(left)

Rue Eau de Robec

Rouen

Saturday, July 6th:

we arrive at

 

La Vallee

La Gidonniere

St-Didier

near Chateaubourg

With our base at the comfortable gite, we spend four days preparing for, and watching, Le Tour de France. First, we visit Mont-St-Michel and St-Malo by way of reconnaissance, we attend the finish of Stage 10 at St-Malo; watch the cyclists compete in a time trial (Stage 11: Avranches to Mont-St-Michel); and view the start of Stage 12 in Fougeres

Mont-St-Michel is crowded and the Abbey is closed due to a strike. Work is still in progress to convert the site to its original marine setting by removing the current causeway and replacing it with new road and foot bridges

After exploring St-Malo by walking the ramparts and admiring the views over the beach and out to sea,

we drive to nearby Cancalle and enjoy moules marinieres, followed by crepes, at La Houle restaurant

The next day we get an excellent vantage point on St-Malo's ramparts from where we enjoy all the activity preceding the sprint finish (won by Marcel Kittell) of Stage 10