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Travel StoriesA Holiday In Normandy
Shopping In Le Havre
Ride Date 25 June 2026
By Ren Withnell
Blummin' 'eck it's 'ot!
Right, that's it, I've had enough. I have made errors in my choice of clothing for this holiday. I have with me Red Route work style many pockets motorcycle pants. The whole point of this kind of trouser is to be more comfortable than say heavy leather or cordura pants, particularly when it's hot. They're supposed to feel like regular trousers but have more slide protection.
First off black is the wrong colour when it's hot. Secondly close fitting garments are wrong when it's hot. Guess what colour and fit these pants are? I think I'd have been better off with my baggy cordura overtrousers with shorts underneath - even though the cordura overtrousers are black.
I recall from my EVEN HOTTER trip to Spain in 2005 I'd been advised to wear... thermals! The idea is you sweat into the thermals which wick away and evaporate the sweat, cooling you as nature intended. I have with me a thermal top which is working as intended under my baggy cordura jacket, I have wrongly assumed I wouldn't need the same setup with the pants.
I'm tempted to purchase some cordura overtrousers and some thermals. However I have cordura overtrousers at home so unless I find a particularly suitable pair... I might just get the thermal pants.
I can do this because Sharon and the rest of the crew are going on a vineyard tour today. I have been invited but I'm not interested in meandering through grapevines and squelching grapes with my athletes foot fungal infection. I don't drink the stuff either so no, you crazy kids go and have fun, I'm heading into Le Havre to go shopping.
Le Havre is a town, well a city I suppose although I don't know how the French differentiate between the two. Gone are the small friendly villages, here I am among industrial estates, housing estates, shopping centres, and thronging traffic. Without sat-nav there would have been zero hope of finding anything save for innumerable junctions and confusing lane directions. Even with sat-nav I'm missing junctions or finding I'm too terrified to actually move across to take them. Sat-nav re-routes and re-routes then re-routes some more.
First stop - Decathlon. These are much the same as Decathlon in the UK. I meander and peruse, finding little in the leggings department. I ponder, look at the prices, decide that I'm not that blummin' 'ot and get back on the bike. 10 minutes later I'm outside Intersport - similar to Decathlon. They have a pair of shiny polyester leggings that'll do the trick for €14. I... I suspect they might be lady's leggings but they're the right size... well... stretchy. It's not like I'll be wearing them at the gym is it.
Adventure travel at it's finest. Can you guess where this is?
More out of curiosity I then ride across town a bit to "Dafy". To a Brit like myself the name is ridiculous, I'm thinking of Daffy Duck. I'm sure to the French motorcyclist it's just a name the same as J&S or Ghost Bikes. The shop is on an industrial estate, much as they can be at home, and the shop is again much like I'd expect at home.
Meh, it's all terribly familiar all in all.
It's not a big shop this and the prices are not too dissimilar to those back home. I look at the pants - too costly - no full leg zip - too costly - strange material - not my style - Aha!! Full leg zip, simple style, fair price, just the wrong material. Oh so close and yet so far. Not to worry - I have my leggings at least.
I fight my way back through the suburbs, missing junctions and wondering what the speed limits are at all times. Strangely having missed one junction and almost going the wrong way up a dual carriageway I find myself underneath The Tancarville Bridge? How did that happen? Well I'll take some interesting pictures while I'm here at least.
Trellis huh? Fascinating stuff.
I'm beginning to think sat-nav itself is lost this time. I'm heading along a broad road through a huge industrial area, I'm expecting to be heading towards The Tancarville Bridge that I can now see in my mirrors. I turn around, sat-nav wants me to turn around again. I'm lost, I follow sat-nav, I see the bridge and head towards it, I'm lost, I follow sat-nav, I see the bridge... Eventually I decide to trust the technology, Google maps has been here before, I have not.
Wait what? Oh no I'm at the ferry I saw yesterday? Crap. That means I'll have to pay. That means I'm blummin' miles away. Something is not right. I have a bit of cash but I wonder if they take cards? I hope it's not stupid money. Urgh. I join the queue. I roll onto the small ferry with perhaps 7-8 cars and a couple of motorhomes. Just before the ramp lifts I'm joined by another motorcycle who parks beside me. "Bonjour, Anglais oui"?
...errrr... somewhere along The River Seine I believe.
My new biking buddy doesn't speak much English but his young son riding pillion, around 7-9 years old, has some school English. Between my poor French, sign language, and the shy but most helpful young chap I establish the ferry is in fact free!! The young chap is excited to learn I'm from Manchester "football football!" and his dad is curious why an Englishman would travel to Le Havre and not The Alps.
We don't have time to finish the conversation, we're already docking and starting the engines. "Merci merci" I shout as we leave the ramps and wave goodbye. Free! Whoda thunk it. Hang on a minute sat-nav reckons it's only 10k, 6 miles back to the gite. I've missed something here I'm sure of it.
Back at the gite I'm alone, sweltering and struggling to remove my sticky bike gear. When I've peeled off the layers and had a quick shower I look at Google maps. Aaaaaaaaahhhhhhh riiiiiiiiiiiiiiight. It seems there's a few of these ferries up and down The Seine in this area at least. They're all free too. Well ain't that damnably convenient, you live and learn.
Sharon and the rest of the crew return from their vineyard tour. They too are hot, apparently standing in a vineyard was incredibly hot. None-the-less they've had a great day out and Sharon wants to tell me about how the heat affects the wine and and and and... I'm glad they've had a good day now does anyone want a brew?
Well someone had a grand day out!
We are dining out in Pont Audemer once again this evening. While my Lebanese experience wasn't at all bad - I'm hoping for something a little duller to suit my unadventurous pallet. It is blissful to be in the air conditioned comfort of Meg's car, it is most welcome to see Pont Audemer is not filled to the brim with a music festival, and our restaurant of choice has something chicken with something chips, followed with something ice cream. Save for the assault on the finances I'm a happy bunny.
Today's ride was hardly the ride of dreams, but it was informative. I've confirmed French towns/cities are similar to most cities and not my thing. French sport and motorcycle clothing shops are not dissimilar to home. These small ferries across The Seine are free (Ian Soady later tells me they're called Bacs).
Philosophically days like today remind me that my seemingly dull life back home is merely similar to millions of other seemingly dull lives around the world. Just because someone lives in France does not mean they are exotic, living a strange and unusual life. They'll have a job, a family, a house, friends, interests, TV, chores etc etc etc just like me. I still find it odd they don't speak English, I imagine they find it odd that I don't speak French.
I could be miserable at how mundane my life and millions of others are. Or I could take solace in that most people are not Steve Jobs or Elon Must living the billionaire life. Most people are not Posh-n-Becks living life in the limelight. Most people are not globe trotting like Ewan and Charlie. I'm nothing special and there's nothing wrong with that, that many people can't be wrong.
A rough guide to my route.
Contact ren@bikesandtravels.com
A Holiday In Normandy - Prologue
France! Well northern France because our soft arsed lazy writers can't be bothered to go any further. It's time for excuses and explanations as to why The Dynamic Muppets are off on holiday and not an exciting expedition.
Bedfordshire Is Not In France
And they're off to France! Well Bedfordshire today, but they will get to France eventually... hopefully... maybe?
Struggling Into France
It's time to go to France, alas there's far too much time to go to France. Ren is early, the trains are late, it's hot, and it's disorganised. Oh and Sharon's life flashes before her eyes - or was it a Transit van?
Finally To The Gite
It's a much less stressful day's ride today. Good weather, a sensible mileage to cover, and no reason to rush. Fear not Ren will find a few things to gripe about.
Hot In Honfleur
It's hot, it's busy, and it's all a bit odd. In spite of all this and some confusing food Ren might possibly at risk of almost having an OK day?
Hot And Simple Normandy
Sharon is in her element, Ren is at risk of melting as a heat wave hits Normandy. There's a little motorcycling and a lot of pool time, plus some sweating.
The Surprising River Seine
The River Seine is not at all that which Ren expected, which is a good thing for once. Save for the exceedingly hot weather and questionable pricing it all turns out rather well.
Pretty Yport And Unfine Dining
Another hot day with another simple ride, this time to The Alabaster Coast. There's a nice seaside town, and some not so nice dining in this episode.
Shopping In Le Havre
It's not a special day out for Ren at all, in fact it's all terribly dull. Not to worry there might be something to learn in realising not all of France is cute villages and countryside.
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Travel StoriesA Holiday In Normandy