Sunday 24 May 2015 Brittany has been on our bucket list even before we started the planning for this trip. This part of France has always seemed to be different. Today we are about to experience the culture ourselves. Seafood, crepes and cider are a strong drawcard and places such as St Malo, Dinan and Mont St Michel are on every tourist's visiting list. Before leaving Granville we followed the Centre Ville signs to the old part of the city. Being a Sunday we thought everything would be closed. How wrong were we. Parking was free so after parking up we wandered the streets to find out what was drawing the crowd. Cafes were doing a roaring trade and one street had an open air market. An amazing array of goods was for sale. Seems like ... read more

Friday 22 May 2015 Seventy-one years ago the Allied armies were preparing to land at the Normandy beaches only a few kilometres from where we are staying. It is hard to believe the turmoil that would be unleashed on such beautiful countryside. Today the weather is fine, the fields have been planted in summer crops of grain, corn and broad beans. They look lush and sway in the light breeze. We wondered if this is how it would have looked all those years ago. Our destination today is the Caen Memorial Museum. We were greeted by a larger than life American sailor embracing a local girl, a sign of happiness and relief perhaps. Inside a very large bunker -like building we are greeted by a light welcoming feeling. Without any questions being asked we are charged ... read more

Tuesday 19 May 2015 We and the weather forecasters had predicted very little chance of rain for our visit to Honfleur. Nevertheless, we made sure umbrellas and jackets were at hand for this much anticipated stop en route from Rouen to Bayeux. A picnic lunch was planned but as we drove into Honfleur the picturesque cloud formations dramatically darkened and heavy rain began to fall. Oh well, c'est la vie, the picnic was relocated to our comfortable car in the large car park. Before the rain set in we had seen the elegantly proportioned bridge that crosses the Seine estuary to Le Havre, but decided not to cross and instead spend our time in Honfleur. Once the heavy shower cleared we headed on foot into the town and were delighted by the buildings around the waterfront ... read more

Monday 18 May 2015 Four years ago we visited Rouen. Back then it seemed to be a quiet day and everything we wanted to visit was closed. So today we set off for the centre of the city full of optimism. When we made our initial bookings this time we had intended to be closer to the city so we could use public transport. For some strange reason our hotel seemed to have moved about 23 km since we made the booking. There is always a bright side to every story. The Premiere Classe Hotel was only two years old and had a wonderful bathroom, unlike the usual bathroom capsule found in this chain of hotels. Polly was happy to guide us to an enormous underground car park in the centre of the city. Without this ... read more

Saturday 16 May 2015 Four years ago we drove through Amiens trying to get to the other side, and passed by the huge Cathedral. Unable to stop and visit on that day, we returned today to put things right. Light fog made for an atmospheric drive into the city, and our brand new umbrellas came in handy as we emerged from the underground car park. The irresistible aroma of fresh bread quickly led us to a marquee near the Hotel de Ville where a Fete du Pain was pulling the crowds. We watched the bakers skillfully transform pastry dough into croissants and pain au chocolat. The taste of un pain au chocolat fresh from the oven was something to remember as we enjoyed this treat under our umbrellas. Time for the Cathedral. Soaring columns, high vaulted ... read more