Not a bad drive to Portsmouth and we were in the boarding queue in good time. But then everyone had to go through security…thank goodness we were on the right hand side. All we got was the under chassis scanner and a torch search of the interior. Those on the left had to get their luggage out and take it inside to go through a scanner. Anyway all was well, we were not incarcerated and were soon aboard eating our free victuals courtesy of our Club Voyage membership.
As we sat watching Portsmouth slip by in garish purple illuminated towers and Christmas Tree lit tugs I got into conversation with a couple who were also peering into the gloom. We decided that the shape before us was indeed one of our useless aircraft carriers and that the three masts were in fact Warrior. Despite her most broad Darwen (Lancs) accent it transpired that the lady and chap lived in France, on the Gironde, and amazingly just down the road from Snail Roundabout! We spoke fondly of the molluscs but apparently one of chap’s local French mates is incensed by the 30,000 euros of His Money it cost! And has a tirade if ever it is mentioned.
Crossing was fine despite dire warnings and we arrived in blustery sunshine. Breakfast in Dol de Bretagne before the hunt for Calvados in the depths of La Normandie Profonde.
We’d been there before by following signs down lanes but this time had to track it down from the other direction with guesswork. Success! Got there just before 12 and the smiling farmer stepped out of his house to open up the shed of delights. We came away with a bottle of the hard stuff and six of fizzy Poiré (pear cider). He then jumped on his electric scooter to zoom back to feeding his cows! Oh Brave New World.
The rest of the day was just getting across to Amboise. Nothing terribly exciting though we did see some pretty spots particularly along the Sarthe River. Ibis Budget is clean and comfortable. Not very busy. Supper in town at a crèperie - good ones. We like Amboise it’s quaint and intimate.
