Fun in the sun at Marseillan Plage, France
Zagan the motorhome has stayed put for another night at the aire in Marseillan Plage (N43.31968, E3.54758), on the French Mediterranean coast. After a quick look around yesterday we decided to splash out another €6 to stay, but of course we’ll be leaving tomorrow when the price doubles to €12 a night as we enter peak season in France.
Even the road, train line and screams from the fun fair behind us didn’t keep us awake!
So why did we chose to stay and why was there a queue to get into the motorhome aire? Well the answer to the second question is a fault with the entrance machine which thought the aire was full, but got put right when someone tracked down the mayor. The answer to the first one, we found the place to be good fun. If we were to write out a list of things we were looking for at that moment from an overnight stop it would have been things to see, near the sea and walking distance to somewhere to eat out. Marseillan Plage ticked all those boxes and best of all, it was fun.
Interesting choice of shop dummies!
We did our sightseeing in several different ways. Jay headed off on this bike to explore the town of Marseillan, I jogged along the coast to see what is reputed to be one of the best beaches in France, and together we strolled around the seaside town.
At its core the town was a few pedestrianised streets with a jumble of restaurants, bars, souvenir shops, beach wear shops and everything else you come to expect from a resort. Step outside of that by a few metres and you could see recent history around you.
Bunny ears behind the head is still funny today
The Canal du Midi, which enables water traffic to travel across France from the Atlantic to the Med, completes its path nearby
The town is celebrating 70 years since it was formed, a patch of land bought to create a holiday resort by the sea a few kilometres away from the old town of Marseillan. Around the town posters showed how it was over the decades and looking at the architecture away from the centre, not much has changed since it was first built.
Camping in France the 1960’s – not a motorhome to be seen!
We had a great couple of days wandering around, sniffing the rotisserie chicken stalls, eyeing up the ice cream stalls (€2.50 for one boule) and deciding where to eat out. Jay fancied the French favourite of moule frites, and the place right by the aire looked like the best spot in town. It was packed on Thursday night when we walked past, so we starved ourselves on Friday and got in there early. The reason it was packed, possibly because it was all you can eat moule! I opted for a goat’s cheese and honey pizza, which was huge and of course I shared it couple of slices with Jay.
We did wonder why we liked this place so much, I can only think it was because it had a certain je n’est ce quoi. Nearly everyone here was French (although we did bump into Shaun from Ireland and were a tad embarrassed when he asked to have a selfie with us, so he could show his wife he’d met us two muppets) everything is geared up for the French. The British ‘kiss me quick’ hats were replaced with stylish chappeau and even the beachwear was straight from the catwalk, and unlike the costas in Spain where it’s fish and chips and a euro a pint, here it was French classics like gallette and crepes and €5 a pint. Needless to say we drank table wine when we were out and I think Jay enjoyed his 22c (19p) cans of Lidl larger from Spain all the more after seeing the prices here.
Shame we missed the boat jousting
Anyway, we’ve had a great time and also found a few interesting signs dotted around the place – so I’ll leave you with those. Have a great weekend!
Ju x
So glad they are temporarily embarrassed by their pipeline – so they should!
Along with the usual no dogs on the beach signs, there was this one – no whistling?
You might not be able to make out the twenty or so people fishing on the rocks
Missed you by one day. We left marsellian plage on Thursday. Now loving the sun at Port Grimaud, st Maxime’s. Can recommend
Was there in 1998 in a tent and what was even then a clapped out Peugeot 309. There was a good waterpark at Adge. Any flamingos in the lagoon?
All you can eat Mouless, wow!.
Is it cold I just ask because your in full leg clothing and arms too.
Irish Shaun was probably Sean. Irish for John….
Didn’t spot any Flamingos, but we weren’t really looking for them :)
It wasn’t cold, but some pics were in the evening when the wind got up and my limbs hibernate in case of mosquitoes.
Cheers Ju
When it comes to Le Tour I guess you will Park up on the route. If there is any opportunity to let us know where you are it would be great to be able to try to spot Zagan Ju and Jay on the live TV feed which we watch as much for the beautiful French scenery as for the race itself. We did manage to spot our friends a couple of years ago so it’s possible to do.
Like you we just love France and it always feels like our second home though we don’t think we could live there.
We’ll do that Chris, we *should* be in place a day or two before the bikes, so will be able to punt out our location. I’m not able to wear my mankini this year, sadly (the court case is still pending), but you may be able to spot us from the array of Lidl beer cans stacked up alongside me? Cheers, Jay
Brilliant and entertaining update, as usual. My best guess for the sign is “No spitting of chewing gum”.
On va vers la fin du camping au sens propre du mot… On voit dans les commentaires la disparition des tentes et même des caravanes. Même les camping-car deviennent indésirables. Les campings vont vers le “tout bungalow”.
Les petits campings familiaux, calmes, sans piscine ni animation tonitruante le soir ferment, rachetés par les promoteurs pour faire des lotissements.
Le camping devient “hôtellerie de plein air” ce qui permet de gonfler les prix et d’en faire un tourisme de luxe. Finis les séjours de longue durée, on est obligé de réduire le budget.