Coasting along

​Such luxury this morning - we could get up a bit later as we had a whole day with nowhere to go. The queue across the barrage stretched back for miles with commuters going into St Malo. Fortunately we were heading the other way into the village for breakfast. Followed by a short potter along the shore in the morning drizzle.

Then we had a very meandering drive through cauliflower and leek fields to the coast and another stroll at St Briac sur Mer.

And another farther along on a headland outside St Cast.

As you can see the weather was pretty good and the scenery excellent. Mind you I bet in season this place is heaving - lots of shuttered genteel villas!

We had lunch on the seafront. Bit expensive and rather heavy on the puréed parsnip! But nice fish. I was attacked from above by a precision drone Xmas bauble but survived unscathed.

We had some hours to kill before departure so ambled back to Dinard via St Briac and another headland. Adrian was searching for an elusive lighthouse. We thought we spotted it but then realised it was in totally the opposite direction! Never mind, we had fabulous views of St Malo and the Pont Aven waiting in port.

Dinard is very smart but we didn‘t stop. Took us ages to negotiate it because of déviations and building works but eventually we made it and we got down to the barrage for a closer look. Very impressive.

We were still early. The sun was shining. But it was getting chilly. So a final walk by the sea in Saint Servan, the posh side of St Malo, round the bay and up to the ferry quay. Then briskly back and the short drive into the port. Where I now sit writing this final post.

Farewell and hope you have enjoyed the trip with us

Blue skies over Bretagne

​Ibis Styles wasn’t so bad. Just a bit out dated and could do with a wash and brush up. It’s in a pleasant parkland and the balcony would have been nice on a fine day. Very comfy beds and excellent choice of victuals for breakfast. Which we definitely needed as we couldn’t be bothered to go out last night and just had crisps and custard tarts again🤗

Bit grey this morning as we tootled down the Loire. Lots of birds as ever but not as much water as when we came up a mere fortnight ago. We have really enjoyed our trip both ways.

We stopped briefly by the bridge at Montjean sur Loire to take so some atmospheric snaps. 

It actually rained on us here!

Then just carried on away from the river and onto the fast road round Rennes. A necessary evil.

The chair roundabout!

I whisked us off it onto white and yellow roads as soon as decently possible towards the blue skies approaching from the Brittany direction. We stopped in Dinan at about 1.30 down by the port and noticed establishments still serving food. So in we popped to L‘Escale des Vedettes and were warmly welcomed. Hooray.

Now I am definitely not one for photographing my food but these galettes were exceptional so I am sharing - feast your eyes.

Replete once more we had a stroll but it was getting chilly now so we decided just to move on to the final hotel - Kyriad St Malo Ouest. Note the ‘ouest’. This is not in St Malo at all, but Dinard. And right on the water’s edge by the Barrage de la Rance, that ground breaking tidal electricity generating structure at the mouth of the Rance.

Pleasant hotel, nice room, friendly staff. And views of the river. What’s not to like! We don’t need supper ‘cos I bought provisions in Montsoreau.

Last day tomorrow before the ferry to Portsmouth. We’ll hopefully have a little explore round this bit of coast and maybe even lunch this time!

another one of Castres…don’t like to waste them.

A day of two halves

​We left our Ibis Budget cubbyhole at about eight. It was clear and dry but had obviously rained in the night. Amazingly negotiated Périgueux effortlessly as it’s Sunday, and were out on the open road in the blink of an eye. Beautiful colours everywhere with the sun illuminating just the tops of the woodlands. Misty in places - even foglight stuff - but not for long.

As it’s Sunday we waited a bit to stop for breakfast because the bars don’t often open so early. And so it was we entered Brantôme, a picture postcard tourist spot. Btw I have not adjusted the colour on this at all!

Not really expecting there to be anything here because of the hotels. How wrong we were. Not one but three! So we chose the one next to the Pâtisserie. I got the selection of goodies and we sat outside on the jolly red chairs. Madame also let me off five cents as I emptied my purse to pay! Well she’d have had to give me change for €20 otherwise.

Lots of interesting shops. Fortunately not open in the case of this one!

And after a walk around …away

Gradually the sky darkened and we lost the sun but it was past midday before any real gloom set in. Once again we had no lunch. Didn’t want to stop in a restaurant on a Sunday. We’d be there all day! So we just had a drink in a bar. However we also failed to stop at all after that for some reason and got to Chinon at 2.40. By this time it was raining.Ibis Styles this time. Hmm. Jury’s out. No restaurant service at weekends so we will have to go out. We have a balcony but it’s a bit grubby.

 

No tea and coffee in room. However they have offered breakfast as part of the price and for once we will take it! Adrian’s just been to the car for the Crisps and Pasteles.

Here is a OUIGO crossing the confluence of the Vienne and Creuse. I had hoped to walk down to the exact spot but it looked a bit muddy.

The Sunlit Uplands

​We enjoyed our life of luxury last night. Even had rather a nice meal in Mercure restaurant - pity it was a bit empty but I suppose it IS November. This morning we drew back the curtains to a clear blue sky and no wind. And off into town for breakfast. We are so glad we did. Castres is a lovely classy city on the banks of the Tarn. We have been before but literally decades ago.

Fortuitously we managed to park just two minutes from the market in the main square, and found a great cafe.

It was really bustling, lots of wonderful food stalls - aligot, truffade, couscous, etc, etc. And a bauble laden tree.

We were now in that lovely high rolling agricultural land known as Le Pays de Cocagne. Glorious views, cream cows, pink garlic and the like. The sky was blue, the sun was warm. Can it really be November! So today was pretty much a wandering about, going off piste, enjoying our journey. We didn’t bother with lunch, anticipating a good supper…oh woe!

But before that we pottered on and had a leg stretch in Fumel overlooking the Lot. It was 19 degrees!

Then we wiggled on through Périgord and its bastide towns, most of which we’ve visited at some time or another, and had a last stop in Lalinde. We had hoped to go to our favourite bar brasserie but we were too late and it had just closed, so had to patronise a smaller place across the square. Here we were deafened by two tables of extremely booming-voiced Belgian (but obviously local) blokes speaking Flemish. The bar owner remarked ‘ils sont forts, non’!

And finally, we got to tonight’s hotel. Another Ibis Budget, this time Périgueux. We couldn’t get into our usual Ibis by the cathedral as it was full. Any hopes of fine dining were dashed - nothing within walking distance except Buffalo Grill. There are limits! So we have resorted to buying Portuguese Custard Tarts and ham salad sandwiches from a branch of La Sandwicherie and will have a TV supper.

Black Thursday

Oh well you all know what a dreadful moment this was. We cleaned the house, took out the rubbish and moved all the remaining furniture downstairs. Helen and Nick - friends from down the road - came and took heaters, ladder and some odds and ends for €130. We then waited for Andrew to make a final visit and La Ressourcerie to pick up the stuff. Only IKEA things with no emotional attachment. Andrew came and offloaded a whole saga of family woes - poor man, he’s having a rotten year. La R, however, didn’t arrive so I phoned the office. They were on their way but it was 12.15 and Adrian concluded they were having lunch. We'd hoped to do the same in Villedieu as it was 20 degrees and sunny but we didn’t dare leave the house. Pretty miserable walking round my lovely home now totally dismantled. La Patrouille were making a valedictory fly-past too.

Eventually La R van turned up just before 2 with three charming young men who loaded the furniture, thanked us profusely and were away in ten minutes. It was too late for lunch but we really wanted to get out so we went up to Villedieu anyway and just had a drink. One of the things we will so miss, not least because we really feel we belong. The café owner now greets me as ‘tu’.

Back home for the final time to take the water reading, drain the system and close all shutters. Then a really heartbreaking drive away.

We’d decided not to stay overnight and leave in a rush in the morning so we went to Orange Ibis Budget by the motorway! It wasn’t bad actually. We walked into town for a drink in front of the Théâtre Antique followed by a pizza in the centre. All very reasonable. But we didn’t sleep well really. Not noisy or even uncomfortable - I think we were simply overwhelmed by it all.

We set off this morning at 8.15 - late for us! And gradually the sky turned grey and murky as we headed south. By the time we got to Marseillan for breakfast it was blowing a gale. But still amazingly mild.

A charming girl at the Brasserie du Soleil (ha ha) welcomed us inside for coffees after which we battled down to the end of the quay as usual.

And on and on. Via Béziers, St Pons ( a ghastly place) and Mazamet. We stopped there for a coffee and juice and a stretch of legs. Everywhere civic operatives are erecting Xmas decs of dubious taste. In Mazamet, windows are being painted with trees, stars, and reindeer.

We were very early getting to Mercure Castres and had intended to walk into town. But it was grey and windy and 20 minutes so we have rather feebly just slumped in our room! Mind you we were inexplicably upgraded to a superior ground floor room so it’s actually probably the best decision! Even got BBC tv.

Recapping Monday

I seem to have deleted a post. So if you didn’t catch it before it went into the ether, here is the gist!

On Monday at 8.50 the brocante man arrived for the table. Even at this late stage he was trying to beat us down but we stood firm - 100 miserable Euros no less! And he took the four chairs for €30 plus the three Poangs for €20. Better than nothing as otherwise they’d have gone to La Ressourcerie for nowt. But we had to endure a diatribe about how these recycling places are putting folk like him out of business because they are grant aided and he isn’t etc etc.

Then it was down to Notaire to give our bank details but of course our person wasn’t there as it was Armistice next day and a public holiday! Fortunately one lawyer was in and he took the details and said he hand them on. We now felt a little trip to the tip was in order - you know just for tidyness! Final load was taken and we arrived on the dot of 2 only to find a HUGE queue already there and vast numbers backing up behind us. This wretched extended public holiday meant everyone was pruning and clearing out.

Too nice to go back to an empty house so we wandered over to Malaucène for a hot choc in the sun then back over the Dentelles one last time - achingly beautiful.

Down the drain

Blimey what a fiasco! To recap…in July man from Suez came to check that our waste water was draining correctly into the sewers and not the gutters. It was. But he could not find an inspection chamber to stick his camera up our outlet. Result …we were given an ultimatum that such a chamber had to be constructed in order for the sale to go through. We had a quote from Suez for €1700 and had to pay €500+ on account. We were sure there WAS a chamber, so was the Mairie, but not Suez. They were due to come on 13 October. No show. After some arm twisting they gave us a date of 12 November - today. The day before we leave! We had no great hopes of this happening and were getting extremely anxious.

But, Sapristí, just after 8.30 trucks draw up with mini diggers, pipes, tarmac and a charming young chap comes to talk to me. I point out where we are sure the hatch should be and he agrees. So the drilling and jack hammering commences.

After a while he knocks at the door and leads me to where lo and behold there is a perfectly formed inspection pipe that had been covered by tarmac and concrete.All they have to do is put a new manhole cover on and re tarmac it into place.

He says we should not be liable for this and will report as such to his boss. So with any luck we might even get our €500 back.

They were gone before 10. All that stress for nothing.

We are pretty much packed now. Car is miraculously absorbing stuff. I think we need a lunch!

As de Coeur outside in warm sun under the pollarded mulberries. Last time this year. Really lovely.

True Blue

If it’s Sunday, it must be Rasteau. And it was. After breakfast and another clear up we set off and did the walk. Lovely, just one or two folk, but mostly to ourselves. And the garish vine roses!

Rather alarmingly three of the ancient plane trees on the square have been beheaded! Will they be removed or will they regrow?

We sat by the bar with our apéros, a bit early! And watched a rather large black drone circling overhead. The bar owner and his mates discussed with us this latest frequent occurrence. All agreed it was worrying. But the sky was otherwise unsullied and retained its azure hue.

Le Weekend

The weather has picked up but the mornings are slow to warm. Yesterday we filled the car with rubbish and recyclables and headed to the Déchèterie. La Ressourcerie lady picked through our offerings and the rest we threw into various skips to then be squashed by a giant spiked rolling machine. Shelley came and took one of our jute rugs for €20 to replace one that some of her guests had besmirched with red wine. We took a load of Adam’s Boule et Bill albums to the library where they were gratefully received by the librarian. Things are gradually disappearing.

But woe! We decided it had to be pizza for supper so tried to phone. No response. We strolled up there only to find he is closed for our entire stay. Thing is, we have donated all our pans to La Ressourcerie!! Just one small rice saucepan left. This called for some ingenuity… we just could not face beans of any kind again, not even in tomato sauce. By good fortune, I had some linguine and a jar of aubergine and pepper sauce. So the pasta was crammed into the tiny saucepan for ten minutes then decanted into a baking dish and smothered in sauce.Then ten mins in the oven. It wasn’t bad.

Today is Saturday. Ste Cécile market. And looking fine if a bit misty as we drove across Le Plan. People were out picking olives by the roadside. I think some of this is for charity - if you have trees you don’t harvest then volunteers can come and do it and give the proceeds of any sale to a worthy cause.

We shopped for bare essentials including fresh walnuts and tried very hard not to think ‘This is our last time’. Because, well it isn’t. We will be back next autumn on holiday. Not the same though. I promised not to be maudlin but really we are more at home here than in Devon by a long way.

Back via Cairanne for a couple of BIBs and then off again, this time to Villedieu for an apéro that turned into magret and chips! By now the sun was beaming down. We sat in the warmth and removed coats, deposited more books, had a little stroll about. Jolly pleasant.

Some of the books I left were French Grammar practice and they had actually gone by the time we walked back to the car!

Finally home via Buisson and its square. The fountain is full of orange and gold plane leaves, cats were slumbering on the bistrot sofas. Final book deposit - Jancis Robinson Book of Wine.

It’s Armistice next week. Excuse for a long weekend - lots of places closed.