OK, if anyone is reading, here is some more:
Friday June 13th, there was an organised coach trip to the beaches for participants, but the visibility was 50 miles +, so Richard and I took the cubs and flew along the beaches low-level. Highlights: the US cemetery at Omaha beach and the Mulberry harbour at Arromanches. Then we stopped at Lessay on the west coast, giving me my first chance to practice the inky-pinky in circuit and joining calls -- no big deal for anyone with O-level french. People there very friendly and again extremely laid back. From there to Granville for lunch. Ditto on the laid back. The taxi driver there was an ex-trucker / novelist / pilot -- good fun, and I believe most of what he told us. Then back across the peninsula to Lisieux in time for dinner at the cider factory. Mon dieu! Since Richard and I were the onlyu campers, the owner of the field was driving us back. This meant that after everyone else had been bussed back to their hotels we had to stay behind for 'further discussions', which involved 40-year old Calvados and much hilarious badinage before a swift backroads trip back to the airfield at about 01.30.
Saturday June 14th, thunderstorms, one after another. Jerome, a charming Swiss Easyjet captain with the most immaculate L4 ever seen, was terrified at the thought of hail, but although the storms were severe, hail never materialised, thankfully. Lunch was a massive affair at the airfield, with the local classic car club, hunters, chamber of commerce, dignitaries, etc etc in attendance. After various prizes were presented, each aircraft crew was presented with a massive hamper (Pommeau, calvados, apple jam etc.) by the chamber of commerce. Incroyable, hein?
The thunderstorms cleared up about 5pm and, unable to stomach the idea of more food and speeches and wishing to get on with the trip, we said our goodbyes and left to refuel at Bernay. I got caught in my companions wake in take-off which was interesting as I waited for the dropped wing to come up as we headed for the trees. (It did eventually.)
From Bernay, where a Cap 10 was doing aeros in the overhead, we headed 100 miles south east for Montargis, where we landed at abolut 20.45 to a party in full swing, after a pleasant, but soporific flight similar to a cross-country acrosss Nebraska.
TBC...