Mortain

Yesterday evening, we both walked to the nearby beach. A few late evening nudists, lay in various positions on the sand.

We will never think of a Cumberland ring, (sausage), in the same way again! Along with a German family of five sat in an exactly straight line in alphabetical order who we named, Hans, Neezs, Hanz, Boompz, Zadaizy, we waited to watch the sun set.

Then it was cameras to the ready, as we all watched the golden light of the lowering sun dip below the horizon.

This morning, our journey, took us around the bay of Mont St. Michel. On route we stopped outside a windmill shop to photograph the view back towards Cancale. The owner of the shop looked a little excited, when he saw an English campervan pull up outside. Don't worry people back at home, we didn't buy you all one!

Approaching Mont St. Michel, we were saddened to see, just how commercial the area had become, with acres of fields being turned over to parking. Only a few years ago, you parked at the end of the causeway, now you park so far out, you have to take a shuttle bus. We are glad, we had the opportunity to visit years ago.

This afternoon arriving at Mortain the temperature was 35c, so what do we do? Set off, uphill, on a walk to the waterfalls.

The Petite Cascade was relatively easy to get to, the Grande Cascade however was not.

)

The paths a reminder of driving through the Verdon Gorge, steep, uphill, a large drop to the side, and in this case, a very uneven path that you needed the agility of a mountain goat to negotiate! That aside, the waterfalls were very nice. Though need some rain to fill them up.

Tonight's aire at Mortain, is just outside the campsite. We have stayed on the campsite here, sometime in the last ten years. (Oh dear, neither of us can remember when exactly), when we cycled through this region. There are a few lucky cyclists with their tiny tents staying tonight.

To the left of us, are a very nice couple from England, they came over to France the day after us, and return the day after we do. Everybody from England we've met travelling for a long time says the same thing. "If you wait, you'll never do it". So true!

Tomorrow, we will head over towards Caen.

A dramatic sunset across the valley, and there are thunder clouds blowing in from behind, so there will be rain tonight I think.

St. Coulomb

A peaceful night beside the canal last night, The sun set around ten o' clock, setting the canal alight.

Moored nearby to us, was an English couple on a narrow boat. The man, spent most of the evening jumping on and off the boat, shouting into his mobile phone,  jumping on his bicycle and riding up the road, only to return a short time later, when. he'd repeat the whole process. He was really quite manic.

At lunch time we stopped at St. Malo for John to look at an inflatable kayak. The shop was right beside the port. After, we were hoping to stop at Cancale, for John to buy some oysters from one of the stalls on
the beach, but the town is small, and does not along motorhomes within 2km of the port. So instead, we journeyed to tonight's aire at St. Coulomb.

We are lucky, to have a space at the end, with views of the surrounding countryside and St.Malo.

A short walk in either direction, takes you to the beach. Angela walked out on her own, choosing the path that ran above the beach. The coastline is pure Brittany,  stretches of white sandy beaches and rocks off the shore. Despite it being warm, there was a keen breeze. "What's that flapping in the wind?" "Look, there's another one". On 'closer' inspection, it materialised that amongst these men, there was a smattering of ladies, also displaying their wares. As Angela walked back to Marge, several men on bicycles, were heading to the beach. It was just approaching five o' clock, the start of 'Happy Hour'.

This evening, we will both take a walk out to view the..... idyllic view. Our plan tomorrow, is to drive to Mortain, known as 'Little Switzerland'.

La Chapelle-aux-Filtzmeens

We were quite late leaving this morning, as Marge needed a wash. John assumed his 'tank commander' position up on her roof, and began the job. Marge always looks 'the lived in' van on the aire, the French vans gleaming, like they are valeted daily.

We stopped for lunch at a picnic area, just south of Rennes. Suddenly, we were surrounded by English people. Where had they all come from? We have barely seen a dozen English registered vehicles, in all the time, we've been away. We were on the main road to St. Malo, and these people were obviously heading to the car ferry.

Mid afternoon, we arrived at Montreuil-sur-Ille. We walked into the town, both agreeing, that the church with its concrete spire, was the ugliest we'd ever seen, and we've seen a lot of churches.

We then walked out to the edge of the town, and along a footpath than ran along the side of a cornfield.

In the back garden of a house, a solitary sheep, posed for a photograph. Finally, we were back down by the canal, and could see Marge in the distance. But once back at the van, we noticed some young people hanging about, and decided we wouldn't stay the night here as planned, despite its pretty location.

So we drove on for a further half an hour, to La Chapelle-aux-Filtzmeems. We are sited alongside the moored boats, by the same canal as our last stop.

Tomorrow, we plan to head up to the coast, to St. Malo.