Mont Saint-Michel
Mont Saint-Michel is a medieval abbey and village perched on a rocky island in Normandy. It is famous for its silhouette rises dramatically from the tidal flats of the English Channel, the site is a UNESCO World Heritage site. The island is accessible by a causeway, but during high tides, the sea surrounds the island.
The abbey, dates back to the 8th century. It was originally built as a monastic community dedicated to the Archangel Michael and has served as a pilgrimage site for centuries.
Today it is possible to explore its winding streets, and even climb to the top for panoramic views. We rode our bikes as far as we could then walked up part of the way. We didn’t actually go right to the top as there was a cost to go past a certain point and we decided we’d seen enough.
Jullouville
Jullouville is a coastal town situated on the bay of Mont Saint-Michel. The beach stretches for several kilometres.
We stayed in Jullouville for a few days. It was a great place to relax.
The first time I attempted to swim at Jullouville the tide was right out. I was determined to swim though and started walking. After a very long walk to the sea and a very long walk once in the sea I gave up! It just wasn’t getting past my knees! Luckily as you can see I did make it in once the tide came in!
Honfleur
Honfleur is a charming coastal town in Normandy, known for its picturesque harbour, old-world charm, and artistic heritage.
It is situated on the estuary of the Seine River. It is famous for its art and is a favourite destination for painters, particularly in the 19th century. Artists like Claude Monet and Eugène Boudin were captivated by its natural beauty and its unique light, which continues to draw photographers and painters today.
The Vieux Bassin, or Old Harbour, is the town’s centrepiece, lined with tall, narrow slate-fronted houses.
The Vieux Phare de Honfleur (Old Lighthouse of Honfleur) is a historic lighthouse located at the mouth of the harbour. It was built in 1857 and served as an important navigational aid for ships entering the Seine estuary from the English Channel. The lighthouse is no longer operational, but it remains a landmark due to its architectural and historical significance. The tower stands at roughly 16 metres high.
The photo above is one of my favourite pics, it’s the street that leads down to the sea. We walked down there at night and it was very picturesque.
Close by, Église Sainte Catherine or St. Catherine’s Church, the largest wooden church in France, built by local shipbuilders in the 15th century. Its unique design, with twin naves and a separate bell tower, adds to the town’s history.
Honfleur’s narrow streets, lined with galleries, boutiques, and cafés, are great to explore. We stayed at an aire on the outskirts of the town. It was €14 for 24 hours. We had a good look round Honfleur in the evening we arrived and in the daytime the next day. It’s a great place to visit and would definitely recommend going .
St-Aubin-sur-Mer
St. Aubin-sur-Mer is a lovely coastal village.
It actually played a part in the DDay landings in World War II as part of Juno beach where Canadian forces came ashore.
Today it is very peaceful with sandy beaches and a promenade. We stayed on a free aire right by the sea.
The beach huts reminded of the beach huts back home on Hove seafront and the cliffs in the photo below really reminded me of the view we see in Saltdean which is also back home in Brighton. If you’re reading this and local to East Sussex I’d love to know if you think so too, tell us in the comments.
Dieppe
Our last stop in France was Dieppe . It is here we were going to catch the ferry back to Newhaven in the UK.
Dieppe is the closest port to Paris
I once heard someone give a talk about Dieppe and they painted such a lovely picture that I’d wanted to go there ever since I heard that speech. I remember picturesque, scenic, promenades, cafes and markets all being mentioned.
We did have a good look round Dieppe. It did seemed quite run down. We had lunch in one of its many restaurants which was ok but nothing special. Sadly we didn’t see any markets. I later found out that Dieppe does have a market of local fresh produce.
It is the biggest in Normandy with over 200 stalls! In 2020 it was voted as the finest in France on French National TV!
The market is only on a Saturday morning from 8am-1pm. We weren’t there on a Saturday!
We boarded the ferry, we were going home! We’d been away for 10 months.
Our travels were definitely not over.
We had decided to downsize our beloved Jovanna. We realised that we did not need such a big van. Our time back in Brighton was going to be spent working things out to get a smaller van.
Here is the link to find out more about why we chose to downsize our van https://jodeeontheroad.com/2024/01/14/jj-our-2nd-love/
Our next post will cover our time in the UK before we are back travelling in our new smaller van
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Our Life on the Road 
Mont St Michael is spectacular, after seeing St Michael’s Mount in Cornwall, that would have been great to see also, a far more spectacular building. Ahh, Honfleur, a place I would love to return to, only a day was not enough. I’m looking forward to your next adventures now you are leaving the UK. 🤗
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We are on a ferry tomorrow and will be heading south of Honfleur on Friday x
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We were going to go back to Honfleur but in the end we didn’t as we went to meet some friends further along
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