Bienvenue á France – Part Un

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...............and they’re off!! After three weeks back in the UK to catch up on football, family and friends (not necessarily in that order) it was time for us to embark on the third and final leg of the ACDC World Tour ’07 / ‘08. The plan this time is to travel around Europe, a continent we’ve largely neglected previously mainly due to our preference for longer haul holidays. For the next three months or so we’re going to use our own car to explore it, avoiding the “city break” destinations wherever possible as, in theory at least, we can visit these anytime. Advance planning has been kept deliberately low key to allow fluidity and it will be interesting to see how the enjoyment and experiences provided by our home continent compares with those we’ve had further afield. The inevitable return to a “normal” life is inexorably and rapidly approaching (do stop smiling!!), so we’re certainly going to make the most of the time we have left....................

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We left Bolton with no onward travel arrangements other than a ferry ticket to France and our first place of accommodation booked. This was a deliberate ploy as we’ve rented a car a few times so far during our travels and it affords a great deal of freedom; you’re completely the master of your own destiny and can adjust your length of stay in a place according to how much you like it. So, we programmed our new Tom Tom One (loaded with all the maps, speed cameras, points of interest etc for Western Europe and already proving an invaluable purchase) for Portsmouth Docks and off we went.

It’s years since we used a ferry and we’d forgotten what an efficient and fun way it is to travel. The system works like clockwork from the moment you board until disembarking some eight and a half hours later. A cinema, shops etc along with numerous bars and restaurants mean there’s always something to do on board and our quarters were a comfy twin bedded cabin with en suite bathroom. An added bonus was that neither of us became seasick during the journey, an awful illness we’d both encountered in the past. (I got it really badly on a previous ferry crossing and remember feeling absolutely dreadful. It was at this point a helpful person warned me there were two more stages of the sickness to come; the first was one where you fear you might die, the second where you fear you won’t!! Thanks for that).

It was during the voyage I got an early indication as to the inevitable language problems we will encounter over the next three months or so - it transpired the crew of the boat were exclusively French (Angela is far more advanced in this area than I am and can pretty much hold her own in their tongue). I only “studied” French until I was eleven so I’m way below even a basic level but that’s only part of the problem. Travelling through South America means I’ve also picked up a smattering of Spanish and my vocabulary is now like someone has blended Rene from ‘Allo ‘ Allo, Manuel from Fawlty Towers and Peter Kay together.

I really feel it is important to at least try and speak the native tongue but find my lack of ability extremely frustrating. At the same time though, it’s very exciting as even I don’t know what I’m going to come out with when talking to a local, but you can be pretty sure it will be a scattergun mix of French, Spanish and broad Boltonian. This has resulted in some interesting looks................... It can also lead to culinary confusion borne out of difficulty understanding food labels; for example, I whitened my first cup of coffee in France with drinkable natural yoghurt, not whole milk as I’d hoped.....................

Upon landing, we decided to first have a look round St. Malo itself rather than motoring straight on to our destination. This impressive city was built entirely from granite during the Middle Ages and provided us with an idea as to both some of the good and not so good we would encounter during our time in France. The positive was that most French cities are just so attractive and have been developed in a way sensitive to their original style. Many of them (St. Malo is a good example as it puts unsightly Portsmouth to shame) look like they haven’t changed in hundreds of years and are often stunning. The less positive note was struck when we stopped at a cafe on the market square for a light breakfast before we headed on - two croissants and coffee’s cost us a staggering nine Euros - not an ideal benchmark for your first purchase in a country................

I suppose we’ve been spoiled by spending seven months living in places that all have a lower cost of living than the UK, many of them by a long way. We’ve also benefitted from sterling being strong at certain times meaning our money went further but our luck ran out here. The euro is now trading at about 1.2 to the pound and an even greater shock was encountered when we filled up with fuel for the first time. Again, we were under the impression than no-one anywhere pays a higher price for petrol than us over taxed Brits so it was with disbelief that we filled our tank at a lowest price of 1.5 euro’s a litre!! A bad start when you plan to drive round most of Europe.

Once we’d got our heads around this set back, you find yourself adapting to conditions quickly (like coasting down hills to save petrol...............not really!!). Although eating out was expensive, we found many restaurants and bars a bit off the beaten track that served some excellent food at fairly reasonable prices. The best value for money came from their “Plat de Jour”, a dish of the day often including a starter and or desert for around 12 Euro’s. The French take their food extremely seriously and even the most humble cafes provide meals that would put your “find your table number and order at the bar” plastic pubs back home to shame.

Our first stay was in the wonderful market town of Dinan, right in the very heart of Brittany. Built during Medieval times, it is perfectly preserved and makes for impressive viewing as it is set high above the River Rance. Its military history is highlighted by the 3km city wall by which it is enclosed and parts of it date back to the 9th century, featuring prominently on the Bayuex Tapestry.

For our stay, we’d managed to secure a small cottage on the market square itself. Built in the 1600’s, it dripped history from its thick stone walls and enormous open fireplace. Its main attraction for us though was the beautiful, secluded garden to the rear. Built on top of the ramparts themselves, it provided a peaceful haven from the market square at the front and we spent hours there enjoying the sunshine and the views. The fact we had a garden also meant we could shop on the market and at the local boulangeries (bakers) to enjoy meals of local specialities at home (a cheaper and more relaxed option that eating out all the time).

The people of Brittany are fiercely proud of their own identity and this is never better demonstrated than with their food. All their produce is grown locally and it’s fascinating just “window shopping” at the market to see the quality and range of goods available. We had many great meals of homemade pates, cheeses (over 300 types available), cured meats, olives etc all eaten with a crisp baguette chosen from a seemingly endless selection. Being in France, this was obviously washed down with a good red wine, but the Bretons may have curled their lip at this as no wine is produced in this region. They do, however, brew the most delicious and refreshing cidre (cider) imaginable - we tried plenty of that too!! Nouveau cuisine this is not and the locals (who seem to walk the streets with a loaf constantly tucked under their arm) would much rather be munching on crepes or galletes (savoury crepes) than dining in some fine Parisian establishment.

Nearby to Dinan is Mont St-Michel, a place that almost defies description and certainly like nowhere we’ve been to before. Essentially, it is a 90 metre rocky outcrop surrounded by sea and quicksand and could pass for an ancient religious Alcatraz. A huge and impossibly ornate abbey was built on top of it during the eight century and more Gothic and Romanesque buildings grafted on in the years following. The result is an incredible sight that would rival anything Disney could create - apparently it is the second most photographed place in France after the Eiffel Tower. (Another fact I was unaware of is that France is visited by 80,000,000 tourists a year, far and away more than anywhere else in the world).

Long car journeys lead to us having many in depth and interesting conversations (and many dull ones too!!) and a classic example occurred when an old song came on the radio. Angela proudly announced that she knew all the lyrics to “Billy, Don’t Be A Hero”, something that impressed me as I loved it as a kid and didn’t have a clue that she did too. To be fair, she was as good as her word and accurately sang along - she could even do the whistling bit as well. Towards the end of the record though she became a bit more vague and a look of upset and confusion descended on her face. I was intrigued as to why so delved deeper into what was troubling her. It transpired she didn’t know Billy did actually become a hero and died undertaking a heroic but suicidal mission in an attempt to save other troops. She had got the end mixed up with “Tie A Yellow Ribbon ‘Round The Old Oak Tree” where a recently released prisoner returns home to live happily ever after with his wife...............so easy to get them confused!!

It was now time to head further south into the Loire valley and Saumur, a picturesque town built on the banks of the river itself. The drive there took us almost exclusively alongside the Loire, so close at times it almost felt like the water was lapping against our wheels. The scenery was stunning and gave us some idea what a rural and agricultural country France is - whilst its population of 60,000,000 is almost identical to the UK’s, it covers an area almost three times the size giving it a more relaxed, laid back feel. Saumur turned out to be a lovely place, its skyline dominated by a grand chateau that remained in perfect shape despite the town being bombed by the British during the Second World War.

Next, from the Loire valley and out to the coast - always heading further south. La Rochelle is a popular tourist town by the sea and it’s no wonder it gets so many visitors. Dating back to the 10th century, it’s a charming place set around its “vieux port” (old harbour) and it’s fascinating to see how it has grown whilst not losing any of its ancient beauty. A German stronghold during the Second World War, La Rochelle was the last French city to be freed when the war ended and its harbour has been used in films such as Das Boot and Raiders of the Lost Ark. This is of obvious historic interest, but I will have fond memories of it for other reasons; it was here we watched United win 2 - 0 to retain their premier League title in the glorious surroundings of Wigan’s JJB Stadium. I did a rough calculation whilst I was out here and, if my maths is accurate, that means Ryan Giggs has now won exactly ten more Premiership medals than Steven Gerrard.........................

To celebrate this achievement (it was because we were starving to be honest) we enjoyed our favourite meal of this leg so far. No fancy restaurant was needed as we found a little stall on the harbour which was barbecuing fresh seafood and serving it with ice cold Muscadet. Our table was so close to the sea one step to the right would have ended in a soaking and it was superb to be taking in the views whilst devouring deliciously fresh sardines and prawns.

After a couple of nights in the wonderful wine city of Bordeaux we arrived in St Jean Du Luz, our last stop in France. Situated deep in Basque country, this place had a totally different feel to the rest of the country and is fiercely proud of its Basque heritage. Its proximity to the Pyrenees means it has an undeniable Spanish flavour to it and many of its bars serve tapas, paella and sangria. Like so many of the towns and villages we saw in France, it was an aesthetically stunning place with its ancient half timbered houses and tree lined squares overlooked by amazing churches.

By now, we had decided it was time to cross the border into Spain. We’d had a wonderful time in France and, after getting over how expensive it is, saw some incredible places and fell in love with the way of life. Everything seems more cultured and relaxed and it’s quite obvious why so many Brits have second homes here. It’s almost enough to make you want to take a few French lessons - then again.............................

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Photos

Hitting The Road
We're off on our third and final leg of the ACDC World Tour. This time we'll be using our own car to drive around Europe for the next three months or so.

Leaving Pompy
The Bretagne ferry was a great way to start our third leg.

The Streets of Dinan
Like most of the French towns and villages we saw, Dinan was absolutely beautiful.

Our Back Garden
The garden at the back of the house we rented was a real bonus and allowed us to have some lovely meals in the evening sun.

The River Rance
The views were fantastic from Dinan's three kilometers of city walls.

Lunch By The Loire
Having our own car allowed us to stop and have lunch wherever we fancied.

Food, Glorious Food
Food is taken very seriously by the French and no wonder. There seems to be an almost endless selection of produce to choose from, most of it made or grown locally and all of it delicious.

Mont St Michel
An amazing place that was built well over 1000 years ago.

Picnic By The Roadside
Driving through France in this way allowed us to see how vast and rural it is.

The World's Smallest Wine Glass
On the plus side, you do get a lot of them from one bottle.
The grilled prawns and sardines from the little stall on La Rochelle harbour were superb.

La Rochelle Harbour
Yet another gorgeous and historic French town.

We Do Like To Be Beside The Seaside
Much of the French coast we saw was really classy and beautifully preserved.

Comments

[Sean Loftus]

It's about time!!
Hi Both I have been logging in and out for days and I had almost given up! Great to see that you are well into your final leg and I look forward to further tails. I must admit France does look and sound fantastic, its just a shame its full of French!! ;-) I look forward to your insight in to spain. Safe driving and enjoy Rach, Sean and Ella x

[ashfaq ahmad]

so good so lovely
so good so lovely places unforgivable time. ashfaq ahmad 0923214110986