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. 

Montreuil-sur-Mer

What a night! Thought that the van may be picked up and blown away.  The gusty winds didn't abate over night and we were still under their influence this morning. Nevertheless, we got out for a walk and wandered through the very large retail park. 

 

The new summer collection from Italy in France. Many brand stores of every description. 

It wasn't until after lunch that we decided to head to Samer, a small town south of Boulonge-sur-Mer. A quick look around (blown around!) taking in the 15th century church of St Martins. Always interesting to see the skills of the medieval craftspeople. 

 

Samer - buildings built up against the church in the centre of the town - not a usual practice. 

  

The first interior of a church this visit - will it be the last?  The 15th century St Martin''s. 

 

The go-without-saying Joan of Arc statue with perhaps the most gruesome of  statues in Christendom. Is this St Martin! 

We left Samer and drove through more lush pasture land of Pas-du-Calais. Corn just sprouting while the wheat and barley fields were nearing harvest. Rape seed plants, a beet plant, peas and broad beans were all under cultivation. A very rich farming area. 

 

Green crops and the golden pastures of the wheat fields.

We later drove on to Montreuil-sur-Mer, the town which was the English general, Douglas Haig, headquarters during WWI. We parked under the ramparts where the wind seemed to be easing. 

 

Other motorhomers were already parked here - what a great place to stay with an ancient village to explore tomorrow. 

A lovely sunny spot where we may stay for a few days.