Category Archives: France

Chickens with Blue Legs – Introducing Susie Kelly

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I am an avid reader and being a translator gives me every excuse to indulge my passion. If I didn’t read at least one or two books a week, I could lose my English. Not that I haven’t lost it a bit anyway. Speaking and hearing French all day has a tendency to contaminate my native tongue and I end up writing things like “vigilante” instead of “security men”.

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So, I am utterly addicted to my Kindle Paperwhite 3G because it means I am never short of reading material because no matter where I am in the world, I can download another book. It has a built-in dictionary, I can look up Wikipedia and adjust the size of the letters. I finally decided to subscribe to the Kindle Unlimited programme where I pay 9.90 euro a month to borrow an unlimited number of  books. Jean Michel, whose Kindle is connected to the same Amazon account, can also benefit from my subscription. Not all books are included – far from it – and it’s not always easy to track down good reading material but every so often I come across a new author whose books I devour.

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That is the case of Susie Kelly, who was born in post-war London, grew up in Kenya and has been living near Poitiers since 1995. I started with her biography, “I wish I could say I was sorry”, the fascinating story of a misfit child who suddenly finds herself transported to Kenya with her parents at the age of eight. She loves her new life : “Cinderella must have felt like this when the glass slipper fitted. I was no longer a little bundle in a liberty bodice and leggings, but a princess in pretty cotton frocks in a land of perpetual sunshine.”

susie_kelly_autobiography

Unfortunately it doesn’t last. Cinderella finds herself having to choose between her mother and father after their marriage falls apart. So she chooses the house and the country she loves – and indirectly her father – and doesn’t see her mother for another 17 years. In the meantime, she is sent to live with her paternal grandparents in England, where she is not wanted. When she finally returns to Nairobi, her father has remarried and she has a half sister.

Her stepmother, Helen, is psychologically unfit to be around children of any sort, and Susie finds herself truly in the role of Cinderella. However, when she is 14, another Cinderella provides an escape route, “an Arab-Somali cross … a sparky and unpredictable ride” whom she loved “as I had never loved before, instantly and overwhelmingly”.

I’m not going to tell you any more, because I also want to talk about some of her other books and resuming someone’s life story can’t possibly do it justice. “Bon Voyage” is a good place to start because it is a collection of the first chapters of several books, namely “Travels with Tinkerbelle – 6,000 miles around France in a mechanical wreck”, “Best Foot Forward – A 500-mile walk through hidden France”, “The Valley of Heaven and Hell – Cycling in the Shadow of Marie Antoinette” and “Swallows & Robins – The Guests in my Garden”.

best_foot_forward

After my appetite had been whetted by “Bon Voyage, I read “Best Foot Forward” and am now nearly finisihed “The Valley of Heaven and Hell”. I could have waited until I had read all Susie’s books before writing this post, but I think it’s a pity not to share my enthusiasm right now. Susie has an inimical way of writing, both poetical and down-to-earth at the same time.

Her factual account of her travels is interspersed with highly readable historical information about people and places. In “Best Foot Forward”, she walks across France by herself, from La Rochelle to Geneva, with a heavy backpack, a tent without a fly (a mistake I once made myself), a set of outdated maps and badly blistered feet despite her excellent boots.

“There was a narrow strip of grass beside the road”, she tells us when she can’t find a hiking path, “and it looked pretty scattered with daisies, 19 buttercups, dandelions already turned to fairy colonies, bluebells and cowslips, cow parsely still green, and purple vetch all struggling not to get onto the tarmac and be crushed. It was just their luck that I came along in the gigantic hiking boots, because I am pretty certain that very few people had ever been stupid or misguided enough to walk on the side of this particular road.”

Her journey takes her through the town of Bresse famous for its chickens, “with their snowy white plumage, blue legs and little golden toenails”. With their red crests, they are highly patriotic. Now that is the sort of little tidbit that I love. I know about and have eaten poulet de Bresse but I did not know about the blue legs.

AOC-poulet-de-bresse

The aim of the cycling trip recounted in “The Valley of Heaven and Hell”, in the company of her husband Terry, a far more intrepid cyclist than Susie, is to follow the “identical route taken by Marie-Antoinette and Louis XVI when they tried to escape from the Revolution, and their journey back to their executions”.

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Her account of their trip includes an historical account of the flight of the royal couple who finally come to a standstill when they are recognised by a postman, the famous Mr Drouet.

“The royal family spent the night in the grocery shop of the aptly named M. Sauce. Louis did almost nothing to help himself and his family, accepting his situation stoically, unable to make up his mind, or uninterested enough to take a possible escape route proposed by the Duc de Choisel. He did at least have the presence of mind to ask for a bottle of wine and some bread and cheese. He was not a man to let adversity spoil his appetite.”

Some of her cycling adventures remind me of our own predicaments when cycling paths suddenly disappear, for example. One day, they find themselves too close to the Marne. “Terry was going into the river, with his bike, camera, all our clothes and money. Unable to do anything useful, I shrieked to show moral support. He somehow managed to find a space for his left foot on a sliver of firm ground and gingerly pushed himself to the right, away from the edge, while I held my breath as if doing so would somehow be helpful.”

I’ve nearly reached the end of the book, which ends with a visit to the prison where Marie-Antoinette’s lived her last days in Paris.

Next on the list is “Travels with Tinkerbelle”. Why don’t you join me?

All her books are, of course, available in paperback*.

Oh, and don’t let me forget. Susie also has a blog called No Damn Blog.

All the books can be ordered in paperback from bookstores worldwide, or direct from any Amazon outlet. The ISBNs are as follows:
9780993307010 Swallows and Robins
9780993092299 The Valley of Heaven and Hell
9780993092275 Best Foot Forward
9780993092282 Travels with Tinkerbelle
9780993092220 I Wish I Could Say I Was Sorry

Colmar – the Magic of Alsace

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Alsace is one of France’s most picturesque regions and has a lot in common with its neighbour, Germany, in terms of architecture, customs, cuisine and even language. It is famous for its white wines and the vineyards grow at the foot of the gently sloping Vosges mountains.

The slopes of the Vosges mountains
The slopes of the Vosges mountains

I have been to Colmar twice before, once with Black Cat when she was thirteen (18 years ago) and once with Jean Michel, 14 years ago, when we spent two weeks visiting such lovely little villages as Roquewihr and Haut Koenigsbourg and tasting wine. I remember liking it on both occasions, but am a bit worried that I can’t remember it at all except for one particular place on the canal. Jean Michel only remembers a couple of things as well.

Built in 1609, La Maison des Têtes (House of Heads) owes its name to the large number of masks and grimacing faces which decorate the façade. The magnificently sculpted oriel rises to three levels. The statue of hte Alsace barrel maker was placed at the top of the gable when the building was used as a wine exchange.
Built in 1609, La Maison des Têtes (House of Heads) owes its name to the 110 masks and grimacing faces which decorate the façade. The magnificently sculpted oriel rises to three levels. The statue of the Alsace barrel maker was placed at the top of the gable when the building was used as a wine exchange.
A typical street in Colmar
A typical street in Colmar

With a little over two hours before sunset, we head straight for the tourist office after checking into our hotel and follow the itinerary proposed in the brochure. A more leisurely visit would have been better just to soak up the atmosphere and appreciate all the lovely half-timbered houes. We are also surprised by how busy the centre is. Lots of school children and their parents suddenly flood the streets.

14th century weinhof or corn loft
14th century weinhof or corn loft
Houses along the canal
Houses along the canal
The multi-coloured pink sandstone of the Cathedral
The multi-coloured pink sandstone of the Cathedral
The inner courtyard
The inner courtyard of the old customs house built in 1480
More houses along the canal
More houses along the canal
The other end of the canal
The other end of the canal
The varnished roo of
The glazed tile roof of the old customs house
Pfister House built in 1537, probably the best-known monument in Colmar
Pfister House built by a silver merchant in 1537, probably the best-known monument in Colmar
Far left, Maison Adolph, probably the oldest house in Colmar built in about 1350, with gothic pointed arch windows. Left, le corps de garde,, built in 1575. The loggia was used by the magistrate to hand down sentences.
Left, Maison Adolph, probably the oldest house in Colmar built in about 1350, with its gothic pointed arch windows. Right, the guard building, constructed in 1575. The loggia was used by the magistrate to hand down sentences.
A busy street in Colmar
A busy street in Colmar
A little canal in the middle of the town
A little canal in the middle of the town

At 6.30 pm, we have finished the tour and can have a well-earned glass of local riesling and a flammekeusche, the thin-crust onion, bacon and cream tart so popular in the area.

Drinking wine in Alsacian glasses accompanied by flammekeuche
Drinking wine in Alsacian glasses accompanied by flammekeusche

We find another venue for dinner and another well-known local dish: sauerkraut, pork and potatoes followed by an ice-cream kugelhof. By now, the streets are nearly deserted.

Rue des Tanneurs
Rue des Tanneurs

No sign of any harvest bread or vin nouveau. Next time maybe! Tomorrow we’ll be back in Blois.

AllAboutFranceBadge_bisThis post is my November contribution to Lou Messugo’s All About France link-up. For other posts about France, click here.

Cycling along the Cher from Montrichard to Saint Aignan

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Sunday is cool and rainy so we have reserved our weekly cycling excursion for Monday which dawns bright and sunny. We are off by 10.30 am to Montrichard on the Cher River, about a half an hour’s drive from Blois, via Chaumont. We are going to get cycle maps at the tourist office.

Montrichard castle from the main street leading to the tourist office
Montrichard castle from the main street leading to the tourist office

They don’t have any. That’s a disappointment but we have seen on the Internet that there is a cycle path to Thésée about halfway along the 20 K route. We find a parking lot near the river and set out.

The Cher along the bike path leaving Montrichard
The Cher along the bike path leaving Montrichard

Initially the path is promising and we’re happy to be on our bikes again. The lack of maintenance, however, soon becomes obvious (read : the path is often rutted and you have to keep your eyes on the ground all the time). When you glance at the scenery, it’s quite bucolic, marred only by the smell of pollution caused by ever-increasing green algae.

One of the many locks along the bike path
One of the many locks along the bike path

We go past several locks, all of which seem to be functioning and automatic. Most of the lock houses seem to be converted into holiday rentals. From time to time, I get off my bike and walk over a rough patch, rather than find myself face down on the gravel in front of me. “Don’t worry”, Jean Michel consoles me, “after we get to Thésée, there’s a real bike path.”

Troglodyte houses in the limestone cliffs
Troglodyte houses in the limestone cliffs

Well, yes, there is a sort of a bike path between the river and the railway line but the maintenance isn’t any better. On the other side, we can see many troglodyte houses built into the limestone cliffs, but it’s not really scenic.

An enormous grain silo with a vineyard in front
An enormous grain silo with a vineyard in front

Nor is the modern version of a cathedral, aka a grain silo. It even has a pseudo bell tower.

The approach to Saint Aignan with its château and collegiate church
The approach to Saint Aignan with its château and collegiate church

The approach to Saint-Aignan-sur-Cher, however, which we’ve never visited, more than makes up for the mediocre ride. The château stands on the hill just opposite the bridge with the collegiate church to the left.

The sign on the bridge at Saint-Aignan showing the demarkation line
The sign on the bridge at Saint-Aignan showing the demarkation line

Jean Michel points out a sign on the bridge that says “1940-1944 Here was the line of demarcation. We will remember them.”

One of the many luxuriant flower pots in Saint Aignan
One of the many luxuriant flower pots in Saint Aignan

Now comes the important bit. Lunch. It’s 1.15 pm and it’s Monday (read : most restaurants in France, particularly in the provinces, are closed). Now my idea of a restaurant when we’re cycling is a pleasant, inexpensive, non-touristy-looking place, with shady trees over the outside tables and a direct view of the river. The sort they have in Germany all along the Danube.

Gasthof Berzl in Kelheim - the sort of place where I like to have lunch when cycling
Gasthof Berzl in Kelheim – the sort of place where I like to have lunch when cycling

The only problem is that it seems to be a rare commodity in France. We cycle through the village and only discover a kebab place near the church and an indoor crêperie. We ride along the river in both directions and finally have to resign ourselves to coming back to L’Embarcadère which fronts onto the main road and doesn’t have a terrace.  However, with a four-course menu for 13 euro, it’s definitely inexpensive.

L'Embarcadère where we finally eat
L’Embarcadère where we finally eat

I have stuffed tomatoes, steak (small piece) and chips, cheese and ice-cream. It’s all palatable though nothing special. Jean Michel has the same thing except he has beef flank (hampe) instead of steak. Just in case you’ve never discovered this, the piece of meat that’s called steak (often written steack) in France is not what Australians call steak. It’s a specific cheap cut of grilling beef. It is NOT fillet or entrecôte.

The château up on the hill seen from a house near the tourist office
The château up on the hill seen from a house near the tourist office

We’ve finished our coffee so we set off to visit the town, starting with the tourist office because we’d like to find a better route to cycle back to Montrichard. Disappointment once again. They don’t have any cycle maps either. They give us a map of the town indicating 20 places to visit, but with explanations for only two of them : the castle and the collegiate church.

The entrance to the château
The entrance to the château

We’re just next to the road leading up to the château and we debate whether it’s worth it. We decide to make the effort. Halfway up, we talk to a man with a truck sweeping up dead leaves. I can’t believe there are already autumn leaves in August but the man tells us the trees have a disease. That’s a relief (not for the trees of course). Needless to say, the chestnut trees are already shedding their leaves everywhere. Sigh.

The Renaissance wing of the château
The Renaissance wing of the château

The château is privately owned, but visitors have free access to the courtyard. What a discovery! We’re so glad we made the decision to go to the top of the hill.

The 9th century tower
The 9th century tower

The château with its 9th century tower, Renaissance château with its scallop shells and François I salamanders, was once the home of several generations of Duc de Beauvilliers.

The blue flowers inside the courtyard
The blue flowers inside the courtyard

It has a wonderful view and lovely proportions. I particularly like the large stone urns with their blue flowers and immediately decide to plant them at home next year. I just have to find out what they are …

The collegiate church with its Republican inscription
The collegiate church with its Republican inscription

We ride back down into the town and visit the 11th century Collegiate Church which has two interesting features. On the front there is an inscription that says « République française Liberté Egalité Fraternité ». Now, you must admit it’s original! The church was auctioned off during the French Revolution and given back to the Catholic Church in 1800.

The recumbent statue of Jeanne can be seen on the right
The recumbent statue of Jeanne de Perellos can be seen on the right

The other attraction is the tomb of Jeanne de Perellos, with its recumbent statue. She was banished from the church for seducing Louis II of Chalon, Count of Saint-Aignan from his legitimate spouse in 1420. What a claim to fame!

The monumental staircase opposite the collegiate church leading up to the château
The monumental staircase opposite the collegiate church leading up to the château

Opposite is a monumental staircase leading up to the château.

We cycle back through the little town with cobbled streets and several very old houses and down to the river. I have checked the map and found a little white road that runs roughly parallel to the main road and will take us back to Montrichard. Jean Michel has approved it.

The church with its unusual archway in Pouillé
The church with its unusual archway in Pouillé

Well, it might run parallel to a main road, but it’s still a 90 kph road and we have to ride one behind the other which isn’t much fun. At Pouillé, which is roughly opposite Thésée, we see an interesting church with an archway on the right. Initially built in the 11th and 12th centuries, it was bombarded in 1940 but has since been restored. There are no cafés.

A shady terrace in Angé, very welcome after riding for 15 K under a 30°C sun
A shady terrace in Angé, very welcome after riding for 15 K under a 30°C sun

We continue on our way until Angé which has a few historical houses but more importantly, a café with a shady terrace out the back. By now it’s 30°C and we’ve been riding in the full sun since leaving Saint-Aignan. A cold drink is most welcome.

Montrichard taken from the beach side
Montrichard taken from the beach side

Jean Michel studies the map again and tells me we’ll be able to leave the main road soon and take a smaller road. It does not happen. The smaller road is now part of an industrial estate. However, we are nearly at Montrichard which has a beach on the Cher and, best of all, ice-cream.

La Plage restaurant & bar at the beach in Montrichard
La Plage restaurant & bar at the beach in Montrichard

It’s like being at the seaside ! We go to a restaurant bar appropriately called La Plage which even has a live band playing old time songs – not particularly melodious but it all adds to the ambiance. We have an excellent ice-cream from a smiling waitress before mounting our bikes and riding back to the car: a round trip of 46 K  and 3 ½ hours in the saddle.

Cycling in the Poitevin Marsh #2 – The Wet Marsh

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We wake up rested in our B&B and have a delicious breakfast in the courtyard in front of the main house, consisting of freshly-squeezed orange juice, two types of bread, two types of brioche (a sort of bun loaf), a mini-raisin roll, a slice of raisin bread, 5 types of jam, a soft-boiled egg and a yoghurt.  We won’t be having an early lunch …

Breakfast in the couryard
Breakfast in the couryard

Our starting point for the day is a few kilometres west of Maillé at Vix Bridge, on the edge of the “wet” marsh as opposed to yesterday’s “dry” march. The main waterway is the Sèvre Niortaise River but the whole area is riddled with little canals and bridges. It’s midday by the time we get on our bikes.

Jean Michel on a bridge over one of the canals
Jean Michel on a bridge over one of the canals

The ride is pleasant, along a canal, with trees on either side. No wind although there isn’t a lot of sun. My weather app says it won’t rain so we haven’t brought our capes. We come to the little town of Maillé with its port and posters made from old postcards showing life in the town in days gone by.

Old postcards made into posters in Maillé
Old postcards made into posters in Maillé

We go past an unusual pump room obviously an addition to the house, with the pump wheel outside.

A pump room built on to a house with the wheel outside
A pump room built on to a house with the wheel outside

As we approach Maillezais after cycling past more canals we are impressed by the enormous cathedral ruins looming towards us. It’s the sort of view you only get on a bike.

The looming ruins of Maillezais cathedral
The looming ruins of Maillezais cathedral

By this time, Jean Michel has started to get hungry so we find a table on the shady terrace of the Auberge de l’Abbaye. Not that we really need shade – the sky is looking increasingly ominous and I’m beginning to regret the capes.

Auberge de l'Abbaye in Maillezais with its interesting floral and vegetable arrangement
Auberge de l’Abbaye in Maillezais with its interesting floral and vegetable arrangement

We order a salad including a local speciality called a farci which is a sort of flan made of eggs, sorrel, spinach and other vegetarian ingredients. I rather like it but Jean Michel is not that keen.

Typical stone house with painted shutters
Typical stone house with painted shutters

The next village is Liez with its typical Romanesque church and stone houses with painted shutters.

The church spire at Neuil Abbey seen from the mediaeval garden
The church spire at Neuil Abbey seen from the mediaeval garden

We arrive at our destination of Neuil-sur-l’Autise where we visit the local abbey built in 1068, in much better condition than Maillezais but not as impressive.

Mediaeval bagpipes which start playing as you approach. The only problem is that the previous instrument is still playing another tune ...
Mediaeval bagpipes which start playing as you approach. The only problem is that the previous instrument is still playing another tune …

This time, we visit the inside, but it is so full of interactive technology that it doesn’t even feel like an abbey. I don’t mind the Renaissance musical instrument display though.

The cloisters at Neuil
The cloisters at Neuil

 

Even the cloisters are being overtaken with sound equipment for a concert, I presume. I manage to take one photo though and I love the capitals!

The very amusing capitals in the cloisters
The very amusing capitals in the cloisters

There is mediaeval herb garden and we take the opportunity to ask one of the ticket sellers if he knows what the plants are. He is extremely knowledgeable. We discover what an acanthus is. The leaves are often used for sculpted scrolls in churches. I put it on my list of plants to buy …

Acanthus flowers. You can just make out the leaves which seem to have suffered from some sort of disaster
Acanthus flowers. You can just make out the leaves which seem to have suffered from some sort of disaster

We return along the path we came on but this time we go to St Sigismond, where we stop for a lukewarm coke, then Mazeau. It’s started spitting but not enough to really bother us and there is enough wind to dry us out as we go. We just hope it won’t get any worse.

This must be the strangest sheep country I've ever seen!
This must be the strangest sheep country I’ve ever seen!

The view is more or less the same, with the addition of a flock of sheep in a most unlikely forest of trees.

A bridge over a canal - but which canal?
A bridge over a canal – but which canal?

We come out along a large canal with absolutely no idea where we are. Jean Michel rarely gets lost but the paths are so winding and there are so many canals that it’s not easy to find our way.

Crossing the canal in Oulmes
Crossing the canal in Oulmes

We’re not lost however and we eventually arrive in Damvix. By then, we have cycled 50 K and all I want is a cold drink. Since it’s 7 pm, we settle for a glass of local white accompanied by the music of a live pianist on the keyboards which I initially find aggressive but eventually enjoy.

A much appreciated drink in Damvix after 52 K
A much appreciated drink in Damvix after 52 K

Only another 10 K or so to go, according to Jean Michel. At least the rain has stopped. The path along the canal with its patches of waterlilies suddenly becomes very bumpy and we realise we’re on the wrong side.  We eventually find a bridge and cross over.

On the wrong side of the canal with its waterlillies
On the wrong side of the canal with its waterlilies

I notice a restaurant along the way called the Le Vieux Batelier (the old boatman). The name rings a bell but it’s not until we finally get back to the car, having clocked up 62 K, that I discover it’s the one I had seen in the tourist brochure.

Le Vieux Batelier
Le Vieux Batelier

Not to worry. We drive back so we won’t have to worry about cycling after sunset. We have the deck overlooking the canal to ourselves. Business, once again, is very slow, we learn from the couple who run the restaurant. Maybe it will pick up after Bastille Day. We certainly hope so.

View of the canal from the deck of the restaurant
View of the canal from the deck of the restaurant

Jean Michel has one of the local specialities – eels (the other is frog’s legs) and I settle for an excellent entrecote. We drink the local Fiefs vendéens red with its unusual bottle.

Old windmill at sunset
Old windmill at sunset

After dinner, we drive off into the sunset …

Cycling in Poitevin Marsh #1 – Aiguillon

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The outside of the new kitchen window is finally finished and we are taking a well-deserved 3-day cycling holiday. We’ve chosen Poitevin Marsh after talking to friends. It’s been on the agenda for a while and isn’t too far by car (about 2 ½ hours). I’ve reserved a B&B that looks as though it has decent beds and pillows, is air-conditioned (we’re having unseasonably warm weather at the moment) and won’t be noisy.

Leaving home under a bright blue sky
Leaving home under a bright blue sky

It’s midday by the time we leave and I’ve packed a picnic so we won’t waste too much time. We stop at the tourist office in Luçon, the closest town to our destination, to get some brochures and buy bike maps. It has an amusing floral arrangement in front with a 40-year-old vine and a vine-covered man.

tourist_office

It’s about 4.30 pm when we arrive at our B&B, Château de l’Abbaye de Moreilles. Just so you know where we are, Poitevin Marsh is on the Atlantic Coast, just north of La Rochelle and Ile-de-Ré.

Our bedroom building at the B&B
Our bedroom building at the B&B

We are greeted by the owner who turns out to be somewhat of a character. Our room turns out to be in a typical low stone building with blue shutters away from the main house, bordered by a hedge of lavander and with its own private garden. The beds and pillows are very comfortable and we have everything we need except a hot water jug but that is so rare in France that I wasn’t expecting it. The swimming pool is right over the other side so it is very peaceful.

Our bedroom at the B&B
Our bedroom at the B&B

We check the bike maps and set out for Saint-Michel-en-l’Herm, 20 K away so that we can cycle to L’Aiguillon-sur-Mer to have oysters for dinner (a round trip of 30 K). We park at the church as usual and have a moment of panic when Jean Michel discovers that he can’t unscrew the attachment that holds my bike in place on the bike holder. Fortunately he has his tool kit and together we manage to get it off. Phew …

The luxurious bike path that only lasts 2 or 3 K
The luxurious bike path that only lasts 2 or 3 K

It proves to be a little difficult to find the bike route but I eventually spy a somewhat luxurious path and we follow it for the next couple of kilometres. After that, we’re on a secondary road.

The inland cliff arising out of nowhere
The inland cliff arising out of nowhere

The countryside is somewhat desolate and very windy. We are surprised to see what looks like an inland cliff face rising out of nowhere. We later learn that nearly the whole marsh was once the sea which has gradually withdrawn over the centuries, with a little help from the local population especially the monks.

To the left, you can just see the bridge between La Rochelle and Ile-de-Ré.
To the left, you can just see the bridge between La Rochelle and Ile-de-Ré.

We eventually reach a dyke along the sea. As we get closer to L’Aiguillon, we have a view a far as the bridge between La Rochelle and Ile-de-Ré.

The beach at L'Aiguillon sur Mer
The beach at L’Aiguillon sur Mer

L’Aiguillon-sur-Mer itself is a bit of a disappointment. We are expecting something a little more lively especially as the summer holidays have already started. We push on a few kilometers to La Faute-sur-Mer hoping to find more activity. We do, but it’s very much a working-class holiday spot full of garish takeaways and fast-food venues.

The path to the beach at La-Faute-sur-Mer
The path to the beach at La-Faute-sur-Mer

We don’t check out the beach at La Faute because it’s a long way from the bike route over a sandy path. On the footbridge, there are several people fishing with carrelets, square fishing nets. They don’t seem to be getting much but probably enough for dinner!

Fishing with square nets on the bridge
Fishing with square nets on the bridge

We go back to L’Aiguillon and check out the three restaurants. We decide on Julie dans la Cuisine overlooking the oyster beds. It’s 8.30 by then and apart from three young waitresses, there is not a soul in sight. I ask where all the people are. “It’s Monday”, they say, and sigh. “Well, we know we’ll get great service”, I replly. We choose a table out of the sun and open the windows to let in some fresh air. It’s about 30°C outside but there’s a cool breeze from the sea.

Overlooking the oyster beds at L'Aiguillon sur Mer
Overlooking the oyster beds at L’Aiguillon sur Mer

We order oysters (unfortunately they only have N° 3 which are quite small) and mussels and French fries, along with a glass of the local wine. We taste it and it appears to be a sauvignon. I ask the waitress but she says she doesn’t know what it is and brings the bottle back ! Sure enough, it’s a sauvignon. She’ll know for next time.

N°3 oysters with typical vinegar and shallots sauce (which I don't like!)
N°3 oysters on a bed of salt with typical vinegar and shallots sauce (which I don’t like!)

 

A group of three adults, 2 children and a baby arrive and they are the only other patrons in a restaurant that can probably seat over a hundred people. The season does not seem to be off to a good start. Despite their size, the oysters are tasty but a couple of them have a brownish liquid. I ask why and the waitress goes off to see the chef. It’s because they haven’t been through the oyster beds. Hmm. I hope this isn’t going to be a problem.

Sunset over the dry marshland
Sunset over the dry marshland

By then it’s nearly 9.20 and we still have to cycle 12 km back to the car. We just make it before the sun starts to set. The long twilight, of course, is why we usually take our holidays in June and July. Tomorrow we’ll head further east to the wet marshlands. See you then!

Weekly Blogger Round-Up: Monumental Churches in Charente Maritime – Villa Romana del Casale – Malbork Castle in Poland

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My Weekly Blogger Round-Up hasn’t been very regular recently but I’m hoping things will start to return to normal soon. This week, it begins with a new blogger whom I discovered through Lou Messugo’s link-up last week. Susan from Our French Oasis introduces us to the huge churches that are monumental landmarks in Charente Maritime where she lives; Mary Kay from Out and About in Paris shares some some surprisingly modern photos of 4th century AD mosaics she took in Sicily, while Sara from Simply Sara Travel takes us to Malbork Castle which she visited during a day trip from Gdańsk in Poland. Enjoy!

A Pilgrim’s Skyline

by Susan from Our French Oasis, born in England and now living with her family in Charente Maritime, passionate about fishing, nature and food, eager to share the pleasures of living and eating through the Seasons and the simply beauty that surrounds us in everyday life.

french_oasis_pilgrimEvery day I take the same route to school. I leave our village and take the long straight road that cuts its way through open farmland, climbs a gentle sloping hill and then slithers down into the valley where in an ancient village a narrow bridge across a small river forces cars to cross alternately in single file.  Each morning the old lady who lives in the old stone house on the corner by the river-wall will open her shutters and upstairs windows to let the air in – come rain or shine; it is a route I am coming to learn well.

The seasons transform the landscape too, as it changes from fields of sunflowers in summer to bare ploughed soil in winter.  The light flickers moodily and the weather caresses and spits, depending on its whims.  But there is one thing that remains unchanged –  on a centuries-old skyline are the spires and towers of the area’s many churches. Read more

The Villa Romana del Casale and its captivating fourth century AD Roman mosaics

by Mary Kay from Out and About in Paris, an American by birth, Swiss by marriage, resident of Paris with a Navigo Pass for the metro that she feels compelled to use

out_and_about_casale

Wouldn’t it be incredible to unearth photographs from the fourth century AD imparting little-known details about ancient Roman life? We would learn about the clothes worn for an outdoor banquet, games that children played and revered mythological creatures.

Unique for their narrative style, vivid colors and range of subject matter, the Unesco-listed Roman floor mosaics at the Villa Romana del Casale also give a rare glimpse into the daily life of the man most scholars believe to be the former owner of the sumptuous villa, Marcus Aurelius Maximianus, Rome’s co-emperor during the reign of Diocletian (AD 286-305). Read more

Day Trip from Gdańsk: Malbork Castle

by Sara from Simply Sara Travel, a girl from New Jersey who traded in her bagels for baguettes and moved to Paris. The aim of her blog is to inspire readers to travel, embrace a new culture, and open their minds to new perspectives.

simply_sara_malborkI have to apologize. I’ve done a bait-and-switch of sorts. Here I was last week, giving a teaser of our time in Gdańsk, and the only thing I’ve revealed so far is one of the side-trips we took from Gdańsk to the beach town of Sopot. The Jersey Shore parallels excited me, what can I say? (If you missed it, read more in my post on how Sopot is the Atlantic City of the East.)

My apology is going to seem a bit empty in a moment though, because instead of getting to Gdańsk, I’m again going to divert over to our other day trip we took while in the area: to Malbork Castle. The truth is that as I try to grasp all we did in Gdansk, there are so many elements and facets to this city that I want to share, and it is overwhelming! But I will get to it soon, I really will.

Today though, it’s all about Malbork Castle. Read more

Weekly Blogger Round-Up – All About France with Lou Messugo

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You are all familiar with Phoebe from Lou Messugo who lives in Nice and has often been featured in this weekly blogger round-up.

Today, she is beginning a new monthly link-up focussing on posts about France from bloggers across the glob. I’ve contributed my post on the Ten Top Châteaux in the Loire Valley. As I’m writing she already has 16 other participants, including such diverse subjects as the 2CV, the tooth fairy, how to talk to your Muslim kids about Charlie Hebdo and the beautiful Alsatian village of Colmar. Enjoy!

All About France #1

by Phoebe from Lou Messugo, a traveller, francophile, expat, mum and foodie now living in Roquefort les Pins where she runs a gîte after many years of travelling and living in Asia, Eastern Europe and Australia.

AllAboutFranceBadge_bisWelcome to the first All About France blog linky (and my first time hosting a link-up).   I’ve been thinking about starting this for a few months now and keep getting side tracked, but there’s no time like the present….So if you write or have written about France in any shape or form then please join in.  You don’t have to write regularly about France, an old post about a holiday is perfectly appropriate, for example. Feel free to link old or new posts, as long as they’re about France or French they’re welcome. Read more.

Weekly Blogger Round-Up: Je suis Charlie

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After the terrible terrorist attack yesterday on the offices of the satirical weekly, Charlie Hebdo, and the deaths of 12 people, I tried to write a post, as I felt I could not simply ignore what happened, but I kept scrapping everything I wrote.

Today, Sylvia from Finding Noon published a post I would like to share instead. “Je suis Charlie” is a call for freedom of the press.

Je suis Charlie

by Sylvia from Finding Noon, an American living in Paris who appreciates fine art, good music, succulent food, and breath taking scenery

There are no words. That is the cliché. But, there have to be words. That is what yesterday’s attack was about. Silencing our words. Now is the time to cry out. Those who believe in the freedom of expression must shout that we will not be silenced. Mosques across France are calling out for prayers of peace. Read more

finding_noon_charlie

 

 

Weekly Blogger Round-Up – Wild Mushrooms – Fest Noz in Brittany – Napolitan Novels

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This Week’s Blogger Round-Up starts with a logical follow-up to Monday’s post on Forbidden Mushrooms. Susan from Days on the Claise talks about what mushrooms are safe and explains how to pick them. Next on the list is a description of a Fest Noz in Brittany by Abby from Paris Weekender. If you’re intending to visit Brittany in the summer, you should make sure you include one of  these very traditional festivals. And to finish off, I’m including a book review by Claire from Word by Word, who is a constant inspiration for my insatiable reading habits. My Brilliant Friend is the first in a fascinating tetralogy of novels by Napolitan author Elena Ferrante. All available on your Kindle. Enjoy!

Would you eat these mushrooms?

by Susan from Days on the Claise, an Australian living in the south of the Loire Valley, writing about restoring an old house and the area and its history and running Loire Valley Time Travel.

days_claise_ceps_basketThe mushrooms in the basket are all edible. They belong to a group called boletes, of which the ceps are the best known and most prized. They grow in forests. There several species in the basket, mostly Orange Oak Bolete Leccinum aurantiacum, but also a few Bay-brown Bolete Boletus badius and Red-footed Bolete Boletus luridiformus. The person who picked them was only collecting for the table and has not touched anything they did not know to be edible. Boletes are the best beginners mushrooms here because they are safe — none are lethal and the couple that will give you a stomach ache are unappetising looking (coloured or staining luridly) and/or bitter to taste. Read more

Fest Noz in Malestroit

by Abby from Paris Weekender, an American dividing her time between New York, Paris and Brittany who offers suggestions for Paris weekends, either staying put or getting out of town

paris_weekender_Malestroit-Fest-Noz-4A Fest Noz, or night festival, is a traditional festival in Brittany, centered around dancing and music.

Just about every very town in Brittany holds its own festival, so especially if you’re visiting the region in the summer, it’s hard to find a single evening when there isn’t one somewhere within an hour’s drive. Read more

My Brilliant Friend, Elena Ferrante tr. by Ann Goldstein…Neapolitan Tetralogy Book1

by Claire from Word by Word, Citizen of Planet Earth, Anglosaxon by birth, living and working in France, who loves words, language, sentences, metaphors, stories long and short, poetry, reading and writing

wordbyword_my-brilliant-friendElena Ferrante is already something of an Italian legend. An author said to spurn interviews, her pen name fuelling speculation about her real identity. Her work is said to be autobiographical and already capturing the attention of English readers in a similar way to the autobiographical series of novels by the Norwegian Karl Ove Knausgaard …

In 2012, My Brilliant Friend, the first in the trilogy of Neapolitan novels was translated into English and the two subsequent books The Story of a New Name and Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay were published in 2013 and 2014 consecutively. Read more

Weekly Blogger Round-Up: Best travel apps for Europe – 5 things not to like about France – Sibiu in Romania

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This week’s blogger round-up brings us three completely different subjects. We start with favourite Europe travel apps by Marie-Eve from Europe Trip Tips, a girl after my own heart, because she, too, is addicted to her iPhone! Next, Janine Marsh from The Good Life France shares 5 things she doesn’t like about France and I’d be very interested to hear your own list. To finish up, Anda from Travel Notes and Beyond takes us to Sibiu in Romania – the more I learn bout her country of origin, the more I want to go there! Enjoy!

My Favourite Europe Travel Apps

by Marie-Eve from Europe Trip Tips is a something Canadian, full-time travel blogger, amateur photographer, translator and copywriter living as an expat in France who’s been to over 17 European countries and keeps adding new ones every other week.

apps_eurotriptipsAnytime someone asks me “What’s the one thing you wouldn’t travel without?”, my answer inevitably is “My iPhone” — what I commonly refer to as my other half (and yes, I am married to an actual human being). Saying that I am obsessed with my phone isn’t an understatement, and I am seriously considering a surgical operation in order to permanently attach it to my hand. I barely ever read guidebooks anymore — not because I don’t enjoy them, but because frankly, I cannot be bothered to go out and buy them when I can get the same insightful information for one third of the price and one tenth of the weight at the tips of my fingers. Considering travellers can book hotels, purchase flights, look up restaurants, take and edit photographs and plan an itinerary with their phone, it’s hardly surprising that I wouldn’t travel without mine. Read more

5 Things I Don’t Like About France

By Janine Marsh from The Good Life France, an independent on-line magazine about France and all things French, covering all aspects of daily life including healthcare, finance, utilities, education, property and a whole lot more

things-i-dont-like-about-francePeople say I’m always going on about how wonderful France is. They say “there must be something you don’t like” and there is. Nowhere is perfect. But first, let me just emphasise, I love France and having a home here, I can never understand those people who moan constantly about living somewhere they chose to live. Of course if they have bad luck I sympathise, and that does happen. But, most people I meet who are unhappy and moan would be so much happier if they could make more of an effort to integrate, learn to speak the language and accept that nothing is perfect – not even in France.

So here are 5 things I don’t like about France (but they are just little moans)… Read more

Transylvanian Trails; The Historic Centre of Sibiu

by Anda from Travel Notes & Beyond, the Opinionated Travelogue of a Photo Maniac, is a Romanian-born citizen of Southern California who has never missed the opportunity to travel

sibiuIt took me a long time after emigrating from Romania to become interested in exploring the land of my birth. Being born there, Romania wasn’t at the top of my list of European countries to visit. But I have to confess that every time I came across other people’s posts about my country of origin I felt a little jealous and ashamed. So here I am, trying to undo my betrayal.

A couple of months ago we took a road trip to Sibiu. Also known as Hermannstadt (in German) the city was the center of Romania’s German minority since medieval times. But the Transylvanian German population started decreasing after World War II and the process continued during the Communist Era. Read more

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