Ardingly

Adventures in France

M. Gosselin's Emporium


Replica old racing boats


"Egret Corner"
The place to be for lunch, lots of locals
Delights of M Gosselin !!

Penny and I went off for one of our twice yearly breaks last weekend to a few of our favourite places.
We were doing the last of the Poole Cherbourg fast Cat trips ! We were a bit disconcerted when the Captain announced we would arrive half an hour later as he was running the engines slower ! anyway we arrived in one piece , I must say Condor Ferries is my least favourite.
We had a lovely afternoon cruising round the countryside of Manche and managed to find a good stack of fabrics to satisfy me and some lovely glass lidded honey jars to put more of my old wooden cotton reels in. We were a bit thrown by traffic detours and people being closed however it is all a matter of luck on these trips.We could not find one place but in the search discovered a new brocante to add to our map.
5.30 we arrived at our lovely little Hotel des Isles which never fails to delight and they always keep us our favourite room which looks straight out to Jersey. It is our little touch of luxury we save our £2 coins for...a wonderful atmosphere right on the plage with fab food.
Next day we headed for the West coast St Vaast la Hougue where we indulge at Msr Gosselin"s emporium and have lunch at a habour side cafe where we have an assiette of balsamic prawns on leaves. As you see the harbour is very picturesque and in the season oyster tractors race back and forth. The Cormorants are magnificent to watch and just up the road there is a bridge and we call it " Egret corner " as on one occasion we saw a tree full of what looked like paper flowers on the creek !! on closer examination we realised it was Egrets. We have been past on several occasions since and seen nothing . We had been past that way on route to a Depo and were thrilled on our way back to see them again wading in shallow water so that is indeed their spot, were'nt we lucky.
We spent the second night at Hotel Ibis near the Port and after a visit to the Supermarket where I spotted this Breton gentleman doing a promotion and stocked up on my dyes, we arrived in good time for the Condor Cat only to find it had had to turn back to Poole.
We had to drive to Caen a 100 kil.! fortunately the N 13 is superb and so was my driver and we arrived at my best port in time for Brittany Ferries Normandy Express their huge Cat, we had a much better journey but had to drive home from Portsmouth, pull your socks up Condor it's becoming a habit.
Brittany in Normandy