First stop en route to Provence was Portsmouth, for a few minor jobs on Mavis. (No, that’s not Portsmouth above, I thought I’d start the blog with a Château picture)
The dogs had breakfast in front of the dealers and were then taken for a long walk around Langstone Harbour.
We spent the night at Fishery Creek, a friendly site at the far end of Hayling Island, shared a chinese takeaway with Nick Lavies, a mutual friend from way back, then set off at 9am the following morning for the Channel Tunnel.
Nia drove us onto the train and we popped up in France one ham sandwich and a cup of tea later. Very civilised.
We stopped at an aire at Neufchatel en Bray…here we are in solitary splendour, though we did meet an English couple on the first night, jazz singers on their way back from Portugal.
The aire at Neufchatel is 20 yards from the Dieppe to Forges les Eaux voie verte, or cycleway. We tend to cycle too far for the dogs to run the whole distance so we have a dog cart, as shown below.
Nia has a collection of flags; we just have to work out which country we’re in and fly the appropriate banner.
The cycleway is a converted disused railway line.
This is us heading in the direction of Dieppe, yesterday. (Does any geek out there know what PK 140.000 means?)
We stopped at a station, conveniently converted into a wine bar, on the way.
Today we headed inland, first stop Mesnieres en Bray, with a watermill, and the Château that you’ve already seen.
The château builders clearly had too much time on their hands, or had imbibed too much of the vin rouge….this wall seems to have a roof on it.
Another odd roof.
There’s always interesting stuff on a French cycle ride.
Hen perched on ram’s back.
Helpful sign pointing to a view point (we think….not sure what the stamp is all about). Come to think of it, it’s pointing in two directions..??
Church at Mesnierès…they do do their churches well.
Ready to move on tomorrow.
Rambling about Europe with the Kray Twins (Colin and Penny).
Travels with Mavis 
Good to see you out and about again.
I see Nia has her upside down flag on this trip
The broad white (St Andrew’s) band on the Union Flag is at the top of the hoist – unless she was really in distress.
No sign of PK 140.000, but the stamp has Sartre’s birthday 21.06.(19)05
All the best
Walter
PS Winnie Marshall is in France – daughter and family have just moved to Aix en Provence
Winnie due to return to Glasgow Mar 28th
Hello Walter,
Thanks for the heads up about the flag, although I wasn’t aware that I had it upside down – indeed I have to admit I hadn’t even considered whether it had an up and a down but will remedy immediately. It is fair to say that I am sometimes in distress on a bike ride after a few kilometres and a steep hill pulling the cart and 3 dogs … and that is with the help of my bike’s battery! Luckily we found a wine bar in one of the disused stations on the cycle track and a glass of vin blanc goes a long way to restoring my good humour.
Hope you’re well. If we reach Aix en Provence before the 28th we’ll see if we can find Winnie,
Love Nia xxxx