Baie de Somme

Thursday 24^th May

Gloomy, humid and overcast this morning. M le Patron stood at the door of his office to wave us off with much smiling. He was probably glad to see the back of our tortured French but I bet he missed the amusement value.

There was patchy fog for a long way. It was hot in the car and the traffic was heavy near to Paris so it wasn’t a pleasant journey to Dourdan. The site was OK and clean but nothing special. Fine for an overnight stop and there’s a supermarket round the corner within walking distance. We bought strawberries and cream to compensate for the crappy journey.

Les Petits Pres

11 Avenue Mendes France

F-91410

camping@mairie-dourdan.fr

Friday 25^th May

We didn’t bother to unhitch last night so we had an easy getaway this morning. We were aiming for Le Crotoy on the Baie de Somme. It was a nasty long drive with one picnic stop. We arrived about 3pm and there were only 2 pitches left, so that was lucky. It’s a nice site. Pitches are not large but are cosy and private. We passed a glorious lake on the way here, full of swans and all sorts of water birds. There were  ponies roaming about on the far side of the lake. They
seem to be half wild, like Dartmoor ponies.

Camping les trois Sablieres

1850 Rue de la Maye

80550 St Firmin les Crotoy

www.camping-les-trois-sablieres.com

(Sabliere = sand quarry.)

Friday 26^th May

Woke up to clear blue sky and glorious sunshine. Cycled to Rue for the market, where we bought cheese, fruit and veg, including a wonderful bunch of fat asparagus, which was only 2 euros.

It’s very hot (at last!)

Staurday 27^th May

We walked to the beach. It was mad down there, with cars and campers all over the place. No fun at all. The beach is like Southport, with no sight of the sea whatsoever, but we saw some people miles out so it must be there somewhere. There was a girl trying to load a nervous horse into a trailer. She was making a right pig’s arse out of it, with much shouting and shoving. I was tempted to intervene but thought better of it as I wasn’t sure if the horse would understand English commands and decided I’d probably get a kick from the horse and French verbal abuse from the bad-tempered girl.

Monday 28^th May

Cycled to Crotoy. The cycle track runs alongside the lake/nature reserve and it was all very interesting. We saw an abandoned swan’s nest with 6 eggs on it so that was a shame. There were coots with chicks, hundreds of terns nesting on strips of land, ducks, pewits and a solitary black swan. The horses were there but too far away to be photographed. We saw a flying stork. Nerdy bird-watchers’ paradise!

Crotoy town was busy and there was a market on. We watched to tide come in at a rate of knots. Very dangerous looking, but they send out a loudspeaker warning when it’s due. We had a beer and cycled back.

A heavy sea mist came down in the evening.

Tuesday 29^th May

We walked to the beach to have a proper look without the bank holiday crowds. There was still no sign of any water but we could see a horse and cart a long way out – probably cockling. There were a few people camping in the dunes and there was a ladies’ art group with their folding chairs and sketch books.

More sea mist about 4.30pm.

Wednesday 20^th May

We drove to the supermarket at Rue. We came out of there into baking heat. It felt like the last day of the hols, although we still have a few days left.