Brian and Sarah, Stuart and Marilyn, Colin & Barbara and Tim and Pauline from Les Hiboux all went to the French National. Tim and Pauline went direct to Dunkirk and the other three cars met at Ferrybridge Services (on the M62) and travelled to Dover and via Speedferries to Boulogne - where we stopped overnight - and thence on to Armbouts Cappel, just outside Dunkirk, where we all met up. Travel to Boulogne was not easy! We were treated to a veritable deluge on the way to Dover; Marilyn’s car stopped on the M20 where Stuart found a wire had become detached on the ignition circuit and finally the rough crossing gave Colin & Barbara a most unpleasant time!

Arrival in Boulogne was easy and the hotel was only 2 minutes from the dock so 30 minutes later, recovered and hungry, we made for the ‘best fish restaurant in France’. It was closed! Next day, after an excellent breakfast we motored the 45 miles to Dunkirk and booked into the National Meeting and our hotel - it was still raining! After a snack lunch things got better. The clouds parted and the sun came out - good weather had arrived and stayed with us all the way from then until we got back to Yorkshire!

Tim and Pauline had better weather and a smooth crossing on their journey on the Thursday - their bad luck was of a different kind. Their ferry lost power - resulting in a cross channel journey 4 hours longer than planned!

So what of the National itself?

It appears that about 2,700 cars and vans attended the rally - mainly from France, Holland and England. The site was excellently organised with loads of “facilities”. Large numbers of trade stands, many food stalls and a vast beer tent for daytime refreshments and the evening entertainment. The experienced ones amongst us rated it better than some World Meetings they had attended!

See the photos for an impression of the event.