Part of the Camping and Caravanning ClubGreenfields House, Westwood Way, Coventry, CV4 8JH
RVDA
Part of the Camping and Caravanning Club
Greenfields House, Westwood Way, Coventry, CV4 8JH
HOLIDAY IN FRANCE
AUGUST 2008
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Two weeks at La Haye du Puits
As some of you may know, a few RVDA members got together
this summer for a two week holiday in France.
Eight units in all containing 24 of us in total. The date: 1st August 2008.
Destination: La Haye du
Puits, Normandy.
This is the story of some of our exploits as told by Ian Tyrer.
Friday 1st of August.
A trip to Poole & the
NFDA meet.
Our Holiday in France started with
the long journey down to Poole on the south coast of England. There were eight
family units travelling down and seven of us were heading for a
New Forest DA
weekend meet just outside Poole. We used this as a handy stop over for the
midday ferry the following day. As we got further south we gradually assembled
our convoy and all safely arrived on site, Andy & Irene ‘trapping’ around 9pm.
The NFDA were great hosts, inviting us all down for a beer and a chat around the
cast iron wood burner they had blazing away. In the morning we duly packed up,
exchanged pennants and thanked them for their hospitality, then set off in
convoy with the great help of the
NFDA Steward, Nick Levens who
drove ahead
acting as a guide to the port.
A huge thank you to all at New Forest DA for such a warm welcome.
We hope to return the favour some time.
Saturday 2nd August.
Arrival La Haye du Puits.
We all arrived at Poole harbour,
meeting Roger & Denise, our final addition to the convoy, who’d spent a few
nights at the CCC club site near the New Forest. After embarking on to the ship
we proceeded on to the upper deck to grab some sun which we
were hoping to see
much more of in the forthcoming 2 weeks. The crossing was smooth and uneventful
and we all disembarked with some having their first experience of driving on the
RH side of the road. We were leading and once out of Cherbourg We pulled over to
check everyone was with us. Andy & Irene were missing. Andy had switched on his
Sat Nav! This and the name “Cherbourg” would prove to be his nemesis! We cracked
on, hoping Andy would find his way, especially knowing he was relying on modern
technology. The map sufficed for us and we
arrived as planned about 45 minute
later. Low and behold as we turned into the site Andy & Irene appeared from the
opposite direction! Andy can explain that one, I only know about the stick he
received from Irene, never mind us! We were all relieved to find good pitches
and welcoming CCC Rally stewards in Peter & Beryl. A recce of the site
facilities showed that everything looked good, with the fishing lake, pool,
café/bar and all the usual washing and toilet facilities in good fettle.
Sunday 3rd August. Settling in.
First thing was to ride down town
to buy some fresh French bread. OK you could order bread on site but it was an
added excuse to see the shops in town. Pete rode down with me on the bikes (very
French) and we had our first challenge of ordering in French at the
Boulangerie.
I got the baguette count right and thought I had got it right ordering 24
croissants. The lady exclaiming the number back to me “Quatre-vingt!!” “Mais oui”
I replied. I said 24 didn’t I – oh No I had ordered 80!! 24 is Vingt quatre!
Anyway she got the gist. Then she advised me how much and listening intently I
copied the amount, then suddenly realised, I had left my wallet at the campsite!
Thank goodness Pete was with me to rescue the situation. That could have been
embarrassing after she’d counted out all those (24) croissants! Off we pedalled,
baguettes protruding from Rucksacks, only for the rain to start half way back.
Luckily I had thought of this one and had a bin liner in the sac! What could be
worse than a soggy baguette?!
We got through the afternoon with
some sunshine and showers around the pool and Gez, our Lisa’s friend, actually
got quite badly sunburned, keeping her out of action for a day or two. Later came,
probably, the worse rain of the Hols. But our little group all congregated in
Mark & Sarah’s awning for the evening having a game of bingo and a quiz like a
w/e meet. It rained through the night but we survived intact.
Monday 4th August.
The D-day Experience.
A number of us set off for the
D-day beaches. The sun was out which made it all the better. We visited the
American cemetery at the centre of Omaha beach,
immaculately laid out and cared
for and, for some, a truly emotional experience. We called in at a small fishing
port for lunch. Now that was a challenge, about 18 of us ordering “ Plat du
Jour” or variants thereof!!
We drove further down the coast to
Aromanches visiting the 360 cinema, the D-Day museum on the sea front and the
remnants of Mulberry harbour. On our return along the coast we visited a former
German battery with guns still remaining to see. The sight from this point over
60 years ago must have been awesome but terrifying. The girls were bent on
straddling the gun barrels, maybe trying to get a feeling for something other
than the D-Day experience!!! Mark led us home following the Sat Nav. Yet
another
tale here as we twisted and turned down lanes with grass growing down the middle
– but we did get back safely!!
Tuesday 5th August.
Port Bail by Bike.
So a rest day. Some had the day at
the pool and some of us took the guided bike ride to Port Bail,
a small port
some 13 Km away where market day was taking place. I returned alone on the bike
preferring the quiet lanes rather than the bike route along the old railway. The
sun was out, so time for some fun in the pool and later a bit of archery. Roger
proved to be our ‘Robin Hood’ although; Harry the Dutchman got the better of
him. Later our RVDA members showed our ‘sporting prowess’ winning at horseshoes
although Mark S. and myself were beaten in the final by our offspring! This was
only one of a few very friendly evenings spent with other people on the rally.
Wednesday 6th August.
Market day & the Beach.
It was market day in La Haye du
Puits. We walked down passing a variety of stalls selling wines, calvados, fresh
fish, cheese, fruit and veg., stuffed olives, jewellery, BBQ sausages, roast
chickens, bags, shoes everything you could ever
need. Much better that any
market I’ve seen in UK for quite some time. A coffee and a strawberry cream
vanilla slice were called for. This is the life for me I thought! In the
afternoon we set off for the beach at Pirou, where, after a lovely swim in the
Atlantic we proceeded to demonstrate the old English art of Cricket!! We had a
few intrigued French people as to what this game really was all about. A return
to site saw a few of the group out with the fishing rods at the lake. It was
amazing to see how easily the fish feed on any food thrown on the surface.
Suffice to say a number of fish were caught during our holiday – but not for
eating!!
Thursday 7th August.
The Bell Foundry.
Today we planned a visit to the
Bell foundry at Villedieu-les-Poeles. It was a very interesting place where we
were shown around by guide who explained the bell manufacturing process to us in
English. There were some very big bells made there and how the neighbours don’t
complain about the noise everyday from visitors testing some examples beats me!
After a nice lunch in a café-cum- hotel in the town we came out to a heavy
shower of rain. Nevertheless we dashed back to the cars and drove on to
Granville. We had a short visit of the chateau and some gun emplacements before
the rain returned and we proceeded to make our way home. Fortunately the weather
cleared on our return and after spoiling ourselves at a local restaurant we
joined in with the rally’s Chinese auction. There was a constant exchange of a
mouse with a wobbly head and I was left with the “boob” mug!
Friday 8th August. A
leisurely Bike ride.
A rest day for most of us. Gill and
I decided to make a bike trip to a nearby viewing point. The country lanes on
our route where nice and quiet with very little traffic and at our
destination
we found a quarry transformed into a lake with a café and pedalos to hire. It
reminded me a little of Beacon Fell. We rode back into town and went for coffee
and cakes again! Later it was a big rally BBQ followed by a fantastic kids
entertainer, Bill. He didn’t only fool most of the kids with his tricks but most
of our adults. Ask Gordon or Pauline! He was so good we were on about calling
Caroline to invite him up for the Xmas party!! If only our dates hadn’t clashed
with his work.
Saturday 9th August. The Carrot Festival.
It was carrot festival day in a
local village, Creances. There were some great displays of vegetables together
with a good market selling fish and lots of food stalls, but this was all added
to with a
2 mile car boot sale around the village streets!! Gill found a French
milk churn and a water can for the garden. It was a nice carnival atmosphere
with a small band followed by the “holy carrot brigade” which ended up on a
stage in the market place having its carrots blessed. I convinced it was all
Mickey taking!
Sunday 10th August. Go-Karting.
Sunday was another leisurely day on
site by the pool or fishing. Irene had built up the courage to attempt bike
riding and after a long shove around the site on a borrowed bike to practice,
she went off with Andy on a ride. An hour or 2 later they re-appeared, Andy with
a smirk on his face and Irene with a few cuts and bruises to show for her
adventure! Apparently she lost control a couple of times, once falling into a
ditch and another time hitting a wall! Late in the afternoon we all drove down
to Lessay to a go kart track. Striking a deal for a cheaper rate we all entered
the track one by one. It was
great fun despite my 2 spin offs. Some of us proved
to be potential F1 drivers while some of us should stick to the roads and slow
down!! In
the evening Gordon cooked some Snails for us to try. Thank goodness
for the soaking in garlic they’d got!! I much preferred the frog’s legs which
were somewhat like chicken.
Monday 11th August. Mont St. Michel.
Le Mont St. Michel was our destination and on arriving we could see the wonderful almost Disney type setting this monastic island had. There were thousands of visitors and to be honest if we weren’t in a traffic jam of cars then we were certainly in a traffic jam of people when we got on the island. The setting was great but we picked the wrong time to visit. I think May or June would have proved much more “comfortable”.
Tuesday 12th August.
Port Bail & the Paella.
It was the Port Bail market day
again today. So this time I used a mountain bike and with the group of Roger,
Pete, Jayne, Mark & Sarah we set off. The 13km gave us all an appetite for a
roast sausage in a small baguette and a coffee. I gave the girls an added push
home but found Peter dropping behind. Eventually he realised one of his brakes
was stuck on, no wonder he was struggling. A bit of fiddling about and we sorted
the problem to get him home – take the brake off!! We returned to base and our
evening meal was to be a group paella. Denise was acting as head cook supported
by Pauline. The rest of us watched the meticulous preparation with all the fresh
prawns, mussels, calamari, chicken etc. It was delicious! Later on a group
gathering, as we did every night, allowed for a nice whisky for me and Roger to
enjoy!
Wednesday 13th August. The Bayeaux Tapestry.
The goal of the day was visit the
Bayeaux Tapestry, the cathedral and hopefully a few of the British landing D-day
sites and memorials. The tapestry is a marvel to see, depicting the story of the
conquest of England in 1066. It is in unbelievably good condition when one
thinks it is nearly 1000
years old. The Cathedral proved to be exceptionally
beautiful, it was a pity we didn’t have more time to see the town as well. We
proceeded to visit a Canadian & a British war cemetery, both immaculately kept,
before beginning our return along the coast road to see some of the beaches.
Time was getting short so we blasted along, in order to see the church at St
Mere Eglise, famed for its hanging parachutist. It depicts an American who,
during the D-day landings parachuted in, only for his ‘chute to catch on the
church roof, leaving him a hanging target. The Germans did let him down after
some hours of playing dead but he managed to
escape later in the confusion of
battle. We arrived later than expected at camp and so went down town eat in the
restaurant where we found Denise & Roger, Pauline & John and later joined by
Jayne & Peter (who’d come for a quiet romantic meal alone!! No chance of that!).
It was on this evening that Roger gave his thoughts on “de Gaulles’ war
contribution”. I’ll let him explain that to you all on the field! I can only
advise you of the stony silence in the restaurant!!
Thursday 14th August. Azville & St. Mere Eglise.
Andy had been advised by a fellow camper of a good place to visit in Azville Battery which was just beyond St Mere Eglise. Hence we set off in the morning in a car convoy only to hit upon the American memorial to the parachutists just outside St Mere Eglise. We pulled up and took in the marvellous bronze sculpture of the landscape and the statue to the American paratroopers “Iron Mike”. We drove on throw the town to Azville. A young French lady gave us a very informative guide around the Battery in between some rain showers. We decided on a “burger” style dinner outside the battery and headed back to base as we had promised ourselves an easier day than the Wednesday had been.
Friday 15th August. Crisbecq Battery & the return to Cherbourg.
Our final day at La Haye du Puits.
We’d all agreed to travel to Cherbourg in the evening and stop overnight on the
car park. So it was the last day to do what ever you felt still wanted to be
done. Gill and the girls wanted to chill out on site but I decided I wanted to
visit the museum at St
mere Eglise and another battery at Crisbecq. Andy Irene
opted to join me for a short day out. We headed straight for the Battery at
Crisbecq, which, although had no guide, proved just as interesting with its
display rooms jotted around the battery site. On returning to St Mere Eglise it
was time for coffee and cakes before a visit to the Airborne museum. A pity we
had to leave as in the evenings of they were having re-enactments of the D-day
landings with firework displays to end. We headed back to break camp ready for
our evening jaunt to Cherbourg. We said our farewells to the rally stewards
Peter & Beryl as Andy & Irene lead the way and we brought up the rear of our
eight caravan convoy. There was still one more surprise as Andy decided to
ignore the big Cherbourg sign taking us on a right turn and the rest of us all
being sheep followed him! Did he have the Sat Nav. On again?!! We eventually
got back on the right track and landed at Cherbourg on the car park. Everything
was made secure and after a night cap we all went to bed to ready ourselves for
our journey home across the channel the following morning.
Saturday/ Sunday 16th/17th August. The return Journey.
We all got on board safely and the crossing passed relatively smoothly. A number of us disposed of Euros, although Denise never managed to find Rogers most desirable aftershave! Now that’s a story to be told and not read! Off the boat, and we all split up in our own directions. We had decided to take an easier route home by stopping overnight at the THS at Kidderminster. Andy & Irene, Pauline & John were taking this route home too. As we arrived on site the heavens opened, just our luck! As it was a pub with a super carvery stood just 100yds away so off we trotted for the evening. The following day we had an uneventful trip back home and so came to end a brilliant holiday.
Gill and I would just like to say a
big thank you to all of you who accompanied us. It made it so much fun having so
many friends with us. Every one got on great with one another; we had some great
trips out, fun days on the site and the beach, meals out, site visits and
fantastic banter between us all. It has not been possible to write about
everything here and I’m sure all of us will have many fond memories of this
holiday. We would happily do it all again. What’s on the agenda for summer
2009?!
Ian & Gill Lisa & Gez
If you have any pictures you'd like to share, please e-mail them to webmaster@rvda.info
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And we're doing it again ... so
if you are interested in joining us,
Click here to request details of the 2009 trip or e-mail
webmaster@rvda.info
(Details are subject to identity verification)
webmaster@rvda.info
Last Updated:
05 Januar 2009
