It's late afternoon, and the summer sun is starting to set. Our Wicked camper is parked in the middle of a lush green apple orchard. On the fold- out table in front of us is some incredible local cheese and a bottle of the orchard's alcoholic cider. It's hard not to smile when life is this good.

Our exact location is a bit of a mystery. A few hours after driving off the ferry from Dover, we're happily lost somewhere in the French countryside. Having the freedom to drive where we want, when we want, already feels like the best way to travel.

Somewhere just outside the picture postcard town of Bayeaux we spot a small camping sign. I'm not sure if it's the rolling green pastures, the fat cows, or the medieval buildings, but something is calling us.

Turning into the driveway we're greeted by a shiny black Labrador who is wagging his tail excitedly. Just a few minutes later, he's back with his owner… a young French farmer. Instantly the pair make us feel welcome.

For 8 euros we have access to hot showers, clean toilets and a great camping location. What's even better is that we are the only ones here… the entire farm is ours. What a way to start a road trip!

Our host is completely disinterested in taking our money, instead he just wants us to try every variety of his homemade cider. Without spending a cent, we're treated to eight full glasses from his cellar.

After sleeping off the cider, and consulting our maps, we realise that we are only a few kilometres from Normandy's D-day beaches. Some of the most famous battles of World War II took place on this coastline. If you've ever seen Saving Private Ryan, you'll probably remember the bloody opening scene. It was based on the landings at Omaha beach.

Along the coast, there are a number of German artillery bunkers. The most famous, Pointe De Hoc, looks like the surface of the moon. There are huge craters littering the area. They are so big, it's hard for us to climb in and out of them.

The beaches themselves feel sacred. It's incredible to stand barefoot on the sand and imagine the battle that played out there more than 60 years ago.

By far the place that is the most emotional is the American war cemetery that overlooks the ocean. Thousands of perfectly aligned white crosses stretch as far as the eye can see. In one corner we stumble upon a pair of headstones standing side by side. They belong to two brothers, who died in battle… just a day apart.

The entire area of Normandy is impressive, even if you are not a war buff. And it would be almost impossible to see without the van. Tours are expensive and often skip some of the most important sights.

WICKED TIP… If you don't want to pay for a camp site there are plenty of parking spots near the beaches. Right across the road from the Omaha beach memorial is an open car park. It's a perfect place to park the van and watch the sunset.