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by Jim and Emmy Humberd

7 of our 101 Campsites in France

One year we stayed at a campsite south of Paris in Choisy-le-Roi, where there was also a Youth Hostel. As we left to board the R.E.R. for our ride to city center, we talked to members of a bus load of French High School students from Marseille. When we mentioned we were from California, they waved and cheered. Jim asked them why they were so interested in California and in the United States, they excitingly told him, “In America you have freedom, freedom!”

In the campground near Morancez there was an unusual group of (wealthy?) people camped in huge trailers, much larger than generally seen in Europe, and they had large expensive cars and trucks to pull them. A couple of people even had automatic washing machines sitting on the ground outside their trailer, and almost looked like permanent residents. Everyone else purposely kept far away from them.

Fécamp is located on the beach, at a place where the land dips down to the sea. Campsites with a marvelous view were terraced up the side of the hill and were reached by narrow, steep little streets. In the summertime in this part of the world, the sun does not set until 10:00 PM, plenty of time to enjoy.

One year we spent the night in a campsite near Honfleur that was rather new (it looked like it), rather isolated (we thought), the operator was rather crabby (of that we were sure).

For one (of several) visit(s) our campsite was just a few blocks from Dinan’s Vieille Ville (Old Town), so we spent the evening exploring the town. We stopped to talk to an elderly couple, from England, who were traveling in an RV so small, they had to step outside if they needed to change their mind.

We found a nice rest stop in the French countryside near Calais, filled with campers. We spent the night in the VW Van without using the tent. Emmy still insists it was too crowded.

As we checked into the campsite in Phalbourg one day, a little girl was interested in where we were from. Jim mentioned (through an interpreter) United States, Los Angeles, and Hollywood with no recognition. But when Jim mentioned Disneyland, she smiled and said, “If you could be in Disneyland today, why are you in France?” That story was published in a couple of newspapers, and Michael Eisner, Chairman of the Board of the Disney Company, wrote us a very nice letter.

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