NEARLY THE END OF THE TRIP

Weds 25th

We had a lazy day at Pontorson....went for a walk round the town and visited the market and bought a scarf and a baguette. Otherwise we sat in the sun and relaxed.

Thurs 26^th

It was very foggy first thing again but had cleared by the time we left. We drove a very pretty coastal route of 40 miles to the harbour town of Granville.  Apparently we could get a boat to Jersey or Guernsey from here, but only as foot passengers.  We had terrible trouble finding the aire as so many roads were one-way, narrow and cobbled and Emily did not like that.  We had lots of “re-calculating” episodes.  The aire was not very flat and was alongside an old city wall right up at the top of town at the point.  After lunch we had a look around the point and some gun emplacements, then down in to the town along the quayside.  It was very warm and muggy, and we didn’t feel like doing much so wandered back up the hill again to the van and a salad dinner.

Fri 27^th

A slightly longer journey today, 50 miles, still all along the coast road up the western side of the Cotentin Peninsula. Lots of the way reminded us very much of Romney Marsh or Camber Sands. We had a stop in the dunes for a wander around to see the rocks that were supposed to be just off the shore, but couldn’t see them for looking. Perhaps the sea has risen to cover them since the map was printed! We found a nice campsite just outside Barneville-Carteret at a little place called St. Jean-de-la-Riviere and intended to stay for 3 nights but unfortunately they close on Sunday, so we could only do 2. However it was a very nice all-singing, all-dancing site with very modernistic showers and toilets, all black marble looking with a swipe card to get in, and we made good use of all the facilities possible. In the afternoon we went exploring the area and found another site that was still open, so may try that one on Sunday. It is mainly walks along the front with no shops or arcades such as we would find in England but very nice all the same.

Sat 28^th

We had thunder and rain overnight, but it seemed a bit clearer after breakfast so we walked a couple of miles along the beach. Then it all started again. Luckily we had put our coats on, but we got soaked going back and the undies I had left out to dry were wetter than when I had put them there. We spent all afternoon drying off and then treated ourselves to a last galette in the restaurant. These are slightly heavier pancakes than we are used to, made with buckwheat flour, with any sort of filling you like such as ham, cheese, onions, mushrooms, eggs, etc. Very tasty washed down with local ‘cidre’.

Sun 29^th

We moved one mile down the road to the other campsite we had found, then spent most of the day cleaning the van and then ourselves.  A month’s worth of dirt on the van takes some shifting. We are sort of in wind-down mode now as it is almost the end of the trip.

Tomorrow we are headed just about 30 miles up to the Cap de la Hague and will stop on the aire at Audervile all being well. That is the northernmost point of the peninsula. Then is only 25 miles to the ferry at Cherbourg on Tuesday. We should have time to call at Leclerc and pick up some more wine to bring home as well as a few other bits we need, on the way as check-in is not until 5.00pm.

We will have driven approx. 1000 miles since arriving in France and I will work out a breakdown of costs once we get back home sometime next week  We have arranged to meet up with Sandra & Perri on Thursday evening and will make our way home from Dorset probably at the weekend.