(To see each picture in full, tap the photo if reading on a mobile device).
An early start as there were lots of highway miles to come. First stop: Mont Saint-Michel, 125 kms to the south west of Caen
The Abbey at Mont Saint-Michel is World Heritage site and iconic landmark in this corner of Normandy. It sits on a 17 acre island, one kilometer offshore at the mouth of the Coueson River. The tides, which formed the basis of its defenses for centuries, vary greatly, at roughly 14 metres (46 ft) between highest and lowest water marks.
This is the second most popular tourist attraction in France after the landmark structures in Paris. Over 3 million people make the trek annually.
Construction began in the early 8th century and much of the original stonework remains in place. It is an architectural masterpiece.
We walked part way to the start of the estuary (the full hike takes about 40 minutes) and realized a proper visit would take much of the day, time, sadly, we didn’t have available. The angle we reached doesn’t show the true picture so the following photos were “adopted”.
A causeway rebuilt and opened in 2014 now accommodates special buses (the car parks are a mile inland) doing away with the old fashioned method of “getting across”.
We headed south to our final destination of the day, Bordeaux. I would like to describe the countryside but whether by design or simply Mother Nature, huge stretches of the highway were hemmed in by trees and hedgerows. At times it was like driving in a green tunnel.
Bordeaux is where Matt, Kirsten, Allie and Sean will join us for a week of cruising the canals adjacent to the Garonne River. More on that later.
The city is incredibly vibrant, at least as the evening approaches on a Friday night. The central zone, which is massive, is pedestrian only and packed with restaurants, bars and people.
We had a great family dinner in (on?) a sidewalk restaurant with each couple recounting the days they had spent in France thus far.
A walk down to the river capped off the evening. Even there the crowds were significant, all enjoying the unseasonably hot weather (30C).
Tomorrow a walking tour of the city before meeting the barge crew mid afternoon.
The Bennetts On Tour 