Hot ride to Coulon in the Venise Verte / Poitevan Maraus region

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Having to think carefully how we spend our time for a day or two. The temperature is soaring, record breaking heat wave for June which is also affecting sourthern England but not much at home. Think Staffordshire might be due a couple of hot days then back to normal grey skies.

Decided we really couldn't plan to go anywhere which involves walking any distance at all in the sun so chose a drive to Coulon in Venise Verte, the Poitevin Marais, an area just inland from the Vendee coast with lots of wetlands and canals. We have stayed at Coulon twice before and enjoyed it so an obvious spot to head for.

Smart Arse and the Tomtom did not agree. I actually suggested at one point that the Tomtom might be upside down as it was sending us in any direction except the one we needed to go in. This was only a few miles after we set out and all had appeared ok until Bob decided we needed fuel and my phone maps said the nearest garage was 14km away and not in the direction we were going as there were none at all that way. Tomtom disagreed and took us along narrow farm tracks where we encountered a couple of agricultural special convoys and we ended up right back where we had started just before Bob mentioned the need for fuel....In fact there was a garage there so we filled up and started again.

10 minutes later..... we were back at the same spot, memorable as they are building a service area in what is otherewise a flat agricultural area mainly filled with ripening golden crops. Hit a few tooth clenching pot holes and eventually found ourselves on the road to Coulon. By this time we were pretty hot !

The countryside is pleasant but not especially memorable except for bright blue sky and a massive ball of burning sun above us and no shade on the road at all and the Tomtom kindly diverted us round what appeared to be especailly pretty villages but as was obvious, Tomtom was playing silly wotsits. I blame the heat.

Bob had to close Smart Arse roof as I was getting burnt with the sun right overhead. The car does have aircon but though Bob tried to get it sorted before we came away it is only partly effective. The last few miles before the canals at Coulon were much pleasanter and there were some welcome trees to shade the road. We followed the canal along to Coulon, a very pretty route with shuttered houses along the waters edge all with boats moored outside.

Found a parking spot and walked through to the waterfront where we found a nice little creperie. As we have had galette so far this trip but no crepe yet we went straight for the sweet stuff. There was a pear in mine (Poire Belle Helene so plenty of chocolate sauce) and a peach in Bob's (Peach Melba) so we did have one of our 5 a day and they were extraordinarily yummy.

So a stroll along the canal watching a few parties setting off for a punt along the water with a lot of merriment. Bob and I hired one last visit just the two of us and all we remember of that is that we did get a bit lost in the narrow waterways but must have found our way out at some point I suppose.

Impossible to get back into the car without covering the leather seat and before Bob had opened the roof and windows as it was hot enough inside to roast a chicken... alive ?. Even so once we set off Bob had to shut the roof again against the burning sun. His right arm is quite tanned now compared to his left from where he rested it on top of the door ?.

We took the more direct route back, didn't want to risk Tomtom toying with us again.

Back at the campsite it was straight to the pool. Bob unfortunately met the campsite job's worth who decided his swimming shorts were actual shorts and therefore not permitted. She had obviously not been going past the pool when he was in there the previous 3 days nor when all the other men wearing similar were in there. Never mind, Bob will wear his skimpy trunks tomorrow and at least I managed to chill down properly with quite a lot of time in the lovely cool pool.

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