After a leisurely drive down the motorway (most people were heading north or southwest) we spent a couple of hours in Portsmouth and had an early evening meal before boarding the boat.


Once on it and ensconced in our cabin we had a lazy evening, bottle of wine and reasonably good sleep before the drive. Brittany Ferries have obviously changed their morning wake up music. Previously, an hour before arrival in St Malo, we would have to wake up to La Primavera from Quattro Stagioni by Vivaldi (quite acceptable), followed by Widor’s Toccata and Fugue in D Minor (badly amplified) and culminating in the Dies Irae from Verdi’s Requiem. The only refuge was the shower or setting the alarm to go off early and getting out of the cabin before it began. Now, all you get is a snatch of an inoffensive melody. We had breakfast on the boat and once we were disembarked we headed south. I always stop off for provisions fairly early so that we don’t have to go hunting for them on arrival if we get delayed. LeClerc in Rennes was the stop this time. After that, no major problems other than a slightly longer than usual delay on the peripherique at Nantes and an even longer time around the Rocade at Bordeaux. At times, the cornfields, sunflowers and Route 66 playlist were reminiscent of last year’s long drive. As soon as we entered Aquitaine, the vineyards appeared. There were times when we were almost at a standstill and at others, the opposite carriageway was static with returning holiday-makers. Now, ensconced in the apartment after my tired brain tried to follow the landlady’s accent, we will sleep and explore the town tomorrow.