Sunday in the Square

After chores - rubbish putting out, dog hair sweeping up - we drove the short distance to Villedieu up on its hilltop. It was very quiet and the old boulangerie has been painted smartly, covering up the lovely old lettering. We walked round and through and out along the road for views. Someone has a very fine veg patch!

An aperitif in the square and then we were tempted by pizzas at La Maison Bleue for lunch. Very tasty too and the waitress is lovely. I think she’s Dutch, but whatever, she’s smiley and fun. Gave us three spoons for pudding!

After which we went to Puyméras by way of the cut through road and had a walk up to the antenna. All the apricot trees have been ploughed up. Wonder what will replace them. It started to rain - big drops - so we didn’t linger too long. The olive trees took on a magical silver shimmer. Actually, we think they had been sprayed with some white powder! But the rain helped.




Really threw it down in Puyméras so I stayed in the car as the others toured the village!

Back to Ste Cécile

Bright and sunny but a chill wind. I was teased by Nicole and the café lady for not wearing a jacket! But by the time we left it was warming up and we had a pleasant lunch of crevettes and...well by the skin of out teeth, mayonnaise...on the terrace.




At 1 o’clock I realised we hadn’t got any. Shop was shutting as I ran up there so I went into the bar and begged a portion! Bruno kindly gave me a barquette full and would take no money. You have to think on your feet in such emergencies!

After lunch we walked in the heat to Séguret. Butterflies galore and good views. Then as I was sitting by the lavoir cooling my hands I realised it was after 4 and we had Facetime at 5! So, sprinted down the road in record time to get home. 25 mins, not bad. Beryl and Adrian followed on a bit later.

Vultures

A really fabulous day! Warm, bright and we were off up to Rémuzat to see the vultures. Having walked up to the edge of the ridge there was a distinct lack of birds. But it was only ten o’clock and the air not warm enough for thermals (updraughts, not underwear!).

We enjoyed the view then suddenly there they were, a dozen or more huge beautiful birds floating beneath us. Impossible to photograph well. And we had them for the rest of our stay. We retreated at twelve and drove down to the village and had salad and chips in the café under the plane trees, with the vultures wheeling above us .

We drove back over the hills, stopping now and then for the views and found a glorious lavender hillside with a few young plants still flowering.














Tea in Buis, where we were suspected of being Australian! The café owner asked what language we were speaking and when I said English he replied he thought we were talking too fast for it to be English! So I asked what he thought it was and he said Australian...???
And home. There’s a warm wind bothering the town - tablecloth blown off terrace table!

Canal and Roaix

Shorts! It was a lovely day and we took ourselves to Vacqueyras and the canal. A pleasant stroll. Then a scoot round the hill to the syphon.

Lots of butterflies.

Lunch at Roaix under the mulberry trees followed by a stiff constitutional on the hillside where chaps were harvesting and others cutting down trees.








Home for the afternoon then at 6 Beryl and I explored the village and environs in the warmth of the evening. Lots of cats were venturing out for the evening. One called Moustache (his name was on his little house!) and a most superior dark grey creature elegantly draped on top of his porch, turning his yellow lamps on us in disdain.

First days

Just settling in really and sorting the house. Mostly chucking out previous occupants’ strange foodstuffs and scented products! But everything is fine and the geraniums survived. We went to Malaucène market for supplies and then back home to eat them on the warm terrace. It is rather hot! Later that same day the party strolled down to Gravillas, bidon in hand, for a fill up of AOC sablet rouge. Delivered mincemeat to Kaisers (unobtainable in the Fatherland) and the ladies took a turn round the vines before supper.

Still harvesting...sticky juice on roads and little trailers of grapes trundling into the receiving bay. The blackboard said today was Gigondas and Séguret.

South

We got up in pitch black and left at 7. Well, not quite pitch black as it was a full moon but still pretty dark. There was a long way to go and we wanted time to stop today. First port of call...Limogne en Quercy for breakfast. Our usual bar was shuttered and closed but we found another up the street. It looked inviting with outside tables and fairy lights in the trees. Men were going in, the place was quite full. But as soon as we sat down it emptied! All sat out under the trees despite the chill of early morning. The owner ferried them cups of coffee as more joined the group. They were probably smokers. Our edibles came from the boulangerie that could have come from Royston Vasey. A few doughy croissants and over-baked pain aux raisins served by a rustic female. Apart from that the counter was totally empty!

And then it was off to Millau Viaduct via the Causses. The car bing bonged temperatures of 0-4 from time to time despite the sunshine. But by the time we got there it was warm. A quick stop for Beryl to walk up to the viewing point then off again down the switchback A75 through the rocks and down to Marseillan for lunch at La Pacheline.

We got a table on the terrasse and ate a simple delicious meal. Great stuff. Marseillan was busy even at this time of the year.

Of course we had to go to Noilly for stocks!
Finally we set out on the final stretch to Sablet, stopping off at Intermarché Orange for milk etc. Got here about 5.30 and unpacked then went to the bar for a refreshment where we saw some friends and felt we were back home. It’s quite warm...overdressed as usual!
The geraniums have survived but not much else!

Back to Cahors

Sun returns, if a little cooler. But we had a bright easy trip via St Georges de Didonne for breakfast and the Gironde Estuary. Corduan was visible out to sea and the views were lovely.

We paused briefly to pay our respects to the Escargots on their roundabout!










We’d bought some vast chicken snd crudités baguette sandwiches in St Georges that we manfully tackled outside St Foy la Grande on the banks of the Dordogne. I had to leave a bit of mine though. After which we zoomed through prune country and got to Cahors around 4.30.

As it was such a lovely evening we drove to the Pont Valentré and walked up into town, ending up at a pavement bistrot for salad, wine and mousse au chocolat. Nice.

More rain

But are we downhearted? Not a bit of it. We began the day in a rush. Up at 7.50, out by 8. Reason...someone’s car alarm went off at 3 and every ten minutes thereafter. So by the time we got back to sleep we were very tired and because it was so dark had no idea what time it was! Then across the bridge to St Brévin. So cloudy that at the top we could see nothing.

And when we got to St B the bar wasn’t even open. Sunday...opens at 9. So we walked round the headland to see the serpent.
We could hear the thrumming of a big ship coming in but it was absolutely invisible. Just the hoots from its foghorn now and then. But so mild. Anyway we went back to find the bar ablaze with neon lights and had three superb grand -crèmes. Alas no croissants, though we were given freebie biscuits! That was breakfast.

We’d already decided that today was a day for taking our time as we only had to get to La Rochelle. The plan was to potter down to a couple of the oyster ports on the marshes and this is exactly what we did.

First stop Le Bouchet. Then Le Port du Bec where we stopped to book a table for lunch.

Then a cut across to le Passage du Grois to pass the spare hour. It was pretty atmospheric as always.

The tide was just on the turn and the warning signs were advising how long you had to safely cross.

We went back for lunch on the dot of 12 and had fabulous moules frites in the noisy bar/restaurant. Great!

On our way to La R we stopped for a coffee in the café bar in Luçon, previously much frequented. Got to Première Classe around 5 and then walked round the harbour and old town until yet more pizza/pasta at 7.30.

It rained on and off but it’s so warm and the sun is trying hard! Incredible skies.

Rain

Well...not good. It started to drizzle as we entered Roscoff.

Had a croissant and coffee at the little café and wandered around for about half an hour.

Then tried to find a bit of coast. This was more difficult than anticipated because all the little villages are on tiny roads.







 Eventually after driving through fields of cauliflowers, artichokes, and what looked like Jerusalem artichokes (agh), we found a beach. Pristine pale sand strewn with uprooted seaweed, tide well out and a rocky island. Good for a stroll. There was a lady gathering weed in a big sack - not for her garden but because she loved the smell of the ‘iode’.

After that it was a slog down across the interior towards Lorient and the west coast. The weather just got worse. Pouring rain, grey cloud. But we did find the crêperie I’d earmarked, by the bridge over the Etel. Nice place, good food.

And on. As soon as we could we left the fast road and approached St Nazaire via Guérande and Pornichet and came in along the elegant sea front. I could hear a strange banging noise - not from he car thankfully, but from what looked like a Samba band walking by the sea! It might actually have been an African wedding because there was a lady in a big dress at the front and later we heard church bells!

Anyway undeterred by rain we spent a good hour walking by the old harbour and on top of the submarine pen, taking in the panorama and ships. Then with unusual ease found the Ibis, which is clean and comfortable.
More pix on album France Autumn 18 on the right...

Bienvenue à bord

We left home in sunshine after the storm, with Beryl safely stowed. Dartmoor loomed mistily and by the time we hit N Tawton it was drizz. Graylings was heaving with Friday evening diners and for a moment I thought we’d not get a table. But one was found and F and C partaken of.  Adrian sampled the new ice cream flavour Dulce de Leche - basically cooked condensed milk beloved of the Spaniards.
Arrived Plymouth horrendously early but not the first! Sat facing the empty dock until at 9 15 a ghostly shape in the form of Armorique loomed towards us. Somewhat taken aback to see two armed soldiers at the entrance to the car deck! And then again lurking beside Reception...
We are now approaching Roscoff. It is dark...an hour ahead you see. Lovely comfy cabins, zzzz.
And she said ‘how about breakfast in Roscoff?’ Come on now, sing along!

Autumn Jolly

Off on 21st to Roscoff. Then down via St Nazaire, La Rochelle and, probably, Marseillan.
It’s going to be a busy trip with visitors. So...car is packed, clothes chosen, others left behind. As always it is a salutary experience to witness how many garments are frankly not essential! You take them because you might need them, ONCE! And feel sorry for the ones you only occasionally wear so bung them in out of guilt in the full knowledge they won’t ever get an outing.
Fingers crossed the gale will abate for the crossing.