Our route Port Réan to Caen

Our day here at Rosquelfen begins with two small grandchildren coming to visit with story books. All four of us sit in ‘the bed in the air’, even Sophie who is confident enough for Roger to go back to the gite and make a packed lunch and have a shower. Sophie gets fed up first and goes back to the gite with Grandad (who takes his porridge with him) and cooks his breakfast in the gite. Evan and I have more stories. When he is fed up, I go for awash and get dressed while Evan explores every cupboard, space and nook and cranny of the Hymer, even the chambers under the floor that give access to the freshwater tank and grey water tank.

We wander back to the gite and play in the garden and play barn until it is time for them to go to the beach. We wave them off and return to the Hymer and plan our day.

We leave late morning on N164 to Plemet then D1 to La Trinite Porhoet, where we stop by the cemetery for lunch. It is a shady spot with pots of geranium around the cemetery and makes a relaxing stop. I wander around the cemetery and find an old water pump in the corner, by turning the knob on the top it activates the pump and issues forth a good flow of water. Back on the road we take the D973 to Josselin (where Roger and Rachel and children came to the chateau yesterday). We don’t stop but continue on the N24 to Guer and D772/D776 to Lassay and Pont Réan. Here we turn right along the side of the river Vilaine to a small Aire for about 8 motor homes.

It is a warm and sunny afternoon, about 27°C and the Aire is next to Port Rean canoes, so half of the motor home spaces have cars in them (even though they are not supposed to park there). No matter, we park opposite the cars and wait. We don’t have to wait long before a car moves, and we park up in a nice space facing the river. It is mid-afternoon so we decide to walk through the town. There is nothing much there and everything is closed anyway, except the restaurant and river canoes! We walk alongside the river and past the old water mill. This lies between the river and the canal (with a set of locks at this point), but has not worked for many years, the wheel has gone and only the remains of the water race can be seen. It is a pleasant walk and the weather is warm and sunny.

Back at the camper we reflect on our 4 weeks away, what we have seen and what we have done… a lot! It is Joe’s 23^rd birthday (our estranged grandson), we remember him as we drink a glass of wine and regret that he no longer keeps in touch with any of us but agree that this is his choice and not ours.