Dashaway to French Alps with VW Golf PHEV report

DFDS ferry Dover to Calais: That's us, the only caravan in with the cars.  Unlike typical caravan fridges, the Dashaway's 12 volt compressor fridge can be left on the whole time you're away. Easy.

Calais to Annecy is about 550 miles, so we had an over-night stop in a aire.  Evening meal and breakfast courtesy of the Dashaway's all-electric cooking system.

We camped at Doussard's "Camping International Du Lac Bleu", which is at the southern end of Lake Annecy. 

We asked for a sunny spot to test Dashaway's solar panels, so they put us in a most-of the-day shaded one...

The campsite is literally on the lake shore and is excellent for pretty much all water sports, inc. swimming.  A great day out and just a little over an hour's drive finds you on the passes over the Alps.

We took the Dashaway out for a day, up two Alpine passes: Cormet de Roselend and Col de Petite St. Bernard.  Look out for falling rocks!

We dined out in this wonderful glacial valley we came across on Cormet De Roselend.  Note the snow high up...

Peace and tranquility

"The hills are alive, with the sound of music", anyone?

Can you see us? Fully self sufficient Dashaway provided 230v for making a meal, and tea!

Going up the passes we climbed higher and higher, hairpin-bends galore and into the snow-line...

Avalanche!  

Petit St. Bernard pass with snow about 4 metres deep!

The pass opened just before our visit.

Petite St. Bernard summit: 2,188 metres, it's where France meets Italy. 

Loads of snow!  Only about 9 degrees here, 30 degrees down below. 

Cloud-covered mountains in the distance.

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We covered 146 miles that day towing the Dashaway up and down spectacular mountain passes and achieved a highly impressive figure of 39.8 mpg.  Coming down, the regenarative brakes of our Hybrid Golf put 12 miles of range back in - and that's for free!

Back at the campsite we took our e bike and circled the whole lake, approx 24 miles almost entirely on a dedicated cycle path, the French are good at that.   When Isla, our new Sheltie puppy needs a rest, or safety dictates, she is happy to hitch a ride!

The French, though, carry their pooches like this!

A little local joins us for a refreshment break!

Wish you were here?  Well you could be, carpe dium!

We're definitely in France!

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Campsite far left of (the little) lake Annecy.  Taken from Col De Forclaz, where they do the paragliding from.  Tandem flights are available, if you feel like jumping off a mountain!

We were at Doussard/Annecy for 6 nights, mostly in the shade until late afternoon.  Even so, the solar still "put in" enough charge for all our cooking apart from one rainy day, when we switched the battery charger on overnight only.   Because we used the on-board batteries and inverter, instead of campsite hook up, we were able to re-charge the Plug-in Hybrid Golf (PHEV), via the Dashaway.  This, is part of what makes the Dashaway so special and future-proof, and all GAS - FREE!

We left Annecy for Millau (circa 350 miles), to experience the world-famous Millau viaduct.

The Millau Viaduct, southern France. Simply spectacular.  There are seven towers in total, over 2.5km.  We went under it and over it.

We camped at "Camping Du Viaduct" in Millau , right on the river bank.  Charged the Golf PHEV via Dashaway, as usual.

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Millau viaduct is the tallest bridge in the world (as at 2018).  At 336 metres (1,104 ft) that's even taller than the Eiffel tower!  It forms part of the A75/A71 autoroute.  It is a multiple-span, cable stayed viaduct.  We crossed as class 1 (ie a car) for just over 8 euros.  The Dashaway, as per all other tolls we encountered, went for free!  A "normal" caravan would be class 2 @ about 12 euros.  

Isla doesn't seem that interested in the viaduct, typical youngster! 

France, in general, is very dog friendly.  Isla was encouraged by the friendly viaduct exhibition staff to take a look inside the exhibition area, so we did. 

Inside the smart exhibition area

Parking in Millau.  Perfect example of what you can do with Dashaway that you couldn't with a "normal" caravan.  We could park here in the narrow off-street parking bays as Dashaway is no wider than the car. 

We left Millau for Rocomodour.  Camped for just 12 euros/night without electric hook up. 

Rocomodour:  medieval city.