Cap Blanc-Nez, La Manche and Blighty

Our time in France has come to an end! What an enjoyable and wonderful time it has been. In the beginning we spent a great week with Brigitte and Dirk, four or five weeks in Burgundy, another few weeks in the Loire and Le Perche and our last weekend with James.  Now we are ready for our next few weeks in Blighty. 

The day we started at Cap Gris-Nez where the English weather was starting to drift our way. We left at a reasonable hour and drove onto Cap Blanc-Nez where there was another walking track and lookout. Blanc-Nez is at the other end of the bay from Griz-Nez but  an outstanding viewing area across La Manche. The weather was starting to close in on us which took some shine off the spectacular views across the Channel. 

View from Blanc-Nez to Griz-Nez. The 

The view to the village. 

Viewing platforms were formerly part of the Atlantic wall in WWII

We left Blanc-Nez to do our last shop in Calais before heading back to the UK. The tonnage increased dramatically after filling the bowels of the van with what the French are famous for - and the colour is red!

Street art! One of the tunnel machines used on the Channel tunnel project. 

Later in the afternoon we headed to the ferry terminal to chance our arm at getting on an earlier ferry than we had booked - and we were in luck with being placed on an earlier ferry. 

Razor wire as part of the ferry terminal security at Calais. 

It was very noticeable as to the police presence outside the terminal - every road we looked down there were vans of police keeping non-passengers away from the terminals. There was even a large illuminated sign for motorists to slow down and be aware of "objects" on the road - this was after a truckie was killed running into a log on the road, a means of stopping the traffic so people can jump on board, hide and get to the UK. 

We were also greeted by a young soldier with his automatic rifle and asked if he could look in the van. Security is very tight!

We had time to eat dinner before boarding about 20 minutes late with our departure being delayed by 30 minutes - away at 7.20. pm. 

Holiday crowd waiting for the ferry. 

Loading the big boys!

We arrived in Dover at about 8.20 pm UK time, whilst receiving a welcomed back call from our lovely daughter, Madeleine   We drove on to Chipstead, near Sevenoaks, for our overnight stop. 

Cap Gris-Nez - again!

Our final night in France! 

We had planned to spend it at Cap Gris-Nez - where we spent our first night this trip. On the way we came across a 50 m height column and statue, "The Column of the Grande Armée", with Napoleon atop, to commemorate the assembling of the army at Boulogne in 1798 within sight of England which he wished to invade. It was also here that the Grande Armèe reassembled in 1804 before campaigns in the rest of Europe. 

We arrived at Cap Gris-Nez in mid-afternoon and were astounded as to the numbers of people here at the lighthouse viewing point and also further along at the very small beach. A very popular place for French holiday makers. 

Today has been spent doing domestic chores; the laverie (laundromat), clean van, shopping etc. Not sure where the time has gone but we have reached the end of the day without much down time! 

We started the day in Montreuil after a very restful  sleep! We had a leisurely breakfast before getting on with the day. The visit to the laverie was our first task, now being experts in French laverie we navigated the process with ease. Some of the signage in the laundromat was quite amusing. 

We later drove on to St Martin- Boulogne where we had lunch and went shopping at the very large Auchan supermarket. You can very easily get lost in these stores!  It is both a good place to shop and a bad place. The number of choices you have on a product line is incredible, but it also causes problems trying to find a particular product amongst the multitude of varieties. 

Shopping done we left for Gris-Nez. At the beach area of Gris-Nez we found a French film set had closed off much of the area for parking. It was amusing to see the film crew in action. Trying to get a scene shot that has noise from the road above their set, children shouting from the house up the hill, and when they thought they had it all quiet a group of motorised paragliders cycled above the set!  We found a spot to park and spent the night. 

Film set struggling to get the scene completed. 

Dieppe and Montreuil

I suppose the day started last night after midnight when we dropped James and co off at their hotel. When asking the nightdesk if we could park up in the hotel carpark and the answer coming back as a yes - we thought that was better than driving back to the aire where we had plnned to stay. So an overnight at a quiet hotel carpark! 

All quiet this morning when we woke - except for the seagulls perching on our roof and a certain member of the party believing that we were experiencing a break-in! Shoo birds, shoo! 

We drove back into Dieppe centre, parked-up by the waterfront where we prepared breakfast/brunch for James and co. We indulged in muesli, blueberries, yoghurt and coffee before venturing out to checkout the waterfront, later returning for eggs, bacon and sausages and finishing with crosionts and H's van made black currant jam.. Quite delicious! We sat around for a while before we headed off to Montreuil where we were to meet James again before he heads back  to the Channel Tunnel Train at Calais. 

Breakfast at the Hilton!

Dieppe's waterfront. 

Eateries along the esplanade, early morning.

The chateau and more limestone cliffs. 

The famous Eugène Boudin's painting of The Pollett district in Dieppe- now a place where motorhomes park! 

Also sad to see him leave but with us leaving France on Tuesday for the UK we will see him and Maddie next weekend.  

We decided to stay in Montreuil for the night at this great aire,  and walk the ramparts again tomorrow. The laundrette is very accessible here  too. It all feels so familiar. 

The night sky was free if clouds so we waited around until 10.24pm to view the International Space Station pass over our neck of the woods. A very poor attempt, though, of trying to capture the event in a photo. 

The satellite is in the top left hand corner of the screenshot. 

Eu, Picardie

All a little seedy this morning. A very late night by our standards - but I did get the blog published!!! Our overnight parking area was an outstanding suggestion by the guy in the tourist office - behind the Cathedral overlooking the town of Eu. A very quiet location and just across the square from where James was staying - very convenient.

James and co had a late morning as well and we caught up with them for a coffee before we all went for a walk around Eu. The chateau is the centre piece of the town. Built in 16th century by the cousin of Louis XIV using the Renaissance style, it later became the summer home for King Louis-Philippe. The property was later owned by the princes of Orléans before becoming the property of the Eu council. 

After walking the gardens we sought out a restaurant for lunch and came across one advertising Moules Camembert - we didn't hesitate! It was a great choice - we all thoroughly enjoyed the meal. 

We later checked out the rest of the town before heading back to the car/van and headed off to the port town, Le Tréport, where we came across the holiday crowd! A little tacky, as you expect of these holidays towns, but people were obviously enjoying their time at the beachside. We watchef and listened to a sound test for the concert tonight - it was a mini concert in itself. 

We all later drove down the coast to Dieppe where we were to spend the night. Not that we were hungry but we all had another few drinks and a light salad for the evening meal. 

Lyons-la-Florét and Gerberoy

Perhaps we have left the best to last! We stayed overnight in Lyons-la-Florêt after arriving late in the afternoon. Little did we know that this village is perhaps the most exquisitely preserved village we have visited this trip.

Time has passed Lyons-la-Florêt by.  The village is located in the heart of the once royal forest. Royalty  have lived here and been patrons of the village over centuries. Because of this patronage it has escaped many of the historical upheavals experienced by other towns and villages across France. 

One of the striking features of the village is that it is not centred around the church. When it was in English hands - Henry I - the king order the village to be shifted and be built around the castle. Since then, though, the castle has been destroyed (at the end of the 100 Years War) and now the village is built over the footings of the original castle. 

We wandered the village and were amazed at every cross road the you could view period houses down each street. An amazing village to visit and spend time in. 

It was difficult to drag ourselves away from Lyons-la-Florêt but by late morning we thought we had better move on. Our destination, funnily enough, was the first village we had planned to visit in France nine weeks ago! The village of  Gerberoy, near Beauveau, was our destination and again we were fascinated by the level of original housing across the village. It is classified as one of the beautiful villages in France and it certainly lives up to the expectation. Again, royal patronage in 1202 gave the village status from the very beginning and this has been maintained to a high level. 

We again wandered and marvelled at how the heritage has been preserved and how the modern world has left it unchanged in many ways. 

At this stage we heard from James that he was coming to France to meet up with us in Eu - a town near  Le Tréport on the Picardy coast. So, a change of plans, and we headed for Eu instead of  journeying on to Beauveau. 

Arrived in Eu late in the afternoon and found another delightful french village. Parked up near the cathedral and chateau to meet up with James. 

James arrived from Calais in the early evening, checked out a local restaurant but it was full so we returned to the van and had a lovely evening with our own French' cuisine - washed down with plenty of red!

To bed late! 

La Roche-Guyon, Giverny, Vernon and Le Andelys

Today didn't turn out the way we had planned! We had an early start with the view in mind to reach the Seine, wander around there,  and then stay the night. The day though, ended north of the Seine in the delightful village of Lyons-la-Foret. 

Heavy rain overnight freshened up the area of Sud Normandy but left little trace as we drove off this morning. Again, a very rural landscape we traveled through before we reached the Seine where evidence of industry immediately took our attention. We crossed the Seine near Pacy-sur-Eure before reaching La Roche-Guyon at the top of the bend in the river. 

This village was noted for the Chateau de la Roche-Guyon. Originally built in the 12th century to protect the river crossing  on routes to and from Normandy. After the Battle of Agincourt it fell into the hands of the English and this was a defensive bastion for the realm of Normandy. A new chateau was built at the base of the original fortress which became the headquarters of Field Marshall Rommel in 1944. 

We later drove a few kilometres to the village of Giverny, famous for the house and gardens of  the Claude Monet, the leader of the impressionists School. Having been there 37 years ago we noticed a "few" changes! It has been totally transformed and now caters for thousands of visitors a day. The changes have been beautifully done and provide well for the numbers that are rolling through on an hourly basis.  It is well worth a visit if you haven't been there before. 

We moved on to Vernon for lunch by the old chateau and "bridge house". A young English family in an old VW combi parked near us and we reflected that the last time we were here was also in a VW combi! 

The bridge at Vernon has a particular interest, being of vital  importance to both sides during WWII. In 1944 it was heavily bombed by the British with little success but in the process the chateau and the town was also severally damaged  - it was left to the Resistance groups to complete the task. 

At this stage we were keen to find a suitable overnight stop so we identified Gallion as a convenient stopping point, but when we arrived it wasn't suitable. While here, though, we took the opportunity to visit the ruins of Château Gaillard situated on the hill above the town where there was magnificent views of the Seine and the surrounding countryside. The chateau was built by Richard the Lionheart, again for defensive reasons, to protect Normandy from the French! The valley  has been shaped by the river forming white cliffs along its course, and views from the chateau are quite outstanding. 

We replanned our overnight and moved on to the village of Lyons-la-Forêt delightfully situated in the centre of the state-owned forest of Lyons.