The city of Nice seen from the surrounding hillside bathed in sunshine

Home Travel Stories Normandy, France 2011 - By Ren Withnell

Normandy, France 2011 - The Trip North and More Images

Yesterday was the last day of the holiday, today we need to get back home from Worthing. Normally I'm itching to get going and get it over and done with, today I'm forcing myself to wait, impatiently. The plan is to leave Worthing around 1530 and make the trip home over the evening, getting back to the gf's in Liverpool before midnight. Other than that there's no plan for the morning or the afternoon. Any normal person would relax and enjoy the calm, me, I just get bored. I discuss holidays and what is involved with a cruise (ocean liners, not riding a Harley) with Dad and his wife. The gf reads and makes contact with the kids to ensure all is well. I learn a friend of mine has been knocked of his bike, he's badly bruised and has broken a few bones in his hand, but he should survive just fine.

By 1500 I'm wound up like a spring so I make moves to get going. I round the gf up and check, double check then recheck that I've got everything and the bikes OK and secured. I load up a reluctant gf, she really does not want to go back to the day to day routine and back to the house that she needs to clean and maintain. As I wave goodbye to Dad and his wife I know my Dad loves me but I think he's glad I'll not be bouncing round the house any more.

The ride home goes really very well! Even the heavy traffic around London is moving at 60 or 70 mph, the rest of the motorways are pretty clear too. Birmingham comes and goes like a blur and apart from 3 stops for toilets and drinks we just crack right on. We manage to get back to Liverpool before the sun sets which is a relief, dark motorways are not a favourite of mine.

And that was France!

yamaha fazer fzs 600 on the newhaven to dieppe ferry, loaded up with saddle bags and tank bag
The Fazer on the ferry from Newhaven to Dieppe. All loaded up, and we're not even camping!

looking over to france in the distance from the ferry out at sea
That's France in the distance. It looks beautiful but the wind is blowing like hell. Camera's can't capture wind.

a long sleeved tshirt drying on a french window shutter
The gf brings a full week's wardrobe and an outfit for each occasion, formal, informal, dining out, the ambassadors party...I take a couple of tshirts and wash them in the shower.

a french speed limits sign, the number 50 in a red circle
You'll see an awful lot of these in France. The "Rappel" means "Reminder".

bungalows along a broad pleasant street in the sun, leading into honfleur
The road into Honfleur from the studio. Here we're coming into town, the houses are not so posh but still very nice.

a narrow and old street with overhanging buildings and bunting, busy and bustling with shoppers
In the centre of Honfleur there are some old and narrow streets, full of character...and shoppers.

a large french style house on a broad street
There's something distinctly "French" about these French houses.

the editor and his girlfriend stood next to a small tank at the grand bunker
That's ME! The chick next to me is the gf. The tank is her preferred form or transport, she likes to blow up anyone who gets in her way with the little gun.

a circle of national flags on poles flying against a blue sky
If you can name all these flags in the comments box below you can win.....nowt.

a sign outside a fish cafe in honfleur showing half naked woman half fish and no head just a smile
I don't know if I should put this on a family website...but this was in public view outside a cafe in Honfleur

old timber framed buildings in the french style along a street in beauvron en auge
Beuvron-En-Auge provides endless picture postacrd scenes in the glorious warm sun.

Normandy, France 2011 - Prologue

Normandy, France 2011 - The Ride South

Normandy, France 2011 - The Ferry, French Roads and Honfleur

Normandy, France 2011 - A Good Walk Around Honfleur Ren and Sharon spend the day in and around Honfleur. It's a pretty and characterful town. The day has it's downs, and ups.

Normandy, France 2011 - A Bit of D-Day and Normandy Coast The Normandy beaches and the busy roads of France are on the menu today. There's a little time to relax too.

Normandy, France 2011 - Another Good Walk Around Honfleur

Normandy, France 2011 - The Beauty Of Beuvron-En-Auge

Normandy, France 2011 - Back To The Ferry and England

Normandy, France 2011 - The Trip North and More Images

Reader's Comments

Mum said :-
Just read your really good biography of the trip. What a great writer you are. Really entertaining and funny - but also very serious in parts.
You should go to France again - it is a beautiful country.
Well done, but I think I may be a bit biased
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC

David said :-
Stumbled across this while looking at Honfleur on the web. Read a little bit and got hooked so read it from start to finish. Really well written. Thanks for putting it out there
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC

Ren - The Ed said :-
Cheers David! Are you planning your own expedition to Honfleur yourself? It is a lovely place.
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC

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Home Travel Stories Normandy, France 2011 - By Ren Withnell

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