The end
Thursday 14th Bastille Day! Very strange, the last couple of years we have had fireworks on the night before Bastille Day but this time nothing, not a sausage. Anyway we found the little town of St Pair sur mer so nice we decided to nip back there, also it was market day which we always enjoy. After lunch it was so sunny we headed for the beach which was fairly empty and as with all the beaches around here the tide was a long way out so after a stroll we determined to return when it was a bit further in, around 4pm. Actually it was 4.30 when we got back and finally we actually paddled for the first time in France this year! The water was quite warm and if we had had the sense to bring our costumes we would have actually had a swim. All we managed was to get our shorts a bit wet and sunbathed for a while until they dried. At long last a proper day on the beach, well about 3 hours all together. As we planned our next couple of days, stupidly expecting the weather to settle, we finally heard lots of fireworks go off and they continued until way past midnight.
Friday 15th started with rain and very grey skies so we headed back to the nice little aire at Erquy. Apart from its proximity to the sea we thought it was a lovely little town and I hoped the weather would be nice in the evening so I could take Joan to the restaurant we had visited with the bus driver. It really looked like it would be very pleasant in the evening and according to the bus driver, the food was excellent. Fat chance, it absolutely poured down, with winds so fierce we were rocked to sleep! On our arrival though we were lucky to get the very last space, the place was full and it was only 12.30pm. One nice thing that happened was we met a lovely family from Northern Ireland, William, Hazel and daughter Leslie. They had a bit of trouble with their fridge so we were able to put their fresh milk in ours until the next day.
I am pretty sure I mentioned that it was virtually impossible to get a front row pitch overlooking the sea here previously, as people tended to let their mates know when they were leaving. To be honest we were quite happy with the view from our pitch but imagine our surprise when we suddenly had the chance to move to the front, so we took it like a shot. Of course we now had a great view of the storm clouds rolling in and could easily judge the amount of rain falling by how far we could see. We did however get to see the tide fully in and in fact on the Saturday evening we were convinced the reason they had let us park in the front was because they had heard the sea was going to come right over the wall! It was so blustery it did come all the way in to the sea wall driven by the strong winds. Instead of a trip out for a nice dinner Joan settled for a roti chicken from the market, and veggies.
As the weather was so bad we decided to go back into Normandy and headed for Le Mont St Michel where we knew the aire offered electricity in the fee. While we were there it got even colder and I tentatively said shall we go south? No I don’t think so said Joan. Then Andy phoned and said why don’t you go south? Next morning with no improvement in the weather Joan suddenly announced I think we should head further south, I have planned a route via an aire where we would get electricity so we could charge everything up, maybe watch a video and you could complete another bit of the blog.
Sadly the blog does seem a bit downbeat but I assure everybody we are actually having a good time but would like it to be a wee bit (a lot) warmer. So hopefully at St Gilles Croix de Ville, our next stop we will be a bit warmer and.......no sorry that was just wishful thinking.
Lots of love Bryan & Joan xxxxx
Monday 18th July
Well here we are about 90 miles south at a lovely little aire at Nozay. The place is great with free electricity and very clean toilets; in fact the smell of bleach nearly knocked me out! It is a sort of park with a lake, and loads of picnic tables all spotless, crazy golf in season and over a bit there are swings and a skate park. Joan was a little concerned that at night it might get a bit rowdy with teenagers congregating but it didn’t. When we arrived it was definitely warmer and we went for a stroll around the lake. It was so nice to just enjoy the warm sun and the park. While we did this Joan was busy supplying all the local midges with some blood and later she discovered several bites, oh dear. After A very pleasant afternoon I was just about to get the table out for dinner when it started to rain, so we ate inside and then enjoyed a DVD.
Next morning we headed for St.Gilles-croix-de-vie a place we know quite well and have visited several times. It’s a nice little town and was really as far south as we could realistically go before heading back north. After settling in we went straight to town and enjoyed an ice-cream in very blustery winds but at least the sun was shining. Sadly not for long and the weather just went from bad to worse. The only high spots were we met two English couples Angela and Tom from Plymouth and later Yvonne and Harry from Stanley only a stone’s throw from Gateshead! They were all lovely people and it made us feel a bit guilty for complaining because we have had really hot weather earlier in Belgium and Paris and they only have their fortnight’s holiday to get some sun. Still they are both heading further south tomorrow so let’s hope it improves for them.
Wednesday 20th
Right that’s it, we have finally given up on the weather improving and have planned a route slowly back up to our rendezvous with the children, Andy & Carole, most with electricity. I am so exasperated that we cannot get this stupid computer to connect to the various free wi-fi spots we see. We did manage to get on at a Le Clerque supermarket so hopefully I will manage it again soon.
Now we are sitting on an aire at a place called L’epine on the Noirmoutier-en-I’lle and it’s still raining!!! However we did manage to stroll along to the beach and take a couple of photos so at least this bit of the blog will have pictures.
This evening is a very sad one for us, we do not usually watch any DVD’s on holiday we just stroll or sit outside and sip wine while chatting. But as my continuous bleating will have shown, it’s all we have to do at night, that and reading our kindles, thank god we have them! Anyway I said sad occasion, why I hear you ask. Well it’s the last episode of “West Wing” tonight, probably only Stephen & Reena will understand what we are on about as they gave the series to me, but it’s been great to watch and we feel we know all the characters personally. Oh well all good things etc.
Well would you believe it we didn’t watch it after all. Why? Well we met a very nice family from Northern Ireland and spent a very enjoyable evening chatting and drinking an excellent box of Cote de Rhone, well most of it, in our van. They certainly are a very talented lot, the little boy Ben has just passed his grade 2 violin and he’s only 9! He also plays traditional Irish music and has already made a couple of CD’s with his band.
Steve the dad is a librarian and published poet and is at present working on his first novel. Finally Marie-Therese the very pretty mam is a school teacher and plays several musical instruments; she teaches music and is also an artist who has had a couple of exhibitions. So you would think their world was perfect wouldn’t you but sadly Marie-Therese has a very serious back problem which seems to be getting worse and the medics cannot give her any hope of a cure at present. They have the most delightful vintage van that they managed to get at a very reasonable price on ebay, amazing!
Thursday 21st July
As we said goodbye to our new friends we recommended St Pair-sur-mer, it would be ideal for young Ben as it is right next to the swings and a small skate park plus they said he wanted to swim and the beach is very good. After they left we headed for Noirmoutier for a wander around the shops intending to return to the aire, hoping it would be nice enough to visit the beach. Sadly the weather wasn’t good and so we decided to have lunch in a restaurant and found a really lively place full of locals. Joan had her first Moules which she said were very good. Then as the weather did not appear to be improving at all we decided to head slowly back up to our meeting with the children. Heading first to Nozay where we had electricity last time only to discover it wasn’t working! The big joke was all these French chaps had been trying it and getting quite incensed about it with lots of waving arms and complaining loudly. When the chap called to collect our money they were just paying their money quite tamely when Joan asked about it! After a slight attempt to correct it he said, oh well, stay free then went around giving them their money back! Around about 5pm the weather became really nice and we dared to hope tomorrow would be nice.
Friday 22nd July
We headed for St Pair-sur-Mer and the weather really did seem to be suddenly remembering it was July not November! As we approached the motorway turn off we passed the vintage van going the other way but we weren’t sure if it was them although I said to Joan there cannot be two vans like that in Normandy. Having got a really prime spot at St Pair we went for a few hours on the beach then as we got back to the van I noticed their van opposite and shortly afterwards they came back. They had taken our tip and they really liked it there. As we had said, Ben was having a whale of a time and he and a couple of French lads were playing quite happily. That evening Marie-Therese and Steve invited us over and we again enjoyed several jars together.
When we arrived we had noticed that the field next door was all marked out for some sort of event and also there seemed to be lots of painted numbers on the aire. Saturday mid morning a gendarme knocked and we thought oops! But he was a very friendly smiley chap and he just told us we must leave by evening as there was a huge car boot/antique sale that happens only twice a year. I of course being a law abiding citizen said, right away. No! No! He cried, only after lunch!!!
For those who don’t know, lunch is sort of sacred over here they even allow free parking in towns from 12.30 to 2.30pm so people can stop for lunch. I still remember the look of horror on a couples faces last year when having parked we enquired where we pay, non, non it is dejeuner they said in unison. So for the second time, having got a really super spot we had to move on. Which was a shame because Joan’s bargain shopping antenna were beginning to quiver.
Having all said goodbye again we headed for Gouville-sur-mare (plage) an aire which we were informed was by the sea and we could get water and electricity for 4€ a night. We were delighted to discover that it was indeed almost on the beach and had really clean toilets close by. The only problem was I have managed to lose our little yellow thing that attaches the hose to any tap , plus you get an hour’s electricity as you pay so you have to be very near to stretch your wire across while others want to use the other facilities, nightmare. We spent the next 4 days and nights here and it was great, the weather was really good and we actually got into the sea. Yes I did say the sea!!!
There should be a picture of me swimming here but it's escaped!
Wednesday 27th
Awoke to grey skies and so she who must be obeyed declared it was time to go where we could get all night electricity and charge everything up ready for our last couple of stops before Fermenville. The place in question is Lessay which is only about 10 miles up the road so no rush. When we arrived it looked as though we had been misinformed as there didn’t seem to be any water or electricity points anywhere to be seen. They were there though and a friendly Frenchman pointed it out to me, having plugged in we set off to explore the town and discovered the most delightful little park with two little bridges and lots of lovely flowers.
Photo of us on bridge
Spent a pleasant time walking around the village and Abbey and next day set off for an aire at a place called Sciotot where we were delighted to find ourselves overlooking the sea and a beautiful beach. It was so nice we had to have another swim and spent most of the afternoon on the beach. It is a very flat beach and we did not realise how far the tide came in. Suddenly Joan said, we need to move that’s coming all the way up here, and she was right! As we left the beach lots of others were streaming off or climbing onto the rocks.
Friday 29th July
After a very pleasant night we set off to our final destination at the campsite in Fermanville to await the arrival of the Oxfordshire Crick’s.
Can you believe it we are on line at last and so I will get to post this blog finally!!!
Lots of love from us in the lovely sunshine on the Cherbourg peninsular.
XXXXXXXXXX
1 comment:
Entertaining as ever but you might have broken it down into a couple of 'chapters'.
Devastated that you consider the West Wing more significant than the delights of EUrope but that's life. I speak as a proud Little Englander, though of the Europhile variety...
Finally we are the Oxfordshire Cricks. Please, in the name of Jesus and all his apostles, NEVER, EVER use an apostrophe again until Gateshead Metropolitan Council has sent you on an approved government 'Use of Apostrophes' course.
And don't forget to chill my Pelforth for Sunday!
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