Saturday 28th June 2025
Today we set off across country for only about 80 km, north east direction towards Dieppe.
Being Saturday, I'd expected we'd come across a little village or town with a Saturday street market.
Sadly not, I don't know what's happened to France and their markets ?
Anyway we stumbled across Putanges-le-Lac
No market on today, but never the less an attractive little town and a choice of three boulangerie I could see from our parking in the central square, so lunch is sorted.
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Putanges-le-Lac |
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Putanges-le-Lac war memorial |
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Putanges-le-Lac WWll battles took the lives of ten British soldiers remembered here |
We had a wander, then set off for tonights destination, Falaise, famous for being the birth place of William the Conqueror.
It was also the scene of a pivotal battle for Normandy in WWll 1944.
It's an attractive little town with lots of history and interesting buildings
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| Falaise river valley |
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| Falaise Chateau |
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| Falaise church, without a steeple ! |
I had a walk up to the castle earlier, past the Museum and Maries office where weddings were being registered, and up to the medieval castle.
We're on a brand new motorhome Aire nestled in the valley between the castle and the river.
I think the construction of the Aire is part of a wider scheme to revitalise the river valley area.
Some of the river flows through a 1960's concrete culvert which is very unattractive, but by the Aire it's been naturalized is much more appealing.
I had a walk up to the last remaining gate into the historic town called Porte des Cordeliers through which William the Conqurer lead his army to invade England and become the first Norman King of England from 1066 until his death in 1087.
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| Porte des Cordeliers. |
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| Porte des Cordeliers. |
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| Porte des Cordeliers river basin which I think is in line for refurbishment / naturalisation and removal of the rubble dumped. It should look stunning when completed |
Opposite this is a river basin presently filled with what looks like builders dumped rubble.
It'll be interesting to come back in a year or two and see what they've done with it as I'm sure it'll be in the improvement scheme.
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| The plan for the river |
Most of the Chateau is free of charge to wander around the grounds and it's worth doing as there are some great views.
Part of the Chateau was refurbished recently to give visitors a appreciation of what it was like in medieval times with interactive displays etc. I didn't bother with that bit, thinking it was probably aimed at the kids.
Anyway I had Louis with me so couldn't go in.
We seem to be in a cycle at the moment of cool cloudy mornings, then the sun comes out after lunch and the temperatures rise considerbly.
It's not too extreme, probably high 20's, maybe up to 30c but all in all very pleasant.
