Last night I had the good luck to dodge the showers cycling in to Vire and back for supper. Rather than embrace the andouillette-- the local speciality sausage made from intestines - - I perhaps lamely opted out, and instead had a huge couscous au mouton. The Moroccan restaurant was efficiently run by one man, who engaged all the clientele in lively conversation whilst rapidly preparing and serving their meals. All his wines are from Maroc, "toujours ! "

Plenty of rain in the night, but turning light at dawn. I must have ridden through 10 showers today, but none heavy or prolonged. A fair amount of stopping to don or remove the cagoule.

The day started with a warming climb out of Vire and then through Coulonces and luminous green fields of corn.

Croissants and tea at Pont Farcy and then groceries and quiche Lorraine at Tessy sur Vire. A good climb up to Les Roches de Ham.

And then easy and varied paths along the pretty Vire all the way in to St Lô. Here, the municipal museum is a real treasure, "worth a detour" in my book.

St Lô was devastated in WW2, called "The Capital of Ruins" by Samuel Beckett, who wrote a poem about the city and worked a volunteer in its Irish Hospital.

Les méandres de la Vire charrieront d’autres ombres à venir qui vacillent encore dans la lumière des chemins et le vieux crâne vidé de ses spectres se noiera dans son propre chaos

Vire will wind in other shadows unborn through the bright ways tremble and the old mind ghost-forsaken sink into its havoc

The museum has an impressive collection of art and extremely well presented displays of its wartime experiences, and of the post war reconstruction. The museum is well-known for its collection of 11 tapestries from the late 16th century which depict a love affair between a certain Gombault and Macée. From what I understood, this croquet-like game of "tiquet" played a significant role in their courtship.

Now a steep climb up to St André de l'Épine. Up on the plateau the sun came out between showers and illuminated this field of "green manure".

A final stop at the Abbaye Saint-Vigor at Cerisy la Forêt to check out their small sculpture garden.

On the whole I found the work too densely collected into a small space, but I did particularly appreciate this piece by Kenji Takahashi sited in long grass. 

Mainly downhill to my campsite where - - joy - - the sun stayed out for the evening.