Holidays. June 2009

Our friends, Tony and Mags, arrived on the 13th May ready to have their holiday here whilst looking after Rambo for us as well.

Day 1. CASTANDET TO BORDEAUX.

We left the next morning and our first stop was Bordeaux. I had bought a GPS much to Nigels dismay, I reckoned that it would save some domestic disputes! However by the time we got to Bordeaux the battery was not charged, is it a duff GPS or did I not charge it up properly? Well, at least that has solved the problem of Nigel complaining every time it told us where to go!!
We parked at the park and ride on the outskirts of Bordeaux. Bordeaux has a very modern and efficient tram service. Three lines serve the network. Parking plus the return trip, to the city centre, was just 6 euros for the 2 of us, a bargain we reckoned in these days of car park fees. Whilst we were waiting for the tram there was a public service announcement to say that the tram could not go beyond a certain area due to a demonstration in the town centre. We had to get off about 3 stops before the town centre, so with no map of the town we just had to try and walk in the right direction. It was soon time for lunch so we had a relaxing hour or so eating our lunch and watching the world go by. It was a very hot day so everywhere we went we walked or sat in the shade if it was at all possible. After lunch we found our way to the banks of the Garonne and eventually found the town centre and the tourist office where we were able to get a map and to relax for a while in the air conditioned building.
The architecture in the old town is stunning and the banks of the Garonne have recently been renovated and planted out.
We walked through the old town and had an ice cream stop before visiting the Beaux Arts art gallery. At this point we came across the demonstration which was still going on - a Gay Pride march I found out by asking a bystander. This explained some of the very bizarrely dressed people that we had seen! Apart from the tremendous noise that they were making there seemed to be no problems and no signs of violence.
Entrance to the Beaux Arts was free and it was worth going in if only for the air conditioning! I don't think either of us was very impressed with the paintings but one certainly took my eye. Sadly I can't remember who painted it. It was an extremely large work and depicted the scene on the quay in the centre of town back in the early 18th century. It was such an interesting work and so full of detail. The sort of painting one could look at again and again and still find something one had missed beforehand.
A brief walk around the park and we made our way back to the town centre. The rue Ste Catherine is the longest pedestrianised street in Europe and is full of many major retail shops The historic part of the city is on the UNESCO World Heritage List as "an outstanding urban and architectural ensemble" of the 18th century.
The Grand Theatre which stands in the centre of the old town was designed by the architect Victor Louis and was conceived as a temple of the Arts and Light The inside of the theatre was restored in 1991, and once again has its original colours of blue and gold. The Grand Théâtre de Bordeaux is the oldest wooden frame opera house in Europe not to have burnt or required rebuilding.Today the theatre is home to the Opéra National de Bordeaux, as well as the Ballet National de Bordeaux.
I managed to encourage Nigel to take a trip around the town on a little tourist "train", not really a train a motorised version of one. It was good to sit down and relax but the trip involved a lot of cobbled streets and we were bounced around a lot! I enjoyed seeing the sights and hearing the commentary but sadly it was not the high point of the day for Nigel!!
Another walk down the rue Ste Catherine and we decided on an Italian restaurant for our evening meal. The waiter was jolly, completely covered in tattoos, well at least the parts of him that were visible.
A short walk back to the tram stop and we were soon on board and on our way back to the car. We managed to find our overnight accomodation, the Formula 1 hotel near the airport, even without the help of the GPS!

Day 2. BORDEAUX TO LA ROCHELLE.
From the hotel we made our way up the left hand side of the Garonne estuary to Verdon-sur-mer where we caught the car ferry to Royan. Thankfully it wasn't as hot as the previous day and there was a nice breeze. Royan is a very popular seaside town with a harbour and a long beach. Lots of seasidey shops and restaurants along the seafront where we walked and browsed. Choosing the right place to have lunch was not a problem as we immediatly went for the 3 courses for 13 euros with a starter of half a lobster which was very acceptable! Then back to the car and we drove up towards La Rochelle. I had booked a hotel in les Minimes which is a smaller seaside town adjoining La Rochelle and boasts the largest marina for pleasure boats in Europe. After booking in Nigel decided to have a siesta so I went out and explored the area. The hotel was not far from the harbour, beach, shops and restaurants so after recconoitering the area I went back to have a relax before we went out for the evening.

Day 3. LA ROCHELLE-ILE DE RE.

Cool, overcast and drizzly morning. Drove the short way to the Aquarium in La Rochelle which is one of Europe's premier aquariums. Spectacular stuff. You enter through an 'elevator' which simulates a ride deep into the sea. When you emerge you are in a tunnel surrounded by water. From there on in it gets better. The highlight must be the "central core" shark tank which must be some 20 metres deep. In effect, you pass by it at three different levels, viewing the sharks from below, and then at eye-level. On leaving the aquarium we had a stroll on the quay admiring the vast array of boats and yachts in the harbour. We had a quick lunch and walked on into the old part of town which is adjacent to the quay. Then back to the car and on our way to our next destination, the ile de Re. After an exciting drive with few directions through the centre of the town we managed to find the road to the bridge which would take us over the island.
The bridge is 3 kms long and was opened in 1988 and Since then, touristic activities on the island have developed considerably, with real estate prices reaching very high levels.We saw properties priced at much more than a million euros! The island has a resident winter population of approximately 16,000 residents and a resident summer population of about 160,000. Since the local population is distributed all over the island, it never gets too crowded. The island is covered by bicycle tracks, with many residents rarely using cars for transportation. Night life consists of going to Saint Martin, the main port, or to La Flotte, to walk along the quays and to potter around the shops, which are open very late. Île de Ré is a low, narrow island some 30km long, fringed by sandy beaches to the southwest and salt marshes and oyster beds to the northeast, with the interior a motley mix of small-scale vine, asparagus and wheat cultivation. All the buildings on Ré are restricted to two storeys and are required to incorporate the typical local features of whitewashed walls, curly orange tiles and green-painted shutters, which give the island villages a southern holiday atmosphere. In years gone by when the islanders used donkeys for agricultural work they "dressed" them in "pyjamas" to protect their legs from biting insects!
Once on the island we made our way to our hotel in the village of La Flotte. We drove past the harbour with its restaurants and shops and eventually found our hotel up a little side street not far from the harbour and shops. Amazingly we found a parking place right outside the hotel. We were shown to our room which was beautiful with french doors opening out onto the patio. Once again, Nigel took to the bed for a siesta and I went out to explore. The village is a maze of narrow streets, white walls and hollyhocks abound. Back to the hotel and we got ready to go for a stroll and a meal. Mussels and oysters abound on the restaurant menus, at one place I counted 13 different ways of serving mussels!!
Next morning we walked a short way out of town and along the beach. At the far end of the beach was a quiet parking area lined with mulberry trees. We decided that it would be nice to spend some time there so I walked back to the hotel, got swim suit and towels, went and bought ingredients for a picnic and drove back to the carpark. We were able to set our chairs in the shade right at the edge of the beach and enjoy a lazy several hours. I went in the sea which was quite warm but quite shallow. I manage to get out far enough to swim but with some difficulty as it was still relatively shallow. Another evening in a restaurant on the quay followed.
Although we had only booked for 2 nights at the hotel we decided to stay an extra night. Our hotel was booked up but we were able to get a room at another hotel on the quayside. So next morning we packed our bags and set off to explore the island and went up to the tip of it where the "lighthouse of the whales" stands. The lighthouse takes its name from the many whales that beached at this spot. The last mass beaching of whales dates from 1920. The Phare des Baleines itself dates from 1854, but it was built to replace a first lighthouse dating from 1682, locally known as the Tour des Baleines (Tower of the Whales). The old tower, of a smaller size and insufficient range, is one of the oldest lighthouses in France and is close by. The present lighthouse is 57 metres high, and can be seen from a distance of around 45km.
After the lighthouse we found a quiet beach where we could sit and relax for a while before going for lunch. We went to St Martin de Re which is one of the main villages of the island. It was much busier - and more expensive- than La Flotte although a very pretty place. Back in La Flotte we checked in to our new hotel for our last night on the island.

ILE DE RE - BOURROU
After a leisurely breakfast we said goodbye to the island and went back over the bridge to the mainland. Our next stop was to be Bourrou, a village in the Dordogne about 20kms south of Periguex where our friends Irene and Fabrice live. We had an uneventful drive there with just a quick stop for a picnic lunch arriving about 4pm.
Irene and I "met" on the internet and we have met a couple of times previously. I met Fabrice once and Irene has been here once. They live on the edge of the village and are in the process of building a house and creating a magical garden. Fabrice is a farmer and he and Irene have a herd of Angora goats, a few sheep, geese, hens, pigs and dogs. The house looks about 200 years old but they have built it from scratch, the wood and the beams being sourced from their forest. They have done so much work there that I can't begin to describe it but if you want to know more have a look at www.lafermedesourrou.blogspot.com

We had a very warm welcome from them both - dogs as well- and settled down to have a good chat. We ate outside on the terrace, steak cooked on the bbq by Fabrice was the main ingredient and very good it was too! Needless to say the wine flowed!
Next day Irene and I went shopping to a nearby village before going back and wandering around the garden, looking at the goats and all the other livestock. Fabrice cooked a splendid Tartiflette for lunch washed down with some more of the local wine. A lazy afternoon followed, another splendid meal and off to bed.
Next day it was time to say goodbye and leave for home. Before leaving Irene and I walked round the garden and she offered me lots of plants and cuttings so we had a full car when we left.