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| Beetles in roses Chaumont |
The Ibis beds were so comfortable and we were well rested and up and away before 7.30. No trouble finding our way out! Breakfast in Sillé le Guillaume aka Silly Billy, which turned out to be rather run down. But supplied good croissants and coffee.
Along the road we saw signs to Cidre and Calvados and Adrian weakened. We detoured, following the signs down ever more Devon-like lanes, until we got to a picturesque but deserted farm. Sign on the door said phone this number, we are not far away. So I did and they weren’t. A lady appeared to open up the Aladdin's Cave barn. We sampled Poiré and Cidre and A tasted the Calva. He pronounced it ‘Good’! It’s a special distilling of apple and pear ciders, unique to the Domfront area. We bought a bottle and six poiré for 42 euros.
No more stops now until we got to the coast on the Cotentin. We decided to go up the east side but really there is nothing much except campsites and American memorabilia round Utah Beach until you get to St Vaast. As usual St Vaast was heaving so we carried on up to Barfleur, which was less busy.
Apparently the captain of William the C’s ship was from Barfleur
Though it was awash with gangs of German youth! But by now it was 1.30 and all the portside restaurants were full. However we’d spotted the aptly named Phare restaurant up in town. They had a table and we had a really nice lunch of merlu, and mussels in cream followed by home made tarte aux pommes and crème brûlée.
Then an hour or so walking round the harbour, snapping boats and lighthouses before driving along the north coast to our hotel, the Ibis Budget overlooking Cherbourg.
And so, dear readers, this concludes hostilities until the end of September! Home tomorrow.
