We actually only drove to the Presqu'île de Giens because the peninsula looked so cool on the map – and because Fred knew the conditions for kitesurfing were good there. We arrived in the evening at a tiny campsite that we did not really like. So the next day we moved and ended up at Camping Presque-Ile-de-Giens. And that was a hit: the pitches were arranged in terraces on a small slope, with lots of shady and fragrant trees. The big pitches for motorhomes were already all taken, but for our little Caddy there was still plenty of choice. We grabbed a double pitch – one plateau for the car, one for hanging out. Pine trees everywhere, the scent of resin and dry grass, and the chirping of crickets. It was just incredibly pleasant.
Then something crazy happened: We were sitting at our spot when two adults with two children came walking down the slope – right past us. They were university friends of Fred. Even though the campsite was quite large, we had randomly ended up at the same spot at the same time. So we arranged to meet at the beach: Fred and his friend went kitesurfing, and I spent a lovely time with his partner and the kids in the beach shelter. In the evening we visited them in their bungalow and got to stay for dinner. Delicious pasta with loooads of garlic from the weekly market around the corner.
We really liked the campsite, only the logistics were a bit adventurous. When you sleep in the car and everything is converted, you cannot just quickly drive off with the kite gear. So Fred cycled to the spot with the bike plus kite equipment. The peninsula itself is quite narrow: lots of roads, few pavements, and even for cycling you basically have to ride on the road. There was not much beach directly on the peninsula, more cliffs. But on the strip of land connecting the peninsula to the mainland there were long stretched-out beaches.
We also visited a weekly market on the peninsula, but that was not really our thing. Overall it felt a bit too crowded for our taste outside of the campsite. And after the weeks on the Atlantic we did notice that we prefer the ocean there over the Mediterranean. Still, they were really lovely days and the chance encounter is something we will always remember.
