Day 8

Day 8  cycle ride along velo route into next sea side holiday development  in bright sunshine and  a visit to an interesting museum Georges Clemenceau ex PM of S France, duellist, radical, justice for workers rights, explorer and first self proclaimed Buddhist of France.  Down to the beach for afternoon of reading interrupted by workmen drilling concrete wall next to us, sought refuge up wind in a quieter spot, went for a warm swim. Another cycle route to the left of the Aire around v long beach . Took a tumble , few bruises . Blog is a challenge !

Day 5 Mont St Michel

Day 5 Saturday Up early cycled to walk way , walked to island itself  as buses too crowded got to the  abbeye for 10, free tour via  audio guide , v impressive! Photos galore ,  pleasant in cafe  out of high wind.  Sunny intervals in the afternoon,sunbathed and planned the next stage of journey, compromised on driving next  to Vannes S Brittany, 10k  bike ride on cycle path 10k to  pontorson for bread and cheese. Eagerly to bed to read  

Day 6

Day 6  Awake at 6 .30am  , set off for Vannes at 9 , arrived in Aire in Vannes ( sud Aire de conleau at 12.30 ),  facing flat tidal estuary . Lunch and then cycle ride into Vannes, v attractive, stylish handsome small ,mediaeval city , visited  notre dame cathedral,cafe  in the sunshine  overlooking river and moored  yachts  . Lots of French families painters and artists  out , commemorative exhibition  on quay side, to journalist killed in Charlie hebdo attack  in Paris , went for a walk around peninsula , nature reserve ( presqu'ile de conleau) beautiful -egrets. Tiring day .

Day 3 Trip to Bayeux

Thursday Driving across flat farming country to Bayeux.   Raining . Combined ticket for bayeux tapestry and musee do beaux artes ( 12€), Bayeux tapestry on a very very long,  continuous scroll ; audio guide telling the tale of  King    Edward, brother Harold ,William of Normandy and illegitimate Norwegian son Harald culminating in the  battle of Hastings in 1066 . Normandy-centric  account, under pinning message of tapestry a moral imperative to the  masses,  don't break your oath to God...
Also visited Bayeux cathedral and Musee de Beaux artes.  On to friend Anne's  gite,  not far from Bayeux and Omaha beaches , very poignant to see the flat lands , and the cemetries as we travel down the coast. Aired Anne's gite  as requested, very peaceful countryside setting,    

Notre Dame Cathedral , Bayeux 

Barfleur day 2 -Wednesday

Day 2 Poole to Cherbourg

Day 2 Poole to Cherbourg
Reasonable but short night's sleep at ferry  terminal where the overhead glaring lights felt like day time
Awakened at 6.30 am by tap on window urging us  to check in and move van nearer the ferry .[No toilet facilities in the  terminal car park but allowed to stay there from 10pm night before sailing]
Finally drove on at 8.30am

Both feeling apprehensive about the trip ahead
On top deck enjoyed the weak sun and smooth ferry ride ;  having watched our  ferry( Barfleur )dock in Cherbourg, we elected  to move drive  to Barfleur, a picturesque  fishing village in Normand, in walking distance here of Le phare de Gateville, second tallest light house in France )
We found an Aire just outside Le Nef municipal  campsite, slightly out of Banfleur , situated  by the concrete sea wall behind which was a shallow warm sandy beach , which was calm and delightful to swim in   ,we walked to the harbour for a waterside drink  , sunset was beautiful ...
Good night's sleep