Tuesday 22nd June
Bricquebec to CherbourgFor the first time we had fellow English travellers at breakfast so that was quite easy conversation-wise.
It is a 240 metre drop down to Cherbourg, or so the velo route guide said, so they had routed us off on a bit of a detour to make it less steep. Well, 3 hours later we still seemed to be going uphill and it wasn’t the easy dawdle I had thought it would be.
We had to go over the Trottebec escarpment which is a massive obstacle if you are on a bicycle!
Unfortunately the camera flattens out the slope but this really was a very tricky descent!
Luckily it was beautiful weather so we picnicked by the side of a quiet road on the edge of the escarpment overlooking the coast.
We are very definitely now in Calvados country, the orchards are vast and as neat and tidy as the vines are in St Emilion.
You can almost smell the Calvados.
We had planned to have a day off in town tomorrow and lie on the beach, have a celebration dinner and try to sort ourselves out a bit before heading for home on Thursday’s ferry. However, a text came through from Brittany Ferries saying that there was a dock strike on Thursday so therefore no ferry. We had to make a snap decision and book for tomorrow instead so suddenly there is a bit of a change in tempo.
It seemed a shame to miss our last chance to sight-see so we parked up and strolled around some lovely gardens. The house opens on 26th June so that was a no-go but it is quite impressive externally. It is made of blue Schist stone whatever that may be, so had a very attractive blue hue. The roses were stunning and it was rather less formal than some of those we have seen.
The Hostas
The inside of the orangery.
Finally we made it to Cherbourg, where our b and b was very well placed for the ride to the port tomorrow morning. It wasn’t exactly the most auspicious looking place and for a moment we contemplated going straight on but since every hotel in Cherbourg was full we didn’t have the option.
As it happened it was like a tardis, the inside was huge beautifully decorated and our room and bathroom positively palatial.
The dirty looking one in the middle - see what we mean!
Cherbourg Harbour 10pm 22nd June.
Bricquebec to CherbourgFor the first time we had fellow English travellers at breakfast so that was quite easy conversation-wise.
It is a 240 metre drop down to Cherbourg, or so the velo route guide said, so they had routed us off on a bit of a detour to make it less steep. Well, 3 hours later we still seemed to be going uphill and it wasn’t the easy dawdle I had thought it would be.
We had to go over the Trottebec escarpment which is a massive obstacle if you are on a bicycle!Unfortunately the camera flattens out the slope but this really was a very tricky descent!
Luckily it was beautiful weather so we picnicked by the side of a quiet road on the edge of the escarpment overlooking the coast.
We are very definitely now in Calvados country, the orchards are vast and as neat and tidy as the vines are in St Emilion.
You can almost smell the Calvados.
We had planned to have a day off in town tomorrow and lie on the beach, have a celebration dinner and try to sort ourselves out a bit before heading for home on Thursday’s ferry. However, a text came through from Brittany Ferries saying that there was a dock strike on Thursday so therefore no ferry. We had to make a snap decision and book for tomorrow instead so suddenly there is a bit of a change in tempo.
Our first glimpse of the channel.
It will be a very curious feeling having a time schedule as for the past 9 months the days and dates have been of no importance whatsoever, except for Christmas and when Rosie joined us in April. We are not at all sure how we will cope.
Anyway we whizzed down the 240 meter drop and just outside Cherbourg we passed Chateau Ravalets in the village of Tourleville.
Ravalets - The blue chateau!
It will be a very curious feeling having a time schedule as for the past 9 months the days and dates have been of no importance whatsoever, except for Christmas and when Rosie joined us in April. We are not at all sure how we will cope.
Anyway we whizzed down the 240 meter drop and just outside Cherbourg we passed Chateau Ravalets in the village of Tourleville.
Ravalets - The blue chateau!
It seemed a shame to miss our last chance to sight-see so we parked up and strolled around some lovely gardens. The house opens on 26th June so that was a no-go but it is quite impressive externally. It is made of blue Schist stone whatever that may be, so had a very attractive blue hue. The roses were stunning and it was rather less formal than some of those we have seen.
The Roses
The Hostas
The inside of the orangery.
Finally we made it to Cherbourg, where our b and b was very well placed for the ride to the port tomorrow morning. It wasn’t exactly the most auspicious looking place and for a moment we contemplated going straight on but since every hotel in Cherbourg was full we didn’t have the option.
As it happened it was like a tardis, the inside was huge beautifully decorated and our room and bathroom positively palatial.
The dirty looking one in the middle - see what we mean!
We had promised ourselves a lobster and champagne supper if we survived to this moment, so we changed and went off in search of a good restaurant. A few hours later we left the Cafe de Paris very well wined and dined. The only bad moment was when the ordered lobster was produced for inspection (which we were not really expecting) looked us in the eye and wiggled his claws in a forlorn fashion. Oh dear, we felt very bad but he was never going to go back into the sea.
Cherbourg Harbour 10pm 22nd June.
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