Quiberville -Dieppe – Neufchatel en bray 35 miles.

Today we complete the last section of the coastal cycleway called veĺo route du littoral along the coast to Dieppe and then turn towards Paris on the Avenue Vert. I did this part of the ride with the Dynosorearse group several years ago and was impressed with how you could get to the Eifel tower on so few main roads. The table cover last night illustrates the trip.

Before setting off this morning we made the most of our sea view as the sky was clear and the sun was shining. After checking out we completed our morning ritual and brought pain for our picnic.

The route took us along the coast past a few mussel farms and then up a steady climb slightly inland. Reader you may note a slight change in style today as I, ‘The Compatriot’, have wrestled the blog from the clutches of ‘Edward the Blogger’. No doubt before too long he will have thought better of giving me a free rein, but we will see. The ride, for the first hour of the morning, is gentle mainly uphill, and varied through small villages, countryside and woodland.

Eventually we descend into the small seaside resort of Hautot sur Mer where we find a cafe to have breakfast. I make a mess of the ordering and only coffee arrives at our table. But not to worry, my male compatriot, fluently orders double croissants and more coffee and all is well.

Enough of this espionage you are back in the hands of the blogger! We followed the cycleway signs to the edge of Dieppe where the road was closed and a diversion was in place. While following this diversion we came to another road closed and a diversion to the diversion. Now this is where it all became complicated because we lost the cycle diversion and ended up on a roundabout of a major dual carriageway at the top of a hill. Not wishing to take this route we diverted into an out of town shopping estate and using the map on Garmin managed to navigate out through a housing estate and finally along a footpath through the grounds of Chateau Rosebourne. It could be luck, or planning, but as we arrived back at a road taking us across a level crossing. Here we find a new section of the Avenue Vert.

It is great to be on a well surfaced, traffic free route along which we find a cafe for a beer & water in the sunshine.

And after another 10 miles a bench for a picnic. What more could you ask for?

Maybe an ice cream. When I spotted a sign for a selection of ices, I diverted uphill into a village and obtained a lolly. My compatriot, less enthusiastic about another uphill diversion from the route, declined.

Along the way we saw a chateau and Norman castle. I did want to remind them they were English once but decided to wait until November.

At almost exactly 35 miles in Neufchatel du Bray we have to again divert uphill through the cobbled streets of the town to our accommodation which is in a barn conversion on an old farm on the outskirts.

The room is light and airy so we take advantage with our first set of clothes washing. Well we are in a Chateaux tomorrow and want to smell our best. The down side of this beautiful location is the necessity to walk back into town for a drink and meal tonight as there are no Ubers avaliable. Apparently my compatriot says cycling is off tonight.

After a beer we explored the restaurants. Several were closed for vacation. Two closed as we looked at the menus, not sure if they did not like the look or smell of us. There was the best kebab shop and burger bar in town (Translated by google), but we settled on the restaurant in the tucked away logis hotel. We were not disappointed. We have the two longest days to look forward to, both over 40 miles, so an early night tonight in preparation.