Time does fly, and yet another week is over for us and the end of our adventure is now looming as we zig-zag our way along the A16 towards the port of Calais.
Northern France is a stunning region often overlooked as a destination in its own right as so many people normally roll off the ferry and head straight for the south.
It may not possess the glamour of Paris or the sunshine of St.Tropez, but it is a haven for history-lovers, with amazing beaches and natural cliffs.
Add to that the string of picturesque towns and villages, from Cleres with its huge animal park to the colourful harbour of Saint Valery Sur Somme it’s hard not to like Northern France.
For us now the weather here is varying from day to day, it’s either, warm and sunny, (which is much more comfortable) or partly cloudy which turns to strong winds and pouring rain, but it hasn’t stopped us from getting out and about.
We stop off in the small town of Nouvion just 60 miles south of Calais for a walk but sadly there’s no reference to the tv series ‘ Allo Allo’ it was once based on. Nouvion, but with no Cafe Renee to say “good moaning” to we move onAfter a walk around the village of Cleres we realise we came here a few years agoIt’s a wet and cold day in Saint Saire and everything is closed No internet signal in Saint Saire, so we have fun playing with ‘Madame’ the Boxer dogLunch and the launderette, washing day In Incheville we walk one of the Oldest lakes in the area.Unfortunately Beauchamp doesn’t live up to its meaning ‘Beautiful’ it is rather disappointingAlthough the Valloires abbey we see today was the part that was rebuilt in the 18th century, there has been an abbey in the same location since the 12th century and was home to more than 100 during the 12th and 13th centuries, today it’s a tourist attraction and hotel. The other buildings of the abbey are grouped around a large cloister with stone arcades at ground level and red brick used for the upper level.We don’t watch the tv often but this week we have been watching the news back home Montreuil is an old mediaeval town with 3km of preserved ramparts, cobbled streets, with lots of little alleyways and side streets that lead to the main squareBuilt on the once old royal Montruiel castle now stands the 16th CitadelThe Groult Wood is a great little site open all year roundThe white cliffs of Dover are clear from Wissant today Wissant These two young lads in Marck had only the basic fishing equipment but they were having more success than the other fishermanOur last stop is Marck where we chat to our neighbours Glen and Catherine
