Travel Escapades: Now the Adventures Begin!

Friday 30th May

Today is pack up day. Boo hoo, but now the real fun starts.

We pick up our car at the Invalides Museum . When we booked we thought it was almost on the edge of the city. We have Sat Nav so will be sweet! We have to walk two blocks to the underground car park with all our bags and we are down 5 floors . There's a lift, but it's just our luck the lift is broken. So down we go with all the bags.

Finally we find our car a nice little Peugeot 208 diesel. We load up and head out onto the streets.

Put our destination - Bayeux in the sat nav and off we go!

We make a few wrong turns to start, but then all seems OK until we find we are headed for the Concorde and Champs du Élysées ! I get the giggles which doesn't help, only because Sam had said the day before, "I'd love to drive up the Champs du Élysées - NOT!" The traffic is 4-6 wide, going both ways and there are no lanes. You just choose where you might fit. Crazy! We both have our eyes on sticks keeping watch. Finally we get onto the A14, before too long we reach our first toll - There are different lanes for credit cards, t tickets and cash. Managed that fine, right line paid our 3 euros. There are 2 more within a short time, first one great, next one, we get in wrong line . The cars pile up behind us and we have to tell them to move on so we can get out! Sam stressing, me the giggles - can't stop!

It's a learning curve. Great roads 130kph on motorway, 90 - 110 on other roads. Tolls a bit of a rip off!

Only one stop before we get to Bayeux - Giverny to see Monet's gardens. Absolutely beautiful. The town itself is picturesque. Cute little cottages and lovely gardens everywhere. We queue for about 30 mins to get into the garden, but certainly worth the wait. Monet's house sits at the top of the garden and we wander through the cottage gardens down to the waterlily garden.

The famous waterlily garden.

I can see how the gardens would have been so serene and inspiring for Monet with no one around, but today there are hundreds like us reliving the magic.

There was a class trip - at this garden paints etc set up for them to paint the poppies. Wouldn't mind that as a class trip. The kids here are so lucky to have all these experiences so close.

Gorgeous cottages in the village in the background, picturesque spot!

Back on the road and off we go to Bayeux. This was the first town in Normandy to be liberated in WWII. We arrive in time to unpack and head out for a meal and a quick orientation of the town.