Shipping news

Hell's Bells! almost got left behind. We were killing time in St Malo and eating vast quantities of crêpes before ambling along to the Christmas Tree that is Armorique, berthed in the harbour. Thought it strange that the boat was full and no one was queuing in the lanes, but we assumed everyone had got there early. They tell you you can on this crossing because the ship is here all day. No sooner were we in the cabin than the announcements began. Still didn't twig but thought they would be repeating them before we got under way. Adrian said it was funny but he felt the ship rolling a bit - how could that be as we were still in harbour? So I peered out of the black window and saw white water- a wake! We had sailed... Obviously we'd got the time completely wrong (by two hours!) but no one had hurried us along or even remarked that we'd cut it a bit fine.

Anyway prior to that we had a spiffing day. It started in fog again and we saw very little of the Breton countryside until we neared the coast. But as it is really a superior version of Devon, we weren't too fussed. We hit the coast at Erquay, a nice little town with lighthouse and shellfish. It was sunny by now and we had lunch outside on the harbour. Spider crab and oysters for A and poisson du jour and warm rice pudding for me. Delicious.

Then a long walk round the headland with views of islands and the oncoming black clouds that somehow never quite reached us. We briefly popped along to the next headland to see Cap Fréhel lighthouse again and finally to a viewpoint near Dinard just as the light was fading. We thought we had another four hours to kill, hence the crêpe fest! Oh my.

And just as we were going to bed the bing bong girl with soft voice announces that due to bad weather captain is putting his foot down and getting us to Plymouth early. But not to worry we will not be turfed out before 6.30. It didn't seem too rough to us but then she announced that outside doors were locked and no one was allowed on deck. We slept well, only the odd swoop, and then presumably idled away in Plymouth Sound until a juddering alerted me to the fact the ship was backing into dock at about 4.30.

Season of mists...

View from our hotel window 8 am

I do like autumn. It's my favourite season. Everything is soft and peaceful after the razzmatazz of summer. Even when the sky is vivid blue like it was in the south there is a feeling of everything saying 'phew'. However, no blue sky up north. Fog greats us again in Saintes and our journey past Tochefort and La Rochelle was a misty blur. Firtunstely today is 11 November and a Public Holiday, so there was hardly any traffic.

We had planned to pop across to Ré for breakfast but there seemed little point! Instead we drove down to the marshes at Esnandes and snapped artistic mudflat shots. Love this area- the whole coast is low lying bird reserves and shellfish beds. Curlews mewing and gurgling invisibly in the gloom. Terrific.

And lots of the picturesque carrelets- fishing jetties. Then a really good coffee in the next little village before heading north again.

Pornic appeared bang on lunchtime and was heaving with families enjoying the day off. We decided against a fancy fish restaurant and went instead to a really smart crêperie on the outer harbour. Excellent in a modern style. Then a constitutional  round the headland on the coast path to bag yet another
lighthouse. Just a small one, this, and seemingly run by the SNSM (lifeboats) rather than Phares et Balises. The sky was now looking quite stormy but it was mild and fortunately no rain came our way.

We crossed the Pont St Nazaire with no delay this time. The mega ship is still being built at Chantiers de l' Atlantique.
Got to Vannes about 3.30 but again it was absolutely thronging with people and there was no parking close to the port so we cut our losses and eventually found our way to ye olde Ibis Budget Hotel, where we now reside. Very spacious this one, with its own garden door and a real bath! Doesn't matter, we come to this area often and will visit old haunts again some other time.

Cloud surfing

Woke up in a blanket of grey. We thought it was fog but after a few miles realised we were in cloud. It was sitting on top of the plateau above the gorges and frankly, my dear, we didn't see a damn...thing! So here is a picture from Sunny Mèze yesterday.
Every now and then there were glimpses of landscape but it wasn't much. We breakfasted in a bar on the outskirts of Décazeville - what an ugly name! All these towns we pass by and  through regularly but never have time to explore.
We did escape the gloom eventually and enjoyed the pretty Lot Valley before sandwiches in Ribérac, in the Dordogne already.







But now a tale from last night. The French, as we know, love a gadget, the wackier and more over designed the better. Our hotel room was all minimal and tasteful decor with a shower pod and washbasin in etched glass. Above the basin was a column holding a mirror. When we put the lights out this mirror started to pulse with an eerie green glow. There was a small outline double square of green led light that was constantly flashing on and off and reflecting in all the surfaces around it! Why? What for? Now I cannot sleep with even a chink of light and in addition to the pulsing there were green led switches above the bed and the red standby button on the telly. Nightmare! First we tried tying a pair of leggings round the column to cover the green squares but that only enraged the beast and made the whole column flash. So in the end we turned off all the power to the room. Peace. Note to self...bring masking tape next time.

It's still very warm but up here the autumn is more advanced and leaves are mostly fallen. We are in a real IBIS in Saintes but feeling disinclined to go into town. It will be dark soon and they do have a sort of restaurant here. Thin end of wedge. Here is the Barbèzieux chicken!

Heatwave

Monday and we're away. Everything is shut up and turned off. So sad. But by 9.45 just an hour and a half later we were in Mèze having coffee and croissants with Peter.

A lovely pistachio house near by

And then we strolled down by the water drinking in the vivid blue light and the sun. I was really far too hot in jeans and boots but we know from experience that as soon as you leave the coast even in summer, people look askance if you are scantily clad!
An early lunch of moules frites by the étang, as we all had to get away by afternoon. Temperatures were by now reaching the mid twenties!

We'd booked our hotel in Rodez so there was no real panic and in fact we got here via the Millau Viaduct- AGAIN- by 4.

Time for another look round the town. We came last time at lunchtime and only did the cathedral.  Great Art Deco Post Office and a modern museum dedicated to Soulages that was of course closed on Mondays. Anyway it does seem like quite a classy little town once you get to the top of the hill. The lower slopes are less picturesque to say the least. Still pretty warm even here in the Massif Central.

Last day

Lovely again so we went with Jen and Gérard round the Rasteau walk. On the way we met our jogger and her three belled dogs. She does an hour and a half back and forth - like a shuttle service, she said! Packing now and off in the morning. It's been good.

Cherry Valley

Another scorcher! After market duties and farewells to café and yoghurt lady we drove off to the valley behind Malaucène known as Le Terroir de Cerise. Beyond Beaumont du Ventoux there is a hidden valley on the lower slopes of V. It should be gloomy but because it runs East to West it gets lots of sun. And here they grow cherries on an industrial scale, but in a most rural environment of scattered hamlets and farmsteads

But we were waylaid in our progress by a new resto in Beaumont. People were sitting outside so we joined them. Not entirely sure it was a good idea! Service was good but food appeared slowly and all the while it was getting hotter and hotter. There was a group of adults with three very young children (2 girls, sisters and 1 boy) at the next table. Exemplary parents who actually enforced some discipline.  "Quand je dis 'non', c'est fin d'histoire. Il n'y a pas de 'pourquoi?' " Applause! But inevitably enfants got bored so were given crayons and paper to play with on the occasional tables. And this is when the true evilness of little girls manifested itself. Eldest girl wanted boy's crayon. He said no and while the argument went on, younger sister sneaked up behind him and grabbed it. Much wailing. Girl ordered to sit on naughty step (chair) for five mins all the while denouncing her little sister and the boy.
Good entertainment.

Eventually we got our walk in the orchards and returned in that lovely stillness of a late autumn afternoon when smoke is rising, birds are softly twittering and the light is golden.

Friday Roaix

First a little light housework - washing and changing beds. Thought I'd share this with you all! Wonderful day again and we'd invited the Americans to join us for lunch in Roaix.  It was a no- sleeves day in the courtyard under the plane trees, now shorn of their leaves and already pruned.

At 5 o'clock we went down to the old railway line road just as the sun was sinking. Yesterday Jen and Gérard said they had seen a murmuration of starlings there so we were hoping for a repeat performance. Alas not, but no matter because it was so lovely. Warm air, birds twittering, stream gurgling and a glorious golden glow from the sun on the vines.

As I was waiting for Adrian to get back to the car I got into conversation with a retired Belgian, as you do. He was walking his dog, a creature he claimed to be the most intelligent he'd ever met. His credentials for this statement, it transpired,were that he had been a dog trainer for the Brussels Police. So he knew whereof he spoke. The hound in question looked like Basil Brush but with a curly tail. Some sort of Japanese breed.

Nyons and beyond

Thursday is Nyons market. It's a biggish one and we usually avoid it in season. But as we hadn't been that way and it is quieter now we made the trip. Very pleasant wandering among the endless luscious veg stalls, fashion, soaps, nougat, artisan bread, pizza and paella vendors. And this one selling freeze dried veg and fruits. Had to buy some as I'd photographed the display and, frankly, well... Nul points!

Ditto for the 'coffee' we had at the Palmier café. Mine was just hot milk (skimmed at that!) with the faintest shading of brown. Adrian said his tasted like the coffee you accidentally make with the used grouts in the espresso machine. But we had a nice sit in the sun and watched the world do its shopping. Another restaurant up the street has obviously got fed up with fast food and Brake France by the look of its menu board.

We headed into the hills for lunch. Once more  in search of the elusive bistro de pays. Found it this time. It's in Vinsobres not Venterol.
Very jolly, attentive and energetic waiter, and not bad food. Two glasses of proper wine from a local domaine -none of yer plonk served here! And sitting out to eat in hot sun- well.

Then a couple of little walks on the top overlooking lavender and vines and olives (yawn!) towards Ventoux. We didn't dare venture too far off the beaten because men in Pickups and 4x4 s were dashing about. That means only one thing either here or in Devon... Hunting.

Finally, up to the back of Séguret for a stroll
along the forest tracks in the last of the afternoon sun. We go there a lot when in need of a quick boost. It's just a there and back almost to the blue tree. And you can gaze up at the St Armand ridge we did on Monday and feel properly smug. We was there!

In the pink

This was from the top of St Amand on Monday.

Rain today. But still 18 degrees so not cold. Too horrid to do more than scuttle to shops and then have a look at the bizarre photo exhibition in the Maison du Vin. Odd is understating it. Pictures of knitted dolls against garden plants (illustrating a book) and other creepy A6 prints of lego like creatures in abstract settings.

The leaves are now all coming off and great piles of shrivelled plane tree foliage are mounting up along the pavements. These vestiges of an unknown shrub poking out of the railings looked just like fireworks in the rain.








Anyway we had to wait in this afternoon for Mr Urban the heating man. He came to fill our radiators and pipes with antifreeze! I am paranoid about burst pipes and we had been contemplating draining the whole system before leaving. However, Mr. U said he has lots of clients with maisons secondaires and they employ the antifreeze method.  It protects down to minus 10 or minus 15 depending on how much you put in. Sablet DOES  get that cold at times occasionally, honest. It ain't cheap. 115 euros for a 20 litre container and we needed two of them...

So he comes and fixes hoses to the back end of Faffner, bleeds radiators, takes out water and then hand pumps the 40 litres of evil looking pink fluid into his veins (F's, not his own!). Took a couple of hours what with him having to run up and down stairs and take samples to make sure it was mixing. We had wondered why our radiators were so pathetic until he showed us the control to alter. However when Adrian took a close up of it we discovered that this had somehow been fixed back to front and someone had written C and F (chaud froid) on the opposite sides to what was printed. We turned the dial the other way and Hallelujah! Heat...

Summiting

Monday. Nice day so I was persuaded I DID want to climb to the top of St Amand, the top of which we see above Gigondas with its telecoms mast. So we drove back up past the Yuccas above Suzette and left Berlingo in the sun at the end of the track. Then a steep scramble up a kilometer of track and we were there!

Of course, like on every hilltop in France there was already a vehicle parked. It was a beat up jeepy type thing with some baguettes in the back. No sign of occupants but we could hear them in the hut with what sounded  like morse code beeps. They had to have driven up the most fearfully rutted track because there was no other way. Here is Sablet way below.

After a little sit we decided to strike out along he ridge to find a different way down. A lot of it was through a sort of maze of box bushes and then out onto open limestone paths on the northern side with Ventoux in the distance.

Looking the other way we peered down over La Verrière near Le Crestet. That's the fancy domaine with the blue tree we often walk to. It seemed like a very long detour!
There's a close up below thanks to my mega zoom!

Then we crossed paths with a French couple coming the other way and exchanged pleasanteries. They had a book of walks and showed us the round in diagram form. Afraid we let the national side down somewhat by revealing a) we carried no food or drink (we never do), b) had no book of walks but a proper IGN map c) no mobile phone with camera that we could photograph the page with! Not that we wanted to as we had a proper map, but it was offered kindly.

 

Anyway some three hours later we were back within sight of Berlingo, who wagged his tail in pleasure at our return. Suitably smug we went home for a cup of tea before setting out for the afternoon's excursion. This time in search of WINE. The Visan Coop had sent me a 10€ Off voucher if we spent 80€. It was used! But there were no cafés open in either Visan or Richerenches for some reason and we felt the day was somehow unfinished without a coffee stop. Nothing for it but to go to nearby Tulette and Le Comptoir de Mathilde- France's answer to Willy Wonka - and have a hot chocolate.

November

Already. Feels like July here! Well except that it takes a few hours to get up to temperature.

Went to Villedieu. Walked tound the outside and down some tracks with terrific views from every direction. Then repaired to the square where all gather and had lasagne for lunch. Lovely.

As we were eating, the population of Belgium descended in a convoy of camper vans and cars. Then just as quickly were absorbed into various houses and not seen again. Just as well, as they were clad in shorts and skirts as if it were summer. We, like the French, realise that it is now winter. So despite the heat, everyone is in jeans, scarves, long sleeves and proper shoes. Reminds me of when I was in India, whoops, I mean Australia! Winter months meant thick coats and boots whatever the temperature.

More of the same

Another lovely day... We are being spoiled. Either that or we're going to pay for it with rain and storm! For now, everyone is enjoying the Indian Summer.
We were at the market by 9 for some reason and having breakfast at the Bar before someof the stalls had fully set up!

Too nice to sit indoors and the terrace is not sunny at this time of the year so Séguret beckoned. It's a good walk, not too strenuous but long enough to be worthwhile doing. And on the way you get interesting flora, wild and cultivated. I'm not brilliant at identifying the wild but I do know a good Yucca when I see one. They are deffo the plant of the moment. These were in a garden next to an olive tree and the pink of the buds matched the ripening olives most pleasingly.

Less aesthetic and, frankly, a bit odd, was the window display in the tearooms (or should that be twee rooms?). I mean, knitted cakes! Cleverly done, but Bake Off, it ain't. The Great Gallic Cast-Off perhaps.

Sensory overload

Once more unto the valley of the Toulourenc, that sparkly little river that tumbles down behind Ventoux with gorges we sometimes walk up- only in summer! Yesterday we looked down on it but moved on higher up the valley. Today we concentrated on the wide bowl between Mollans and Veaux.

You can walk round pretty much the whole of this in a couple of hours, which is what we did. It was hot and we wished we hadn't been so feeble and worn shorts instead of jeans. But come on now, it IS the end of October... It wasn't exactly quiet either. Down at the bottom was a camper van belting out what I believe is known as Techno music. Actually not bad from a distance! Then the hunters started shooting across the valley, and a huge delta wing jet suddenly zoomed over the crest of the mountain at full throttle. But the colours and patterns of the olives and vines took your mind off all this. It really is an exceptional year.

We followed the river part of the way back. It was splashing happily on its way and sparkling like silver behind the trees. In summer you can't move for cars by the bridge because everyone takes their picnics up stream to sit on rocks in the gorges. Today, though, there was no one.

After a sandwich in Malaucène, basking in ridiculous temperatures, we mosied on home via the back of the Dentelles, making a detour at Suzette (which still has no crêperie!) up a track towards a summit that Adrian wants to walk to one day.  On the way the road passd by houses with jaw dropping views, one of which had a garden full of yucca gloriosa - a profusion of exotic loveliness.

More pix on flickr.

Too bright

Weather has realised the error its ways and has decided not to rain. Hurrah! Dazzling blue skies tempt us to the north of Ventoux. We chickened out from going to the top, because we were sure up there it would be chilly. So in the balmy heat of the Toulourenc valley we gazed up at his greatness and snapped his backside. Sorry about prisms but the sun was on full power.

As usual on this route we had to go to Brantes, the village that scrambles up the cliff opposite. It's a nice place with paved and steep lanes, pretty gardens and a café that says it is open every day but which quite definitely ISN'T. We've tried twice recently and it remains resolutely shut, which is a pity as it sits right on the edge with the best views. We did once, or even twice, have a drink there in the past.



The road proceeds to a junction some kms up the road. Right to Sault but sign saying Route Barrée. Left to Montbrun les bains which is visible clinging to its hillside in the sun. We go left. Not our first visit but we haven't been since buying the house. 12 Noon had struck, so it was scoff time. Found a small restaurant with passable lunch and baked ourselves in the sun before taking a walk up into the old town, well village really.

The church interior was a strange mixture of ornate and plain with what seemed to be modern paint effects on the walls. But also some pretty glass in an upstairs gallery. A ladder lead from there up into the bell tower and I was half way up when I noticed just how much woodworm was in it. A hasty downward retreat!

Over the rainbow

Séguret from the terrace 4pm

Rugging up for winter

The rain is on its way, but not quite here. This morning the air is soft and warm, not a breath of wind, and the sky is  a mass of thick wadded clouds, like a giant duvet wrapping us up. We went across the plain a little way to the Distillerie - an unlovely heap of metal buildings on the roundabout between Violès and Rasteau. Why? I hear you cry. Ah well... First off these places are Interesting. Things go on in them. Things are produced. And I like that. Also, last time we passed we noticed it had signs saying they sold stuff. This is new- hitherto it has seemed shut and unwelcoming to visitors.

We parked in front of the round edifice that had obviously recently been restored and skirted passed the weighbridge, avoiding a trailer of purple grape pulp that had just driven in. Inside the spanking new interior all was sparkly and bright with a little history of the distillery and an old mobile still, and examples of their wares. Very simple and nicely done. Amongst other things they produce grapeseed oil, vinegar, liqueurs, marc. The tank itself had originally been intended to store fuel for the nearby American airbase during the war and was then sold to the distillery. Hope they washed it out thoroughly! Don't worry, I don't think it was ever used.

The way back was through the many lanes on the plain, looking back towards the hills or forwards to the Rhone. Either way it was grey but with a tapestry carpet of red, russet, orange and yellow vines.
Only one thing for it now- lunch at Roaix in the As de coeur café. Great as always. Too many delicious choices for main course - boeuf bourguignon, aligot, civet de porc. Aftaid I am doomed in WHO terms as I had Aligot, which came with two big sausages!

It was just too nice to come straight home so we pottered about by the river at the old railway bridge. These wild blue and pink convulvulous were such a surprise. Aren't they pretty.

Down across the divide between Gigondas snd Vaqueyras there is a hidden slope that runs down to the river. And it is a maze of lanes and vineyards among which you suddenly come upon this enormous repository of old earth moving vehicles. They are vast, there are loads of them, ranging from elevators, cranes to mega diggers. One trailer is sitting there with what looks like half a bridge parapet on it!

Actually, we have been passed here a number of times, but I haven't ever plucked up the courage to photograph it before because it looks like the sort of place a big man with tattoos and chains might issue forth from menacingly!

Back on the terrace I was tending my plants when this exotic waspy creature caught my eye. At first I thought it was up to no good and doing evil things to my oleander. But on reflexion, I suspect that it, too, is snuggling up somewhere sheltered and cosy for winter. Anyone know what it is?