2024 September: France and Spain  – Camping Montagut to Hotel Bellavista

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We have a rubbish night. We shower and breakfast and pack up to leave (no doubt about the decision now) and walk down to the office to make a complaint. The manager seems to be on his own, and while competent somewhat stressed.
Problem 1: I ask about the ‘quiet hours’ overnight at Camping Montagut, there are none he says!
Problem 2: I make my complaint about the noise last night, the swearing and threatening behaviour, he clearly can’t concentrate as he is managing the bread orders and reception.
Problem 3: I ask him what he is going to do about it and he asks which pitch it is. He looks it upon the computer and says, yes there are two staying all week. No I say there are three of them sleeping in the trailer tent (he clearly doesn’t know/they have only booked for two).
Problem 4: I ask him what he is going to do, he says he will walk around tonight and listen for noise!
Problem 5: I ask him what he is going to do now… for us and about the noise. He can’t/won’t answer and is quite annoyed. No refund offered and he even tells us that we owe for bread!
Outcome: Nothing! The best judge of any product is how the ‘seller’ manages a complaint. An honest review on Google is needed telling others of the outcome of our complaints at Camping Montagut. 

We leave forthwith taking the A26 to Olot where we fill up on diesel at €139.9/litre. Then C37 a good dual carriageway south to Vic. The terrain has changed and is now so typically Spanish, dry yellow and orange sandstone with olive groves and scattered Puebla, lovely creamy-white villages with orange pantile roofs. At Vic we turn west on C25 another good dual carriageway, passing some spectacular rock formations around Montserrat, through Manresa to a service station at Sant Pere Sallavinera (near Calaf) for lunch.

The day is warm (24°C) but not too hot with the deep blue sky of Spain, so a steady climb on C25 through some spectacular scenery of tunnels and viaducts at about 500 or 600m (about 1800ft) is a pleasure. We cross the high Sierra passing the well-named Montfalcó to Cervera. Here we take the A2 all the way to Lleida, a somewhat old-fashioned town that had seen better days. Turning north west on C22 we pass the fortified towns of Almacelles, Binéfar and Monzōn where there is a fantastic walled town or citadel atop a hill that towers above the surrounding landscape.

Turning north towards Fonz onto A1236 we continue climb to the high mountainous Sierra. Onto A133 at Fonz, a much smaller road to Estada where nothing much grows except olive trees, cultivated and grown in small groves on the Sierran plateau surrounded by a huge ring of mountains. At Estada the N123 winds its way through the Olvena canyon following the Cinca river. The canyon has vertiginous walls, high and rugged with griffon vultures soaring on the thermals. At Olvena tunnel 6 (there are 8) we stop between tunnels and avalanche rock covers and walk a short way up the mountain side.

As if spying us from their lofty ledges three griffon vultures launch on thermals above us soaring over as if wondering what we are up to. We watch their graceful majesty until they turn back and disappear over the mountains and we return to Hymer and on our way. At the end of the Olvena canyon is huge a Hydroelectric station, its dam spanning the river Cinca, behind which is the Embalse de Barasona (reservoir). Turning alongside the reservoir we find Camping Bellavista, perched half way up the side of the mountain.

We park up and book a pitch and are directed up a very steep road to five motorhome pitches overlooking the reservoir. There is already one campervan here so we join them on. A long drive today, 180 miles / 290 km but good roads which, unlike France have been clear and without much traffic. The difference is noticeable, not least in the ease of driving.

We set up the table and chairs on our high perch and open wine, enjoying it with salmon rillette and the last of the French baguette. Later I cook chicken stir-fry for tea, then a much-needed early night.

Day 2 at Hotel Bellavista Camping

The following day at Hotel Ballavista Camping is another warm and sunny day, but only 7°C when we get up, we are COLD. We have a slow morning researching what to do and where to stay in or around San Sebastian. Camping Bellavista has good internet access so we take advantage of it (you never know in the mountains). In the afternoon we walk along the road by the reservoir to La Puebla de Castro, the small village next to the campsite. This is a sterile town with concrete roads and high fences around all the houses. There is nothing here, no shops, no businesses except one restaurant that looks like it closed some years ago. We speculate about whether the town was built with EU money to encourage tourism… but apart from the reservoir there is nothing for tourists to do!

Back at the campsite we sit and read, write and generally relax with a bottle of Pinos Gris. A relaxing time. The fridge is almost empty, we buy a loaf from the shop attached to the hotel, this is a dreadful piece of bread, I remember my parents trying to lose weight one time and they purchased Energen Rolls, that’s what this bread resembles. Dry and tasteless. We need to stock up with food. The bites on my back and leg are really bad, driving me crazy!

Photos from – Camping Montagut to Hotel Bellavista

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