{"id":7932,"date":"2026-07-24T16:07:00","date_gmt":"2026-07-24T16:07:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tappstravels.co.uk\/?p=7932"},"modified":"2026-07-25T19:34:05","modified_gmt":"2026-07-25T19:34:05","slug":"15-birthday-number-two-still-in-normandy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tappstravels.co.uk\/?p=7932","title":{"rendered":"15. BIRTHDAY NUMBER TWO – STILL IN NORMANDY."},"content":{"rendered":"

We have just heard that on 23 June, Chateaumeillant recorded a temperature of 43.3\u00b0C.\u00a0 The second highest temperature ever officially recorded in France!\u00a0 And Chateaumeillant is just 20 kms from Les Fruits de Passau, our campsite north of Montlu\u00e7on!\u00a0 Good decision to flee the area!\u00a0 Tragically, we also hear that two children die shut in a car and 40 people drowned in lakes, rivers and canals across the country.\u00a0 This is really serious.<\/p>\n

Saint-Pois-sur-Mer is ten minutes up the road.\u00a0 We went to explore one evening as the air temperature declined a bit.\u00a0 But as we arrived the sky was looking threatening over the tidal swimming pool.\u00a0 Not sure exactly what it was threatening, but it looked as if it could involve thunder, or possibly thunder AND rain.\u00a0 \u00a0“Did you shut the roof lights?”\u00a0 ” No, didn’t you?”\u00a0 OK, we have time for a ten minute walk, then we will retreat!<\/p>\n

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You can always tell when it’s a birthday in the caravan.\u00a0 The resident birthday card comes out!\u00a0 It used to be a Valentine’s card for several years before becoming a general caravan decoration and subsequently a birthday card.\u00a0 Saves weight (and the need to remember to pack a card!)<\/p>\n

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As planned, we went to the Moulin de Jean for lunch.\u00a0 I know the caravan is a small place for two people to dress for an outing, but the outcome on this occasion was neither planned or recognised until we we about to get in the car!\u00a0 A Symphony in Yellow!<\/p>\n

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Lovely food and, if you look very closely,\u00a0 you will note the presence of a bougie on Glenda’s dessert.\u00a0 Served by Jerome who was two years into his time at the restaurant when we last ate here.\u00a0 He must have been just a lad back then!\u00a0 He knows Jeremy and Lucy because they have dined here several times over the years.<\/p>\n

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Happy birthday!<\/p>\n

After lunch it was Glenda’s choice of what to do.\u00a0 She was heart-set on visiting the Guy de Grenne factory shop in Vire.\u00a0 So, Vire-Normandie it was.<\/p>\n

A bit like the Gien porcelain boutique that we visited weeks ago, it was stacked with all sorts of plates, bowls and cutlery.\u00a0 It was almost exclusively what we didn’t need or want.\u00a0 By and large (see footnote) this stuff ranged in price from expensive to very expensive – and the place didn’t even have a customer toilet!\u00a0 So that was Glenda’s birthday treat!\u00a0 But unlike at Gien nothing was bought this time!\u00a0 Another result!<\/p>\n

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Before we left Vire, we went for an explore.\u00a0 We parked close to the centre and immediately came face to face with a huge green telephone!\u00a0 On a roundabout.\u00a0 Covered in 1,700 plants.\u00a0 As one does!\u00a0 This unique green sculpture was installed to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the invention of the telephone, marking Alexander Graham Bell’s 1876 patent.<\/p>\n

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The Porte Horloge is the most iconic landmark in Vire Normandie.\u00a0 It stands behind the roundabout.\u00a0 Built in the 13th century as the primary fortified gateway to the medieval town, it features two circular towers supporting a 33-metre-high belfry.\u00a0 Clocks and bells – is that the connection?\u00a0 Or does the mayor of Vire have some remote genealogical link to A. Bell?<\/p>\n

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Behind the porte-horloge there is a brilliant blue fountain.\u00a0 The Wallace Fountain.\u00a0 I discover that I’m looking at four caryatids!\u00a0 Caryatids are standing female figures, typically supporting something on their heads.\u00a0 In this case, the ladies represent Kindness, Charity, Sobriety, and Simplicity.<\/p>\n

Slightly more famous caryatids can be seen supporting the porch roof at the Athenian acropolis …<\/p>\n

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(Thank you internet for finding this copyright-free image.)<\/em><\/p>\n

In town we saw this tiny car.\u00a0 It’s about as long as our caravan is wide!\u00a0 We’ve seen a few like it this trip.\u00a0 I think it’s a Citroen Ami.\u00a0 Must be a dream to park!<\/p>\n

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On the way home from our birthday outing, we stopped off at Saint-Pair-sur-Mer for the stroll along the promenade that we didn’t get the other day.\u00a0 The sky was much less threatening this evening.<\/p>\n

And there was a “band” playing at a beach-side bar.\u00a0 (Can two people and an electronic backing track be called a band?)\u00a0 Anyway, the bar had beers with our names on them.\u00a0 So we really had to pause there.\u00a0 A very pleasant end to the day!<\/p>\n

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We are coming to the end of our stay in Normandy.\u00a0 We’ve already extended three times, but we still have a few more things to do and see.\u00a0 A trip to Villedieu-les-Po\u00eales is called for.<\/p>\n

Walking up the main street from the compulsory fountain opposite the town hall …<\/p>\n

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… we come to a very tall statue celebrating the bi-centennial of the French Revolution – (1789 – 1989).<\/p>\n

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At the top of town there’s a collection of small ateliers\/boutiques – about 20 of them.\u00a0 Apparently organised and sponsored by the town’s tourist office.\u00a0 What a good idea!\u00a0 The “tenants” cover an impressively wide range of activities from hand made jewellery to pottery, from art restoration to copper-work and from gift shop to stained glass workshop.\u00a0 More town centres should have this scheme running!\u00a0 There was even some interestingly named wine on sale!<\/p>\n

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And there’s a small, long-stay carpark bang in the centre of town …\u00a0 VERY long-stay!<\/p>\n

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But look who I’ve found.\u00a0 It’s the lone piper from Granville – he’s still wearing the same set of dungarees.\u00a0 To a certain extent, you’ll have to take my word that it’s him.\u00a0 I saw him walking down the street earlier.<\/p>\n

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So that’s Villedieu checked off.\u00a0 On the way home we made another evening visit to Saint-Pois to feed the migratory birds …<\/p>\n

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… and to stroll along the promenade watching the children jumping off the diving platform, as it got shallower and shallower and more dangerous for diving.<\/p>\n

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We had planned to listen to the beer and drink the music again!\u00a0 But no music, no beer and no chairs even tonight!\u00a0 Come back yesterday!<\/p>\n

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Still, it was another lovely evening.<\/p>\n

One more day, and it’s another trip along the coast.\u00a0 This time to the south.\u00a0 One of the “events” at Jeremy and Lucy’s wedding was a champagne breakfast at a coastal chateau followed by a walk to Mont Saint-Michel.\u00a0 A walk to the “Mont” across the sand at low tide.\u00a0 Well, it had to be low tide, didn’t it?\u00a0 We wanted to look at the scene of our escapade.\u00a0 We had a guide 24 years ago, and, as I recall he said “Follow the footsteps left by groups ahead of us.\u00a0 If the tracks suddenly end, stop following immediately!\u00a0 There are a lot of patches of quick-sand out there!”<\/p>\n

But first a brief pause at Joullouville-sur-Mer.<\/p>\n

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Another long beach!\u00a0 We’ll call in again on the way home.\u00a0 It’s far too hot to enjoy a beach-side walk in the middle of the day.\u00a0 We took the coastal roads for miles stopping at intervals to admire the view.<\/p>\n

At Gen\u00eates, we stumble on a tea-room of character.\u00a0 They serve hot and cold drinks, cr\u00e8pes and icecream – but not much else of interest.\u00a0 Customers have free rein of the whole house (apart from the kitchen).\u00a0 The games room had hundreds of boxed games.\u00a0 We couldn’t even understand the French rules for UNO and Dobble, so we left the games well boxed up as we consumed two lemon crepes… twice.\u00a0 The second batch came with extra lemon juice by request!<\/p>\n

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Back on the road and after several stops to admire the view, we arrived at Vains which is now the main departure point for the walk.\u00a0 No sign of the chateau – and I’m far from certain we even started from here.\u00a0 I think it might have been a little further north.\u00a0 But it was a long time ago!\u00a0 It looks a fair stroll!\u00a0 Longer than I remember!]<\/p>\n

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Typical tourist antics!<\/p>\n

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We extended our stay at Lez Eaux by yet another day!\u00a0 It’s back up the coast again on our last day in the area.<\/p>\n

We have noticed that in Normandy there are lots of communes with “-Ville” in their name.\u00a0 We have visited six or seven.\u00a0 I set out to count them on the map.\u00a0 Have a guess how many there are!\u00a0 You might be surprised.<\/p>\n

Google maps says there’s a highly recommended restaurant\/bar at AnneVille-sur-Mer.\u00a0 Another one of these places located well inland of the beach!\u00a0 It’s well gone 2 pm by the time we rock up.\u00a0 And it’s Monday.\u00a0 Could be finished or full.\u00a0 Luckily for us, it was neither.\u00a0 Le Pierrefeu.<\/p>\n

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Another excellent discovery!<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A free to use carpark is located one minute away opposite the dead centre of the village.<\/p>\n

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There’s beach after beach up the Normandy coast.\u00a0 They have a lot in common.\u00a0 Long, straight, hot and covered in sand (and water at high tide, obviously).\u00a0 This one at Pirou Plage came with a trotting pony (and several tractors as well as an empty tidal swimming pool – all out of view here!)<\/p>\n

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Passing Regn\u00e9ville, which actually is “sur-Mer” we saw signs for a chateau and donjon (keep).\u00a0 Got to be investigated.\u00a0 I think the ruins of the chateau were open to visit, but the donjon was far more impressive.\u00a0 There was a path all the way round.\u00a0 From some angles the ruins of the castle looked to be defying gravity!<\/p>\n

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Apparently, in 1626, Louis XIII ordered the demolition of all fortified buildings which were not on the national border or deemed not to be of national importance.\u00a0 The Regn\u00e9ville chateau and keep managed to survive 11 years after this directive.\u00a0 Possibly because of its location near the coast.\u00a0 But the respite was short-lived!<\/p>\n

This systematic destruction, orchestrated by Louis’ chief minister, Cardinal Richelieu, was a calculated political strategy designed to destroy the military independence of regional nobles and protestant strongholds, centralising absolute power under the French Crown<\/span>.<\/p>\n

And that’s a good note on which to end.\u00a0 Tomorrow we are definitely moving.\u00a0 We have identified two campsites on the Crozon Peninsula in the far northwest of Brittany.\u00a0 They both have space.\u00a0 Plenty of space!\u00a0 And both have swimming pools!<\/p>\n

Footnote 1:\u00a0 The expression “by and large” originated from 17th-century sailing terminology.\u00a0 “By” meant sailing close-hauled into the wind, while “large” meant sailing with the wind behind the ship.\u00a0 Together, it described a vessel’s ability to handle well in all wind conditions, eventually evolving to mean “in general” or “on the whole”.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Footnote 2:\u00a0 There are, allegedly, 460 communes in Normandy with “-ville” in their name.\u00a0 That’s out of a total of 3,332 communes in the region!<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

We have just heard that on 23 June, Chateaumeillant recorded a temperature of 43.3\u00b0C.\u00a0 The second highest temperature ever officially recorded in France!\u00a0 And Chateaumeillant is just 20 kms from Les Fruits de Passau, our campsite north of Montlu\u00e7on!\u00a0 Good… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[66],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7932","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-france-2026"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/tappstravels.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7932","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/tappstravels.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/tappstravels.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tappstravels.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tappstravels.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=7932"}],"version-history":[{"count":15,"href":"https:\/\/tappstravels.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7932\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7982,"href":"https:\/\/tappstravels.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7932\/revisions\/7982"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/tappstravels.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=7932"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tappstravels.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=7932"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tappstravels.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=7932"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}