Friday 10th June- Perigueux A lovely town to visit

The weather is still in the changeable mode at the moment  and it rained overnight again but there were odd glimpses of the sun through the grey cloud this morning.

However we planned to visit the twn of Perigueux which is only five miles down the road and  we arrived through the outskirts with it’s jumble of car dealerships and many other stores in a very commercial area and so initially we were not so impressed.

We found a car park quite easily and then walked briefly along the river and then up the side of the hil where there is this huge church which is partly under repair but it has an amazing roof line. We walked inside and thought perhaps there was a prayer meeting taking place but no and after a few minutes we came a signboard which had lists of Bible Chapters with timings and the person reading the sermon and it turns out to be a non-stop twenty four around the clock bible reading class, I suppose a bit like a religious McDonalds at Heathrow also open 24 hours a day.

We left the Church and had a quick coffee and started to walk around the old town and it is really a beautiful old town indeed. Unlike Cognac this was much much nicer and with lovely buildings and expensive shops and so there must have been money in the past and also today. There were multiple chocolate shops and also shops selling local produce.

We came across the Petit Train, which is a small train which takes visitors around the town and we have used this in other French cities and it was leaving at 1.30 pm and so we had a quick and light lunch in a bakery which made really excellent sandwiches and Noel finished off with a strawberry tart whilst Jennifer prefers not to talk about it.

We waited for the Petit Train but nobody arrived to drive it and so perhaps it’s not yet operating although there are no signs to say it will not.

So we continued our walk through the old streets and came across a wonderful ice cream parlour where we sampled the produce and the chocolate ice cream was brilliant. We looked in shops here and there and in an old bookshop there was this old’ish guy listening quietly to one of my favourite albums, Pink Floyd and ‘The Dark Side of the Moon’ so I gave him the thumbs up!

This is a wonderful place to visit and would be great for a weekend with it’s lovely old buildings, super posh shops and good looking bars and restaurants and we also spotted two sex shops, wow this must be the in place.

We then headed back to car only just missing the rain and arrived back at the Caravan site where there must have been quite heavy rainfall compared to where we were. Around 6.30 the phone went to say that a glass panel in the Library of the house was damaged and so the next hour was spent with Insurance Companies, builders and family and friends telephone calls. What with this bloody Mink and now a broken glass panel, it’s not been a good week.

The rest of the evening was spent reading and catching up with emails as it was again raining but at about 9.30 pm the skies cleared and it became a nice evening, a bit late really, Oh well there’s always tomorrow.

At this moment we are using the Wifi link to upload all the photos and only 486 to go, about a half a day’s work at this slow speed Oh for my Sky Broadband connection.

Please note I have now taken this Blog off Public Access and restricted it to friends and family only

Thursday 9th June- A day to catch up

After being quite busy for the past week we felt it was time to take a day off sightseeing and spend some time catching up on bits and pieces. So Jennifer was able to catch up with the washing whilst Noel could catch up on his photos. It looks like that the WIFI signal reaches the caravan which makes life a lot easier for doing email and blogs etc.

We received an email today from our daughter with regards to the visit of a pond specialist who examined and looked at all the equipment and said it works ok but then said the death and disaster of the KOI was most likely due to a ‘MINK’ which inhabit the River Wey. Foxes are unlikely to go in the pond or water but for a MINK; this is right up their street. To kill so many fish and just leave them either floating in the pond or lying around the garden is a mink’s work. We are now looking at putting electric fence around the pool and with armed guards carrying Tomahawk missiles to get these guys.

The rest of the day was spent uploading photos and also we had a BBQ where we tried cooking Sardines which although a little bony where very tasty and followed by Rib Eye steak and Cumberland Sausages and salads and washed down with a little Beaujolais.

A group of British Motorcyclists turned up tonight with a support vehicle of an old, actually very old, Land Rover Defender which no doubt carried the tents and other gear. The site is still very quiet which we enjoy and we would certainly stay here again.

Wednesday 8th June- Heading to Perigueux

We left Cognac around ten am and heaed back to Angouleme and then round the outskirts but missing the Le Farge factory somehow and then of in the direction of Perigueux  and the journey was not really very long and even going down small country roads we arrived at the site at around 12.45 and by 1.30 we were all set up and ready for some shopping as the fridge was looking a little bare.

We located a large Carrefour supermarket and picked up some food and wine for the next few days but got stuck for a while in the traffic which we thought was due to an early rush hour home but it turned out to be a three car collision with two cars blocking the road. We can assume it must have only just happened as there was no ambulance although the police were having fun controlling the traffic, hence our delayed return to the site.

We had decided to try the site restaurant which we did after picking up emails etc and the food was very good and they are really trying here and there seems looks of work going on here to improve the site which is always encouraging. Jennifer had the rabbit ad Noel the Pork and both dishes were very filling and so NO desert was needed or required.

A nice evening was had and then back to the van where we discovered that the WIFI was reaching our van about hundred yards from its location.

Tuesday 7th June- Looks like more rain

We awoke after rain overnight and it was very grey and overcast and Jennifer was disappointed that she could not do the cloths washing.

So we decided to drive along the North side of the Charente River and down through the little villages but photography was out due to to the purr visibility and the cameraman did not want to get to wet.

It was an attractive drive through the grapes destined for the many private and international growers and distributors of Cognac, in fact we had not realised that there were so many producers.

We checked out another couple of caravan sites en route and one was a municipal site ( no twin axles) in Bourg Charente and although a nice quiet site in great location it was not well equipped, The other in a place called Surieul , and the site was looking a bit sad, perhaps it was the weather?

We arrived in Angouleme and then we spotted a really massive LeFarge Cement factory, thought you might find that interesting, which made us miss the exit for the big Auchan Hypermarket and by this time the rain was really coming down like cats and dogs. We had originally prepared a picnic for lunch but gave up on this idea due to the rain and so bought a sandwich in the Hypermarket.

The reain had eased a little after lunch and slowly passed on as we got nearer to Cognac on our way back down the south side of the Charente River until we finally arrived back in town where a load up of diesel was required. Gosh the pumps and payment process was slow and in fact all of the supermarkets seem to be short on check out staff, perhaps cutting costs, as all the shops have multiple lines with many people waiting.

At around 6pm, the sun appeared for a while which allowed us to prepare the van for its travels the next day.

Monday 6th – A day in Cognac

It was a bit grey this morning and it looked it may  rain which locally they need desperately here as they have had no rain for many months and the ground is solid.

We drove in to town and parked next to the Hennessey Distillery but did not opt for the tour but we did look in the shop which was quite expensive and so we left in a hurry.

Through the streets of the old town Cognac with many old buildings and a very old church which was very simple compared to many over here. Shops here are shut on Monday’s whilst some do a half day but quite frankly there were few people about the town and the streets were mostly empty.

After taking a few photos we ended up in the main town square and as the weather was looking decidedly like it might rain we went to a restaurant but sat outside and had an excellent lunch of Croque Monsieur with chips and salad and washed down with a nice bottle of rose and finished with a nice glass of, you guessed it, Cognac.

Whilst watching the day go by a group of three French elderly folk had arrived and ordered their food which when delivered to the table looked to be entrecote steak with fries and very small frisee of salad.

They all refused the food and the waiter looked very puzzled and headed back inside the restaurant to find the guy who took the order and even he looked confused. So this time the waiter who took the order brought the food back and tried to put it on the table but each time they all stopped him and then ensued a little discussion and the waiter took the plates away. We wondered what was going on and five minutes later he returned with the three plates minus the little bit of salad leaf and this time they accepted the plates, how stupid is that?

It had rained a little whilst we were having lunch but stopped by the time we had finished and so we headed slowly back to the car via the old cobbled streets which had shops each side and mostly all closed.

We reached the car and literally moments later the heavens opened and the rain poured down and boy were we lucky.

I little shopping for tonight and tomorrow and then back to the site where after a very light snack followed by a walk along the Charente River and with the sun shining again it was very pleasant indeed. We met an English couple who keep a caravan on site and spend 13/15 weeks a year here, but its rather a boring place to spend so much time we thought.

Tomorrow we are going to drive down to Angeouleme along the river and check out some other sites and generally nose around the villages en route. It’s a tough life.....

Sunday 5th June- Off to Cognac

It was still raining a little bit when we left and the camp site is now really empty, good time to come here.

We had originally planned to go cross country to our next destination but due to the rain we felt if would be safer to take the Motorways which we did for most of the journey but noticed on the the Motorway going North there were horrendous queues of cars and trucks etc, not sure what caused it but glad we were going South.

The rain had stopped and we were about 35 miles away from Cognac and left the motorway one stop early and then got diverted all over the place due to some road works somewhere but on a brighter note we found a nice place for Lunch of smoked salmon and hard boiled eggs on a baguette and washed down with a 2007 Bordeaux water.

We finally arrived in Cognac and we had to go around the town to get to the site and when turning a very sharp corner with bad cambers the very rear of the van touched the floor but we only lost a plastic moulding which we can replace when we get home.

We arrived at the camp site and there was a big sign saying NO Twin Axle Caravans and that is what we have, damn. This wasn’t mentioned in any of the site books and so we had to consider our next move carefully. Whilst waiting for the site office to open we would have to wait about ninety minutes and so we walked around the site to see just in case there might be some other twin axles there but no. Back to the car park and we noticed that the reception was open and so we popped in and explained our predicament, we had mentioned by email four days ago about our large van but not that it was twin axle, and she said should not let us in but as the site was quiet and if we parked behind the large wash block where we could not bee seen from the road she would allow us to stay the three nights requested, thank god as to move on would have been annoying.

We set up and then drove in to Cognac to get the lie of the land and were glad we had not walked as it was very hot indeed and we were further from the main town than we imagined. We parked in the main square and headed to the first bar we could find and ordered in our best French, une panache and une bier ci vous plait, the waiter said in his best English is that a large or small beer sir, damn these people,

When driving round town the one way system is a complete nightmare and at one point it seemed we came to a crossroads where you could turn left or right or go straight ahead or even go back to where you started from, The Brits have a lot learn from here.

Finally back to the site for a night of blogging and emails as we need to check our next camp site is not restricting caravans of our size.

There is free Wifi here courtesy of the local town as this site is a municipal (Local Government) site and well organised it is as well, except it was not working when we arrived.

Saturday 4th June- Looks like rain today

We did some shopping in the morning at the local Super U supermarket , and then headed back to camp where we spent the rest of the day reading and enjoying lunch and dinner and in the evening we had warm chicken Caesar salad and a glass of nice red wine that we had obtained from somewhere.

All around the camp site the Brits in their tents and mobile homes were packing up to go and we though of staying a little longer as it would be so quiet but then we also want to go the Cognac.

Joanne phoned back in the day to say she purchased a new water pump for the pond which she had fitted and this one now worked but as a result of the work she found another two dead Koi!, could it get any worse we asked?

In the evening we started to prepare for tomorrow’s move and packed away a few things and took the locks of etc and then it started to rain and it rained for most of the night and so for the people who had been camping to leave when they did they were very lucky indeed.

Before going to bed we watched Michael Cane in a film called Harry Brown, excellent film about an old age pensioner who turned vigilante to knock off his best friends killers, it was a very good film

Friday 3rd June-It all started so swimmingly

It was a lovely start to the day and the sun beating down and with our decision  not to do  much today but just enjoy the sun and do some reading. After a latish breakfast and then some time thinking about lunch which we were just about to prepare and the Noels mobile phone rang??

The call was from our gardener who phoned with the very bad news that a fox had got in to our lovely Koi fish pond and pretty much killed them all off. They were lying all over the garden and also in the pond, about 8 Koi Fish in all and worth on the open market several thousand pounds should I have wanted to have sell them.

This was terrible news indeed and Noel nearly jumped off the roof of the caravan and even thought of going home to sort it all out but we also texted our daughter Joanne who also went round the same evening and found that the pump the feeds water to the filter had got bogged down with muck and also refused to work and the pond was in a terrible mess. Bloody Hell!! Could it get any worse?

Anyway the next morning Joanne will go round and try to sort it all out.

Needless to say Noel was not happy and looked for the nearest bottle of plonk. So it was not a very good day really in the annuals of the Groves family.

Thursday 2nd June- A day out by the seaside

We left the site around ten in the morning and visited another nearby Chateau Castel site which was packed with Eurocamp, Keycamp and every other camping company and just like Butlins, not for us at all. Then we headed North to a place called St Gilles Croix which was packed as the market was on plus an open air car show and so with nowhere to park we gave this and headed down the coast through the many small seaside towns, some nice and some not so nice.

We eventually arrived in Les Sables D’Olonne which is based around a working port one side and a major beach the other. To get across the harbour we had to take the little ferry across where we walked around the old and well kept streets and recently painted houses. Today was a public holiday the celebrate ‘The Ascension Day’ and so most of the shops were closed in the morning. We found a little restaurant on the port front and enjoyed an excellent gallette.

After lunch we took the ferry back and then walked around the headland to see the very long and wide beach which was quite busy as the temperature was about 27 degrees Centigrade and quite a few people were enjoying. By this time the shops had started to open and so we walked through the narrow pedestrian only areas enjoying the sun and the shops and finally stopping for a coffee frappe in a side street bar whilst watching the young kids having fun on a small merry-go-round.

Back through the gaily decorated streets to the car park and then back through the country roads to the site and an early tea of Quiche Lorraine and Branston baked beans, boy what a meal!!!

The people across the road we think are leaving tomorrow and so they are having a large party with their travelling family and companions and the smell of garlic prawns is wafting across.

Anyway this evening we  spent some more time studying maps and then have agreed we will go to a place near Perigueux after our stint in Cognac and then its time to move on to The Lot for a month.

Sorry No photos for past week as Internet to slow...

Wednesday 1st June- Just wandering about

It was a day of rest really and to start looking where we plan to go next after this we leave this area, the management decision is Cognac a nice little place on the Charente River.

But this morning we did a walk around the site and the area is quite huge but the place is generally quite empty really although there are a few English families with kids here staying in KeyCamp tents or mobile homes, all of which look in excellent shape.

We toured the site a came upon a room they call the bubble which is like one big balloon with a bedroom inside and from the the bed you can look up in to the sky, interesting idea but of you are planning a bit of rumpy pumpy the other site campers could be a little upset. We then went on to the Tree House which looks good until you find that you need to have mosquito nets as you are up in a tree by the lake, sounds good initially but perhaps then you understand why you can have this together with a tent or mobile home, as there are NO facilities in this tree house at all apart from a bed.

Then on around the three large lakes which support very large carp according to our neighbour who goes of fishing there every day for an hour or so and well worth the waiting.

On the other side of the lake is a large outdoor adventure playground where you can swing through trees, slide on zip wires across the lake and other daring doo’s if you are so inclined but I know my son would like it very much indeed.

We also did a walk around the village which is quite small and when in the shop a French guy approached us to ask is that was our blue car over there which when we arrived was standing far away from anything, we said no and then it transpired that with all this space this guy had just driven in to the side, the Irish owners were not amused.

Dinner tonight was fresh fish served with peppers, onions and cooked in butter and with that we finished of the part empty wine bottles of Champagne and Saint Veran before retiring for the night.  

      

Tuesday 31st May- Its Ruby Tuesday or ‘our 40th Wedding Anniversary’ today.

Well who would have guessed that forty years would fly by so soon it seems, Wow.

Anyway today we had planned a day trip put and to visit La Rochelle a nice fishing port on the West Coast. It took about ninety minutes to get their, slightly longer than expected, but we checked in to the car park by the port just before lunch and hunted down a good waterfront restaurant and in this we were most successful. The lunch was excellent and with a bottle of nice wine we enjoyed a nice fish soup with croutons and béarnaise type sauce and shredded cheese and it was really very good. Noel had the Rougier and Jennifer the Dorade and we both enjoyed a light desert.

We spent the next couple of hours walking around town and working of the lunch and taking a few photos here and there and it is certainly a very nice old town but the new town part on the outskirts of town cannot be recomened except a quick exit through it.

At just after four pm we left and headed back home and stopped en route to pick up some fresh bread, milk and some large prawns which we had planned to eat tonight with a nice bottle of champagne to celebrate forty great years of marriage.

The wind was blowing quite hard as we went to bed and we hoped that it would not blow down the gazebo.

We plan an easier day tomorrow.

Monday 30th May- Go south young man

We left the Ploermel caravan site aroud 10 am after paying a fee of Euros 80 for six nights so the price was very good.

We skirted Ploermel on the ring road and then headed for Nantes which we reached around lunch time and crossed this amazing bridge over the Loire River and it is so high up people on the ground look small. Two Air France 747’s flew under the bridge it was so high, actually thats not true but boy was this bridge high.rs

We left the motorways behind and took to the more local country roads which makes for a more pleasant journey and pulling over when required to let the odd hoard (perhaps two cars) getting annoyed. We arrived at Chateau La Foret at a place called Saint Julien des Landes and it a site where we have stayed before but many, many years ago. It is a large four star site but not crowded at all except for the usual Brits here in their mobile homes for the spring children’s break back home.

We set up all the bits and pieces and shortly afterwards set up the BBQ in readiness for tonight’s dinner of sirloin steak etc.

We did a quick walk around the site to acclimatise ourselves before heading back for a quiet evening watching George Clooney in ‘Up in the Air’, a Good day was had by all.

Sunday 29th May- A French lunch with family

We spent a quiet couple of hours packing up the caravan before heading off to my sister in Kervalo where we spent a very enjoyable afternoon having a great and slow typical French lunch.

My sister’s daughter and Husband had flown in from Uk for a week and so it was really good to meet up again after many years. Mady and Ken together cooked an excellent five course meal which of course took all afternoon to eat and then some time in the garden to let it work off for a while. The duck breast with cherries was particularly good.

And then back before dark for our last night on this site and the nunch of lads with bikes had gone and so it was very quiet night on site.