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Honfleur4 Jun 2009
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Thurs 4th June---Weather:-Sunny/23degrees
Mt-St-Michel to Honfleur (188km) (2:00h)
As we were leaving Mont-St-Michel this morning we found the main gate blocked as there was a medal presentation going on just outside of it. On 6th June this year it is the 65th anniversary of D-Day; when the Allies landed on the shores of Normandy and so started the liberation of Europe. It was very moving to see the old soldiers from different Nations accept medals on behalf of their men and it brings back thoughts of what people have lived through; on both sides. It is also nice to see firsthand that their deeds are not forgotten by the old or the young.
We have our tourist guide for the French region of our travels (Peter) to thank for the picturesque stops that we have made of late and Honfleur is another one of those. The small town on the coast of Normandy in Northern France has what is reputed to be one of the most picturesque ports in Europe. It is still a fishing port and is now a popular yacht harbour as well. The town has preserved its artistic and its historic heritage. We arrived here at two o’clock today as we had a frustrating time getting on the Hotel St-Piere’s ‘Wi-Fi’ internet so in the end we gave up and went next door where we logged on without any problems. It turned out to be a blessing in disguise for if we had left at our designated time we would have missed out on the commemoration celebrations at Mont-St-Michel.
Honfleur is the best preserved of the old ports of Normandy and the first you come to on the eastern Calvados coast, is a near-perfect seaside town that lacks only a beach. It used to have one, but with the accumulation of silt from the Seine the sea has steadily withdrawn, leaving the eighteenth-century waterfront houses of boulevard Charles-V stranded and a little surreal. The ancient port, however, still functions – the channel to the beautiful Vieux Bassin is kept open by regular dredging – and though only pleasure craft now use the moorings in the harbour basin, fishing boats tie up alongside the pier nearby, and you can usually buy fish either directly from the boats or from stands on the pier, still by right run by fishermen's wives. We are staying at the Hotel Ibis Honfleur (we are again more than satisfied--maybe I can join their publicity team when we get back home) it is about three quarters of a kilometre away from the ‘Old Harbour’ but that is only a 15 min. pleasant walk, we have had a look around this afternoon and enjoyed the surroundings and will go back tonight for a nice meal and to view the harbour lights.
This will be our last night in France as tomorrow we journey to London. At least I hope that we get there. We will drive to Calais, drop of the car at the Eurodrive depot then catch the ferry to Dover, hopefully we will have good weather to photograph the White Cliffs then catch a train into London and all this without bookings and that is foreign to me (no bookings that is).
Thanks to all for the birthday wishes. This old bird is finally starting to realize that she is not a spring chicken anymore—the spirit is willing but the body is starting a little revolution to try to pull me into line. Oh well I will just have to ignore it!
