Well the plan was to visit Étretat today. It’s known for it’s striking cliffs. On the way we stopped at Fecamp to refill our fridge. The place looked worth a longer visit.

Arriving at the aire at Étretat we realise it looks rammed. We still drive around it though just to confirm. This is a place to avoid at the weekend according to the travel guides and as we were delayed by rain it’s now Friday so they are correct.

On the road outside we see a sign to a nearby campsite which we decide to follow. Up and up winding very narrow single track roads to Camping Abijune. Ask at reception and she says we are too long at 7.4m. Oh well, back down the hill until half way down we meet a car towing a caravan. T does a splendid job of reversing back up until he finds a farm gate to back into. All very tight but we survive, obviously forgot to take photos.

We drive towards Deauville which was next on our route but stop on the way at Harfleur for a butty and to check whether there’s somewhere closer to overnight. There isn’t, so we head towards Deauville again. The satnav says it’s 1.5 hrs avoiding tolls and 40 minutes with tolls. The toll is the spectacular Pont de Normandie bridge which crosses the Seine Estuary and allows ships up to 50m tall above the waterline, to pass under it. Engineering at it’s best. We pay the toll.

Arriving at Deauville we are staying at a free spot next to the River Touques. It’s just how we like it when not paying. Off road, somewhere quiet but not too quiet, waterside with a view, a bench, a bin and we can walk into town. Result.

We have a cuppa, get changed and walk towards the marina in Deauville along the river. The tide is going out and there are gulls and egrets messing around in the mud.

Deauville and Trouville are separated by the river but connected by the Pont des Belges bridge. The towns were liberated by Belgian soldiers during WWII in August 1944. The bridge was renamed after them. 

Along the promenade there’s a photo exhibition remembering the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the towns.

Onto the harbour filled with yachts, we enjoy a wander around before stopping for a beer at The Deauville bar and restaurant. It’s sells some eye wateringly expensive wine. The beer is Paris prices lol, €6 for a half of draught beer. Surprisingly we didn’t buy a bottle of Chateau Lafite Rothschild at €2200 a bottle.

Next stop is Deauville beach. Deauville is an upmarket seaside resort on the Côte Fleurie.

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It has a wide, sandy beach backed by Les Planches, a 1920s boardwalk with bathing cabins each one named after movie stars and directors that have appeared in the American Film Festival that takes place here annually. Would you believe that it’s opening night tonight and Michael Douglas is doing the honours. Lots of people milling around for the opening. Again forgot to take photos of the queues!

The town has a couple of casinos, lots of posh shops and boutiques, and huge buildings in all sorts of styles. According to Wikipedia it’s belle epoque architecture.

We wander back into the town and have a drink whilst people watching, then eat in a restaurant called Le Jardin where we treat ourselves to a steak.

On the walk back to the van we stop a couple of times, once in a tabac/bar where they are watching a strange sport called harness racing which involves a horse trotting very fast, a cart and a human.

A long day with ups and downs that ended up being fun.

06:09:24