The campsite at Litteau, is between Bayeux and St-Lo, we have been to Bayeux four times now but only ever driven through St-Lo, it was about time for a visit. I did not remember anything of St-Lo and there was very little in the several France tourist guide books we had. So we made we obligatory picnic, I set a route to a car park by the river and off we went.
We arrived at the river and the car park I had planned to use, a car park with toilets, result and as it was Sunday, there was plenty of room. There were a couple of motorhomes parked up there as well. We did our walk in two sections, before lunch we would have a short a walk long the river, then later, we would climb the steps to explore the walls of the castle and whatever else was up there.
We left the car park (after making use of the free toilets) to the right (facing the river) and followed the river, stinking to the bank.
There were plenty of bridges along the walk, eventually we crossed over via footbridges and a small island and walked back along the opposite bank.
Back at the car park we sat by the river and had the picnic lunch, in the warm sun. The couple of motorhomes that were parked up and were also having a picnic, I do not think it is an official Aire but I do think they were staying there.
Now it was time to climb to the top of the walls and see if we could walk all the way round. Facing the car park are the high walls of the castle and you can see a ramp leading to the top, so we crossed the road and started to climb.
The path up was fairly steep and some in poor state of repair but we made it to the top (after a few rests), we really need to get fit. The view from the top though, makes the effort well worth while.
We set off in an anticlockwise direction, not sure why but I think the sun must have been shining on the path that side. The walls are pretty impressive but I am not sure how much was rebuilt after World War Two.
Part of the way along this south wall, we took a detour inside the walls to look at Notre-Dame church, a rather odd shaped church, with some strange brickwork on the façade. Inside the church we found the reason, the church had been badly damaged during the fight for St-Lo and was partially restored after the war. The facade was rebuilt as a plain green wall and one of its two towers was not restored at all.
From the church we got back to the wall and crossed over one of the wall gates, then on to the end of the south section of the wall. I do not think there is any of the east wall left, maybe there never was as east wall but the wall just ends, at a shopping square.
We crossed the shopping square car park, next to the municipal buildings to the start of the north wall. We didn't have a good look at the war memorial there, maybe next time and there will be a next time, as its Sunday most places were closed, so we will be back someday when its open.
This part of the wall starts with La Tour de la Poudrière (The Tower of the Explosives magazine), the only remaining part of the citadel still standing. Strange that the gunpowder store survived, or is it, it was probably the strongest building in the citadel.
As we walk this part of the wall, the sky darkened and we got the umbrella out just as there was a downpore we also tok shelter under a gateway. It was one of those rain storms that goes and quick as it came and the sun was back out within minuets.
We were back to the west wall by now and after admiring the view for a while we came down the steep path, from the walls back to the car.
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