Monday, Monday

 

Another early start from Amboise. Very nice hotel this. We were hoping for breakfast in Chateau Renault but no luck. We did manage to buy the bread products but absolutely no bar or café was open. And so it continued for a good 60km. Every little village was inspected, closed everywhere! I know it was Monday morning when shops are closed, but bars ?? A worrying sign of economic depression. 

Eventually, driving through the outskirts of Vibraye I spotted an open door. Les Deux Entêtés. We screeched to a halt, backed up and parked opposite. A single customer and owner on the phone, but we did get our coffees and also a long chat with him. A sad story - he was astounded that we had found nothing else open, interested to know if the hospitality industry in UK was also finding it hard to get staff, totally against the pass sanitaire for small restaurants like his. I hope we did something to persuade him that not all Britons are mad!

Then a long drive up through Sarthe and Normandy, finally stopping for a late lunch by the port in Carentan. Here we were asked for pass sanitaire but the owner was satisfied with a glance at our print outs! But everyone else did get out their phones to be scanned.

We had time in hand so detoured up to the west top end between the various nuclear facilities sited on the most picturesque headlands. 

There would have been great views of the Channel Islands, had it not been for the sea mist. Not bad even so.

We were still miles too early for the ferry but anxious in case the checking of documents took ages. 

In the end we just had a quick visit to one of the harbour beaches where we learned that the Fastnet Race is imminent, together with a Patrouille fly past.

Fun and games at check in with some people seemingly not having their passenger locator form etc! We managed to hand over ours on the ipads with little trouble but then completely blew it by failing to stop at French Passport Control because we were distractedly looking for Lane 6 as directed! Loud shout of Stop! Police Berlingo comes racing up and agents leapt out to usher us back…oh the red face🙀They thought it was hilarious though.

The ship Galicia is super - spacious, lots of contemporary art, tapas bar, all Spanish Galician themed. Even a TV in the cabin. And the welcome message (see top photo) projected onto the carpet!