Returning along the canal to Ouisterham we found the exit to the sea blocked by a howling wind and waves breaking over the lock gates. We therefore decided that we’d become World-Cup football fans for any country that happened to be playing, so we stayed a few days more!
When the chaos subsided we worked out that if we caught the first lock of the morning and with my pin point calculations utilising wind, tide and 2000rpm we would just make the last lock into Honfleur. The trip entailed dodging the tankers entering Le Havre together with the ones lining up for the entrance to the River Seine as Honfleur is some 10 miles down the river just prior to the Pont-de-Normandie bridge.
As normal, nothing went particularly well – but after practicing yet more bad Radio French as we hurtled down the Seine and, although we’d missed the time slot, we found the gates open awaiting us as we turned the corner!
Honfleur is just beautiful and this is equally reflected in the daily rate for boats as well as hotels… we didn’t stay long. Now most ‘town’ marinas are usually not even in the same post code and often come with a 15 minute walk to reach any form of human life however not here. Honfleur Marina is in the heart of the old town and is surrounded by more seafood restaurants than we’ve seen anywhere else so far.
Cobbled streets, tiny alleyways leading to picturesque squares, gardens galore, horse drawn carriages the list goes on. I’m not going to waffle on so hopefully the pictures will do this part of Normandy justice
3rd July 2018
632 Mileage Completed