St Omer

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We are further north now in St Omer, about 30 miles from Calais which makes getting across the channel and back to west London pretty easy, assuming the weather continues to hold. It has been warm again today. I really cannot complain, we left the UK at about 2.30pm on 5th June, since then we have not needed wet weather gear.

This close to the channel, and on a Saturday, St Omer is rather unsurprisingly full of Brits. It also has a mix of French and UK bikers hanging around the town square. It is quite lively with in my view with rather too much beer being consumed in the afternoon.

Part of me wants to turn around and do it all again. I doubt we would still have jobs to return to if we did so this plan is not really a good one. Tempting though.

Wandering around St Omer we came across a civic park, it was rather nice, formal in places, other parts far less so. It has been created partly from the old town walls and earthworks, and partly a little over a century ago by some local landscape gardeners who created some ponds, mounds, and sourced the trees many of which are labeled. There is also a small enclosure with chickens, goats and a few other animals (peacocks, deer, pigs, geese and budgerigars). It was rather pleasant, and is now designated a “protected park”. It also had a rather crazy sign which I took a photo of, I will leave Hilary to translate. Something about dogs and bicycles.

I have a restaurant sorted for tonight a table booked, the P'tit Montmartre, one of the better establishments in St Omer.. This is going to be our last evening meal away from home. It is also Hilary's birthday on Monday so celebrations are starting a couple of days earlier.

It is very different being away for an entire month - different from a two week holiday and different from a three week holiday. You get into a new way of doing things - you have time to make new routines.

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Photos

Sign
For the safety of all, it is forbidden for dogs to ride bicycles unless they are on a lead