We woke up in our big fluffy white bed and planned to go for some breakfast near the hotel in the standard boulangerie/tabac combo but with excellent timing as we emerged Mairead had just pulled up on her way past to see if we were awake. She was heading to the sprawling metropolis of Coutances to pick up her bank card. We went along for the ride, and it was a lovely town, the centre at least all old stone buildings and a huge church about every three paces. While she went to the bank we installed ourselves on a very beautiful patisserie full of exciting looking cakes and shiny little bags of tasty sweeties and chocolates. I had a most excellent pain aux raisins while Paul 2 Breakfasts McCan had a pepito (same idea but with chocolate drops) and a palmier. The coffee was great and Mairead came in and joined us so we had to have another one.
Before driving home we paid a visit to Decathlon, possibly Paul's favourite ever shop. There are a few in the UK but as it's a French chain many more here. They basically sell all possible equipment for every possible sport in the whole world. Most of it is very or at least relatively cheap. I got a PURPLE watch (€11) ooohhh and a small fleece (€8). Bargain. Paul got some cool sunnies and a fleece and cycling shorts and some binoculars for Ronan's birthday on Friday. Not sure where this stuff is going to fit in but I'm sure it will...
The Decathlon visit made us late back for Mairead to prepare lunch which she was on duty for so no time to make ratatouille (we were going to be sous-chefs) but she had bought sausages and Ronan and Leo were sent out for chips while those were cooking. First we had a tasty melon and cucumber / tomato starter with very ripe and juicy melon and tomato. It's probably a different kind of tomato but they are always red all the way through to the middle. Then sausages. Then cheese. Then tiramusu. Then coffee in the sun room and a chat and the offer of dark chocolate pastilles but that would have been a step too far.
We attempted to recover with a long walk along the sand dunes to the Point and back which was about 7km. We passed by Manuelle's on the way and her kids Hugo and Shahim and their family friends Helen and Chris came too. Some of us walked out to look at the mussel and oyster farms, which are very weathered, seaweed encrusted wooden frames and in tough bags or boxes on the frames are lots of oysters or moules. It doesn't look like a very enjoyable life but I suppose they don't have the same criteria for enjoyable as I would and are a bit sheltered from predators and placed in a good and sturdy position for catching delicious seaborne snacks. The boys played frisby and then that game where you have to creep up on someone who has their back turned and not get caught moving. Then P took some Jumping Photos with the boys off the edge of the dunes and they came out really well. We walked back along the beach chatting with Chris and Helen.
We showered in the glamorous Guy de Maupassant suite then met Mairead and Claire in the hotel bar for a sneaky mojito before going round to Manuelle's for dinner. Everyone came except Manette who I think was glad to have an evening of peace and quiet.
We had a lovely evening and a great dinner at Manuelle's. Adil made a giant tagine and lots of very tasty side dishes eg involving aubergine or courgette or tomato. He and Manuelle had done it all while we were out walking which was pretty impressive. Somehow and most out of character we seemed to put away too much wine. We walked back so late the funfair had already packed up for the night (no bad thing) and watched the end of the Life of Pi which was in fact better than the book and had some very beautiful scenes.
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