Day 185, 14 December 2014, Packing, Raclette and La Maison du Biscuit (Biscuiterie Artisanale). We had considered going to see the world famous Bayeux tapestries this morning. 70 metres of embroidery detailing the exploits of William the Conqueror (or William the b****** as he's known in the UK). We missed it last time we were in Normandy and references to it have haunted us ever since. As it turned out, we missed it this time too. James has a bug and is exhau...

Day 184, 13 December 2014, St Lo, France. We officially slept like logs last night. Very sleepy logs. We visited the weekly market this morning - huge variety of just about everything - stunning seafood, cheeses and meat (and flowers, clothes, shoes etc). Tonight is a mini-retirement party for James - just opened a very special bottle of wine we bought 20 years ago (Penfold's Grange Hermitage) and a leg of NZ lamb is roasting as we speak. Rather weirdly it's ac...

Day 181, 10 December 2014, Paris to St Lo, France. Travel Day! I've had a routine lately and over the last few days I've been working James into it... no alarms and wake up time is about 8.30 am. This morning we needed an actual alarm - thankfully woke up just before 7 so didn't have to endure it actually going off. Final odds and ends into the bags, leisurely breakfast then a cab to Gare St Lazare. With just our wheeled backpacks we could have made it via t...