The Reception area at Camping Marco de Bignac
We have spent the last three days at this charming and idyllic campsite in the region of Poitou-Charente as it’s got everything we ask for from a site: a lake for carp fishing (with some very big carp, we have been assured), peace and quiet and very friendly and helpful hosts, as well as nice neighbours. Again, we have done little more than chill in the heat of the season, as it has been very warm with the need of sunblock and hats, just walking the few metres to Adonis’s swim and to Reception to get our baguette in the morning and walking Beano 3 times a day around the lake. I haven’t even been on my bike, unlike in Barbotan, where I cycled everyday for bread and drinks. Here, I’ve just done my crocheting, I’ve been reading my Marie France magazine, in order to keep my French fresh, and my Kindle.
Our lovely pitch at Camping Marco de Bignac, just by the lake
We have pitch number 83 and we intend to book it for our summer holidays too, as it has easy access to the lake and loads of space around us.
Top fishing spot just a few metres away from our pitch
The site is run by an English family, so the language is not a problem for those who struggle with their French, and they are all very welcoming and friendly. There is a little shop at Reception where you can order your bread from the day before and it also stores milk, bottled water and other emergency food, like pasta, etc. There is a supermarket 3 km away, but we haven’t used it.
Walking around lake
The Reception area seen from our pitch
When we left Barbotan last Thursday morning, we followed the small roads west (D626 to Sabres, D44 towards Mimizan and north at Escource on D46) to Gastes (N 44º 19′ 714” W 001º 09′ 057”) at the south end of Étang de Biscarrosse et Parentis, where we spent a day at the beautiful motorhome aire by the marina. It was supposed to cost ₤4.50 a day this time of year (₤7 in the summer), but the ticket machine was out of service and a guard was supposed to come in the morning to collect the fee, but by the time we left at 9.15 am he/she hadn’t come round yet, so we had a free stay!
Gastes Motorhome aire on Etang de Biscarrosse
At Gastes, we enjoyed a walk and a play with Beano chasing his ball on the sandy beach by the lake and around the marina and our meals outside in the sunshine. Again, this was a very quiet spot with generous pitches and a café-restaurant on the access road, and although it was busy with quite a few other motorhomes, it was peaceful and relaxing and we would definitely come back here again.
The Marina with motorhome aire in background
The only shock was joining the motorway N10/A63 at J.17 at Liposthey, where we paid a standard fee of ₤15.62 and we were classed A2, so we have to look into this as we think we overpaid. Still, this road took us all the way to north east of Bordeaux to join the N10 after crossing the Dordogne river all the way to Angoulême and D939 towards St-Jean-d’Angely towards Vaars for a short while for about 10 km and D11 and D117 to Bignac (N45º 47′ 52” E0º 3′ 49”), a very easy drive all in all.
The Marina
Tomorrow, we are planning to go to Richelieu, but that could change…
