Yesterday I crossed the centre of thr glacial valley that I have been following, to the northern side, ending up in the Puvlic Car Park in St. Michel de Montjoie. I thought from the map that it was a picnic spot. Well it was both, and to prove it, a large wedding party congregated to […]

I have just watched what I thought was a lorry enthusiast’s outing, as one after anoither a series of refrigefated meat lorries went past. People tooted their horns and le patron and his wife from “Le Bar Normande” here on the Square of the tiny villagw of St. Crois waived enthusiastically at everyone going past. […]

The steeplejack was just trying to be helpful. When I asked for water, he pointed to a tap, to which was attached a yellow hose that ran 100 feet up to the top of the spire of the little church in Le Petit Celand. I gesticulated about the hose, so he kindly removed it. It […]

Having arrived late at the campsite in Avranche (about 8PM), a kind couple in a camper van gave me 2l of water for the dogs. This is the fellowship of travellers and is great. Just as yesterday I had stopped for coffee, when there was a cheery “Bonjour!”, and so I invited this cheery Belgian […]

Nearly 84 years ago, on the 31st July 1944, General Patton of the US army, led 7 divisions over the bridge that I crossed this morning at Pontaubault, crossing the River Sélune, and heading to liberate Paris. This morning, you might have been forgiven for thinking that you could still hear cannonfire. The distant crashing […]

Watching the sun set over Mont St. Michelle, sat by my tent on a small bluff at Point de Roche Touring. The mosquitos obviously enjoy the view too and have come to join me. So I have joined the dogs in the tent and pushed Happy back onto HER side of the tent! A long […]

A day for reflection on things uniquely French: Toilets with a hole in the ground; Sat Navs for walkers say “take the first exit at the roundabout” means turn right; “tout a droit, tout a droit” means keep going straight and NOT keep turning right! Terrain has changed from tree-lined paths to flat Dutch like […]

Some things uniquely French happened today: • They still have those disgusting “hole in the ground” toilets. • A pedestrian using GPS, should be aware that when the voice aays “take the first exit off the roundabout”, it means turn right. • In tbis mussel growing haven, of Le Vivier-sur-mer, the latest mussel gathering craft […]

Had a late 7PM start, as had to reset website password to enable Diary entries from this mobile. Saw the effectiveness of the GPS on my Memory Maps Ap that  comes with  the entire IGN 1:25,000 maps of France that I have loaded on my phone. Realised that I had camped at the bottom of […]

Arrived at 8.03 in France, as the car rolled off the ferry into St. Malo. Minty Tours 2018 across France has started! Stopped off on a poo-covered piece of grass to re-pack (the French do NOT “pick up”!). Suspect that I am back to a 20kg pack. Rang a hotel Brian had suggested for parking: […]