Loire Diary - June 2010

27/07/10

Saturday 19th June

As always on Sparshott holidays, no time is wasted and we have an early start, leaving the house well before 6am to get to Dover. Standing on the outside deck as we dock in Calais, it’s growing warmer already and I know we’ve left the changeable English weather well behind. The drive down to Normandy is uneventful but it’s a pleasure to meet our hosts again after four years.

After a quick change of clothes, time to head out and reacquaint ourselves with the towns on the Normandy coast, heading into Courseulles-sur-Mer for dinner. We also find some local cider and strawberry-flavoured jaffa cakes (!) in the local supermarket – perfect for an after-dinner snack in the beautiful garden. S laughs at me for wanting an early night – and then falls asleep in his clothes.


Sunday 20th June

Fathers’ Day – and not only in the UK. The French make a much bigger thing of it however and there are celebrations happening everywhere (I don’t find this as difficult as I was expecting – but I must remember to call Mum later). We catch up properly with Mylene over a breakfast of creamy warm brioche and a whole loaf of local dark bread for S.

We briefly revisit Bayeux and St Mere Eglise, looking for a replica WWII gun for S, though the closest we can come is a very convincing plastic one. We explore Carentan’s Fetes des Peres celebrations, held in the harbour, with some unusual and amusing water-based activities.

But – we can’t wait any longer – off to Omaha Beach to get some sand between our toes. It feels fantastic to feel the sun on our backs and a warm breeze in our hair. S finds an almost complete cuttle-fish ball. We try – and fail – to work out why there are several quite fresh onions just lying randomly on the sand.



I do remember to call Mum later, from the restaurant in Bayeux, over galettes. Which actually literally means wafer – but is also applied to savoury pancakes made with dark (as opposed to white) flour.