Thursday 10th April Arromanches to La Suze sur Sarthe

We bid a fond farewell to Arromanches, a truly special place and the last we shall see of the coast for sometime. Bayeaux is just around the corner but we decide to forsake the tapestries and try and get some southern miles under our belt. We have numerous other places marked out that we want to see before we hit our next ‘fixed’ destination – La Suze sur Sarthe. But somehow we both manage to convince ourselves it’s Easter weekend (its really very much not) and it’s truly essential that we get a good spot on the La Suze aire before they all get taken with what will surely by the Easter rush.

So, all our well laid plans go out of the window and Valerie kicks up her heels and we zoom all the way to La Suze. Woops. And yay. We nearly treated ourselves to a circuit around the Le Mans track, but at the last minute decided against it – Valerie probably not being the vehicle of choice… will Noush ever get to go????

We arrive at La Suze and our concerns are borne out. There is a marquee up in the main parking area of the Aire and slightly limited parking around the corner is all that is left. We roll in quite happily and park on the grass a little further away from the other vans to try and get some privacy. The reason they have avoided the grassy area swiftly becomes apparent as we promptly sink. Some deft driving from Jon gets us out of the mud and we decide to stay anyway – it’s baking, it’ll be dry by the time we leave! Logic always wins with us.

The van enclave all seem a bit cliquey and peculiar – why ask Noush if the aire is full, do you not have eyes you stupid anglais?? Got eyes enough to stare at everyone though. Weird.  Slightly odd and very ancient people park next to us and in the three days we were there we swear they didn’t leave the van once. Weird. But no matter.

The reason for the marquee is made clear by Monsieur Local Gendarme who has come round to check  that everyone is behaving. It turns out that it is the 57^th Moto Rally of the Sarthe this weekend. Sure enough big zoomy bikes, race vans and even bikes with side cars start turning up to stay at the adjacent campsite. What a way to celebrate Easter! (Ahem).

Not so very good for the poor Campers who tore off the corner of their bumper on the exit gate of the aire. Audience and everything. We feel your pain L Stupid gate.

We go for a wander round town to re-acquaint ourselves with familiar sites and happy memories (and to stop Norm barking at EVERY bike) and have a lovely drink outside the Hotel St Louis in the last of the evening sun. Tomorrow will hopefully bring more sun, more fishing, more relaxation. And less barking.

The rest of the weekend is scorching and wonderful, the rally takes place, we do some fishing and everything is about as relaxed and happy as life can be. Even Norm has chilled out, but Sunday comes and La Fleche beckons.

So. We will be leaving La Suze, leaving Aire Mayor, leaving Johnny Cash and Sylvian at the Bar de France, but what happy days.

Monday 7th April Honfleur to Arromanches

We left Dieppe and headed down towards the war beaches. We’d both always felt that having never been and paid quiet respects was an uncomfortable omission. It wasn’t so much a visit to wander round the museums it was an opportunity to stand on those very beaches and just have a private thought. Not only did most families lose someone, or someone they knew, everyone sacrificed so much, but it was also a hell of a step in the right direction for millions of peoples’ liberty.

We share a contemplative moment and pay silent condolences and respect to those lost as we walk past the remains of the old Mulberries that you can still see on the beach. The Mulberries were vast pre-fabricated concrete pontoons that the allies brought with them to help get the heavy machinery off the boats; they lie there as haunting reminders.

When Jon goes into one to see if it has sunk far into the sand there is some consternation amongst the dogs...

It seems a bit inappropriate to have the dogs tanking about these remains, but also somehow fitting – what better definition of liberty…freedom.

Sunday 6th April Dieppe to Honfleur

Hopped down to Honfleur, been there before, but we needed an aire with plenty of space and reliable hook up. Wandered round the town again and spotted this sign:

Those in the Cap will know…. ORPI lives on! 

Saturday 5th April Criel Sur Mer to Dieppe

Dieppe was to be a stopover before we made our pre planned (yes there were a few plans) pilgrimage to the war beaches. We both thought that this northern town on the coast was a fishing and tired ferry port. How wrong we could be. The harbour area was alive with cool bars and restaurants, thronged with people in the sunshine. We splashed out on seafood and hoovered a couple of wets…happy days. 

The Aire (cheap car parks with some facilities for motorhomes that France has an abundance of) was central and good. Rather amusingly we ended up parked next to two gay chaps from Brighton – quel surprise non? Nothing wrong with batting for the other side I hasten to add but also nothing worse than the types that remind you every time you strike up cordial conversation that they are Gay!! It wasn’t so much the only gay in the village but the only gays in Dieppe. Loved Dieppe, like the swanky north coast resorts, but without the pretense or expense. 

Friday 4th April Le Touquet to Criel sur Mer

Brief free stopover here – truly wild camping. A picture paints a thousand words. The beauty and tranquility of the place is truly a tonic.

Obviously completely ruined for everyone by Norm’s newly found sense of security in Valerie, demonstrated by INCESSANT BARKING.

Wednesday 2nd April Dover to Le Touquet

Early start sees us managing to catch an earlier Eurotunnel than planned, so we decide to get a zoom on in the hope of finding somewhere nice to park up for our first lunch of the trip. We manage to get out of Calais in sub ten minutes (somewhat better than the 6 hours it took us last time!) and are immediately pootling down the coast road. Weather is scorching and not 20 mins out of Calais we are paddling in a turquoise sea under an azure sky with the dogs tearing round like maniacs. Norman pet seems to love France – his first look at the sea?? Moo is actually grinning, which those of you from the Cap will know is an unusual sight indeed.  Sand between the toes and coffee brewing, everybody very very happy.

On we pootle and arrive in Le Touquet. According to Noush’s step mother Le Touquet has the most Ozone anywhere in the world and is tremendously good for you. This is of course is why we feel so fabulous, nothing to do with the local bar at all. In fact we feel so fabulous that we even manage to brazen out our beers being sent flying by a classic ‘dog lead meets table’ incident. Twice. People lovely, Le Touquet super cool. Norman Pet and Moo in total disgrace. Once again everybody very happy.

We stay in Le Touquet for two nights, getting to know Valerie and trying to teach Norm the etiquette of Camping. Major fail. He insists on breaking free at every opportunity and introducing himself to everybody. Last seen following someone else’s dog into someone else’s van. Eek. The frayed end of his lead reveals the problem, one end attached to the tree, the other end a frayed mangled slobbery mess. Is there nothing that dog will not eat?? Norm’s 3 words “ I win again!”….ours: “We’re so sorry”. Sigh. Moo VERY happy at this point – he knows he’s quids in teacher’s pet. Love le Touquet, just go there, it’s ace, but on we must go.

Oddly as we leave we could swear that we saw Milky in the campsite car park… the spookiness continues as the radio display flashes up the word ‘Milky’ just as we exit the campsite… what on earth? What does it mean??? Someone at the Cap please buy him a pint. The man is omnipresent… is he God?

Monday 31st March Worcester to Dover

We’re back!! The excitement has been building for some time as, at least we hope, we embark on a second epic trip. In theory at least we plan to be away for much longer, that’s about as far as the planning has gone. First lesson we learnt last time was don’t plan. All the old questions hang in our minds though, will the van (newer and more spangly) break down before we cross the Channel; will we be able to empty the poo tank; are we to be forever lost; will taking two dogs (not least Norman Pet) cause us endless pain? No doubt will find out sooner rather than later.

As Mother used to tell me. In life one door closes and another opens. This particular time the pub door closes and the Van door opens. Even by our standards though the pub door opened sooner than expected as we travelled the gruelling 9 miles to the Talbot in Knightwick to meet the parents for the for ‘last supper’. We had actually planned this and booked a room for the night. Last proper bed and more worryingly last proper pint of ale. Eek.

The last supper was awesome. Great to see the folks. The Holligog and custard was a fitting final desert. If you haven’t tried it you must otherwise you haven’t lived or you’re gay. We reflected on the final night in the pub and all the people and friends that came to see us off. Thank you to all those folks. You know who you are and we will always keep in contact where ever we are. What a send off you gave us!     

      

Tuesday morning arrived with mild hangover and the legacy of 5 straight months without a day off. In the Van (christened Valerie) off we zoom to Dover. Well actually no. It took us 9 hours. This was not the start we wanted. En route on the m25 car park we were listening to Radio 2. The idea of the fill between music was to phone in with 3 words that summed up your day. Having been stationary for what seemed like hours and having consumed gallons of water the bladder was at bursting point to put it midly. I mused that mine would been ‘need a piss’. Had we not been in a motorhome I think I will have shortly followed up with ‘shit, too late’.