Sunday, 7 July 2019

Honfleur


Last nights pizzas were delicious, and the pizza chef, kept giving us the thumbs up, whilst we ate them. So pleased was he with our order, that he asked one of his regular customers waiting in the queue, to deliver them across to us. This must have been the shortest home delivery ever, all of six metres.


After, we walked down to the shoreline to walk of the excess, and to photograph the remains of the Mulberry harbour, some of which, with the tide now low, lying out of the water. In the half light, there was something a little daunting about these concrete structures, who if they could have spoken, would have had some stories to tell. Returning to Marge, we hoped the smell from the colossal amount of seaweed on the nearby beach, which had found its way into the van, would dissipate as we drove tomorrow. The French would probably say. "We'll clean up our beach, when you tidy up the harbour you left behind!"




This morning, we watched the tractors, some dating back to the 1930's, tow the fishing boats down to the nearby beach. Following them down, we took a final look at the sea, and the harbour, before setting off.







Our lunchtime stop, was at Pegasus Bridge. As always, it was busy, mostly with English visitors.















Tonight's stop is at the pretty, but rather too popular, harbour of Honfleur. A late afternoon walk, proved this, but some tranquility could be found in a public garden, with stunning flower borders, trees, and, pond, complete with grotto.



Back in the town, a flea market was taking place outside the fifthteenth century church of Saint Catherine.







Built by French ship builders. One of the stalls on the market, was selling mid century items, which obviously drew John's eye.
Just one more day before we board the car ferry back to England. Where has the time gone? We have definitely lived in the moment these past few weeks, but now our thoughts are with all the appointments, jobs and problems, we have waiting for us, from the moment we return home.
Tomorrow, with wine already bought, and Marge once again fully fuelled, we will take a slow drive to the aire just outside Dieppe, ready for our lunchtime sailing on Tuesday.



Saturday, 6 July 2019

La Fontaine Saint-Come


Last night we sat out at the picnic bench behind Marge, until ten o' clock, when despite the heat of the day, the wind began to cool us. The sunset, not so dramatic as the night before, but still quite stunning, could be seen from the wall behind the campsite.
We left late this morning, as we walked into the town to view the tiny market, and on our return, chatted to our English neighbours for a while. After wishing each other a safe onward journey, we headed up to the coast. Time getting on, we stopped for a late lunch.



The view from our picnic table 'pure Normandy'. Among the apple trees, cows wandered, lazily grazing, oblivious of our presence.





Tonight we are staying at La Fontaine Saint-Come, close to the town of Arromanches-les-Bains. The beach in this area, is more famously known as Gold Beach, which would become famous as one of the D-Day landing beaches.









Late this afternoon, we walked along the coast to Arromanches, where we viewed and photographed the remains of the Mulberry harbour and other equipment used in Operation Overlord.






Above the town some sculptures mark the fading memories of the tommies.
The town was quiet for July, with very few English visitors around, which suprised us, at such an historic sight. Daily, we are commenting that, we have seen so few English people in all the time we've been in Italy and France. Perhaps the nervousness regarding Brexit, is already starting to filter through along with the very poor exchange rate as the pound tumbles.



Tomorrow we will head to Honfleur. But tonight, John unable to resist the aromas of the pizza van next to us (though the sound of his generator is quite annoying), is treating us with his last few euros!







We walked down the beach and took some close-ups of a section of broken up Mulberry harbour.