The fascinating seaside town of Houlgate

We are currently in the rather architecturally interesting town of Houlgate, in Normandy.    

Well, to be truthful we are in a Eurocamp, called Camping de La Vallee, on the edge of Houlgate.   The camping ground is full of mobile homes, glamping tents and some camping sites, plus the usual swimming pools, games areas and restaurants that are part of these upmarket camping sites.  They are loved by the Germans, Dutch and British.  At the moment there are many people from the Netherlands here as it is still school holidays there.  And I must admit that it is a camping ground that I would love to bring grandchildren to stay for a week or two.  So much to do here.

But first back to last nights camping ground at Domaine les Peupliers, above Rennes.  A bit of a panic this morning when the coffee machine stopped half way through making the first coffee.  A broken coffee machine!  Panic! But then reason set in and we checked all power ponts and fuses.  It took a while to realise that we had no power in the caravan.  We had overloaded the camping ground's power box.  Running a hot water system and heating, all on high, plus the coffee machine was too much.   Panic over. We drank our coffee thankfully.

Walter looking happy, as he moved the caravan towards the car using the remote. A toy for grownups.  Mind you we then forgot to take the caravan mover off the wheels and we could not drive the car and caravan away.  The caravan mover, when on, is as good as a brake.

Not a long drive today, up the A84 and around Caen to the seaside town of Houlgate.  We were within 15 km of le Mont-St-Michel.  So tempting to drive into the bay in front of the island but too difficult when towing a caravan.  

It was cold here, and quite windy, but we rugged up well and ventured into town.  Walter found a fascinating name for the era when the town was built.  It is called Belle Epoque, which literally means 'beautiful era' and covers a time after 1870 when there was a feeling of optimism, peace, economic prosperity, building of colonial empires and technological advancements.

So the buildings along the streets beside the sea front were mostly built during this time.  They were all grand and ornate, and built in the styles of Gothic, Norman, Regionialist and later Villa.  

Unreal.  Yes. But utterly fascinating.

More buildings.

The sea front.

At long last we had a view of the Atlantic coast, well more the beginning of the English channel at this point.

A Dutch bell gable.

We would have spent longer walking around the streets but it was too cold.  Instead we went back to the Eurocamp.

The playground with lots of equipment and space to play.

Water slides, an outdoor swimmimg pool and an indoor swimming pool, not shown in this photograph.  Empty sun loungers lined up around the pool.

Tomorrow is our last day.  After we pack up, have breakfast, and our last cup of coffee, we head off up the coast to Boulogne and Calais.  We will not have to go via Rouen, thank goodness, as we will cross the Seine River near Le Havre.  Rouen is a nightmare of changed motorways and roadworks these days.

I hope the wind disappears otherwise it could be a rough crossing from Calais to Dover.