29th November

The day started early with a diversion into Tescos to get Lynne a supply of gluten-free bread for the trip. (We know we can get it when we get to Calpe from Mercadona.)

We then hit the motorway to get to Dover for 3pm and our ferry. Even with a couple of stops including a picnic lunch we made it to Dover early enough to pay a £10 fee to get on the preceding ferry and landed in France about 5pm instead of 6pm. SeaFrance are good and there was free WiFi so I played on my iPhone for the hour and fifteen minutes crossing. Being a Saturday afternoon the ferry was quite empty and getting on and off was quick and easy.

Got to Arras about half seven and got a parking spot in the square (Place des Héroes) in front of the Hotel de Ville very near the Hotel Diamante our room for the night and was where we stayed last time we visited. The big square around the corner (Grand Place) with the underground car park where we parked last time was full of a Christmas Fair which we had a nice wander around. Lynne bought a set of double-nine dominoes.

We then looked for somewhere to have dinner. We tried the Café Brussels and they were very helpful. Lynne thoroughly enjoyed her huge dish of Moules. Had a drink in a bar near the hotel before retiring to bed tired but repleat. Breakfast wasn’t until 7am but with her bread Lynne ate well and the hotel proprietor filled our flasks at no extra charge. Altogether a nice return to Arras after ten or so years.