Tuesday 22nd and Wednesday 23rd September 2026
From the Stoke Prior Steam Rally, we headed straight to Portsmouth, where, after an overnight stay at a small local campsite, we boarded the ferry to France on the Brittany Ferries, Mont-san-Michel. The sea was a flat as a mill-pond all the way across the channel. We have never know it so calm.
Falaise:
From Caen, we headed straight to the small town of Falaise, around 40 minutes or so away. Our plan was to park-up next to the castle walls, a recognised (and free) overnight stay.
When we got there, it was to discover that a circus was occupying much of the park-up area, but we did manage to find a spot.
The circus was of the traditional kind, with animals as a part of the act, so although we had seen the horses and camels as we drove past the enclosure, it was with some surprise we discovered that we were to sleep just a few yards away from three large lions.
The vehicles used by the circus area were all large, but one in particular was huge:
We have stayed at Falaise a number of times, but as usual, we had a wander around the centre. The castle was where Guillaume le Conquérant, Duke of Normandy (William the Conqueror), was born, and impressive it is too:
Also in the centre, is a Sherman tank from WW2 which has been decorated as an anti-war statement:
Falaise suffered greatly in the war and there were very heavy losses on both sides. There are information boards around the castle which present the story of the German occupation and liberation of the town.
Despite our proximity to the lions, we had a good night’s sleep, except that the circus started up their generator at 6am. We had also been looking forward to croissants for breakfast, but sadly the nearby bakery was closed.
Chartres:
Chartres is a beautiful and historic city built on the river Eure, with a very ornate gothic medieval cathedral with is extremely well preserved. It was mostly built between 1193 and 1250 and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
On the floor of the nave is a large labyrinth made of contrasting flagstones. The labyrinth has become an emblem of the city and even the street metalwork is adorned.
The cathedral is also famous for its unique medieval stained glass and its “bleu de Chartres” colour. It is not known how this colour was produced and it has been unable to be replicated.
The rood screen, which is made of stone and surrounds the choir, is astonishing:
The city is a great place to explore:
Every evening after dusk, many locations in the city are lit up by the “luminaire” a projected light show, is astonishingly good, especially on the front of the cathedral. We were both captivated, even though we have seen similar displays elsewhere.
That is all for today. TTFN and see-u-later.
