2019-07-26 Ensch to Heaudicourt, France

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Ensch to Heaudicourt, France

Ensch to Heaudicourt

On the aire at Ensch we sleep with the windows open all night. I wake about 5.30am and there is a deliciously cool draft of air coming through the skylight window onto the bed. It is light, but I sleep for another two hours, enjoying the comfortable temperature. We shower when we get up and feel better for the tepid water washing over us.

The day is hot again, we sit outside under the shade of our trees and eat breakfast. Many of the campers have moved as the intense heat next to the river is too much. After breakfast we service the camper: empty the grey water and toilet cassette and fill up with drinking water at the service point across the road. We decide not to stay another night as there is a music festival in Ensch this weekend (Friday to Sunday) all day and probably most of the night.

We take the L48 (B-road) over the mountain to the A1, west towards Schweich and the A602 to Trier where we call at Lidl for a food shop. From here the A49 takes us from Germany into Luxemburg, crossing the Mosel river at Wasserbillig (the same bridge as in June 2018). Onto the D1, a good road following alongside the Moselle river where we call at a petrol station and fill with diesel at just over €1/litre. Alan is very pleased, in France it is €1.50/litre.

We cross the southern tip of Luxemburg on the A1 via the Bettembourg exchange and south into France onto A155 to Thionville, then A31 to Metz. On the D 903/D14 south and west to Lachaussée and a small Aire (Domain de Vieux Moulin) overlooking the locks on the canal. At the village we see two campers ahead of us who drive straight into the campsite and, as it happens taking the last two of spaces (of five). The place is super, and we are very disappointed. The woman in charge tells us that we could park on the small green under the trees next to the church. We investigate but, as I had seen several camper sites at Lake Madine about 30km away, we decide to move on and follow Plan B. A big mistake as it happens. However, hindsight is a wonderful thing.

The heat is intense, perhaps only 36°C, but even with the air conditioning on, it is still very hot. We arrive at the first of the campsites at Lac de Madine. We go into Reception, it is like a zoo! Hot, full of hot, cranky people and two very harassed receptionists. We wait in the heat until it is our turn. The receptionist speaks very fast with a strong accent, after some discussion we establish that it is a full campsite with pitches for motorhomes, the rate is €18/night but no electric. This is not what we want and decide to move on to the next place. It is only about 2km further around the lake and entered through a barrier. The tariff and the instructions are unclear, one says €12/night, the other €5, but the €5 is likely an addition for water and emptying facilities. We park under the trees and walk in.

The site is nice, but all 18 parking bays (with electric) have a camper in them and only the big space in the middle of the field, without any trees or shade, has space to park. This would be fine if there were some shade, the heat is intense (even at 5.00pm). Also, people are crossing the field to reach the sandy beach by the lake, where there must be several hundred people swimming, playing beach-volleyball, shouting and yelling. It is a great spot for families but not cool or relaxing, so we do not stay. Another 2km further around the lake are two more camper sites: one more basic at €5 with our electric hook up, plus pay for water and emptying facilities and the VIP campsite which is near the lake with electric etc at €12/night. We drive around and look for a shady spot under trees which we find easily. I wondered why there was space here and not at the other sites… I was soon to find out. We are hot and tired after a long day and long drive (250 mls) on many small roads. We get out the chairs, open a bottle of cold wine and eat bread with houmous… it feels like a feast.

We watch the French family on another parking space, they have 3 boys (about 5, 8 and 11 years) who have their bikes with them and are riding with full fury around this part of the camp site, the youngest constantly having to work  twice as hard (pedal twice as fast) just to keep up with the others! I enjoy watching them, they remind me of three other small boys 35 years ago.

Later, we go to the toilet and shower block, it is disgusting!! It is about 30 years old and looks like it has not been updated or cleaned in all that time. There is one western toilet (with a proper pan) and two flat-tray Turkish toilets. I don’t know why the French prefer to use these toilets, many have a huge pile of pooh just sitting in the middle of the tray!

Very carefully, I use the pan and Alan uses the Turkish tray… we look at the shower and close the door very hurriedly preferring not to look. After a chicken stir fry, we close the blinds, go to bed early and sleep well.

Ensch to Heaudicourt, France

Summary of motorhome journey through Germany and France – no travel today

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