THREE SAINT'S WAY - DAY FIFTEEN

PONTAUBAULT TO LA CASERNE - 10.37 MILES

Summary:- Setting off from the hotel we crossed the bridge at Pontaubault and worked our way along the estuary of the River Selune heading towards Mont St-Michel. It came on to rain hard for an hour and a half. Rounding the Pointe de Roche Torin we joined sheep on the marshes. A little later it started to clear up and by the time we reached a picnic site it was time for lunch. For the last few miles the flood defences had been strengthened by the addition of more material on the sea wall. This made for muddy slippery progress. As we neared La Caserne the path improved and we ended in the land of multi-national visitors as this was the point for the journey to Mont St-Michel the following day.

Route Description:- We left the Hotel Les 13 Assiettes out onto the main road and into a dull overcast morning and headed south towards Pontaubault. There was no footway so we kept to the verge. At 0.29 miles after a bend to the left and then to the right the road crosses all that remains of an alignment of a branch off of the active main railway line that was on our right. After that there is a track along the side of the road and at 0.32 miles there is the marker below, one marking the progress of the liberation forces in the Normandy invasion.

 

At 0.51 miles the bridge over the River Selune is crossed with Pontaubault on the other side. This is the view looking downstream towards the bridge carrying the railway.

 

We had decided to make an early start from the hotel and not to take breakfast there but to seek a coffee in the village. The Bar Le Relais Fleuri (pictured below) was doing a coffee but no food and the proprietor invited us to get food from neighbours and come back in to eat it. We returned with a huge sausage baguette from a fast food van parked opposite near a little market. On leaving we decided to get another one for a picnic lunch although there was another shop selling picnic materials.

 

Returning to the river bank we turned left downstream (mileages do not include our diversion for food). Below is a waymark nearby featuring the red and white waymarks of the French waymarking system and the waymark specific to our route.

 

Below is the view back looking at the road bridge which survived the war time destruction.

 

Initially we walked down the D113 and there was a large picnic area and numerous tables next to the river and then the road went under the railway near its river crossing. (0.70 miles) Shortly after a path on the right leaves the road and keeps to the edge of the marsh adjacent to the river. The river comes quite close to the path and then at 1.20 miles moves away again to the other side of the estuary. At 1.56 miles near a group of houses called Flage it is through a gate and onto a road. The road follows the edge of the marshy meadows next to the river now a long way away on the other side. At 2.08 miles the route leaves the shore and heads inland slightly uphill and at 2.36 miles at a crossroads it is right on the D313 heading to La Roche Torin. Initially there is an orchard on the right behind its high hedges and big gates. It is here that it came on to rain. At 2.73 miles there is the opportunity to use what looks like a section of old road as the adjoining main road goes around some bends. Below is the view looking back across the estuary marshes and the darker clouds gave us warning of heavier rain that soon set in.

 

At 2.93 miles it was back onto the road again. It bends gradually to the left passing a couple of farms. Ignore a road off to the left at 3.37 miles and at 3.44 miles the coastal marsh comes to an end and the route goes inland with fields on both sides. At 3.66 miles ignore a road on the left going to Ceaux. At 4.34 miles the  road starts to bend right. At 4.65 miles the coastal estuary appears again on the right and here the route is straight on to Roche Torin where the main road goes left. The narrower road crosses a stream coming to the coast at 4.68 miles and then rounds the Pointe de Roche Torin and save for coastal walkers effectively comes to an end. Rounding the point the rain was torrential but out there in the bay and now getting quite close was Mont St-Michel. There are tracks out into the marshes but the route keeps close to the marshland boundary boundary with the fields to round another little headland at 5.09 miles. Then it  cuts across the marshes along a path next to a fence, see picture below from which you can see it was now really wet. 

 

Reaching the shore line at the end of the fence (5.51 miles) it is right, staying within the marshlands. We paused under a tree watching the sheep moving out across the marsh and a ram enjoying himself - see picture below.

 

 

The village of Bas-Courtils is inland but the path continues in the marshes working its way around boggy areas. At 5.95 miles a track comes down from the road inland and ends at a car park from which there is a distant view of Mont St-Michel (see picture below)

 

The path by the shore continues until at 6.81 miles it joins the main coast road near a picnic site where there were tables we used for our picnic lunch. There was a regular stream of mobile homes coming by but they did not stay long.  At the other end of the picnic area (6.90 miles) the route starts along a sea wall that has recently been enlarged which we found to be a muddy track and hard going made worse by the heavy rain that had now passed by. Behind the sea wall was the Polder de St-Avit. The wall went north west, then north east then north west and at 7.17 miles turned left just south of west.  At 8.28 miles there was a pond on the left and then the sea wall bent right at 8.46 miles and then 8.60 miles started to bend left. At 9.08 miles on reaching a tidal creek it is necessary to cross it following a fence (this may be a problem at extreme high tides) to re-join the sea wall on the other side and turn right. Here look for the path on the landward side of the fence along the sea wall - a return to an undisturbed path and easier going. At 9.44 miles the sea wall bends left and here we paused to take photographs of Mont St-Michel which was now bathed in sunshine (see below).

 

 

Jim took the picture below of yours truly to email to home with confirmation we were nearing the end of our journey.

 

Following the coast path we reached the D976 at La Caserne (10.15 miles)  the settlement on the mainland. Here there are a collection of hotels, restaurants and shops and a park and ride bus site all catering for the hundreds of thousands who visit Mont St-Michel. We turmed left along the road, had an expensive beer in the first bar and then found the Hotel Vert on the left at 10.37 miles.

 

The Hotel:- We had chosen the Hotel Vert, Route de Mont Saint Michel, La Caserne, 50170 France  and booked it through Booking.com. We had booked a twin room but were upgraded to an enormous room for four with en-suite separate bathroom and toilet. Needless to say we were highly impressed. The hotel does not do evening meals but there is a large restaurant just across the car park as well as a large supermarket for all your tourist gifts for those at home. Breakfast was taken in the hotel and was excellent. This is a tourist hotel and the majority were from Asia. We gave it 9.8 out of 10.

 

 

 

The Hotel Vert

 

Fibre glass cows outside the supermarket next door.