The intention was to breakfast in lovely La Rochelle and find a bookshop to buy Adam's Le Chat diary. But we were in the new bit of town, all trendy modern buildings and maritime museum and University campus. They like to keep it apart from the old town traffic-wise and the bridge is now barred to all but cyclists! So all we saw was a distant view across the harbour. No matter, we've been loads of times and will come again.
Eventually we navigated onto the ringroad and escaped into the totally wonderful dead flat lands crossing the marshes to Luçon. The light was perfect - low sun casting long shadows.
Got to Luçon only to find all roads barred and snakes of yellow hoses down all the streets. There had been a fire in a shop and pompiers were on ladders, erecting deviation signs, and explaining things to Le Maire, who had just arrived in his smart camel coat! It took a while to find a parking but by dint of going the wrong way down several streets, we did and then pushed our way through the blockade to the café. Bought the best ever croissants from the pâtisserie
en face and sat down to enjoy good coffee with a choice of three tv screens.
The diary still not obtained, I persuaded Monsieur that we must at least try, and we went first to the Maison de la Presse, who did not sell it. Madame directed me to the bookshop at the end of the street. Try there, she said. It was now assuming the proportions of the J.R. Hartley search! The bookshop was stunning. Elegant, well laid out, beautiful window display. And yeah! One copy of Le Chat 2017.
As we were leaving we just glanced at the window display again, praising the refinement and wondering how such a shop could exist in a small regional town, etc etc. Then !Caramba! What should I see but a small volume entitled
Agenda mer 2017 phares de France. With illustrations by none other than Héron (of Héron and Héron, he whom we seek at every available opportunity). Adrian was back in there quicker than a rat up the proverbial. The assistants had to heave away display units in order to retrieve this gem from the window, but it was worth it. They made a sale.
So, serendipity at work again. If we had stayed in La R for breakfast we would never have been in this street in Luçon and if I hadn't insisted on seeking Le Chat we would not have visited the bookshop.
Still bags of time so we zoomed up to the St Nazaire bridge and turned off to the left on the south side where we found a quiet little seaside village on the end of the river mouth, overlooking the Chantiers Navals and the bridge. St Brevin les Pins. There was a modern brasserie serving a menu, almost empty at 12. But by the time we had got our first course it was absolutely heaving with businessmen, office groups, builders, what looked like a couple of solicitors (one just
knows!). Good, simple, efficient.
Then the explore... The light was still good but greyish blue here. Sea lapping on shell incrusted sand, an old fort turned museum and a mysterious seamonster emerging onto the shore. Le Serpent d'Océan.
(More on flickr)
What a find this place is. Probably very busy in season but it has the look of a genteel holiday place, not Kiss me Quick.
Got to Vannes at 3 and we are off in search of crêpes for supper.
