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With some clouds in the sky and the sun trying to peek out we made a good start and headed to …… McDonalds, purely to use the Wifi and post yesterday’s blog of course, although a coffee seemed only civil whilst we were there. Leaving La Rochelle behind we set our sights for Saintes.
Woolly says – It was a nice drive, although I think we are getting a bit blasé about the countryside now. Gone are the cries of cows, sheep and other points of interest on our route, instead we settled back with a bit of Marrillion and let the kilometres race away. We found our destination easily, Jo and I knew what it was but Ian had refused to show us any pictures and seeing it for the first time I was glad. It was awesome, a beautiful Amphitheatre on the edge of Saintes. Built around 44AD there is recorded fact that Norman the Conqueror visited this place and it was a ruin then! Although much has gone from the original structure and beds of grass fill the vacant spaces, it was still a sight to behold. I could imagine myself as Emperor Woolly sitting
and watching the lions roaring out of the tunnel into the arena or the splashes of water when it had been filled with water to play out Naval Battles, it must have been wonderful. Saying a reluctant goodbye to the Amphitheatre and thanking the lady at the ticket desk for only taking 3 Euro each (approximately £2.50 GBP), we felt it was worth so much more, we jumped back into Oliver and headed towards the coast again.
We nearly missed the signs for Fort Louvois, like a lot of French attractions they seem to be good at placing them where you can’t see them until you’re about to drive past! Following the bumpy road down to the causeway we found quite a few Motorhomes had arrived before us.
Woolly says – The fort looked really good, but I kept glancing at the very long bridge that I knew was to come shortly – not keen to be frank. Walking along the path through the mussel beds, it was a bit breezy but with the sun out not that cold. We paid our 6 Euro entrance fee (approximately £4.90 GBP) and went in through what
had been the drawbridge. Completed in 1694 it was built as part of the defence system to protect the Charente Estuary and help to support the defences at Rochefort’s Naval dockyard. By the end of the Second World War it was a ruin and careful reconstruction took place in the 1970’s to make it what it is today. The first thing I spotted was the large cannons sitting on the lower battery, very impressive and after a photo opportunity we investigated the old barracks which would have housed 36 soldiers of the garrison. Across the open yard was the Keep which would have provided the housing for the officers. At 24 metres high we climbed up the spiral staircase and found ourselves at the higher battery with impressive views across the estuary and towards our next stop. As I peeked over the top I realised that the causeway had disappeared under the sea!!!!!! We were stranded!!!!!
To be fair to Woolly I think we were all quite shocked to find that we were on a fort in the middle of the sea with a French couple and the lady in the office, and no means of returning
to Oliver. We made our way down the staircase and on reaching the bottom where met by the lady from the office ….
Woolly says – I immediately started to look round for a bottle to send a message or wood to make a raft to get us back to land, nothing presented itself, we could be here for years!!!!!
The lady told us that a boat would come and pick us up at 2.30pm so with Woolly scouting for methods to float back across Ian and I sat back and enjoyed the sunshine.
Woolly says – Not a thing to use, not even in the gift shop although I did find a nice pirate flag which I thought I could wave in case of attack. Years went past until we saw a flat bottom boat chugging towards us, we were to be rescued at last!
The boat back was quick and an added bonus to the day, pulling up into the small harbour we were able to watch the fisherman bringing in the bags of mussels before we set off across the bridge.
Woolly
says – it was a very, very long bridge and very, very windy, we saw a few Motorhomes leaning sideways as we went over and even Oliver could feel the wind buffeting his sides. I was glad to be over and heading towards BoyardVille on the tip of the island. Set way out in the bay is Fort Boyard so we’re going to see if there is a trip over tomorrow, I will go prepared this time with an empty bottle, paper, pen, wood, rope……….
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