Avranches

Au revoir Paris - Bonjour Avranches and our couchsurfing friends! 

We left Paris just after 10am for the drive to Avranches in Normandy. After 5 1/2 hours, 1 1/2 tanks of petrol and a 28.50e tollroad. We arrived in Avranches- we went to Paulines first as she lived on the main road. Here we met her boyfriend Arun- he used to call NZ when she was there. After this Pauline took us to Herves house where we were welcomed by Herve and his parents, Marcel and Monique. They were all so kind and welcoming. We unpacked our car and then sat outside in the garden. Dom and I will sleep here, and Dillon and Josh will sleep at Paulines. Once we had met everyone Pauline and Herve took us on a tour of Avranches. First we visited the gardens that overlooked the harbour. We then went to the castle and some churches. In one of the churches is a human skull. Legend has it that the archangel appeared to the person and directed them to a build a church. After 3 times of being told, and not doing as requested the archangel touched the man on his head, making a hole through his skull.

After our tour we returned to Herves where we sat at a table in the garden and enjoyed aperitifs together before dinner. Whilst we were outside Paulines mum Monique also arrived. It was really nice not only were we catching up with Pauline and Herve who we hosted in Auckland, but we were also meeting their families. We went inside for dinner, Marcel had cooked tartiflette for us all for dinner, we laughed as Herve had offerred to cook us tartiflette in his first couchsurfing message, but he never did- now after 6 months we were eating it. Meals in France are amazing. There is always lots of cheese, bread and wine, plus several courses of a main meal and then a dessert. First we had the aperitifs outside and then inside we had a tomato and feta salad, followed by Tartiflette and green salad, followed by Cheeses then dessert. Each dish was accomapnied with wine and lots of bread. Wow the food is amazing but if i stay here too long i will look like a wine barrel!

After dinner we cleared away the table together and then went to the infamous Le Mont St Michel, so that we could see it by night when it is all lit up. It was an incredible place! Stunning! The statue clothes in armour in the pictures below is of Joan of Arc.

Tomorrow at 2pm we will traverse the harbour 7km from near Avranches to Le Mont St Michel, and explore it again in daylight.