped, 17th-century ramparts. We had an excellent lunch at Le Réfectoire which faces out onto the town’s harbour.