For Peter............he knows..

La Ronde......a right soaking

Today we positioned to La Ronde which is in the 'Green Venice' area about 30 miles East of La Rochelle (Google 'Green Venice').  Stopped at a lovely Aire just outside the village and went for a cycle ride to Arçais.  All very nice, a network of canals and cycle paths interspersed with quaint rustic villages................then it rained! and we got soaked!!  The only photo's I have today are of the Aire...

Yin and Yang......

So then, on our way to Jard sur Mer we stopped on the way in a little village at an Aire for water and toilet service (you know the score by now!).   Just along the road from the Aire was a carboot sale and we managed to buy a Bodum Cafetiere for 6 Euros (she wanted 7!).  the significance of this is that we have been looking to buy one for the last week but they are all too expensive here (typically 30 Euros) so we had all but given up.  Then, to cap it all the site we stayed at in Jard sur Mer should have cost 6 Euro's for the night but their 'payment' machine had broken..............see! Yin and Yang!

Jard sur Mer (more like kiss be slowly!)

Well, there was little to keep us in the last place so we moved further down the coast to Jard sur Mer.  This place was not too bad actually, and it did turn out to be a nice hot and sunny day.

I managed an 'Atlantic Foon' !

We built a Cairn on the beach.......

Before we left the last Aire in the morning I made these....

I gotta tell you, they were damn good (eat yer heart out Frenchies!)

This windmill was a clever decoy that Jard Sur Mer used to send messages to ships at sea.  The message depended on the positon of the sail, clever!

Holiday Hell !! St Hilaire de Reiz

For the last two weeks we have been treated to beautiful scenery, stunning architecture and magnificent landscapes....................... then this!!

We thought we would cycle to the beach from the Aire in St Hilare de Riez and can you imagine our disappointment when we got there?  The whole beach was full of apartments, hotels, kiss me quick style bars and disco's and 'Captain Crepe' Creperie (says it all really haha)


Still, all was not lost.  The following day was particularly wet so we donned our swimming shorts and washed the van!  No need to rinse, just lest the rain do it!  It was quite a bizarre experience as the rain was warm.  I think the locals were convinced that English are well and truly mad!   Nice clean van tho'!

Nantes

Phew, a scorcher in Nantes today!.........32c !!!

Cycled into Nantes city, what a happening place!  Saw a 40ft high mechanical elephant, got told off by an official for carrying our bikes around the Chateau ramparts, diced with the traffic and Kate was forced off the road by an ambulance!

This is the Palace inside the castle walls

Yup!, straight out of Jules Verne!

After all the excitement I needed a lie down, and was joined by this hedge!

And Kate felt a little overwhelmed by the size of the place!

After our day in Nantes we moved from last nights site to St Philbert de Grand Lieu because the Nantes one was noisy and a bit too 'urban'.  Now we are in a vineyard in the middle of nowhere............ahhhhh! Silence (and complete darkness)

IF YOU READ THIS ..................

You will see that I have been editing the posts so far.  They are still work in progress at the moment (up to 25 Sept) so I will come back with (a little) more detail.

I am trying (!) to make the blog less boring and easier to read....... LOL

Nantes (fasting)

Nothing to add really, we spent 2 hours driving to Nantes today.  It is a fasting day so we are quite happy to not do much today.  Just did a little food shopping and chilled out for the afternoon.  I have been trying to catch up on this blog.

More tomorrow!

Port Maynard La Dagueniere (day two)

A fresh 'baguette tradition'.........mmmmmm

Outside the castle in Angers

What a lovely medievil house

La 'Belle'

Now here's a funny one, we were just talking about not seeing any hot air balloon in France and look what turns up!

And he landed right next to us..........so of course we had to help him pack away the balloon!

Mon Dieu it's hot !

It has been warm for over a week now.  The days start a little misty then mid morning the sun burns away the mist and we are treated to glorious clear blue skies and temperatures around 25 to 27 degrees centigrade.  Its a lot different than Scotland that's for sure!

We are definitely getting our 'cycling legs' now and think nothing of 30 miles a day.  The Brompton folding bikes are the perfect way to sight see.  The roads are a delight to ride on (and drive on).

France really is a beautiful country, particularly here in the Loire valley.  Everywhere we go there are pretty little villages, magnificent chateaux, vineyards and apple trees, maize fields and so on.

The van is also perfect for travelling (just as well !) And so far we have stayed on 'Aires' or chateau carparks, all for free!

Most of the Aires have service points where we can fill up with water and empty the toilet (it's gotta be done!).

That'll do for now, to be honest we're having such fun that 'blogging' tends to take a backseat.

Bonsoir !

Fooning in France (haha)

Port Maynard La Dagueniere (day one)

Right next to the river, just 'chillin out"

Is this a 'pack of wolves'? (look closely)

Turquant and Saumur

The area around Turquant and Saumur has Troglodyte cave houses in the side of the 'Tufa' 

This one is a wine Chateau

'up closer'

a typical 'Trog' house

Grahame enjoying the view across Saumur

I think I look good as a Cavalier!

This one will 'twist' your mindset!

Saumur town over the Loire

Azay le Rideau and Langeais (then drive to Turquant)

Today involved an epic cycle ride of over 25 miles to get the photo's!

 Chateau Du Azay le Rideau

Chateau de Langeais

Chateau de Langeais as viewed from La Loire

Villandry (fasting)

This Chateau is ALL about the gardens!

The Chateau cat...

I could even take up gardening!

Cycled to Chenonceau then position to Villandry

On our way to Chenonceau we found this lot growing in a hedge (which we cooked up into a lovely fruit compote later)

This view took us 3 miles out of our way to get!