Tour de Normand

Today was our last day in France and it rained. All. Day. The closer we get to the UK, the worse the weather's getting.  So today I have mostly seen the inside of the van. And motorways.   Our final campsite is nice, and in nicer weather it's probably lovely. There's a little cafe on site so we popped in for a coffee and ended up having food there, too. Why cook on your last night away, eh? It the biggest meal I've had in about two weeks and I'm feeling it! I may need a pre-bedtime nap... No photos from today, as we haven't been anywhere.  So here are some of my favourites from the last two weeks So many beautiful buildings - I can't remember the names of them all I had to get a flower in there somewhere!  Flower border at the Château de l'Hermine  A beer in Bayeux

Back on the bikes this morning. A big loop around the outskirts of Chartres,  then a snack and a coffee on the way back. It's got the point where I need a daily coffee fix now!  This evening we went "out out" in Chartres; it's been our first night out this whole trip. Campsites in France are usually quite out of the way. If you're lucky some will have a bistro on site, but most of them aren't really within walking distance of anything.   After a quick beer at Chez Olive we had a little wander and came across a Mexican style restaurant. "Not French?" I hear you ask. Non. Mostly because Lee's not actually a fan of most French food (mussels, fish, veal, "stinky" cheese). He will eat steak frites but that's quite a touristy dish, so a lot of places don't offer it.  So, Mexican it was. The French aren't  keen on very spicy food, so this could have been disappointing, but it wasn't. Homemade nachos to s...

Question : how many people does it take to get a stuck motorhome off a muddy pitch?  Answer : three Welsh, two Germans and a French man.  Yes, we got stuck in the mud today. We arrived at Chartres campsite but Lee didn't think our electricity lead would reach the unit, so he drove onto another pitch. Then changed his mind, but when he tried to reverse off the pitch Beti, and the mud, had other ideas.  There was a German couple pitching up next to us, so the husband,  Manfred, came to try to help me push the van. No joy, so Lee found some branches to put under the wheels to try to get some traction. Manfred looked very skeptical about this idea, but we gave it a go, with no luck.  Enter a French chap who had just arrived, who found some wire sheeting (probably for the very purpose of getting stuck vans off pitches), and at the same time another lady (who was washing her dishes) said she had some grip mats.  The next thing you know we had an international tea...

The rain arrived overnight and continued non-stop until about 10:30am. I don't mind a rainy day occasionally as it forces you to relax even more. We've done something every day, so far, to make the most of our time here, so today we had a lie-in and a leisurely breakfast.   When the rain let up we walked into the local village. There's a bakery,  hairdresser,  pharmacy/medical centre, small supermarket, and a shop that covers everything else - it's a bar/bistro/newsagents/post office and betting shop all rolled into one. We stopped for a coffee, which was half the price of what we've paid elsewhere. I could definitely live here. Close to the city, but feels quite rural.  The sun has been out for most of the afternoon, so we popped up to the bar for a coffee. The owners are lovely and super helpful.  The nice thing about staying closer to home is that you see things you wouldn't normally notice. Today I realised there's a starling nest in one of the trees on...

A late one tonight, folks, as we went to the campsite bar earlier, so everything got pushed back a bit.  The rain didn't materialise today, so we cycled into Angers. Lee had marked a few "points of interest" on his route, mostly churches (churches are to France what castles are to Wales) before we ended up at Château d'Angers.  Yes, another castle. In France "château" is used for anything grand, so it could be a genuinely old castle,  or a posh house from the 18th century. However, Château d'Angers is an actual old one, dating from the 12th century.  So, buckle up for some historical info.... Château d'Angers  The Château was the seat of the Plantaganet family; a royal house which originated from the lands of Anjou in France. The family held the English throne from 1154 to 1485, when Richard III died in battle.  Queen Elizabeth I was related to the Plantagenets. Her father, Henry VIII, was the son of Elizabeth of York, daughter of Edward ...

Two hours east of Vannes saw us arriving at Angers, in the Pays de la Loire region (where they make most of the wine).  Pays de la Loire (in red)  The Campsite du Port Caroline is our home for a couple of nights. It's a lovely campsite; a bit smaller than the last two, but it's got a pool and a bar, so we're happy! It also had a pop up food truck this evening, serving crèpes and galettes (savoury pancakes), so we both had a Nutella pancake for dessert 😊 We arrived just after midday, but they hadn't quite closed the reception, so they booked us in. If we'd been any later we would've been waiting until 2:30pm (mustn't mess with the French lunch break!). After a snack and a bit of research from Lee, we headed out on the bikes for a ride around the local area. Lee uses an app called Komoot and it's great for finding local rides, wherever you are. You can choose what level of ride you want (easy, intermediate, etc.), and how long you want to be o...

This morning was a bit wet, so we were back on the public transport system, to Vannes. But first, it was time for some laundry. Finding room to dry everything is challenging, to say the least!  Our makeshift washing line under the awning (yes, those are our pants!) If you can tie a line there, I'll hang washing there! Saturday is market day in most French towns and the centre of Vannes was packed with market stalls, selling everything from fruit and veg, to clothes and rugs. Think Ponty market on steroids. It was packed, too; the French love fresh produce.  There was a huge indoor fish market selling lobster, crab, oysters and squid, as well as "normal" fish, and a separate indoor food hall. I loved it all, but I think Lee was worried I'd come away with some fish or "stinky French cheese" for him. Market stalls were everywhere   A few people had told me that Vannes is lovely, and they were right. Old and beauti...

Today we said goodbye to Saint Malo and travel down to Vannes. We had a little stop at Dinan on the way.  Brittany is full of these lovely little  medieval towns so there's alwys something to see.  These days, Paris is the capital of France and its government,  but in medieval times Brittany was the place to be. Dinan is mentioned in the Bayeux tapestry, and this area was the main seat of power for the Norman dukes (like William the Conqueror). Dinan is very picturesque,  with narrow streets which aren't fun to drive along!  A few of today's sights included the Basilica of Saint-Sauveur; the oldest parts date from 12th century.  Basilica of Saint-Sauveur The Tour de l'horloge (Clock Tower) was built at the end of the 15th century, at the request of the nobles of Dinan, and was fitted with a bell in 1507. At 43 meters high, the Clock Tower offers a 360° panorama over the city and has of one of the oldest clock mechanisms in Europ...

A quieter day, today, as the forecast wasn't great and we had some heavy showers first thing. So, we decided to get the bus to Saint Malo and have a proper walk around. We didn't want to leave the bikes locked up for too long yesterday, so we didn't have to worry about that today.  Fact: French buses are better than buses at home. They turn up, on time, with friendly drivers, are clean and spacious, have electronic screens that you just tap your ticket onto and they're comfortable. And cheap; it cost just €3 each for a return ticket. After a couple of hours in Saint Malo (once you've seen one crèperie, you've seen them all) we headed back on the bus.  One power nap later and we popped down to the bar for a cider and an ice cream, before heading back to Beti for steak and chips.  We're off to Vannes tomorrow,  stopping at Dinan on the way. It's supposed to be a beautiful town, with a castle (naturally) and lots of examples of media...

So, thanks to Blogger shutting down on me, this is attempt No.2 at today's blog.  Today we cycled to Saint Malo, through some lovely French countryside and pretty villages.  Saint Malo was apparently named after a Welsh monk, Maclou, or Malo, who came to Brittany in the 6th century. During the 1600s and 1700s it was a stronghold for privateers (pirates who were supported by the King); among other things their job was to see off enemy ships.  The "original" Saint Malo is set inside some impressive walls and is known as the "intramuros" (within the walls). It's just how you would imagine an old walled city - a maze of narrow, cobbled streets filled with beautiful buildings, cafes and lovely shops. You can also walk along the walls and the views around the bay are stunning.  After a pitstop of coffee and a crèpe (Nutella) we headed out of the intramuros, along the beach front and back to the campsite.   The intramuros View from the ramp...