We’re getting there

10/09/2009 by Bob and Di.

Yes, we’re into the final stages of the development of Parc Verger, this time with the installation of a motorhome and a caravan dump point.  Centrally placed in the Upper Lawn area, these offer a drive-over facility for motorhomers, easy access for those with cassettes, and are accompanied by an easily accessible water supply.

 

There is a second gully in the roadway for motorhomes to drive over and dump.  It will all look better when the grass grows again!

 

We have taken the opportunity of extending the fresh and waste water facilities to the top of the upper lawn, so that those who like to be on grass can enjoy full service pitches.  This gives us the opportunity of installing mobile homes, if we find that there is a demand for these – we can install mobile homes of up to 35m² “habitable space” (which excludes kitchens and bathrooms) without requiring detailed planning permission.  Anyone considering the purchase of such an holiday or live-in property in France should speak to us!  Being just half-an-hour from Limoges airport, with its direct flights to the UK means that it is easy to get to and from here, and our wifi facility enables those on site to use Skype to talk face to face with loved ones anywhere in the World.

 

Specially designed dump point for mobile homes or RVs on our lawn pitches

 

 So what’s next?  We will be installing an awning over the vegetable preparation/washing up area within the next few weeks, and after that undertaking all of the routine maintenance tasks that help to keep Parc Verger looking good.  The bureau, pool, pergola and picnic tables will all be treated, there is some painting required, and then?  Some relaxation! 

 

The meet organised by Motorhomefun website went well, with every hard standing occupied, and motorhomes, caravans and tents all around the upper lawn.  We learned a great deal, and there were aspects of satisfaction, too.  The electricity supply was more than adequate to cope with a full site including much use of air conditioning, as temperatures were HOT!  The hot water supply mainly produced by our solar panels was also more than adequate, and the new motorhome dump point was brought into use with no problems.

 

We are now looking forward to the Christmas and New Year period, when we will have the largest number on site at that time since Parc Verger opened.  Weather permitting we will have our usual champagne/bucks fizz reception on Christmas morning, and then a BBQ on New Years Day.  Before that, during December, we will be taking some time off for a holiday, and Mike and Carol will be looking after Parc Verger for us.  Wherever and whenever you are travelling, you will be sure of a warm welcome at Parc Verger.

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June 2009 Update

21/06/2009 by Bob and Di.

What a busy few weeks we’ve had this Spring, with every pitch being occupied many nights.  So much so that we called in the big diggers again, and installed five more hardstandings, with a net gain of four as we have had to lose one to gain access to the others.  Nevertheless, we now have ten fully serviced hardstandings, plus three that for the time being have electricity only, fresh water and waste water disposal being dealt with centrally.

 

 

 

Below is a picture of Pascal, our electrician, finishing installation of one of the two central electricity pillars on the Upper Lawn, with one of the seven smaller pillars that are around the exterior of the Upper Lawn in the background

 

 

There is plenty of room still for those who want lawn pitches, useful as for several nights recently we had five tents on the Upper Lawn, four of these being occupied by visitors from Belgium who are taking time each year to walk part of the route to Santiago de Compostela.  This is clearly a popular activity, as we have enjoyed visits previously from those making this pilgrimage, and we have a party of twelve calling here in July.

We have also been putting finishing touches to the facilities at Parc Verger.  OK, there’s still some painting to do, but we now have a ramp up to the door of the sanitary unit - our thanks to Roger Sault (kneeling in photograph below) for his help in this and in preparing the cement bases for the electricity pillars on the Upper Lawn.

 

 

and a vegetable preparation and washing up area. 

 

 

 

The gardens here are gradually maturing, and we have enjoyed a fine show of colour this year.  We have deliberately left several areas with uncut grass and as a result have seen wild flowers developing.  This has applied to areas within the long hedge next to Gilbert’s property, and the combination of more flowers on the main beds and the wild areas has meant a major increase in the number of butterflies everywhere here.

 

We want to send our greetings at this time to Brian and Sue Kirk.  Many visitors have met Brian and Sue, both of whom have helped us in many ways over the past three years, and are aware that Brian is unwell and thus has been unable to be with us this summer.  We wish you a full recovery soon, Brian, and hope that you will be able to come to Parc Verger for a visit this autumn.

 

 

 

 

 

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Developments continue

13/12/2008 by Bob and Di.

The last week has been a good one, not least because we have finished the partitioning of the sanitary facilities on site.  There remains some painting to do, which we will be completing in the next week or so – though the painting of the shutters outside does depend upon the weather. 

We could not order the partitions until all of the equipment was installed, and it is a good job that we did not chance it, as the equipment for the solar heating of the water for the showers and sinks took up more space than originally anticipated.

 

We are very pleased with the quality of the equipment and partitions, though we were less than happy with the delivery of the partitions.  Those of you who have visited Parc Verger know the space we have built in to give plenty of manoeuvring room, but the delivery arrived at 7.30 pm when it was dark, and the driver would not bring his lorry up the drive.  In addition, he had no means of taking the pallet off of the lorry, so we ended up unpacking it on the lorry, and piling the partitions at the side of the road.  We were helped to get the pieces up the drive by our neighbours Andrée and Jean-Claude, but we were not happy people!

 

The next stage for us is the installation of the electrical hook-ups around the land being prepared for the extension to the site.  The ducting is in place, and we have arranged for the electricians to be here at the beginning of March, before which we have to cement nine hook-up points into the ground.  Oh well, it will give us the opportunity of working off all of the excess weight we will have put on over Christmas and the New Year.

 

We will need the additional pitches for sure in 2009, as in August we will be hosting a rally organized for those participating on the excellent website www.motorhomefun.com.  We have a number of bookings at other times in 2009, including one couple who we had the opportunity of getting to know this Autumn, and who will be with us for six months.  We are looking forward to seeing them again.

 

Now in the run-up to the New Year we are seeing those en route to Spain calling in for one or more nights, and it is pleasing that a number of these will also be calling in on the return journey.  It gives us the opportunity of meeting again some of those who make the journey annually, as well as those trying it for the first time.  We both see these as being happy occasions for us, as we enjoy the times with these visitors, many of whom are now numbered among our dear friends.

 

 

 

 In our last blog we included a photo of the chalet looking all smart - thought you might like to see some of the work going on to get it like that!

 

 

 

 

 …and here’s Di working on the woodwork.

 

 

 

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Onward ever onward

12/10/2008 by Bob and Di.

At last the main work on the sanitary facilities is finished!  The interior of the chalet has been tiled, toilets and showers have been installed (these including a section for those who are disabled), the Solar Panels on the roof are providing hot water, and, of course, there is now a washing machine and dryer for the use of all on site.  The exterior of the Chalet has been painted a gentle cream colour and it now looks like a new building; within the next few days the shutters will be painted a pale green to finish the transition.  We are now waiting for the partitions, which could not be ordered until all of the facilities had been installed, and until these are received and installed the use of the facility is for individuals only.

The land developed for the site extension is looking good, with the grass that we planted having taken well.  The whole site looks so different now and we will be writing to the various clubs to encourage them to hold rallies here.

 

                        

                 Extension land- early stages….during the work……and now lawned

 

 

The gardens have looked good too even though it has taken time to keep them in good shape.  The vegetable garden has really done well and we have been able to give some of our produce to neighbours and those staying with us - tomatoes, various types of beans, lettuces, radishes rhubarb etc.  We have been able to freeze much of our produce for the winter and we have planted sprouts, Broccoli and Cabbage for the winter.

 The vegetable garden is Di’s pride and joy, justifiably as it has produced large quantities of fruit and veg throughout the summer and autumn.

 

The weather has been kind during the summer and we have had a steady stream of visitors. As we reported earlier, the 15^th August was a bank holiday and everyone enjoyed being part of a Limousin Fete!  17 of those staying at Parc Verger attended the evening meal and the day ended with a Fireworks display and dancing until the early hours!

 

The third Sunday in October (19^th this year) is the “Cidre et Cochonaille” (Pork and Cider) day locally, when the village enjoys a fete day.  We have a number of bookings for this period and like last year we look forward to a lovely time.  We hope the day will be sunny, as in previous years.

 

Whilst Parc Verger is and always will be designed around the needs of those touring, we have been asked whether we can accept statics, and we have received confirmation from the Mairie that we can put statics on site.  There is an area of the extension land that we are considering for this purpose, so this is a possible development for the future.

 

We have also been asked what the weather is like here over the Christmas period.  The answer is that it cannot be guaranteed but when the sun shines here it is beautifully warm!  Last year we had a champagne reception for those on site on a sunny Christmas morning.  On New Years Day we met for a lunch of bacon butties with beer or wine, and sat outside until 4pm.  So if you fancy a quiet but different Christmas, why not come and share it with us?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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More steps forward

29/06/2008 by Bob and Di.

The work involved in the extension of Parc Verger is continuing – the land is now looking great, with a good covering of grass.  The pipes that will carry the electrical cables are in place and we are now letting the ground settle after all of the work, with the objective of opening the extension next Spring (2009).  We will then be able to host rallies for caravan and motorhome clubs as there is plenty of room for such meets.

 

In the meantime work continues on providing sanitary facilities in the old chalet on site.  Tiling will be underway this week (30^th June onwards), and the installation of the solar panels and hot water tank will follow immediately.    At this stage we are not 100% sure of when everything will be finished, but it will not be long now.  We’ll publish some photographs of both aspects of these works soon, so keep a look out for these.

 

We now have a bakers van calling every day (ex Weds and Sundays), and a butcher calling twice a week, all part of providing the best of service for our clients.  On this aspect, do not forget to try to get here for

 

Ø      15^th August – festival, with stalls through the village, a seven-course meal in the evening (only 15€) followed by fireworks and dancing

Ø      19^th October – Cidre et cochonaille (Cider and piglet) – with again plenty of stalls during the day, and this time a seven-course lunch!  Come and win the piglet, all you have to do is guess its weight!

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24/05/2008 by Bob and Di.

The regrading of the entrance to the drive has produced many positive comments from returning visitors, so we are pleased with this improvement to Parc Verger.

We have been very fortunate with weather here this year, until recently, when the local lakes and reservoirs are getting their Spring top-up! We were able to have a Champagne Reception at Christmas outside in the warm sunshine, and then BBQ bacon butties for those here on New Years Day, when we sat outside over a few glasses until around 4pm again in the warm sunshine. Then for two or three weeks in February we enjoyed more warm days, when we were all spending time outdoors in T-shirts and shorts, lulling us into a false sense that summer really is on its way!

Throughout the first three months of 2008 we have welcomed many visitors, and have had very few pitches available. During February we welcomed one couple with four wonderfully well-behaved dogs, three of which won accolades at the recent Crufts Show! In fact we have been full for several nights in March, and have already taken many bookings for the summer which we find very encouraging.

At the beginning of March, the contractors moved onto the additional piece of land in order to remove the tree stumps and the enormous amount of tree roots which had  been left after we cleared all the trees and bushes.

We now await the visit of a local farmer who will till the land, enabling us to put down fertilizer and plant grass seed, after which he will return to roll the land. When the grass has grown and the land settled we will be able to cater for additional visitors in the summer months (not necessarily this year, because the ground needs time to settle). Following completion of the work on this land we will turn back to the installation of sanitary facilities in the chalet which, when completed, will enable us to welcome ‘Tent’ campers as well as more Caravanners.

For those planning visits to this area we have added an “Events Calendar” to our “Things to do” page, and we recommend that you book early if you are considering joining us for some of these activities, especially for those involving meals. The August 15^th evening, with fireworks and dancing after the meal, is likely to be very popular, and having been full for it in 2007, we expect there to be a big demand again for the Cidre et Cochonaille (Pork and Cider) day, which is always on the third Sunday in October, this year the 19^th .

 

Wherever you may be travelling, go safely!

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29/01/2008 by Bob and Di.

So 2008 started with the usual good resolutions…we MUST get on and DO THINGS! And here’s proof that we have! Yes, the entrance to the drive to Parc Verger has been regraded to give a smoother transfer from the road to the drive.

Now we are moving on preparations for the sanitary facilities, which we plan to complete during the Spring. At the beginning of March we have booked the contractor who is to clear the additional land we have here of the old tree-stumps, after which a local farmer will till the land so that we can plant grass seed. Then it will be rolled and we’ll watch the grass grow, or so we hope.

We have been delighted to welcome so many guests during the winter months, and it is gratifying to see bookings for this summer increasing steadily. At present some of our visitors are seeking to purchase property in this area, and it is fascinating to share in their experiences. We can understand their desire to live in this beautiful part of France, after all, this is one of the reasons we live here!

Our greetings to you - we will post more news as time goes on and developments occur.

Bob and Di

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A Very Happy Christmas To You

23/12/2007 by Bob and Di.

It is wonderful to be able, at any time of year but especially at this Christmas season, to greet those whom we have met since launching the Parc Verger project, and others who have been watching our progress, and say how much we appreciate all of the support we have been given.

2007 has been a good year for us. We were able to open officially after the inspection by the sous-prefecture on 31^st January, and we have been delighted to welcome so many over the period since then who have come to see what Parc Verger is all about.

During the year we have continued the development of the site, and are now awaiting the start of the current project, re-grading the entrance of the site. This involves digging out the first five metres of the drive, and replacing it with concrete, but at a much lower gradient. Next to that a drain is being inserted, and the lower half of the drive will then be re-graded, which involves taking away some half-a-metre of earth at the deepest point.

Hot-foot after this comes the installation of sanitary facilities in the existing chalet, and here we are fortunate to have Mike Lockett on site, as he has had experience of such work before, and is very happy to be involved in this development.

Slightly later in the scheme of things is the clearance of the additional land adjacent to the site, where we plan to have pitches for caravans, tents and light motor-homes. It was too late in the year to grass this area, so we have delayed the land clearance until the beginning of March, with the idea that we can get grass seed sewn fairly soon after that. Whether this will be available for visitors in 2008 we do not know, but we live in hope.

If you have visited us already, then we look forward to your next visit, and hope that you will enjoy seeing the on-going development of Parc Verger in 2008. If you have not yet been here, then come and see us soon! This year there will be four RVs on site (including us) over Christmas - how about joining us next year? OK, it may not be as warm as it can be in Spain, but today is a perfect day, wall to wall sunshine from a blue sky, and even though it is winter the countryside is beautiful. One of our current guests said “I never thought I could fall in love with a place on a first visit, but I have here”. That’s how we felt about it when we arrived, and we’ve not lost that sheer pleasure in living here.

A very happy Christmas to you, and may your travelling in 2008 be enjoyable and safe.

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30/10/2007 by Bob and Di.

So the trek to the UK started with our run to Ouistreham, which was uncomplicated, thank goodness. The ferry crossing went without incident and, as usual, the Customs at Portsmouth wanted to come on board to check that we had no illegal immigrants – although really I suspect they just like to see the inside of these vehicles! Once clear of the port we made our way to Gloucester where the new roof was to be fitted. We were able to park up in one of the sheds there overnight in readiness for work to start on the Monday morning.

Whilst we were away from our home we enjoyed time at Somerford Keynes, near Cirecester (some visitors to Parc Verger will have met Brian and Sue with whom we stayed), London, where we visited the London Canal Museum, this being another of our keen interests, and Bristol, where we stayed with one of our daughters for the last few days, as we were hoping to pick Columbus up on the Friday, and had a ferry booked for the Saturday evening. Having spoken to the repairer on Thursday and been told that they were hoping to have the work finished on Friday arranged that daughter Julia would drive over from Chepstow that day to pick us up, have lunch, and then drive us to Gloucester. We agreed to ring the repairer lunchtime on Friday, but when we did so we learned that the work would not be completed until Monday, so James and Julia had unexpected guests for the weekend! This actually worked out well, as it was grand-daughter Sarah’s last weekend before going up to Southampton University. They were having a houseful of guests on the Sunday, so Di was able to help Julia with the preparation of the food, and a great time was had by us and all of the other guests.

On Monday afternoon we collected Columbus, and it was off down the motorway to do some shopping, which included a new mattress from Dreams. Frustratingly they could not dispose of the old one, so we travelled to France with both – not really a problem as we had a cabin on the overnight ferry to St Malo, and we were able to cart it off to the local dechetterie (where we can take almost anything we want to get rid of) as soon as we reached home.

Within a couple of days of getting home, however, Bob went down with a bug that laid him low, gave him a chesty cough, and almost inevitably, Di went down with it a few days later. Three weeks later it just about cleared up. Thank goodness that Mike and Carol who had looked after Parc Verger for us were still there to lend support! Brian and Sue, who preceded us back to Parc Verger also lent a hand to keep Parc Verger in superb condition, so we were able to suffer in the background without worrying!

Our activities at Parc Verger at present are concentrated on clearing the land for the extension. We took time out of that for the electricity upgrade – vital as we prepared for the Cider and Pork (Cidre et cochonaille) fete in our local village on the third Sunday in October, this year the 21^st, when the site was full, and this year 28 RVers shared in the day. Those fortunate enough to be present descended on the village, which was closed to traffic for the day to allow stalls and amusements to take over. The village bar was doing a roaring trade, with tables spread across half of the street, and chairs at a premium. OK, so there was plenty of space on walls or just leaning against the bar!

 

 

The mix of stalls ranged from typical car-boot stalls (vide grenier in France) to those of local farmers offering cheeses, wine, honey, meats and the like. Oh, and the cider-producing machine was working overtime to produce sufficient for those that thronged around, fascinated by the wonderful old system of production. RVers had been warned in advance that this was not cider to keep – drink it promptly and (if you had a taste for it) it was fine, but keeping it for any length of time could have explosive – and sticky – consequences.

The chief activity of the day though was the lunch prepared and served by ladies of the village to well over 200 diners. Not haute cuisine, maybe, but the courses just kept coming. Soup, cold meats, pie, gammon and beans – some diners already starting to wilt – on to cheese and salad, then apple tart, coffee, all accompanied by wine or water. Can you wonder why so many RVers were actually glad of the 1km walk back to Parc Verger? Everyone voted the day a success, and enjoyed the atmosphere of a rural village fete, though it was not long before the inevitable drift of people getting together for a beer or more wine under awnings started, and lasted into a clear blue evening. There was even a sense of relief among RVers present that the piglet (the cochonaille of the day’s title, and the subject of a guess the weight and length of tail competition) was not won by one of our number!

The following day everyone gathered for aperitifs on the lawn to finish the weekend on the right note, and enjoy a top-up to the indulgencies of the previous day. If you’ve never been to a French “répas” you should not lose the opportunity – judging by the reaction of those this year for whom it was a first, you would miss out on one of life’s worthwhile experiences!

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20/08/2007 by Bob and Di.

Some websites for RVers/motorhomers that we have found helpful/interesting are http://www.rvfulltiming.com

http://www.motorhomefun.com

The above are both free sites - the following site has a charge for membership

http://www.motorhomefacts.com

Saw a comment that gave us a good laugh on www.motorhomefun.com this morning - If at first you don’t succeed, skydiving is not for you!

We’ll inform you of other sites that may be of interest as we hear of them.

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