France by Motorhome 2026
Day 7 of 8 – Storm Damage, a Riverside Stroll and Preparing for Home
Thursday, 16 July 2026
After the excitement of yesterday, I expected today to be much quieter.
Little did I know that another surprise was waiting for us.
A Stormy Night
I woke up early in the morning needing to visit the washroom. As I stepped outside the motorhome, I immediately realised something was terribly wrong.
During the night, heavy rain had been accompanied by strong winds and thunderstorms. While we all slept peacefully inside, the storm had been busy wreaking havoc outside.
Our awning had been caught by the wind.
One of the aluminium support arms had snapped completely, leaving one side collapsed onto the ground while the other hung awkwardly from the motorhome.
For a moment I simply stood there in disbelief.
Because everyone else was still asleep and there was little I could safely do in the darkness, I decided to leave it untouched and return to bed.
Sleep, however, never really came.
I kept thinking about the damage.
Motorhome awnings are expensive pieces of equipment and repairing or replacing one can easily cost hundreds of pounds.
Fortunately, we had taken out comprehensive insurance when hiring the motorhomes, which gave me some reassurance.
Before breakfast, with everyone’s help, we carefully lifted the damaged awning back into a temporary position to prevent any further damage.
It was a valuable lesson for all of us.
No matter how calm the weather appears, always secure a motorhome awning properly with storm straps or tie-downs before leaving it unattended overnight.
Sometimes a small oversight can become a very expensive mistake.
A Relaxed Morning
Despite the unexpected start to the day, nobody allowed it to spoil the holiday.
We decided once again to slow the pace.
While the children disappeared on their bicycles and explored the campsite, the adults spent some time cleaning both motorhomes after the night’s rain.
We also discovered a small leak around the television aerial.
Rainwater had found its way into a 240-volt electrical socket, tripping the electrical system. Thankfully no permanent damage had been caused, but it reminded us how quickly the weather can change when travelling by motorhome.
Back to the Swimming Pool
Later in the morning we returned to the swimming pool.
This time, however, I decided I would admire it rather than swim in it!
After yesterday’s dramatic rescue, I was quite happy to sit comfortably in a folding chair beside the pool with Shital, watching everyone else enjoy themselves.
Every now and then we looked at one another and laughed about yesterday’s excitement.
I had certainly provided plenty of entertainment for the campsite lifeguard.
Then, unbelievably, history almost repeated itself.
Bharti found herself struggling in exactly the same area of the pool where I had got into difficulty the previous day.
Fortunately, Nitin and the children were already nearby and quickly helped her back to safety.
Unlike me, Bharti is actually a confident swimmer.
Watching this unfold made me wonder whether the combination of the jacuzzi jets, the current from the lazy river and the sudden change in pool depth created an unexpectedly difficult section of the pool.
Perhaps it was simply bad luck.
Or perhaps the design really was more challenging than it first appeared.
Whatever the reason, I no longer felt quite so embarrassed about yesterday’s little adventure!
Exploring Ornans
Later in the afternoon we all climbed into one motorhome and drove the short distance into the centre of Ornans.
Often described as one of France’s most beautiful small towns, Ornans has a history stretching back almost 900 years and is famously known as the birthplace of the celebrated nineteenth-century painter Gustave Courbet, one of the pioneers of the Realist movement in French art.
The town is wonderfully picturesque.
Traditional stone buildings line the narrow streets, colourful flower boxes decorate the bridges, and the crystal-clear River Loue gently winds its way through the centre, giving Ornans its unmistakable charm.
Fortunately, we found a spacious public car park suitable for the motorhome, making it easy to spend a few relaxing hours exploring on foot.
The children wandered happily beside the river while the rest of us browsed the small independent shops and paused frequently to take photographs.
Every corner seemed to offer another postcard view.
Eventually we settled beside a roadside café overlooking the river.
Nitin and I rewarded ourselves with chilled beers while Shital and Bharti enjoyed glasses of local wine.
The children, content after another busy day, cooled down with soft drinks and bottled water.
For a while nobody seemed in any hurry to move.
It was one of those simple travel moments that often become the most memorable.
A Change of Dinner Plans
Returning to the motorhome, we searched online for an Indian restaurant.
We found one…
Only to discover it was almost 20 kilometres away.
After a long discussion, common sense prevailed.
Nobody really fancied another drive, so instead we found a welcoming local pizzeria nearby.
The decision turned out to be an excellent one.
The pizzas were freshly prepared, generously topped and absolutely delicious.
Sometimes the unplanned choices become the best ones.
Preparing for the Journey Home
Back at the campsite we still had one final challenge.
The damaged awning needed to be retracted.
Thankfully, with everyone lending a hand, we managed to wind it carefully back into its housing without causing any further damage.
That was a huge relief.
Knowing we faced a very long drive to Calais the following morning, we decided to prepare everything before going to bed.
The electric hook-up cables were disconnected and neatly coiled away.
The tables and chairs were folded and packed.
The bicycles were secured onto the bike racks, locked firmly into place and double-checked.
Gradually our comfortable outdoor home disappeared back into two tidy motorhomes, ready for another journey.
By the time everything was finished, everyone was feeling pleasantly tired.
We climbed into bed earlier than usual, knowing an early start awaited us.
Tomorrow would be our final day in France—a long drive back to Calais, the ferry home to England… and, for me, a rather special occasion.
I would be celebrating my 73rd birthday on the journey home, bringing to a close another unforgettable family motorhome adventure across France.
