The first train this morning goes by at 06:50, so the railway isn't a disturbing factor at all. Around 11:00 we leave and drive through the town of Messac. It is quite attractive, divided by the river which is crossed by a bridge. We make a note that we should come into town if we ever stay here again. An hour later we arrive at the aire in Rochefort en Terre, a town we visited once before over 20 years ago, and wander up to see if it can charm us a second t...

We make good use of the free electricity to charge up everything with a battery. Our French companion leaves while we are having breakfast. It's been a peaceful little stop even if it is like parking at the end of our road at home. We set a cross country route towards the village of St Fraimbault, stopping briefly in the first village we come to, Passais le Conception, to use a cash point and get bread and a couple slices of cheese and tomato flan for lunch. ...

Lots of birdsong again and a lovely sunrise. We say goodbye and make the short drive to Carrouges to visit its chateau. We've seen it briefly before, passing through on a drizzly evening but today we want a proper look. The impressive gatehouse has four turrets topped with witches hat rooves and walls built of red brick with diamond patterns of black brick. Passing through the arched gate we come to the huge grounds and the chateau which is also predominantly...

This place is so relaxing, even the birds don't start singing until 05:30 A herd of white Charolais cattle is in the orchard, young cows with their first calves and a few steers. As we are eating breakfast the farmer comes and they are driven noisily up the lane. We receive some texts for our wedding anniversary and set off with not much of a plan other than needing to top up our LPG. From the available places we opt for the supermarket in Falaise. We retrac...

Silent and peaceful night and a lovely dawn chorus of finches, thrushes and blackbirds. Ali pops back into town intending to visit the Tourist Office and buy some of the special breads that were advertised yesterday but everything in the whole town is closed. We set off hoping to visit the chateau at Crevecouer en Auge but when we reach the town there is no sign of, or signs for, the chateau. Maybe renovation, maybe no longer open, we don't know. But this is ...