Caudebec-en-Caux to Calais

Caudebec-en-Caux church

The day was overcast with occasional rain and chilly temperatures.  We needed to cover some ground so the day was mostly spent riding, both autoroute and local roads.  First we visited the town's claim to fame--the Flamboyant church built in the 15th-16 c and known for its stained glass windows and elaborate exterior carving.  The nearby 13th c. Templar House included an information plaque indicating that the Friends of Historic Caudebec once dissuaded an American buyer from purchasing the house and shipping it to the US (as many others were).

We made a brief morning stop at the Abbaye Notre Dame du Pre in Valmont, founded by Benedictines in 1169.  The current buildings date from the 18th century.  The Abbey was dissolved after the Revolution and was privately owned (Delacroix vacationed nearby and painted the church) until 1994 when it again became a Benedictine Abbey.  We have passed several abbeys founded by the Normans in the 12th c.

Dieppe harbor

We reached Dieppe in time for lunch and then walked the harbor--mostly fishing boats.  We picked up the autoroute in order to make a dent in the travel plans, exiting near Boulogne-sur-Mer.  This was our first choice for accommodation but the town was booked solid so we had found a hotel in Calais instead.  We took the coast route from Boulogne and stopped at windy Cap de Gris Nez (Grey Nose), a bunkered point which looks north to Cap de Blanc Nez (White Nose) with Calais beyond.  From our hotel we can watch the ferries arrive and depart for England. The city is mainly post-war since it was heavily bombed.