Oh we do like to be beside the seaside...

Day: 19
Route: Saint Etienne La Thillaye - Deauville - Trouville - Saint Etienne La Thillaye
Distance: 16 miles
Height: 513ft ascent
Time in saddle: 1hrs 30mins

Having made such good progress over the last couple of weeks, we have a couple of spare days before our cycle, and hence whole trip comes to an end on Friday and we have to return to w*rk.
After a yummy breakfast in the place we're staying, which is (lucky for us) the home of a patissier, today we have come for a day at the seaside, at Deauville & Trouville on the north Normandy coast. After a 40 minute cycle, a huge open expanse of clean (although shelly) sand greeted us at Deauville, although the water is more brown than aquamarine.
A few hours reading on the sand and then we pottered across the inlet to Trouville where we enjoyed a cafe gourmand (espresso and 3 miniature deserts) and the best crepe Sam has ever had (frangipane, pear, chocolate and toasted almond):

Having had to persuade Sam that she couldn't have a second one we're now writing this, looking out over the water wondering how we're going to go back to the reality of normal life (although don't expect any sympathy!).

Ps the day was finished with moules frites washed down by some more cider in a touristy cafe, before the short cycle back to our b&b