Villers-Bocage to Caen

07:35 Woke up, looked out the window to a dark, wet morning. Went back to bed and sent some overdue emails.

08:25 Up and getting into the shower. The road has dried and it looks like it’ll be a bright day. Looking forward to the walk to Caen!

09:22 On the street, looking for a charcuterie for breakfast quiches.

€4.30 for an onion quiche and a salmon quiche.

Read a sign which explains why the old centre of the town is no more. It got bombed to shut by the Allies attempting to flush out the Germans.

Eating quiches on a bench.

Two croissants: €1.70. Eating them on the edge of a non-park waste square at the top end of the town, where the bombing was heaviest. They don’t wear their history easily here.

09:41 High stratus and a little windy. The thermometer on my bag reads 15°C. I’ve cooled off just sitting around eating breakfast. For comparison, a breakfast of bread and butter was €7.50 at the hotel. I’ve had a much more substantial breakfast for less - I just had to eat it on the street.

10:24 That breakfast still didn’t hit the mark. Stopping for some fruit and nuts. I’m in Epinay-sur-Odon.

10:58 In finding this tough. Very little energy. I wonder if it’s because I’m a bit constipated. Prowling in fields trying to find somewhere discreet to do my business.

11:28 Stopping to take my trouser legs off in Parfouru sur Odon. Woodpeckers everywhere.

11:40 Walking down to the Odon river valley. I’ll follow it most of the way to Caen. Birdsong, woodpeckers. The sun is starting to cast shadows through the high overcast.

11:52 Stopped to put on sun screen and hat. Sun is out now. Overcast is breaking up. I’m walking parallel to the river, but I can’t hear it. It’s not much more than a stream in a 100 metre wide valley bottom.

12:45 Stopped for a rest and a drink. I’ve finally hit my stride. I’m almost a third of the way to Caen, I reckon. Yesterday’s socks are dry. I washed them in the shower this morning.

13:16 Stopped at the village crossroads at Bougy. There’s a bench among some trees next to the church, and a bread vending machine across the road, though I have sliced bread. The sign says 16km to Caen.

14:07 Finished my lunch, picking my teeth. I’m noticing flies for the first time. I had a really lucky break with the olive tray - it had just burst in the bottom of my bag but very little oil had escaped. The olives were delicious. I ate half a sliced pan,v the fennel, some soft cheese like Port Salut (Saint Agur, I think) and the rest of the Petit Beurre biscuits. There’s no bin in the village, so I’m going to have to carry out my rubbish.

14:19 Moving again. That was a lovely break.

14:23 Fucking stone in my shoe from the gravelly pavement in the village ¹.

16:00 A stop in Fontaine Etoupefour for ten extraordinarily flavoursome mandarins. I’ve been eating them all year and never tasted such delicious ones in Ireland.

16:38 Pretty awful R-type road with 100km/h traffic and no hard shoulder.

16:47 Maltot. Turned left towards Caen again and now I’m on 30km/h suburban roads.

18:10 Stopping to get my phone and text my host. I’m about 4km away.

19:24 Still walking! I overshot into the 90s². Back up the street again…

19:40 Found the house. I’d probably walked another kilometre further than I needed to. Philippe is a gentleman - an actor and theatre director.

20:00 Virgil, Philippe’s son, joins us in the garden. I’m drinking copious cups of Barry’s tea and showing them my route on the map. They’re somewhat awed and disbelieving about the project. Speaking to them, I’m surprised at the firmness of my own resolve. Philippe begins cooking dinner while the three of us chat. Cecile comes home with the same set of groceries that her husband had bought. They reckon it’s the sign of a good marriage.