Journey's end

We left Lentillac just after 9 a.m. heading for Camping Clair Matin in Noirmoutier.  It was an 8-hour journey including (brief) stops. So we were happy to reach journey’s end in Noirmoutier, less happy to discover that the campsite was closed!  I had checked their website before we left and it said clearly that the campsite closed for the end of season at Toussaint (1 November).  We weren’t the only ones caught out, several motorhomes were parked up outside, ready to spend the night just on the roadside.  This is less easy to do with a touring caravan towed with a car, so we searched frantically through our camping guides looking for another site that had not yet closed for the season.  The nearest one we could find was in Pornic, a one hour and 15 minute drive away.  N rang them, the woman said, “yes, we are open, but the reception closes in an an hour and 15 minutes!” So, we set out on a stressful hour and 14 minute drive, arriving just as the reception was getting ready to close.  Still, we got there.  We went down to the harbour (pic) for dinner.  I had a lovely choucroute de mer (mixed seafood) and N had moules mariniere.  We had calmed down by then, but are still pretty miffed at the campsite in Noirmoutier for closing summarily one-month ahead of time.