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Sunday 21st September 2014 - Tuesday 23rd September 2014
After all of the beautiful weather, today starts as a "frizzy hair" day, foggy and damp.
But, it Sunday, so, frizzy hair or not, Kathleen has to go to church!
While Kathleen does the "church thing", I amuse myself watching a "parade" of British Classic Cars.
Not sure what it is all about, but, there are more Classic British cars here, than there are in Britain!
Then we visit a small area of the town, where all of the houses have mosaics on the walls, made of sea shells.
Again, not sure what it is all about, but, very pretty.
Lunch beckons, cocktails, lunch, followed by Cointreau, is Kathleen safe to ride home?
We plan to leave here tomorrow, so, after packing every things away (except the bicycles) and loading the scooter on the trailer, we peddle down to the coast, for one last evening of watching the sea.
Monday morning, time to leave Le Chateau-d'Olonne and head for our next destination, La Flotte-en-Re, La Grainetier on the Ile de Re.
An easy 60 mile journey.
There is a (toll) bridge, from La Rochelle, to Ile De Re.
The toll, varies depending on the season, at this time of year (September) it is 8Euro for Campervans upto 3.5Tonne and 16Euro for vans over 3.5Tonne.
Much to Kathleens delight, we are charged only 8Euro, despite being 3.750Tonne.
Clearly, the toll booths do not have a weighing mechanism!
Weather continues sunny and warm.
Spoke too soon, Tuesday morning, we have to put the heating on in the van!
Our English neighbours (a very elderly couple, towing a caravan) are leaving. The lady of the pair supposedly hails from Newcastle, you would never think it from her accent, she must have gone to elocution lessons!
Their caravan mover has gone on the blink, so, we render assistance manhandling the caravan into position to hitch up. They are heading towards Cahors, goodness knows how they are going to manage to heave the caravan about.
By lunch time, the sun is out again, and it is warm enough to venture out on our bicycles to explore.
Into La Flotte, the nearest village, to check out the church, ready for Sunday!
Then on a few more miles to Saint Martin de Re, a much more interesting and pretty village.
The "old" village and port are surrounded by a very extensive and impressive wall, dating from 1600's or possibly before. complete with moat (now dry).
There is an impressive church, partly ruined.
It has suffered all kinds of calamities during the centuries, storm and bombardment (not by us, for once, but, by the Dutch).
We find a bar, to have a refreshing beer, and observe this, no doubt worried, campervan driver, who has ended up on the quayside, with a rather large campervan, and a very narrow road, plus lots of pedestrians and cyclists to avoid.
Friday 19th September 2014 - Saturday 20th September 2014
So far, we have found only one supermarket, so, I went out exploring on the scooter, and in quick time found a Le Clerc, and two of Kathleen's favourite Lidl! One as it turns out is in walking distance.
Learned another valuable lesson, 16:30 is rush hour in this part of France, the colleges obviously finish for the day at about this time, the roads were filled with teen age students, on 50cc scooters, buzzing about like a swarm of bees.
After a rather lazy day on Friday, only a walk to the coast in the evening, we decide to do a more ambitious cycle ride today (Saturday).
There is a cycle track along the coast, signposted to a place called Port Bourgenay, I have checked out the route (but on the road) on the scooter, it is a bit up and down, but, no need to mention that until we are well on our way!
The weather forecast says "rain, and chance of a storm", but, it is hot and sunny, with blue skies.
The signposting suggests our planned destination is 5km away, (about three miles), but, whoever measured that must have had an faulty tape measure.
There is a slight grumble of complaint, from up front, as we encounter the first hill, but, as I point out, every up, has a down.
A few more hills later and helpful, supportive comments from my good self, ie "stop complaining and save your breath for peddling", and we are safely sitting in a bar, overlooking the marina, having cool beers and chips.
According to the cycle computer, it is just over seven miles, not thee!, the Runkeeper app, which is probably more accurate, puts it at 6.54 miles, but, whatever, definitely more than three miles!
The rather grand, chateau appearance building, in the photographs, is actually a church, although to me, apart from the religious statues, it does not look very church like.
The highlight of Saturday evening? the Pizza van visits the campsite at 18:30, so, it is pizza and red wine for our evening meal.
Wednesday 17th September 2014 - Thursday 19th September 2014
Off to the dentist with Kathleen, for 10:00am appointment.
All goes smoothly, almost an hour to do a root filling, and make a temporary repair, she will have to get a crown on the tooth, when we get home.
It costs 106Euro, which is about the same as it would have cost at an NHS dentist back in the UK. Not sure if we will get any of that back on our E111. If we do, perhaps the moral of the story is, why not come to France for dental treatment, it may be cheaper!
After lunch, a long walk through the countryside, past this restored Abbey (not open), dating from 1100.
Then ice cream, and a leisurely walk back along the coast.
Thursday. A bit of a hypothetical day. For example, hypothetically, if Kathleen had a grey hair in her head, today would be the day for me to exercise my NVQ skills in the application of hair dye.
So, that is Thursday morning (hypothetically) occupied, hair dyeing, followed by the obligatory hair washing, drying straightening etc.
Amazingly, in the afternoon, Kathleen agrees to go cycling.
Normally after a "hair session" Kathleen would not agree to wear a cycle helmet for at least two days, it must be those uppers she is taking.
A ten mile cycle ride, plus of course, refreshments en-route.
Sunday 14th September 2014 - Tuesday 16th September 2014
Honfleur Aire
It is church day, so, Kathleen walks into town to do the church thing.
I forego my usual Sunday morning of wandering around a French town and finding a pleasant bar, in favour of packing up, ready to leave.
It has been excellent here, but, with only a 5amp electricity hookup, this means no hairdryer. The advantage to Kathleen is she has an hour more of each day to do other things, but withdrawal symptoms are becoming apparent.
To help get her through today, she was able to use the hair straighteners (only 50watts), this morning before heading off to church.
Just over 100 miles south, on virtually empty roads.
Yvre-l'Eveque, Camping Le Pont Romain, near Le Mans, (N48 1'9" E0 16'47")
An ASCI site, just off the Le Mans ring road, in a sleepy village.
Free wifi, swimming pool, usual facilities, 14.40Euro.
Another glorious day weather wise, it is 19:30 in the evening, and a very pleasant 25C
Le Chateau-d'Olonne, Les Fosses Rouges (N46 28'46" W1 44'28")
An ACSI site, a bit dated, but, well kept.
Well placed, an easy three mile cycle along the coast to town.
A bad start to the day, Kathleen lost a filling while brushing her teeth. Quick visit to the Dentist, and, we have to go back at 18:00 this evening (Tuesday).
To pass away the time a very pleasant cycle ride along the coast and into town, lunch, and back of course, so 7.5 miles of peddling on our folding bicycles. In the excitement of finding a Dentist, I forgot the camera, so, no photographs, another day hopefully.
On the way back, we are going so quickly, we overtake a French couple who are staying on the site. When the arrive, after us of course, the French lady has a try on Kathleen's folding bicycle to see if it will make her go faster.
We make the visit to the Dentist, just like the UK, we do not get in on time. It turns out, the tooth is broken, presumably a result of falling off her bicycle three weeks ago. The dentist decides a root filling is needed, but does not have time to complete the procedure. The initial work is done, back tomorrow 10:00 for the final (Kathleen hopes) filling.
Then we visit a small area of the town, where all of the houses have mosaics on the walls, made of sea shells.
Again, not sure what it is all about, but, very pretty.
Monday morning, time to leave Le Chateau-d'Olonne and head for our next destination, La Flotte-en-Re, La Grainetier on the Ile de Re.
Then on a few more miles to Saint Martin de Re, a much more interesting and pretty village.
There is an impressive church, partly ruined.
We find a bar, to have a refreshing beer, and observe this, no doubt worried, campervan driver, who has ended up on the quayside, with a rather large campervan, and a very narrow road, plus lots of pedestrians and cyclists to avoid.
