Final day

We could hear rain in the night and when we emerged at 7.30 the sky was dramatic. Huge inky black clouds and big patches of vivid blue sky. The drive from La Rochelle takes us north across the vast flat salt marshes of the Vendée criss-crossed with channels and rivers. You can see the weather coming from the West for miles. Fabulous - everything in high contrast. The rain held off - at least until we were safely in the café in Luçon. Then the deluge! But only for about ten minutes. And the roads outside town were bone dry. That was the pattern for the day...menacing storm clouds scudding among sunny blue skies, every now and then a downpour but brief and largely untroubling.

As we neared the St Nazaire bridge we veered off to visit a village up river sort of opposite the gas processing plant. It’s always looked interesting from its place on the map.

It was, quite. A wooded park with river walk, smart painted houses, small lighthouse and terrific views.

The light was amazing and the river a wonderful sludgy oily brown. Dead calm.
Lunchtime! Eek it had no restaurants.









We toyed with the idea of going down to St Marc but decided it was too fiddly. Looking at the map I spotted a likely alternative - a coastal peninsula the other side of Guérande - home of The Salt and honey pot extraordinaire!

We got to Guérande OK. Piriac sur mer and La Turballe were signed in enormous letters off the main road. What could possibly go wrong? Once into the network of roads surrounding Guérande and its turreted walls, signs became invisible. All we saw were some pale green boards saying Toutes Directions in 2 point type. These lead to confusion not Piriac! We got back to main road and started again. This time, our eye was in and we discerned that one of the pale green signs did say Piriac. All was well.

We motored on. But having reached La Turballe decided to play safe and stop there. Good call - several seafront caffs, boat repair yard, fishing port, and, ta da! Views of Le Four (Croisic) lighthouse on the horizon. You might notice a shadowy giant wind turbine behind the lighthouse.

This is Floatgen, France’s first floating wind turbine at sea. 80 metre blades. It sits on a concrete caisson anchored by six nylon lines and has been in operation since autumn 2018.

Moules frites and île flottante/far breton washed down with a bolée of cidre, followed by a bracing walk round the harbour.
Who or what is this Accost?!

Then it was the long slog up to Roscoff via the fast road to Lorient. We got  there at 6.15 and wandered about for a while pondering whether to get on board early. Decided that would be throat-cutting so booked at Surcouf for dinner. In the interim we discovered that both Héron and Héron emporiums had closed. Woe. But dinner was ace. 30 euros menu with oysters, tartare de poisson, tagliatelles St Jacques, apple sorbet with calvados and tarte aux pommes. Plus a most original glass of Pouilly Fumé served out of a  phial that was then presented to you to take home! So that’s it. We are home to pouring rain but the Judas tree is in full flower and pheasant was cock cocking at the door within five minutes. Customs didn’t spot the violas and petunias so they are drinking in the English rain.

Rain and sun

We left Cahors at 7.30 in pouring rain and drove in same along the pretty Lot Valley to Prayssac where we stopped for breakfast. Croissants not a patch on yesterday but it was OK. No need for my little detours today - Ponts et Chaussées did it for us! Routes Barrées at every turn with déviations through country lanes.

As we proceeded West, the clouds broke up and the sun came out. Not much of note to report. It is all familiar stuff now through the lovely country with prune orchards and vines. The architecture seamlessly morphing from turreted towers to low Charentaise maisons.

After nearly six hours in the saddle we pulled up at the port in Mortagne on the Gironde to sit by the water and eat today’s chicken mayo baguettes. Very good.

Also gave the poor flowers an airing.

Then a walk down through the extensive reed beds to the water’s edge. About a kilometre each way. Fabulous. We heard nightingales, warblers finches.

Saw figs growing alongside teasels.

The light was amazing with alternating heavy storm clouds and bright blue sky and bursts of dazzling sun.

Luckily we got back to the car just in time before heavy drops of rain pattered down.

We drove up to St Georges and sat in the Café des Bains watching the sand yachts.

By the time we’d supped up the rain had gone and the sun was out again.

Saw storks on the road up to Rochefort.
Now in 1ere Classe La Rochelle, ready for a pizza!

Rewind

The sad day came and we had to leave. All the flowers are repotted and packed illegally. We closed up and departed at 7.45 in grey but promising weather and by 9.30 were the other side of Montpellier for breakfast. A rather scruffy village but the world’s best croissants and a pain aux raisins with apricots lurking within! Then up onto the Causses and across the viaduct.

It was like returning to early spring - leafless trees, wild daffodils, vast swathes of cowslips and the vines had given way to pastoral slopes.

We went off piste along one of my detours and got some great views back across to the viaduct.

The sky was full of vultures but they don’t photograph well in haze! Here are cowslips instead.

Somewhere before Villefranche I hijacked the route again and we twisted and turned our way down to the Aveyron. Outside La Bastide L’Evêque, a small village, we came upon this
delightful spot by a fast flowing stream.

It’s a restored copper working complex, all laid out with explanations but not manned so far as we could tell. A volunteer organisation owns it and it seems it’s an educational visits centre. Wild plants all named. Good place for our copiously filled
chicken salad sandwiches.

The road soon crossed the Aveyron - not a big river here but pretty impressive running through wooded gorges along the side of which were loads of buildings that looked like former water mills. Mostly private houses now. But one had this big canal taking off water with a weir and fish run alongside. Closer to Villefranche there were many more that had been textile mills of some kind. Very interesting!



Even more astonishing were the veritable forests of feral wisteria in full bloom clothing whole riversides of trees. So much for them requiring forensic pruning to flower.
And talking of flowers, our violas were pumping out perfume in the back of the car - quite intoxicating.

Now in Cahors where it’s warm. Bit overcast. Big news is that the clapped out Kyriad across the road is being transformed into an Ibis Complex - Ibis Ibis and a Budget. Yeah! Louvre Hotels are obviously using the money from the sale to tart up our Campanile (not before time) and we have van loads of chaps hammering and painting in adjacent rooms. They’ll be off for their tea soon so not a problem.

Easter Sunday

No eggs😪

We went into Vaison where there was a brocante. Usual tat. The town was nicely busy and we has a gentle stroll about admiring the new pedestrianisation in front of the Hôtel de Ville and checking whether the new Florian is in fact open. It seems to be because there are fizzy drinks dispensers inside and posters in the window.


Otherwise, well it looks a bit unfinished and there was the sound of industrial dehumidifiers working full blast.

Then we drove over to Villedieu for a drink in the square by the fountain. It was sunny there! One of the plane trees had had major surgery but was still standing and putting on leaf.
Back home and the clouds were gathering over the Dentelles. Started to drizzle at 3.30.

Saturday

Brilliant blue, yellow sun, warm. Market buzzing with stalls and shoppers. Grand-Crèmes put before us without us even ordering them! Nicole revealing the recipe for dedding hornets and wasps...beer, strawberry syrup, white wine. Quantities to taste! Someone is selling a corking machine. We saw swifts and hoopoes too. Summer is here.

We deposited the meagre supplies and went off behind the Dentelles for a walk. Round the back of Grand Montmirail at Lafare and then towards Beaumes. It was great.

Fabulous views of Ventoux, birds singing, butterflies fluttering, folk picnicking. I think I heard and spotted shrike but I need to confirm. They certainly sounded cross!
No, it wasn’t. No idea what.

and climbers climbing. The chap at the top about halfway up looks like he’s flinging himself into the abyss.

Finally a drink and sit outside the Café du Cours Vacqueyras.
This is not it!

Good Friday

Hot! Sunny. Ideal bed changing day. Well not just that. We did the washing then went to Roaix for a farewell lunch with J and G. Monday is a Bank Holiday so there won’t be a menu fixe and anyway they are going on a mass picnic with other Germans and Swiss on Monday. L’horreur! We were invited but it’s our packing up day. And you all know how I hate picnics, so lucky escape.



Food excellent again. Terrine of cod, salade de gésiers, filet de lieu printinère, joue de porc, boeuf bourguignon, andouillette de canard (imaginative twist but still ☠️).

After which we went to Violès  to a vigneron Dieter told Gérard about. We arrived before 2 and were concerned it might still be lunchtime. A notice said Ouvert but requested that one phoned during ‘heures de repas’. One is supposed to know what these are!

A charming lady appeared and ushered in to the dark Cave furnished with a round table and stools made from recycled tractor seats.

We tasted - but knew what we wanted because we’d tried it last night - and ordered.

They went home and we continued on to Gigondas. We’d seen a poster for an exhibition when we were in the bar in Beaumes. Teachers and students from the Beaux Arts in Avignon. Hmm. Some not bad but some iffy. We didn’t linger!

 Gigondas was looking its postcard best and we wandered up to the church to look at the sculptures. But they are a touch dull these days.
Back home to enjoy the terrace.

Staying in

Too nice to go anywhere so we are staying home and enjoying the sun. A brief trip out for bread and strawberry tarts. During which we saw the true extent of the renovation work on the big corner house.

The whole roof is off!
What next?

Well actually I went back later and they are working fast - Polish builders from the reg of one truck!
They are close boarding the roof.

Rather alarming to see the state of what was removed.












Off to Kaisers for apéro ce soir. We are all winding down for return sadly. They have another week.

Big wheel keeps on turnin’

Pastures new today. All the way down to the Lubéron (actually less than an hour). The reason? Well the local freebie Département Mag, which is very interesting, had an article on our dear Canal. And it mentioned an old mill down on a spur of same not far from its beginnings. We had to investigate.

And as it was a lovely sunny warm day for a change, off we set. The village is called Taillades (with or without a Les), which means cuttings as in quarry, and the old village is in fact hewn from the living rock! These days mostly second homes by the sound of the pre Easter vacuuming coming from several. Lovely spot tucked under the edge of the mountain and so peaceful despite quite a populated hinterland.

Here, obviously, the vine is King. They even cut a hole for it in the metal fence.

Anyway, back to the mill. It is a large building on the canal that was originally a madder grinding mill to produce red pigment for dyeing cloth. Big business in this region in the 18/19th century before the wretched Germans created a synthetic red colour and bankrupted the lot of them!

The mill then became a flour mill and was operational until relatively recently and the wheel still turns in the water, although no longer connected to any machinery. The paddles are huge!
It’s an undershot for the techies among you.

We’d driven through Robion, another village close by where the roadside Brasserie looked inviting. So it being the witching hour of 12 + we parked and strode in. Just in time because five minutes later the place was full and chaps were hauling tables from inside and parking them up on the pavement alongside. Fantastic moules frites (curry, me marinière, him). And in the sun - at last!

Finally a drive up into the hills to an old perched village - Oppède le Vieux.  Pleasant enough, very peaceful and lovely wooded walk up, but you can imagine in season a veritable ‘pot de miel’! The clue was a 3 euro car park...

Rebuilding churches

Well last night’s news was a shocker. The heart of a nation reduced to ashes live on TV. But today we went to visit a restoration project that’s been going on quietly above Beaumes.

The Chapelle St Hillaire, a Romanesque church that was a ruin and abandoned until funding and volunteers began to bring it back to life. It's taking a while but they are  almost done.

New stone roof

Money has been found from industry, church organisations, local government and charitable foundations. It can be done and there are craftsmen today with as much skill and talent as in mediaeval times. It will be their work and artistry that carries the building into its next phase.

It is quite a drear day actually but not really raining and we had the place to ourselves.

The gardens are looking beautiful - rows and rows of iris, olive and almond trees,

And yellow verbascum growing wild in the stones.

And it is Holy Week, so maybe time to
contemplate. Even non believers can muse!

More images on the Google album