A lovely clear blue-sky day, already the temperature is around 19°C here in Bayeux.

Today we move north to Barfleur, described as one of France’s most beautiful villages (plus beaux villages de France) on the Cherbourg peninsular. First, we stop at E. Leclerc on the outskirts of Bayeux and stock the fridge with food and wine supplies. Taking the N13 and then the coast road we drive north, stopping at Isigny sur Mer for lunch (a tidal section of the Selune estuary). This is a very pretty village on the edge of the Selune river. There is also a very convenient Aire here, which would be a good stop. Northwards after lunch to Montebourg where we take the D42/D14 to Quettehou and D902 to Barfleur.

We are completely under-whelmed by Barfleur; it is just an overcrowded fishing village! It reminds us of Scarborough on a sunny day (and we have had plenty of those when we stay there to know)! We only stay a short while and decide to move on to the north coast where there are several light houses (phare) and potential Aires for overnight stops. This turns out to be a bad idea!

It is Friday afternoon, and a hot and sunny day in August, it seems like most of the French are heading for the Normandy beaches on Friday afternoon! We drive to Phare de Gatteville and photograph the lighthouse and move onto a potential stopping place near the beach. It is accessed through a tiny village with a width restriction of 2.6m (we are 2.3m wide), it is wide enough but stressful. We fight with many irritable French drivers along the way and many other campers heading for the same place as us. It is not any fun at all. When we finally arrive at Cap Levi, the beach is packed (although there is space to park up). We decide not to stay… too many people, too many vehicles, too much stress.

Back on the N13 we head west, through Cherbourg, crossing the river estuary, which is a bottle neck and out along D45, the north coast road to Greville Hague. Here we find a delightful Aire behind the village hall and next to the sports courts and boule square. There are two car parks, one is for motorhome parking anytime, the other is motorhome parking after office hours and overnight/weekends. There are already four campers parked on the first so we park on the second (it is Friday evening), relax, drink wine and watch the locals playing boule. It is a total contrast to the hot, busy and irate drivers on the coastal and beach roads.

Not the best of days, we both agree that we had to do this to know that northern Normandy is not for us. It is not dissimilar to England, including the overcrowded and busy roads and irate drivers. We will not return here.