Dunkirk, Calais & The Somme

Wed 10th Oct: Left Paris and headed for Dunerque. The drive out in the Paris morning traffic was indeed an experience! Lots of horn blowing, swerving and avoiding other cars - CRAZY.

Had lunch on the Dunkirk beach, Dunkirk was pretty drab and looks like they are trying to forget the war. Dunkirk was all but flattened in 1944 and the buildings erected during the reconstuction is probably the worst example of 50's & 60's European architecture. The anti-boat defences can still be seen in the water.


Calis Ferry Terminal West Mole

Left Dunkirk for Calis hopefully to see the white cliffs of Dover. Unlucky - overcast and misty, a bit disappointing. On the West Mole, there must have been over 100 fishing lines in the water, and for the half hour or so we were there, I did not see one fish caught!

Next planned stop was Rouen, home of Jules Vern and the city where Joan of Arc was burned at the stake. This took us through the Somme where over a million soldiers died in a 5 month battle where the allies drove the enemy back by about 16 Km's. Works out around 63,000 soldiers per Km - war is so silly......

Just after arriving at Rouen, an enormous storm hit the city, torrential rain and lotsa lightning, went on for hours. We couldn't find accommodation in Rouen and headed out of town and booked into an Ibis hotel in Barentin a few scary Km's down the track. After booking in, and again to the amusment of the locals, we tried to order dinner. With the aid of the hotels English/French dictionary, some progress was made, however there was one dish they couldn't translate (Lamb) and the waitress in frustration loudly cried baaaaaa! - we ordered lamb.