After the frustration, stress and uncertainty of Part 1, we’re finally one step closer to getting our motorhome back on the road.
With our original campsite fully booked, we had no choice but to move closer to the garage that would eventually carry out the repair. During this time, we stayed at two lovely campsites on the outskirts of Grasse: Camping Parc des Monges, a charming family-run site, and Camping Les Mimosas in Pégomas, beautiful little town.
While Fiat Assist failed to provide the support we needed, two people stepped in and made a huge difference.
Mark from The English Mechanics was an absolute lifesaver. Not only did he speak the language, but he also found us a French mechanic who could carry out the repair and helped coordinate everything on our behalf. We honestly don’t know what we would have done without his help.
A huge thank you also goes to Vinny, Parts Manager at Lowdhams, who worked hard to source the correct replacement coil spring and arrange for it to be shipped to France quickly so the repair could go ahead as soon as possible.
To top it all off, Lowdhams agreed to support us financially with a capped contribution towards the repair costs after Fiat Assist let us down, which was a massive help and something we’re incredibly grateful for.
In this vlog, we share the next chapter of our breakdown story, the campsites we stayed at while waiting for repairs, and finally getting the motorhome fixed so we could continue our European adventure.
A massive thank you to Mark at The English Mechanics, Vinny and the team at Lowdhams for helping us through what could have been a much more difficult situation.
Have you ever experienced a breakdown abroad? Let us know your story in the comments below.
#MotorhomeLife #FiatDucato #MotorhomeTravel #France #VanLifeEurope #MotorhomeBreakdown #TheEnglishMechanics #Lowdhams #Grasse #Pegomas #CampingLife #FullTimeTravel
Love
The Moores x
A Little About Us….
After taking early retirement to fulfil our lifelong dream of travelling full-time in a motorhome, we began our van life journey in the UK in July 2025, before heading through France and Spain.
Sadly, our adventure was cut short when we had to return to the UK in October 2025 after our beloved cockapoo Rolo became seriously unwell. We were heartbroken to say goodbye and let him cross the rainbow bridge 🌈🐾. Our original plan to continue on to Morocco was placed on hold as we focused on healing and honouring his memory.
We love to explore, enjoy cycling, running and just generally embrace the great outdoors.
Our 2026 travel plans…..
We’re now planning our return to the road in 2026, starting with:
✔ UK travels – done for now
✔ South & South Eastern France – current
✔ The Italian Lakes
✔ Making full use of our 90-day Schengen allowance
This is only the beginning and we’ll be sharing every step as our plans evolve. If you have must-see places, hidden gems, or van life tips, we would absolutely love to hear them in the comments!
Meet Our New Van Life Puppy…. 🐶
We also welcome a new little member to our family, Roger, our now 7 month old Golden Doodle puppy! He’ll be growing up as a true van lifer, and we can’t wait to share his adventures with you too.
✨ Follow our real, honest van life journey, the highs, the challenges, the laughs, and the lessons. Learn from our mistakes, celebrate our wins, and travel with us as we chase freedom on four wheels.
🙏 Thank you so much for supporting our journey, it truly means the world to us. Please like, subscribe, and comment to join our van life family!
#vanlifelife #motorhomelife #vanlifeuk #fulltimetravel #goldendoodle #vanlifewithdogs #roadtrip2026 #lifeonwheels #travelcouple #earlyretirement
#travelvlog #motorhomelife #vanlifewithdogs #francetravel #travelcouple #motorhomevlog #earlyretirement #ukmotorhometravel #fontainedevaucluse
6 Comments
Great , so pleased your getting sorted , that’s put smiles on your faces , looking forward to see your next travel xx
Love your videos, especially the lovely Roger! We had to laugh when Wayne said " we've just ed us baguettes n am" although we live in Devon we originate from your neck of the woods so it was lovely to hear!
I was told by an employee at a UK Fiat Professional garage aka as a circus that they should exaggerate lead / wait times to help discourage the considerable Ducato warranty claims mounting up😏😢
So pleased it’s finally fixed. Now you can enjoy the rest of your adventures.
Great sites you are staying at 👍
Good to see it's sorted.
If you are heading to northern Spain. Look at this place. Just south of Pamplona.
Cabezo de las Cortinillas and Castile Tierra in the Bardenas Reales de Navarra region. The landscape and geography is amazing.
Should have gone to Menton while you were down there