Tiki-Touring to Mansle and Beyond.

Sometimes I think we need a reminder of why we chose where we live.
Today was once such day.
We have a couple of friends searching for their ideal home in France, and we are happy to help out where we can. I still love looking through advertisements for property in France, and especially in our own backyard. This backyard might be within an hour of our own home, but it really isnt far in the scheme of things. What is different within that hour is the terrain. This was driven home again today when we went north east on our expedition.

I had spied a lovely home in the region of Mansle, half an hour north of Angouleme but 45 mins to an hour from home. While we are west of the Capital of the Charente Department, we hadn't yet been very far north, and certainly not north east of here.

It was supposed to rain today. We did dress in shorts though, as previously, when threatened with rain and lower temperatures, we (I) have chosen jeans and regretted it, only because the sun came out and the temps rose. ha! The sun came out, the temperature was warm and lovely, and our sweaters stayed in the car this afternoon.
I was tasked with taking plenty of photos of the area, and to see if our friends would in fact like this small town and the general surrounds. Realtors never tell you exactly where the home in question is, and it could be anywhere, to be frank. They said it was near Mansle and Coulgens. Well, we couldn't find it on google maps/earth, and Waz is a whizz when it comes to spotting these properties. We didnt see anything like it for sale on main roads, but that wasn't the purpose of the visit.

Being Sunday, we thought to take the day off. Well, to be fair, *I* made the decision to do so. My poor body was rebelling after the pruning yesterday, and I felt it needed to take a well earned break.

We did consider going before lunch, but then it got later, and being Sunday we didn't want to find lunch out, so I made some cheese scones....just to make sure that the oven would heat to 240C and not burn them to a crisp. It did, and it didnt.
We did have some jam in the cupboard...he likes Fraise (strawberry) and I like Cassis (Current) and the brand has to be Bonne Maman. We pay a fortune (more than $3.50 a jar) for this brand in the States, but here it is less than 1,50 euros per large jar.
Scones with jam and Crème Fraiche (for lack of other cream), and tea in Royal Doulton cups...I found these in the closet upstairs!

Onwards to Mansle.

We had no idea what is there, other than the lovely Charente River flows through it.

All was quiet and shuttered when we entered the town. Parking in the shade of a plane tree in the church yard, we decided to do a quick recce before deciding if we needed to motor elsewhere.
To our left was the Mairie or Mayors Office/Town Hall.

 Next to this 12th century church of a peculiar shape.

 That's the church on the right, there. We are looking down the main road towards the bridge over the Charente. What we cant see yet, is the beauty of the river. Plenty of cars parked on the left in that parking lot.

 From the road is our first glimpse of the Charente River. Pretty! Those weeping willows are lovely and we had to go down to the water of course. The roof below us is for the Washing House or Laverie, where the women of the town used to do all their clothes washing.

 On the opposite bank of the river, this rather special scene. Lazy summer!

 The whole scene. How lovely is this!

 As we walked down to the river...

 ...and peered under the bridge...

 The Laverie.

 Plenty of current upstream.

 We walked back towards the church and found a grass walkway to follow up a hill. Here we are looking back towards the bridge. The house on the left behind the light fixture is for sale!

 An invitation to go up this alley...

 and a rose resting on a rock wall....

Our short walk took us back around the block to the parking lot and church. Back down the road to the bridge to cross over.

Several little islands in the middle of the river, with Willows and some Waterlillies just off the point of the first one. You can barely see them in this photo.

 The old Watermill. Quite a current coming down the left race. I love the little garden island at the back. That grass walkway on the right is where we had just come from.

 Now in the middle of the bridge, looking left towards the Beau Rivage Hotel. What a pretty place, and all those cars I mentioned earlier belonged to the Lunchtime crowd in the restaurant overlooking the river. Pretty!

 Looking right and we decided we needed to go down there!

 You can just see the people in the restaurant at the Beau Rivage Hotel.
I like the Bar-b-q in the garden of the house in front.:)

 Now across the bridge and down where we wanted to look back.

 The entry to Le Marmite Restaurant.  We didnt choose to go there, but opposite was a restaurant attached to the Municipal Camping Grounds.

 The place was full of Sunday Lunchers, and of course they had Ice-cream. Did we want to have it there, they asked finally?? Mais oui! of course.
Did we want Chantilly cream on that?? Oui, but just a little!!! ha! He didnt know the meaning of 'little'!
Could we have one of those wafer things? Oui, he said, and stuck them into the cream.:)
We went and sat down under an umbrella. Soon we were given a water bottle and two glasses and two bright green serviettes. How much? 7,50 euros. It was well worth it to sit in such lovely surroundings overlooking the Charente River, children playing in the playground next door and people walking their dogs.

 Now we had to walk those extra calories off, right! Down the road further Im sure there was somewhere worth visiting...non? Non! We basically did a loop back around to the camping ground, but it was green and pretty and the warmth was lovely.
I love Mother Nature's arrangements, dont you?

 Kids playing Cricket at the Sports ground/Horse Racing course.

 Back across the bridge and to the car. Thank goodness it was in the shade.

The Coq on the church spire caught my eye, as did the newly slated roof.

 Back on the road to Coulgens. The house we thought we might like is around here somewhere, but it could also be in any one of the 20 small hamlets in the surrounding countryside. Such are the vaguaries of Realty adverts.

 The Mairie in Coulgens.

 It is a pretty hillside town with a 12th century church. They are almost obligatory! It looks like so many in the area. The countryside is wide and open and we were excited to see so many fields with young sunflowers growing. Tournesol...isnt that a lovely word? Means Sunflower. Turn to the sun, in other words.

 Im known for taking 'wrong' turns, but to me there are no wrong turns. They are just places you didnt intend to go, but look what you found!
Along a long stretch of skinny road, hoping like crazy we wouldn't meet another car, because it is the kind of road where the locals think they own the road and nobody ever goes that way so they can drive super fast and round corners without considering that someone might be coming the other way....if you know what I mean?
We found this place. Up another rise...this time quite steep, and through winding roads behind homes and farms and ...yes, all those kinds of things...and somehow I got a bit lost and thank goodness for GPS's.:) Never fear, Waz knew where we were! ha!

Finally back on N10 and returning home. It is now almost 4pm, and what's this??? A caravan of caravans? Yep...about 40 of them! Waz took this photo when we had already passed a gazillion of the wretched things. Some of the drivers were pissing me off royally because they are not supposed to overtake, and they kept pulling out just before I arrived, and had to slow down. Grrr!  All new caravans and mostly driven by brand new vans. Interesting.

 They seemed to go on forever.

Back home, thank goodness, and we are so happy to be back in our own back yard.

Did you know that Grapes have flowers?? Voila!

 Waz had previously removed the outdoor wall outlet. Today his task was to install the new one.

 Had to go downstairs to lengthen the wires....

 Meanwhile, in the Pink Room, I had put the fan on slow to help dry the clothes. Until we install a retractable clothesline on the terrace, this is all I have. I dont like to run the dryer, so the fan on low was an excellent choice. They were dry in a flash.

 I was sick of looking at dirty windows that needed paint stripping off them and window ledge and terrace ledges that needed a good clean. Today was the day to do that too! Looking much brighter and cleaner, here.

 Now installed...new outdoor plugs! yay!
Now we cant wait for the pressure washer to arrive with the container, so we can wash the terrace.

 Can you see the bees?? They were returning to the chimney in force ahead of the brewing storm.

 Now 5pm, and we had been hearing non-stop thunder for a while. It didnt let up for hours!

 Some drops of rain, but nothing more.

Its 10pm again, and I think it is time to turn in. Monday again tomorrow.
We didnt sit outside to eat dinner tonight due to the wild winds and intermittent rain. We rather missed it! Tomorrow maybe. Night, night.