Any day can be a weekend day! We just have to hit the wall hard and fast enough to require the time to catch our collective breaths. Today was this day!
Going to the coast has been a priority for some time. We just never got there before this.
Waz picked the spot of which we had a choice...plenty of choices, actually. Our closest coastal town/city is Royan. Having not previously investigated this place in any way (unusual for us) we just set out this morning...him in shorts and me in jeans...big mistake on my part, but it was still only 16C at home, and overcast/cool. We also didnt pack a lunch, sunscreen or hats, but we did have water! phew! We sure needed it.
We will have to remake our 'car bag' for summer, I think. Right now it contains loo paper, paper towels and tissues. It also has some emergency rations in the form of some potato chips. Fat lot of use they are, but some small amount of calories, to be sure.:)
We had to post a letter first, so off we trotted down to Sonneville, the village 1km down the road. Parked in our usual space outside the Bar where there is a post box. Fortunately we had ONE stamp left for the envelope to go to the USA.
Onwards towards our destination, and Waz laughed as I stopped the car, backed it up a bit and took this photo...and I hadn't even left town!
We were very much reminded of why we chose the Charente as our home as we drove west to the coast, 1 1/4 hours. A mixture of country roads at 90kph and highway at 110kph. Oak trees and Silver Birches gave way to coastal pines, broom on the roadside and more scrubby shrubs, the closer we came to the coast. We left behind hillsides covered with vines and wide open fields with new maize crops and barley ready for harvest.
Not far out of Cognac we entered the Charente Maritime Department. The temperature rose to 22C by this time and we were happy to take our sweaters off on arrival. I also turned up the bottom of my jeans, for a little cool. Silly me to wear black, today.
Setting off without thinking very far ahead made for Waz's comment that we had forgotten lunch...what were we going to do about it? Well, most of the supermarkets were closed, this Mother's Day Sunday but the odd Boulangerie was still open, before noon. We stopped at a lovely Boulangerie, where we were tempted to buy some of the amazing looking breads, but instead just purchased what we came for. Waz chose a Fougasse and a Pizza for me. Our dessert of choice was a Millefeuille for him (Napoleon/Custard square) and a tarte au Citron for me. I LOVE tarte citron!
We had a couple of hours before lunch, and still needed to find the beach. The city of Royan seemed to go on forever, with some challenging one way streets, before we eventually came to the Port de Plaisance and Port de Pecheurs. The Pleasure craft marina and the Fishing Port. Two distinct ports with different facilities and needs.
Looking down on the Port de Plaisance. Along the boardwalk are so many restaurants, setting up for lunch at noon. Per usual, nobody was there until on the dot of noon.
Our walk around the Ports included a couple of conversations. One in particular made us giggle...two 'older' gentlemen on push bikes arrived at the same point we did, and spoke to us in French. I answered that we were NZ'ers, and their immediate reaction was ALL BLACKS! The NZ national Rugby Team are the current World Champions, and the French are rabid supporters. We both acknowledged that the French will be in NZ in June for a tour, and agreed that it would be worth watching:)
We had been rather desperate for a long walk over the past week, and here was our opportunity. I think we will pack our folding bikes into the car whenever we venture forth in the future, as we can see so much more by bike. Nevertheless, we enjoyed the stroll, found lots to look at and enjoyed the greetings of our fellow walkers and those we chose to engage with.
The Ferry had left the port, and we watched it make a hard starboard turn between the red lighthouse and the green buoy to port, making it's way into the seemingly shallow channel. We had watched families with bikes, walkers (and power walkers), cars, trucks et al walk and drive on, before it departed. The Ferry plies the estuary from the Port of Royan across the wide Gironde Estuary to the small Port of Verdon, on the other side. We will take the Ferry one day, with our bikes in hand. Only 23 euros for a car, and only 3.30 euros per person, another 1.30 euros for a bike. I think we can afford that!
After our walk to the light house at the end of the Port de Plaisance, we walked back to the car for some much needed lunch and water. It was hot out there!
We chose a tree to sit under, and were delighted when passers-by wished us Bon Apetite as we ate. Merci!
Plenty of bikers and walkers this lovely day, and plenty to watch overlooking the port. Several small craft were stocking up and moving out the entrance onto the estuary for an afternoon of sailing or motoring. We wished we were joining them.
Lunch over, we thought we would go down to the Plage ( Plaarzhe - beach) and check out some of the lovely older homes along the waterfront...well, across the road from the beach.
Along the waterfront is a concrete wall, and some rocks in places. Signs told us not to venture onto the rocks, which was a shame, as we quite like rock hopping:) Anyhoo, we stuck to the path, and learned very quickly that one half is for cyclists, and the other half is for pietons, or walker. I was yelled at to get out of the way of a cyclist, which I did. Fair enough too!:)
At the beginning of our walk we encountered this gorgeous Carousel. With an upstairs and downstairs and twirling potted plants (albeit plastic ones) we enjoyed watching the children with their parents sitting on the seats on the inside, and especially the paintings at the top of the machine. This is the Carousel de Royan.
What a gorgeous green space alongside the port. Gardens newly planted, and rose bowers (far right) not yet in bloom.
We loved the facilities provided for the general population. This is a public exercise machine.
Of course we had to sample the Ice-cream, along the way. One has to cool off somehow, right?
Waz had a waffle cone (no extra charge!) with two balls (3.50 euros) and I had a cup with one, 2.50. His lemon meringue tarte gelato with raspberry gelato was an inspired choice. I chose caramel pecan. A bit sweet, but only one ball sufficed.
On our way home across the wide open plains, leaving the ocean, we could well see why we get a good breeze/wind, at home. There is no mountain range or even hills to stop it's progress inland.
Entering the Etapes de Cognac (the steps/ hills of Cognac ) just outside of Chateaubernard on the eastern side of Cognac the city, we climbed up to the Capital of the Grand Champagne and our closest small town, Segonzac (Say gon zac). The road between Segonzac and home is windy and hilly and through some of the most gorgeous countryside, littered with distilleries (Cognac, of course) large ancient stone farm compounds, Maison bourgeois and 12th century churches, to name a few. Our orange roof can be seen from quite a distance away in the green countryside.
Home at last, and thinking we need a nap. A cup of tea put paid to that one...we were just thirsty, I think.
I had opened the doors in the pink room, out to the south facing terrace, and come back inside to make the tea. The umbrella was up again and I was looking forward to sitting outside under the shade with a cuppa and a book. No such luck. Between putting the brolly up and making the tea, the sound of thunder rumbling and appearance of dark threatening skies, had me rushing to take the brolly down and close the doors.
Yesterday when we had our kiwi guests visiting, we endured a large downpour which came straight through the windows (we now know that we need to re-putty the windows there) in the dining room and the kitchen. Many towels got laundered afterwards, so much water flowed down the window wall. One way to get rid of the horrid wallpaper!!!
I was hoping that last night's downpour that was thrashing against the bedroom window didnt cause a similar flood. All good, but we will go and closely inspect ALL windows now.
Time to put some dinner together. I think a Risotto might be in order. I have some left-over chicken and Poitrine de porc (yesterday's bar-b-q) to chop up and put into it. Yum!
Back to work tomorrow. The irrigation on the front garden needs fixing, and I have some bamboo to remove from there, and a new rose bush to plant in it's stead- kindly provided as a house warming gift by our lovely kiwi guests. Thanks Michelle and Richard!xx
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