Sunday 1st
September
We left home around
3.30pm to drive the 156 miles to Poole.
We had arranged to stop overnight at a pub, The Botany Bay Inne, that
was only about 20 minutes from Poole. It was a beautiful sunny day and not too
much traffic so we made good progress, stopping a couple of times for
toilets/LPG etc. The car park was quite
secluded and we found a little corner all to ourselves away from the road, then
went in to the pub for a drink and a packet of crisps. We settled down about
10.00pm having already made the bed up before we left home.
Monday 2nd
September
Both of us were awake by
5.00am even though we had set alarms for 5.45. It is very difficult to sleep
properly when you know you have to be up early for a ferry. After a lick and a promise we headed down to
the port and joined some other motorhomes who had obviously been there all
night. Check-in started at 6.30am and we were one of the first to join the
queue, then we sat and waited until nearly 8.00am to be shown on to the boat…we
need not have rushed about at all! The
crossing was flat calm in bright sunshine all the way and we had comfy
reclining seats, so dozed on and off.
We ate our sandwiches before we docked at 13.45 (French time) and were
on the road out of Cherbourg by 14.00.
We drove about 1 hour down the Cotentin peninsula to a camping cheque
campsite Kawan Le Cormoran at a small town on the coast called
Ravenoville-Plage. We were shown to a very nice pitch between hedges and got
ourselves sorted. Then we sat in the sun and relaxed. After a brief foray in to
the shop, armed with a bottle of wine and a French stick + a bar of chocolate,
we continued to sit outside with our dinner of chicken salad. All very civilized we think.
Tuesday 3rd
September
We did not wake up until 8.15am, it would
seem that the traveling and sun/wine had a beneficial effect. After breakfast and a few housekeeping
chores we set off for a walk along the sea wall, which runs in both directions
directly opposite the camp site entrance.
This is the start of the Utah Beach, part of the Normandy landings for
the Americans. We could see why it was
used, so flat and open and the sea goes out a very long way. There was loads of
seaweed, which apparently the French collect, not sure what for, and lots of
little birds having a good feed along the water’s edge. A very heavy sea mist
started to roll in after we had walked for an hour or so, so we turned around
and started back, inspecting all the houses along the way and deciding which
one we would like. The road was very
quiet but with quite a number of motorhomes passing us as well as trotting
horse and traps. Back at the site we
had a recce around, discovering a swimming pool, boules pitch, tennis court,
playground, static mobile homes, bikes for hire, cars to rent, pizzeria
(closed) and caravans/tents/motorhomes belonging to English, Danish, Dutch,
German, Belgians as well as French. It would appear to be a popular place and
we would imagine it heaving during the height of the season. In afternoon we just sat out in the sun
until showers and dinner time, then the mist came in again so we went inside to
plan where we are going to drive to tomorrow.
Wednesday 4th
Another sunny start to the day, thank
goodness, so we meandered through the countryside in to Sainte-Mere-Eglise only
a few miles down the road, to find the Airborne Museum. This is the American memorial to the
Normandy Landings, especially Utah and Omaha beaches. We found it with difficulty as silly Emily ( as we now know she
is called!) sent us down a road that was blocked off for roadworks just around
the corner from the museum. Luckily
there was a piece of rough ground for parking on, so we pulled up there and
walked the rest of the way. First off we went inside the church which was very
pretty both in and out. Naturally there were quite a lot of Americans around as
all the tour buses stop there. Then we crossed the square to investigate the
very modern looking museum. There was a complete Waco glider as well as lots of
memorabilia donated by French families, uniforms and medical kits, maps and
eating utensils. This was Brian’s choice day, bit I did find it quite
interesting reading all the anecdotes left by many of the soldiers. After some
lunch back at the van we set off for Villedieu-Les-Poeles, which literally
means God’sTown of frying pans! We arrived at the Aire, right by the river and
a play park, by about 4.00pm, so had a cuppa and then went for a wander to see
what we could find. We picked up a map & booklet in the Tourist Info in order
to ‘plan’ our day on Thursday.
Thursday 5th
Not a very good night…the church clock
opposite the car park struck every quarter hour as well as chiming the hour!
But the hands went round so fast they completed a day within 2 hours. It was
somewhat disturbing to see. We had
another English van alongside us, as well as a Belgian, German and a couple of
French.
We were sauntering up through the town by
10.00am, so went first to the copperworks which the town is renowned for.
Copper was first brought to the town and worked by the Maltese Knights, but
when they eventually left they had educated the local people who carry on the
tradition of hand-working copper utensils today. We had a guided tour which lasted about 45 minutes given by a
lady from Bedfordshire (so we were able to understand every word) which was
fascinating. One of the men had been working there for 46 years and retired,
but had come back to help out because they were busy. The pots and pans etc. on
display were magnificent, you can see why all the best kitchens use them for
cooking, but I liked the slipper bath best.
From there we explored
some little back streets until we found the bell foundry, which is only one of
two left in France. They make bells for
all over the world including repairing the ones in Paris’ Notre Dame cathedral.
The tour there was given to us by a little man who reminded me of a Hobbit so I
got a fit of the giggles every time he spoke.
By now it was lunchtime,
so we went back to the van, had a bite to eat and then set off for
Avranches, only 16 miles further on. We
had heard that it was a pretty little town with a lovely view from the Aire
there….this was true, but the Aire was full, so we consulted the map and
continued on to Mont-Saint-Michel via the coast road. It was all very
reminiscent of driving across Romney marsh to Camber Sands. We
found a rather nice campsite at Beauvoir, only 4 km from the Mont itself so
treated ourselves to a pitch with electricity and looked forward to a nice
shower. Dinner and an early bed was the order of the day then as we were quite
exhausted. We had driven a total of 30 miles!
At least it was it was a quieter night, although it rained on and off. We had ordered pain au chocolates for breakfast so had to get up to meet the baker at 8.30. I did a bit of washing and hung it up under the awning whilst Brian made the sandwiches so we were ready to don our walking feet again and yomp the canal path over to Mont-St-Michel itself. Half way along it started raining again so we got rather wet. We found the ‘navettes’ which are shuttle buses that run from the visitor center cum car park over to the island so decided to get on one for the rest of the way. We had not realised that there was small village at the base of the rock as well as the Abbey on the top so followed the crowds getting off the bus anyway. There were tiny cobbled streets full of souvenir shops and restaurants which was rather depressing, so we headed up a flight of steps which took us on to the next level of ramparts. This carried on around the island, every so often going up some more steps, past a few more shops and houses with beautiful courtyards. More steps and we came to the base of the Abbey, more steps up to the ticket office, then more steps up in to the main part of the Abbey. By now we were both wheezing like a pair of bellows and our knees were complaining at every step. We took our time looking around the Abbey which was originally built in 400AD and eventually arrived back out in the small gardens by about 1.30pm. Luckily by now the sun had come out and we found a seat, so collapsed for a while to recover and eat our sarnies. Then we had to start the trek back down, a different way but still just as steep and just as many steps and they were all uneven cobbledy things so we must have looked like a pair of invalids picking our way carefully down. Back at the base our wobbly legs took us in search of an important place – Les Toilettes! as we were both pretty desperate by now. France seems to be sadly lacking in facilities and the ones we do find leave a lot to be desired. Anyway, 50c got us watered and hand-washed so we were happy bunnies once more. We made our way to a navette to take us back to the car park and then had a sit in the sun for a while before making the 30 minute canal-side walk back to the campsite. What a day, not forgotten in a hurry. We collapsed in a heap in the van after making a cuppa, for about 2 hours, then had showers. Around 7.00pm we managed to totter a few hundred yards to a creperie for dinner, where we had a nice dinner with dessert and cidre all for 35euros for the 2 of us. Now it is chill-out time and catch up on the typing until it is time for bed.
Saturday 7th
We left around 10.00 am in sunshine again headed off for Cap Frehel and the Emerald Coast, stopping at Super U on the way for a couple of wine boxes and some Tuc crackers (they have completely different flavours in France which are really nice) We could not stop near the lighthouse as there was nowhere to park, but found an aire a bit further round the peninsula so parked up for an hour or so for a wander and some lunch. The view was spectacular and the sea so blue. It was a long way down to the beach and we did not feel up to doing steps again so soon, so only looked from afar. Further round the coast at Erquy we found an aire right on the sea front so pulled in there for overnight (6 euros) There was space for 40 motorhomes and the beach was enormous. We sat and watched people sand-yachting and kite-surfing for ages. By 6pm all the spaces were taken on the aire. We had driven 72 miles all told.
Sunday 8th
An easy 58 miles only today, further
round the coast via Paimpol to a small town called Treguier which is right on
the river. The aire here was free and we were first to arrive so had pick of
the space overlooking the river. After
a bite of lunch we went for a walk up a steep hill in to the town and moseyed
around the cathedral, old buildings and cobbled streets until it started to
rain, so we headed back. The tide was very far out with lots of mud showing,
and by now it was wet and windy, so we stayed inside for the rest of the
evening watching all the other vans arrive.
Monday 9th
A bit of a ‘no-can-do’ day today!. It was
still grey and mizzly when we got up, but walked up the steep hill again to the
shops for bread and milk…found it was closed on a Monday! So we drove out of town to find another
Super U again for a few bits. Then we
retraced our route back a few kilometres to Tredarzec to go to some Gardens…. but
they only open on Monday and Saturday afternoons! There was nothing else around
there to make it worth waiting until the afternoon for, so we gave that up and
settled for the scenic road around the Granite Rose coast to Perros-Guirrec and
Penmar’ch, again looking for somewhere to stop and walk the coastal footpath
for a while, but no such luck. It would appear that this area is not so
motorhome-friendly. The views however again were spectacular All the road signs are in 2 languages here,
French and Breton which is very Gaelic looking and sounding, so it is rather
like driving in Wales. We found a campsite at Lannion which took Camping
Cheques so booked in for a night and have now done some washing, had showers
and cooked 3 dinners with their electricity, so we are all set up again for a
few more Aire night-stops. 39 miles today.
Tuesday 10th
A bright sunny morning again,
luckily. We left about 10.30 and drove
further on round the coast through Lannion and Morlaix to find the Cairn de
Barnenez near to Plouzoc’h which we had read about in one of the guide
books. It is a megalithic monument
built in 4500BC containing tombs and has fairly recently been unearthed when a
company bought the land for quarrying. We arrived up a steep narrow incline at
12.10, only to find they close for lunch until 2.00pm. Once more we had got it
wrong! Anyway as it was such a lovely day we put walking shoes on and had a
stroll along the coastal path for some way watching the yachts on the brilliant
blue sea thinking ‘this is what travelling around France is all about’. Then back at the van for some lunch ready to
go and have a look when they opened up again.
It really was quite fascinating, what we would probably call a ‘tumuli’
before it was uncovered. A great big grassy mound with the tombs made of dry
stone walls underneath. Unfortunately
it was not safe to go inside to have a look.
On leaving the area we came across a lovely little campsite right by the
bay and pulled in the find out the price and decided we would stop here for the
night. It was nice enough to put our
chairs outside and sit in the sun with a drink and our Kindles for an hour or
so. Another plus is that they have wi-fi here for 1euro, so I have bought a
password and will go and sit outside reception after dinner and try to get all
this news on to our blog. We shall see
what happens.
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