አይ፣ ከአሁን በኋላ “ሆላ” አንልም...

France welcomes us with drizzle, clouds, wind, and a temperature difference of 15 degrees. We love it! I never thought I would say something like this. But almost 40 degrees every day was too much, not just for our furry friends. We stand by the Atlantic, take a deep breath, and check into a small campsite near Bayonne, just across the border. We need to acclimate ourselves to France. The culture shock is deep. We haven't seen any Germans for weeks. Occasionally, we came across Spanish campers, but most of the time, we were alone. And now, here by the sea in mid-July, it's bustling with people with campers. The holidays have begun, the place is fully booked, and we are surrounded by vacationers. We greet them friendly and often slip a 'hola' or 'buenas' by accident. After 10 months in Spain, we have to change our mindset because the French value friendliness. And we want to be friendly, after all, we are guests in their country. We are slowly getting used to saying 'Bonjour Madame/Monsieur' again.

It is always amazing to see that everyone greets each other... except for the Germans. With unhappy faces, they walk around even here, on the beautiful Atlantic coast.

We drive northwards and arrive at a small lake near the coast called Etang de Leon, just in time for the French national holiday. Since wild camping is almost impossible on the coast in midsummer, we look for cheap parking options. So-called camping meadows are popping up like mushrooms. For about 10 euros, we are allowed to park here and there is water available. We don't need more to be happy. Together with at least 1000 other vacationers, we enjoy a great fireworks display on the sandy beach in the evening, accompanied by a live band.

The next stop is at Biscarrosse, by a lake. Here, too, we find a nice spot on the camping meadow. There are almost only French people here, and there is a very friendly atmosphere. Once again, we are photographed hundreds of times. Our Hummel (our pet) is just a real charmer.

Shopping in the supermarket makes us gulp. France is at least twice as expensive as Spain, and even diesel is 40 cents more expensive. We only buy the essentials.

We spend 4 days at the beautiful lake, set up our boat, and paddle along the connecting waterways with our furry friends. At times, it was so narrow that we almost got stuck in the reeds. Pure nature surrounds us. Reeds, bushes, trees, and no other people as far as the eye can see. What a beautiful experience!

We continue along the coast towards Brittany. Sometimes, we only park for one night in inland parking lots because the coast is packed. You could think that all of Europe is on France's coast. We will try our luck once again in beautiful Brittany. If it is crowded up there as well, we will flee to the inland.

The area around Bordeaux is (of course) a wine-growing region. We drive through vineyards that stretch to the horizon all day long. In between, we discover beautifully located wineries, all built in the same light beige basalt stone that is mined here on a large scale. The small villages we pass through are all built like that too. I find it beautiful to look at.

We accidentally end up in the village of Talmont-sur-Gironde right by the sea. We are amazed by this charming little village on the Atlantic. Narrow streets, decorated with thousands of colorful flowers, invite you to stroll around. A Norman Catholic church is perched on the rock on the outskirts of the village, and the small cemetery next door is also overgrown with colorful flowers. Thousands of people gather here in the afternoon. The water is gone because it is low tide. The tidal range is enormous here, and we catch a glimpse of the sea on the horizon. I wake up at eight o'clock the next morning to walk through the colorful streets again... alone! And behold, the sea is there, and all the people are gone. You can enjoy this place in a completely different way. I feel like taking 200 photos. There is something new to discover in every street.

We arrive in the city of Rochefort and find a perfect parking space at the marina in the shade for 8 euros per night. It is only a 5-minute walk, and we are in the middle of the hustle and bustle. The city is full of people because the electronic music festival 'Stereoparc' is taking place here this weekend. Our idol from the 90s, Charlotte de Witte, is headlining, and after exploring the city, we decide that it is time for us to party. I spend about an hour searching for a party outfit from my small wardrobe, and when we finally stand in front of the entrance with thousands of others, they want to charge us 65 euros for entry. I feel overwhelmed by this price, and we decide that it is too much for us. Since we have two dogs in the car, we can only stay for a few hours, and it is not worth it to us. At night, we lie in bed and (slightly frustrated) listen to the amazing music by Charlotte de Witte and people screaming with excitement. You can't have it all... :(

On Saturday morning, we stroll back into the magnificent bright city in a checkerboard pattern, with thousands of Renaissance-style buildings, great squares, and narrow streets. We visit the huge market, have coffee with croissants, marvel at the climbing forest, which is a climbing sailing ship here, and enjoy the city life and the hustle and bustle around us. Rochefort is definitely worth a visit. We eat delicious mussels in the harbor (so to speak right outside our door) and already hear the first sounds of the Stereoparc festival at the royal ropewalk. The Saturday party has begun. We would love to go there too, and after the second glass of wine, the decision is made. We are going to be totally unreasonable now, leave money aside, and head towards the festival grounds. We can't believe it at the entrance because we (and only we) are given free tickets. Why? We have no idea! If only a glass pane hadn't separated me from the sympathetic cashier... I would have hugged her right away :)

We enjoy a great evening with various DJs, fantastic decorations, and stage shows, surrounded by thousands of incredibly nice and party-loving French people. The atmosphere is incredibly amazing. What an unforgettable evening!

In Saint-Hilaire-de Riz, a few days later, we find our personal paradise directly behind the dune. For 6 euros, we are allowed to park and camp here. That also means that we can set up tables and chairs. This is not always the case. Often, you are allowed to park but not spread out. The Atlantic welcomes us in all its glory behind the huge dune. A sandy beach stretches to the horizon, with great waves and hardly any people... what more could you want. Behind the dune, right by the parking lot, there is a huge forest of pines and firs with hundreds of enchanted footpaths. The branching paths extend endlessly, and oddly shaped trees can be seen. Hiking trails lead to the nearby town. An ice cream cone costs 4.50 euros here! Tourist prices at their finest. We take long walks on the beach at low tide. The water recedes, and a perfect flat sandy beach invites us to walk. The dogs also have a lot of fun. We get to know a friendly young family from Landau. Tim, Sarah, Valentin, and Vincent are parked right next to us with their van, and in the evenings, we sit together with Germans again for a long chat into the night until the cold wind drives us to bed.

We celebrate our 12th wedding anniversary and our 1 year of living in the van at this beautiful place. We can't believe that a whole year has passed already. A year full of adventures, incredible places, and nice encounters. Vanlife is great, and we can't get enough of this life. My love, I love you and look forward to many more years with you... there is still so much to discover... :)