09/06/2024
The final full day! C'est fini!
Another beautiful sunny day (again, over 20 degrees with blue skies).
A later start today, off to a Normandy Book Fair to get Le Percee du Bocage: Volume 3 (the book containing Private Archie Thompson) signed by the authors Stephane and Marc-Henri. Both put a dedication into the book.
Marc-Henri had met me before when he and Billy from Operation Bluecoat - Musée de la "Percée du Bocage" took me on a tour of Archie's battle locations. It was good to see him, and he remembered me (probably from us being pictured in a local newspaper article together).
The setting was the wonderful Chateux Audrieu. Back in 1944 though, it was the scene of a massacre of 24 Canadian and 2 British POWs by the SS. These stories aren't few and far between.
From here in the the British Normandy Memorial. Once again, to pay respects to Archie, but also to see the Standing With Giants art installation. Moving, isn't a big enough word to say how it feels as the silhouettes gradually come into view.
The main reason for staying today was actually to see the triathlon at Arromanches. But I'm glad we did as the visits previously mentioned wouldn't have been possible.
On to Arromanches and the tri. A different setup to normal as it's a 'Cross' tri. Two groups. One doing a single 500mtr sea swim, 12km VTT(mountain bike) ride including on the beach and a 4.2km run (much on beach) and the bigger 1000m swim (2 laps with 200mtr beach run between), 20km VTT and 8.4km run.
It looked tough. I'm glad we'd dragged a bench to the sea wall and could watch in comfort!
On the way back we stopped at the two newest vending machines installed in two villages near the cottage. Pizza and bread! We'd had enough pizza this week, but couldn't resist a hot baguette! Pizza next time.
Now it's time to pack for an early start home.
À bientót Les Deux Sabots!
