Before the ferry, we stopped at the Morrison's in Dover for last helpings of British necessities: clotted cream, scones, ginger beer, bitter shandy, etc. In Calais, we headed immediately for the Two Capes Auchon, our favorite, to renew our long acquaintance with French food, but, sadly, exercising restraint: Vicki's 50th reunion was scarcely a month away. Our overall travel plan called for driving across Normandy and into Brittany, keeping an active 5-year-old happy and busy. This we accomplished through long stops at beaches along the way and ample conversation about France and the French. Also occasional screen-time with the iPad. And occasional bribes. In Brittany, near Guern, we would meet up with P's parents, who had been spending a week in Edinburgh.
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Looking toward the beach near Le Touquet/Paris Plage; Vicki and P are out there
on the low-tide sandbar |
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| Making friends; en Francaise |
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The aire de camping-cars at Le Touquet; 15E a night, very expensive for this
sort of thing; but, hey, it's Paris Plage |
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Miles past Rouen, we spent the night in Pont L'Eveque; here in a creperie; we told
P she could have the chocolate crepe dessert if a) she ate all or most of her ham/
cheese galette (Grandpa helped) and b) she ordered it in French; this she did, much
to the amusement of fellow diners |
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| Church at Pont L'Eveque; a pretty town, with a free aire |
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We drove on to favorite Trouville and miraculously found a spot at the tiny aire
there; the weekly market was underway |
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| In the seafood market at Trouville, P was particularly intrigued by the crustaceans |
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At the seafood market; make your own fruits de mare: order from the stands on
the right, consume at the tables on the left |
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| At one of the stripey shops, where Grandma bought P a stripey fleece jacket |
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| Low tide in the little channel that separates Trouville from Deauville |
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| Vicki and Penelope walking out to the low-tide beach at Trouville |
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| Cuisine in Trouville (pie crust soup) |
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| Playing ball and chasing seagulls at Trouville |
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| A summer camp group experiences the incoming tide; it's impressive |
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| Beach pony ride |
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| It happens |
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| Flowers everywhere, as usual in France |
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At that evening's seafood repast, P boldly tried the St. Vaast
oysters; not to her taste; but she she did like the samphire
(sallicorne) and the salmon and shrimp |
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We drove on to the aire at Villedieu des Poules; then drove on to Guern the
next day; P was happy to be reunited with Mama and Daddy at the cottage
they had rented |
