walking the coastal paths, as well as partaking good fish and the odd glass of wine

Up early, freshly baked pan au chocolate, croissants and gallons of coffee to start the day off on the right foot. 

 

 

Then into town to the post office before walking along the coastal path to Vaux sur Mer. A fantastic walk through Napoleonic fortifications, little coves, wild beeches and the familiar fishing huts with their large drop nets suspended at the front. You wonder if they make a living from these, or perhaps they are just past down from one generation to another and now no more than a seasonal hobby. But looking at the amount of upkeep necessary to keep them operation, they must be productive. Who knows. Judith says, who cares, enjoy the walk, the views and the sun.

Most of this section of walk is for pedestrians only, which makes a pleasant change. The cycle routes can become quite busy, with groups of lads, beers in hand, the elderly couples swaying from side to side and the dedicated enthusiast, wearing his or her tour de France look a like kit speeding between the melee of thronging crowds. Its not too bad, there are just a few sections that seem to attract the masses.  

Eventually we get to the small town of Vaux sur Mer and find a little restaurant cut into the cliffs overlooking the cove and beach, called Lolo. Great find, fabulous food, excellent service and views to die for. We stroll into the town, a one horse town wrapped around the harbour and then out to the other side before retracing our steps. By 4pm we were back to the car and heading home for a swim, aperitif, dinner and ultimately bed.

 

 

Another day another pan a chocolate or two, followed by toasted brioche with lashings of tasty salted butter. The cholesterol is doing well this holiday. 

 

Then we drive to Vaux sur Mer and start were we finished off yesterday and head along the coastal route further south towards Royan. More gorgeous sheltered coves and inlets, but this time overlooked by more expensive houses. It just kept getting better and better. Then we hit Royan proper, checked out the restaurant around the casino area of the beach, but there was nothing special on offer. Just pretty people preening themselves sipping coffee, petit beers and cocktails from the seafront cafes. So we headed on down the main avenue to the yacht basin to see what was on offer. Five grilled sardines or the bowl of moules was not going to swing it today. Wanted some fresh sole, but nothing doing. It was just the typical tourist offerings. So we ended up with a pannini that sufficed until dinner time. Then we walked back along the cliff and found some small restaurants that would have been perfect. If only we had continued along the cliff when we hit Royan. Those famous two words IF ONLY. But no regrets, the walk was once again invigorating and very enjoyable. 

 

Got back to the car and headed to the nearest Intermarche to get water. Only problem, the sat nav got it wrong, they had moved, so we ended up going further and further away, ultimately heading for Saintes, only to find that the supermarket had changed from an Intermarche to something else that didn’t stock the water we wanted. Retraced our steps and eventually found a new intermarche stuck away in a village off the main route. Took us three turns of the roundabout, four false attempts until we actually got on the entrance road, and then went in via the exit, with other drivers honking at us and gesticulating wildly. 

 

At this point l couldn’t be bothered either way, had given up the will to live.

Ultimately we managed to get back by 4.30 for a swift coffee and a well deserved swim to cool us down and remove the stresses of trying to shop.

 

Dinner of everything we wanted with some nice wine, a walk before bed and then a look at the stars whilst listening to the unremitting banging of wood on metal. I say on metal, but it was also on canvas, on plastic. The bangs awoke us the first night as we tried to sleep. These wallops as things fell from the sky from a great height. These things were in fact nothing less than acorns, dropping from the enormous oak trees that acted as sunscreens for the motor homes and tents. A small little acorn carries a big punch if it hits you after dropping from 20 to 30 feet. We had near misses, but no real fatalities as yet.

Must say one thing l really miss not being in France, it’s the evening sky. A blanket of twinkling lights overhead. Shooting stars, satellites, constellations, ever changing and gloriously bright and clear. Living in a tent means a trip in the open at 4am to go to the toilet, and once my eyes have opened the wonders above, is breathtaking. Light pollution in the UK doesn’t offer the same views.

 

Up early as it’s a fasting day, then after a quick nibble for breakfast we are off to La Tremblade. Park up in amongst the crowds visiting the Thursday market, but we head in the opposite direction and walk along the Tremblade Channel to the point and back. We start in the freezing cold, but we start to cook on the return journey as the sun climbed higher in the sky.

The place is a hive of activity, oyster boats coming in, sheds busy preparing and cleaning mussels. Restaurants getting set up for the midday rush, although the numbers of visitors is miniscule compared to our lunch trip last Sunday, when we came out with the gang. But everyone has gone back to work; holidays are now over and done with.

Then it’s off in the car to Ronce Les Bains, quick look around and then down to the parking spot at Anse du Galon d’Or. From here we walk back to the town of Ronce along the cycle track. Taking us through a glorious mixed wood forest. The shade was welcome as the midday sun had started to take its toll on my bald patch. As usual, had forgotten my hat in the car. Took our fruit lunch overlooking the estuary at Ronce de Bains before heading back, this time along the seaweed strewn beach. I say seaweed, but to be honest it didn’t bare close inspection, as there seemed to a mixture of torn pieces of paper entwined in every clump. Certainly would go into the sea here to swim, or even paddle.

Eventually we came to the end of the beach and a swamp seemed to take over. Fortunately, a path seemed to head towards the road, and after about ten metres this hung a right and skirted the coastline, eventually taking us past the swamp and down to the sandy beach. The bird life in this section was amazing, egrets, terns, common gulls, plovers and cormorants. Along with the usual naked species of the common wrinkled elderly low hung nude.

Finally, we got back to the parked car and headed back home, cold drink and a swim in the pool before dinner.

Sad to be leaving, It has been very enjoyable, a real find and one that we had overlooked whilst living in France.

Fall into bed and sleep!!!!!!!!!