2019-08-03 Greville Hague to La Lucerne d’Outremer

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Greville Hague to La Lucerne d’Outremer

Our route Bayeux to Greville Hague, Normandie

Another sunny day at Grevelle Hague, although with partial cloud giving us some shade.

We get on our way from Greville Hague mid morning, taking the D237/D37 and then D650 all the way south to Lessay (near St Germain sur Ay). At Lessay village we find a good-sized Aire with about 20 places, level and with good vindage (grey and toilet disposal and drinking water, all free. We stop here for lunch, it is quiet and a few minutes’ walk to the village where there are shops and a launderette. After lunch, we walk to the 11^th century abbey, founded in William’s time (but a site here since about 8^th century).

It is plain and built in the gothic style (as are almost all of the 11^th century abbeys), but cool and with interesting features (as always). Back to the Aire, we service the Hymer and fill up with water while we can. Back on the D652 to the small village of Pirou and a beautiful moated castle, well worth €7each for entry.

The castle was built in 12^th century, the land given to the Lord of Pirou during 11^th century. It was much visited by Richard Coeur de Lyon (Richard the Lionheart) between 13XX and 13XX. The Lords of Pirou kept it until 14^th century when it passed to the Le Haye family; then the du Bois family who held it between 15^th and 17^th centuries and Vassay until 18^th century. At some point it fell into disuse and ruin and at the beginning of 20^th century was bought by an entrepreneur who has almost full restored and built the main parts of the castle. The two outer gates and the two inner gates still exist providing access to the moat. Today, crossing the moat that encircles the castle, is by a stone bridge, which replaces the old wood drawbridge which, in early centuries, would have dropped down across the moat providing the only access to the castle. Going through into the castle itself takes you into a courtyard (the old donjon) and access to the old lodge and living quarters (kitchen, dining room and bedroom).

These rooms have been restored as near to their 15^th century layout as possible and in a manner consistent with the period, giving a good sense of life in the middle ages. Access to the ramparts and top of the towers are by very narrow stairs (originally stone) and give excellent views over the moat and countryside. There is access to most of the roof ramparts making an interesting walkaround the upper perimeter. We must have spent an hour and a half enjoying a trip back in time… a bygone age of rural France, where having heirs and passing on property was all that mattered.

In the large hall is a series of tapestries that are recently-sewn, but in the style of those at Bayeux, they stretch all around the hall and on panels in the centre too. They really are worth seeing, and unlike Bayeaux you can take photos of them – see images below.

From Pirou we take the D650 to Montmartin, D20 to Belais and D135 into Granville on the west coast of the Cherbourg peninsula. The town is all but grid-locked, and we quickly realise that a change of route is required. We cross the railway lines at the station with hundreds of people everywhere. As we turn up the hill heading out of the town, the pavements are lined with people sitting and standing three or four deep all along the road for about a mile. We laugh and say they are waiting for us (ha ha) but realise that today there is some kind of important parade. Gill sees a poster which says that this weekend (3^rd and 4^th August) is the 75^th anniversary celebrations of the D-Day landing and storming of the Normandy beaches (in 1944).

Even the beach is closed at Granville! We continue as we are heading out of the town, but we must pass about three of four miles of traffic queueing to get into the town (which already looks full)! For the second time this weekend we implement Plan B… and head south east (away from the coast) on the D973 towards Avranches and then inland on D143 to the small village of La Lucerne d’Outremer. Here we find a small Aire (5 places) behind the Maison des Association (or village hall). It has a very narrow entrance with a tight turn, but we get in OK and park up with three other motor homes.

We breathe a deep sigh of relief, relax, open wine and cook chicken chow mein for tea. After a rest and a meal, we walk into the village and wander around, there is very little here, almost everything has closed, even so it was a great stop. We are not attracted by crowded places, our preference is for small, out of the way locations, that probably comes across in these descriptions.

Greville Hague to La Lucerne d’Outremer

Click any photo to enlarge.

Summary of motorhome journey through Germany and France