2006, Day Three, Houlgate

Day three 3rd July

Got the bike ready and set of for Cabourg the next town to the south, rode down to the sea front, where we had to stop at the traffic lights but then when the lights changed, the bike died. I had run out of petrol, not really that unexpected, as I have never filled it since I got it last year. It did look like there was some in, if you looked in the tank but the gauge doesn't work. Parked the bike up on the front, and set of to look for a petrol station, the only one we knew about was about 3K away at the supermarkets in Dives-sur-Mer adjacent to Cabourg. I flagged down a passing cyclist and asked if there was one closer but I was right it was a 3K hike.

We locked up what we could, helmets, etc and set off for the service station, walking along the sea front. After about 200 meters I spotted a taxi and attempted to wave him down but he just waved back. At about 800 meters I popped into a bar to ask if I could get petrol any closer (what I really wanted, was for someone to say "no worries friend I will run you there and back" but they didn't) and there isn't. About 200 meters further on, I tried again, at what looked like motorcycle messenger service, I went in and asked about petrol stations, the lady behind the counter had no English but the man she was serving did, and joy, they offered to show me the way by following them. When I explained that I had no vehicle, they then offered to take me. This wasn't a motorcycle messenger service, it was a driving school, and we where going on a lesson, with the learner driving, and the first thing he did was stall the car. After a bit of arguing about the best way to get there, we where eventually dropped off at the Super U petrol station (the one where I got diesel on the first day), but we had to walk back to the supermarket to bye a petrol container, it was quite expensive in my opinion. When we came out of the Super U, the Intermarché petrol station was closer, so we crossed the road and bought 2 litres of petrol. To cut this story short, we had to walk the full 3K back to the scooter but we had bought drinks, chocolate and bananas for the long hot walk back.

With the scooter refuelled, we make the decision to carry on with our trip and head to Cabourg where we have a very hot walk along and a cool drink on the long promenade. Cabourg seems to be a very nice place, with long walks along the sea front but with a lot of development going on.

Then it was back to the site and a cool off in the pool.

Later that night when I check up on AutoRoute there is supposed to be a petrol station in Houlgate, less than 1K from where we had run out, could the French have just been taking the mick?