We’re off to France today for our next adventure in Luci. As we only have a couple of weeks we are going to stay in Normandy and Brittany this time.

First stop is Dover. We leave Sunday morning intending to arrive early evening. All goes to plan with one short stop for a break, a butty and a cuppa.

We are stopping overnight in a carpark in Dover again only 10 minutes from the ferry. On Sunday it’s free so that’s a bonus.

After pizza and a rest we walk into the town for a couple of drinks. We are turning right rather than left out of the carpark to try different pubs  than last year.

We have a half in The Eagle pub owned by a rabid red with Liverpool FC memorabilia everywhere. T has the required footy chat with him when he turns up, reminiscing about Bill Shankly.

Next stop is a tiny brewpub called The Staggered Inn with a friendly landlord and real ale much to T’s delight. Still we only have one and then move onto the final pub, The Prince Albert, a move we regret.

Back at the carpark it’s a bit busier!

A long tiring day.

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Next morning it’s off to the ferry. Leaving at 8am we are a little early for our 9:30am ferry. Very early in fact as it’s delayed until 11am. We are almost late though as we are sitting in the back of the van reading when we realise all the cars in front of us have disappeared!

We land at 1:30pm and then have a three hour drive ahead of us. We are heading for a campsite called Camping de la Vallée near Gueures which is a commune in the Seine-Maritime department in the Normandy region of northern France, chosen for it’s lakeside pitches and great reviews.

Avoiding the toll roads which we usually do unless in a hurry,  we stop at a E.Leclerc in Étalondes to fill our fridge. After another hour we arrive at our campsite.

It’s now six pm so we set up on our lovely lakeside pitch and break out a couple of beers and the binoculars and enjoy pate on a fresh baguette. It’s overcast but warm and the view is fab. T sees an otter but I miss it but there’s plenty of interest on the lake with fishermen, a heron successfully catching and gobbling a fish, grebe, coots, pond skaters and dragonflies.

It’s started spitting but we keep dry sitting outside under our awning. The rain blows over and we enjoy our first BBQ of the holiday.

A few drinks and quiz games sitting watching the lake change as the sun goes down our table lit by citronella candles in case of mossies. I dig out a long sleeved top and a blanket as the sky darkens and end the day reading my kindle thoroughly enjoying the ambience.

A wonderful start to our trip to France.

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