With overcast skies and more rain forecast we decided to press on south.
We have marked Camping Le Thouet as a site to return to. It’s on our favourites list.
We had an overnight stop at Camping Bignac, where it rained heavily and then continued south round Bordeaux to Arcachon on the Bassin d’Arcachon.
Arcachon
N.B. We are including a bit of information about the sites we stay at in the hope that it might be of some use and interest to our motorhoming friends. Apologies to the non-motorhomers.
We checked in at Camping Club Arcachon, which accepts ‘camping cheques’ out of season. In the description in the camping cheques book the site was described as being in a pine forest and convenient for Arcachon. The pitches are cramped and packed in tightly – not a problem at the end of the season as the site was quiet but it would be have to be renamed ‘Camping Sardines’ at busy times. It was however very convenient for Arcachon. We got out the bikes and dog cart and armed only with a rather ‘iffy’ tourist map of the cycle routes planned a tour of the town.
Now the French do a lot of things well and one of the things they are brilliant at is cycle tracks. Almost everywhere you go there are cycle tracks, sometimes off road and sometimes beside the road but usually separated by a barrier of some kind.
The cycle track took us the first few miles through a lovely pine forest where les chiens galloped beside the bikes, then we cycled on tracks beside the roads towards the sea front. The path then ran beside the beach round the headland, at one point even crossing the beach on duck boards.
We had to stop for a vino, and from our pavement seats watched the world going by whilst sipping a glass of the house white. Perfect.
Arcachon to Capbreton via Dunes de Pyla
We set off early from Arcachon and followed the coast road south.
Just below the Bassin d’Arcachon are the spectacular Dunes de Pyla.
The sun had now come out and it was a beautiful warm day, perfect for exploring the dunes.
Rambling about Europe with the Kray Twins (Colin and Penny).
Travels with Mavis 
I love that Nia turns heads as she cycles with babies in-tow.
I think people naturally assume I’m pulling babies and then when they look inside and see the pooches, everyone smiles and particularly in France (where the people are just lovely) they usually say something nice, probably whilst thinking ‘mad English woman’ because dogs travel in the handlebar basket on French bikes – much more sensible. Colin & Penny absolutely love to travel that way, especially Colin who’s very lazy, he climbs in the minute we attach it to my bike sometimes he just goes and sits in it anyway xxx