A month in the (neighbours') country

Published 10:37 on 30 Sep 2021

ItÄôs remarkable what a month in another country does for oneÄôs mental health, and I am grateful to my friends at Cherbourg and elsewhere for a wonderful time there: I enclose some snaps from my stay in and around Cherbourg.The wonderful weather meant regular trips by bicycle both to the east and west of the town, especially to Le Becquet, the little port which was the main depot for stone destined for the breakwater throughout the period of the works, from 1780 to 1850.Useful shops discovered Äì PlanetÄôInfo, a computer repair shop opposite the station, and OÄôBrien Bikes, behind LidlÄôs at Querqueville, near the beginning of the western breakwater.Cherbourg and Le Havre were the foci of a considerable ÄòmanifestationÄô last Friday by fishermen complaining about offshore wind farms, though in the area of marine sustainability they are hardly in a position to cast the first lobster! The basin was full of boats which processed in very slowly, letting off flares; the fishermen processed to the factory where turbine blades are manufactured, although from some of the banners on the boats it was clear that their concerns are broader than just one issue.The final of the YCC Championnat du mardi soir is traditionally held on a Saturday, and I was fortunate that the weather held long enough to take part in the last race and attend the prizegiving the night before leaving, with the weather forecast to deteriorate on Sunday night.Going to have my passport stamped gave me the chance to note the route for future visits by club members. It has a lot of history built in Äì over the pont tournant and along Rue du Val de Saire then left on to Rue Aristide Briand (excellent organic food shop), right on to Rue Louis Philippe, which becomes Rue Dom Pedro after the junction with Rue de Tourville. The Hotel Atlantique is very obvious on the left a hundred yards further on.On Sunday morning I left at 5am local time, noting that it was very warm; as I crossed the grande rade I was treated to a Wagnerian lightning display, emanating from a storm cell which was fortunately heading slowly NE, while I was going NW quite quickly on the ebb tide! The wind filled in after dawn, and I spent a pleasant day sailing, with some motoring in the calm bits; as if prompted by the series of gale warnings in French and English on the VHF, the wind began to freshen a bit after the traffic in mid-Channel, and I was able to sail a more or less straight line in towards Portland, which meant I was in the bar at WSC less than 12 hours after leaving Cherbourg!

Last updated 13:28 on 22 March 2025