We left UK on a chilly, wet and cold morning and boarded the Normandie Ferry in Portsmouth. I was nervous of this trip as I’m not, by any means, a good sailor. Ed, on the other hand, is not only a good sailor but also manages to scoff down a full English breakfast on the roughest sea! Fortunately, the crossing was calm and the sea looked spectacular as we sailed across the sparkling water.

Arrival in Caen saw sunshine and blue skies as we disembarked, heading towards St. Malo. We arrived at a beautiful villa, set on a golf course with magnificent views. Our hostess was Veronique, a very elegant Dutch lady who ran a beautiful house. She is also a good golfer so Ed was delighted.

We walked from her Villa to the Golf club restaurant and spent a very pleasant couple of hours eating our first French meal since May. Delicious.

The following day, after a breakfast of fruit, eggs, cheese, croissants and fresh bread, not forgetting great French coffee, we headed to a small town called Dol de Bretagne. A very pretty high street and a history tied up with the Stuarts.

We had lunch in the Stuart cafe, with a huge platter of cheese and local meats. Polly was eyeing it up for a taste.

Tomorrow we head to Le Mont-Saint-Michel to say a few prayers. Mostly so we can climb all those stairs!