Sunday 20th June
Coutances to St Germain Sur AyWe had a fairly lazy start to the day as once on the bike route it should be easier going, and it was difficult to drag ourselves away from the hotel’s warmth and comfort. As it happened we were the wrong side of the town to pick up the voie verte immediately so spent an hour negotiating our way through little villages around the outskirts. It was still blooming cold so we stopped in Periers to warm up and put on another layer, and buy some lunch. Luckily by the afternoon the sun began to shine, so we had a better time.
Norman church and inside.
Coutances to St Germain Sur AyWe had a fairly lazy start to the day as once on the bike route it should be easier going, and it was difficult to drag ourselves away from the hotel’s warmth and comfort. As it happened we were the wrong side of the town to pick up the voie verte immediately so spent an hour negotiating our way through little villages around the outskirts. It was still blooming cold so we stopped in Periers to warm up and put on another layer, and buy some lunch. Luckily by the afternoon the sun began to shine, so we had a better time.
A rather fun mural in Periers.
We had booked into a b and b on the coast at St Germain sur Ay so left the cycle route at Lessay, and headed for the sea. On the map it is shown as a large bay but on arrival the bay would appear to be completely filled in with marshland and dunes. We arrived earlier than allowed by the b&b so went off to have a look at the local wildlife - not many birds but lots of sheep and a few donkeys. 
On the map this is all shown as water!
Having dropped down from the ridge the temperature improved noticeably and some Belgian walkers also staying at the B&B were positively sunburned (or was it windburn?). They had come from home by train and were walking around Normandy, taking in the Mont St Michel. Previously they had taken 4 years to walk to Compostela di Santiago from Belgium doing it in 4 one month chunks.
St Germain had a small Norman church with modern stained glass, we assumed because the original windows were probably damaged in the war. There was a Commonwealth War Graves sign on the gate, but not for want of trying we couldn’t find it anywhere.
St Germain had a small Norman church with modern stained glass, we assumed because the original windows were probably damaged in the war. There was a Commonwealth War Graves sign on the gate, but not for want of trying we couldn’t find it anywhere.
Norman church and inside.
Supper was the six of us 2 French, 2 Belgians and us so not the easiest but Vivi did her valiant conversational bit and Monsieur kept us plied with Kir Royal, Cider, Calvados and red wine. Actually Alec always says I do most of the talking but he does his fair share too! We were given 4 courses, the first a trio of pates, the second a salmon and potato timbale with a surprise. The surprise turned out to be something which we have experienced before and always thought that it must be off so usually wrap it in our napkins and throw it away later. It is a sort of rancid smelling utterly vile tasting pork terrine and this time there was no escaping it, we had to eat it!! This was then followed by cheese wrapped in filo pastry, salad and chocolate crème brulée. We felt uncomfortably full but didn’t feel that we could leave anything. Everything had come from the garden or the sea and after dinner we were taken out into the garden where we met – the remaining rabbits, the geese, ducks, pigs and sheep.
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