I enjoyed Carol and Robin Tannahills account of their travels in France with 'Pablo', not least because we also stayed at Camping de L'ile des Trois Rois, beside the Seine at Les Andelys and used it as a base to visit Giverny and Monet's garden.
For what it is worth, our technique for visiting the fantastically popular garden was the reverse of Carol and Robin in that we went late in the afternoon.
We obtained our tickets at the entrance to the garden about 4.30pm after a negligible wait. We did find the garden very busy at first – our visit was in early September – but the crowds soon faded away. By 5.00pm everything was very nice and peaceful, and we greatly enjoyed our visit, exploring the gardens and the famous lily pond, plus touring Monet's house virtually by ourselves.
The garden closes at 6.00pm, we found an hour and a half ample time for a thorough and pleasant visit. The only mystery to us is how Monet found time to do all this beautiful gardening, and still find time to paint!
Even if uninterested in Monet's garden, or the art of the time in general, Giverny is well worth visiting because it has something dear to the heart of all motorhomers – a vast free car park! This is off the roundabout at Giverny to the right, when approaching from Vernon. The car park on the left, while closer to the village, has height barriers. There were many motorhomes from all nations in the car park, and it appears many stay for the night. However, I do not know if it is officially permitted or not. There are no facilities at the car park; toilets etc. are over the road alongside the walkway to the village, but close about 5.00pm.
We enjoyed staying at Camping de L'ile des Trois Rois, not least because we were fortunate to be allocated a pitch right on the riverbank. We enjoyed watching the passage of the many big barges and vast passenger cruisers through our windscreen. Even without this bonus, the site is a lovely one, and highly recommended.
Les Anadelys is actually in two parts – Petit Andely alongside the river, and Grand Andely up the valley to the east of the Seine. Petit Andely is full of old buildings, rather a quiet touristy backwater nowadays. It is a pleasant walk along the riverbank from the site. Grand Andelys is the main commercial centre, unfortunately rather spoilt by the busy D316 running through its centre. It is a tedious trudge along busy roads from the site, much better to cycle if you have bikes. Otherwise, there is a handy (free) car park on the left of the D316 just before the main centre of the town. The car park is on the corner with the junction with the D1. While there is plenty of parking for cars in Grand Andelys central square, I felt it was all a bit tight for vans.
There is an Intermarche in the centre of Grand Andelys, or a bigger out-of-town Intermarche on the D125 about 3 miles east of the town centre.
You can take your van up to Chateau Gallard, the road is well signposted off the D316, shortly after passing through the centre of Grand Andelys. The road leads to a big, though sloping, car park. Motor vans and large vehicles are not permitted any further down the narrow and steeply sloping road to the Chateau, and on down to Petit Andelys. You, therefore, have to re-trace your route once your visit is over – although the entry road seems signposted as a one-way system, the exit sign says 'Sauf Camping Cars'.
It is about ten minutes walk from the car park to the Chateau. The views are excellent, and make a visit well worthwhile. As well as the Chateau, there are enticing-looking way marked walks around the expanse of chalk downland. Most of the remains of the Chateau are not fenced off, and you can visit them any time; there are handy interpretation boards in French and English.
It is just the central keep that you have to pay to enter. With impeccable timing we approached the drawbridge just before 1.00pm unaware the keep closed for the sacrosanct French lunch break – so cunningly saved twelve Euros there. Perhaps some other reader of ASOC News will visit and let us know if we missed anything of great interest.
