When we are ready to leave we alert our neighbours that we are disconnecting the electricity. In a mixture of Franglais we have quite a chat before setting off. There are two options for destinations today as we expect the first one may be full. Our journey is a mixture of roads; cross country and dual carriageway, and we notice the effect of the newly introduced 80kph limit on single carriageway roads. Everyone is observing the restrictions and there seems t...

Nick forgoes tasting this morning as he has to drive, but suggests Ali takes her cornflakes with her to have with the calvados. Didier has a fine set up, with an array of recently installed shiny stainless steel stills and a range of drinks from apple juice to a vintage calvados at €140/bottle. We know our place and just buy some pear cider. Yesterday we had wanted to combine everything into one service day, as we needed diesel and LPG, but with France close...

Once more we’ve enjoyed a silent night on a France Passion. The owners of the two French vans that arrived last evening go up to the shop but return empty handed before leaving. When we leave Ali tries the shop door to say goodbye but all is locked up. We need a service point today so we head to Pontmain past endless fields of maize except for a few herds of cattle. There is barely a car on the roads, supermarkets are closed and France seems deserted. Appr...

Peaceful as the grave here and no rush to move, we finally feel the trip has started and we can relax. Today’s route takes us onto part of the Cote d’Emeraude, or Emerald coast, but first we go through lush farmland, showing no signs of the dryness of summer 2018. Crops are mainly cabbage or kale and maize. Rows of young greens show that planting is not over for the year yet. We get our first views of the sea as we approach Pleneuf-val-Andre. Far from em...

Despite our early night we are in no hurry this morning, it’s past 11:00 when we set off for the hour’s drive to today’s point of interest, Les Vallee des Saints near Carnoet. On the way we are detoured around Guerlesquin due to the market. From one junction we can see pens of livesock, mostly horses, and other market stalls, but no surprise, there is nowhere to stop. At the Vallee des Saintes, a path from the car park leads up steep gravel to the visit...