Thursday 4th August to Saturday 6th August – Saint Piere en Retz to Pontorson, Basse-Normandie, Manche (50)

We left the farm buying some fresh eggs on the way from our host Annie.  Yet another lovely drive but with spits of rain on the windscreen future weather did not seem great and this dampered our mood rather.  We passed through pretty towns and villages, across bridges smothered in flowers and boats passing along the rivers.

We had decided to take a detour to see Chateaubriant passing several Romany camp sites on the way, all new large vans and laid out similar to small towns? The town of Chateaubriand turned out to be a bit of a disappointment and so did not stay long, only enough time to relieve one of the hole in the walls of some €’s.

We have now been on this ASCI site for two days planning to move further up the coast tomorrow to meet up with friends R and D in Port Bail.

Thursday

It only takes one mossy to make a nights sleep intolerable and this is what happened last night.  Both of us now have bites in places I did not think could be bit.

Anyway we cheered ourselves up and did some clothes washing and then it was off to Mont St Michelle.  The walk along the tidal river is just outside the camp and so with a bag packed with water, dog treats and cakes for us off we went. The Boys proved to be Ok at this and took to being passed by numerous cycles, in both directions, with ease.  However after 6km of the 9Km we chose to turn around after eating a crepe by road bridge passing over the cream coloured water.

Actually it was a good decision for it was a very warm day and sun shone brightly down on us.  We all felt rather tired and thirsty when we got back.

The wind came up and shortly after the rain came down.

Friday

Take two … We discovered last night that mosquitoes work in pairs and although we felt we had persuaded one to leave the van albeit in a flat manner his mate was lurking somewhere only to reappear to bite us!

This morning K went off to recce the local town Pontorson which is only 500m along the river bank in the opposite direction to yesterdays walk.  When she came back she was full of praise for what she had bought and for the pretty town and so it was decided to return there with The Boys.  They were really very good and only upset a few of the locals.  We even managed lunch of open sandwiches and beer at a bar in one of the side streets while they moaned at our feet.  The lady who served us looked a treat with short blue hair, red framed glasses and one red boot and one blue boot on her feet – very French?

A once quiet site is now filling up again  We saw the elderly people and their (we think) grandchildren leave this morning, waving as they set off.  Although not managing a spoken word between us it felt we had known them for ages and smiles and waves were exchanged.

The sun is gloriously shining down us and a cool breeze is drifting through the van while I catch up on this blog.  K is in the shade under the awning working while The Boys are occasionally ‘talking’ to the dog next door.  Hope they finish their conversation soon.

Have now managed to download my photos so think I will show them off in a one off media post – well that is the plan.  Its gone 6pm and it is GnT time.