It's now May: time for another foray onto the continent and Clara is feeling pretty fit and well!

Channel Tunnel as always:

Clara On The Train

Since we are only going 100km south from Calais we like to use the back roads rather than the autoroute as there are so many interesting things and places to see on the roads less travelled. First stop on this trip was the military cemetery at Etaples:

Etaples Military Cemetery

The largest Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemetery in France, it has 11,516 identified casualties and only 73 unknowns. This must be because it was a long way behind the lines in the First World War and it is on the site of a large military hospital complex from that period. If you survived as far as the hospital then you were probably sufficiently alive to tell the authorities your name...

Etaples Military Cemetery

This cemetery was quite a surprise to us: we have visited so many CWGC graves and cemeteries but we had never seen this one before.

Driving on down the coast we went through Le Touquet. Another surprise! What an amazing place. Clara felt quite at home in these grand surroundings...

Le Touquet

Having found some delicious bread and chocolate cookies in a bakery en route we stopped for lunch in some out of the way spot not far from Le Parc du Marquenterre nature reserve.

Lunch Stop

A few miles further on and we were at our destination, Le Crotoy. Le Crotoy is a beautiful little town on the northern side of the Somme Estuary. Very quiet and sleepy - just don't come here for the food. There are no really good restaurants here that we have ever been able to get into (there is one that's very well thought of - but we hadn't booked!). Les Aviateurs is rather nice: it has lots of aviation related artefacts, celebrating the fact that les frères Caudron came from nearby. The food is good, too.

Model Aeroplane In Les Aviateurs

Clara was parked up after her exertions and had a bit of a rest. Another lovely drive!

Clara In Le Crotoy

Had a lovely stroll around in the evening...

Le Crotoy Evening

... and a great walk the next day.

Le Crotoy Boat

Clara In France Two