Brindabella

Deauville is an interesting place and not quite what we were expecting. It has a race course, international film festival, marinas, conference centre, villas, Grand Casino, polo matches and sumptuous hotels. We found one hotel offering rooms for €3,500 per night. (We only paid €33 in the marina). Deauville is regarded as the Parisian Riviera.

We spent Monday walking over the bridge from Deauville to Trouville. This is a typical Normandy town and different from the playground for the rich. We found a boulangerie that sold filled baguettes and fresh orange juice which we had for lunch sat in a small park over looking the river. It was low water after lunch, so we walked across the temporary walkway they set up at low tide to get back to Deauville. In the evening after 7pm, when they allow dogs on the beach, so we went for a swim with Bella. That night we went to a small street restaurant back in Trouville for dinner.

We were up early on Tuesday to take Bella for a walk along the boardwalk at Deauville. The sandy beach was being cleaned by a tractor towing a cleaning machine and the polo ponies were being ridden along the water's edge. Back at the boat, we left at freeflow through the lock for St Vaast at 10am.

There was very little wind on the trip to St Vaast and it was calm enough to have lunch outside at the table while at sea, which is extremely unusual. After lunch the wind had picked up and we had a great 3 hour sail on one tack into St Vaast.

We arrived at St Vaast too early for the lock, so we anchored off for 40 minutes before entering the marina.

The picture above shows the restocking of the Oyster beds at low tide in St Vaast.

We are planning to stay in St Vaast until Sunday. Simon needs to wait for a contract to be posted from work which needs to be signed and returned before moving on. Also we know the Saturday market sells excellent roast chicken which is worth waiting for!

Time: 8:45 hours Miles: 55nm Total Time: 39:30 hours Total Miles: 256nm