If it was dark it must have rained. It was hammering the roof most of the night although it is quite sunny when we get up.
Over two days Mary*Lou has sunk about 4” into the marshland known as Pitch No18. Nick rocks her back and forth trying to get up onto rubber mats but there is no bite and no point tearing up the pitch. The owner arrives with a battered pickup and ropes the vans together. With a light pull we are away and once moving we are easily back on the roadway and Monsiuer jumps out to untie us. He has just released the shackle when the rope slips through his hand as his pickup trundles down the path. He scampers after it and leaps aboard like the starters in the old Le Mans 24 hours races.
We check out having quite enjoyed a rare stay on a campsite, but we won’t make a habit of it.
As we’re completely out of LPG we drive 7 miles west to the big Leclerc at St Valery en Caux. The garage is at the exit, so Ali goes for some shopping and we’ll gas up on the way out. Aarggh! When will we learn? Ali is just putting her bags through the door when Nick sees the kiosk blinds pulled down. Fuel cashier’s lunchbreak 12:30 to 14:00 and the LPG pumps never take card payment. Other options on our route are sparse so it’s a long lunchbreak in a supermarket carpark just like a couple weeks ago.
By the time tummies and tanks are refilled it’s really bright and sunny and we have a lovely drive over the plateau towards Dieppe. A couple of roundabouts are garnished with blue sportscars Nick identifies as Alpines, and then we see the reason, Dieppe has an Alpine factory. Live and learn.
From Dieppe the landscape is open and unremarkable apart from glimpses of sea and cliffs. We stop at Lanocheres for a quick coffee then turn east. The run continues attractively, large open expanses of sedge and marsh across the Baie de Somme. No more timber and flint houses just traditional stone.
About 15 miles from our destination the weather turns squally and grey. We travel in tandem with a French motorhome all the way to the France Passion Conserverie St Christophe at Argoules.
Ali goes to the shop and finds the other driver in there moaning about the stock and prices. He has driven off again before she returns with some dried herbs and huge bottle of strong beer flavoured with seaweed which we enjoyed on a visit here in 2016.
The beer goes well with our chicken curry.