Autumn Travels 2009

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In Biarritz -shirtless! No, casino strictly viewed from outside. We’re on an "aire" by one of the beaches watching other ‘vans,mainly French, come and go in the rain(more like a fine sea mist). The most surprising sight of the morning was a man in a kilt and slippers arriving at the bread van. Turns out he’s the Brit in an enormous motorhome and trailer with a classic racing car on board. Yes, a "bread van":one of the joys of campervanning life in France with the French;they do like to sell you a fresh baguette in the morning so here they come to you. Here, the aire, is a special parking area for motor homes which are found all over the country. Most are free with small charge for water or electric hook-up. We have returned to France after a couple of weeks in NW Spain where campsites are of poor standard and very expensive with one notable exception in the Picos de Europa at Potes. However we were blessed with wonderful weather, hot and sunny. We spent one week sunbathing and swimming in the sea on the far west coast at a place called Paxarinas, near Sanxenxo(San”sh”en”sh”o-it’s Gallego being in Galicia) after a “poco” of walking in the Picos.
Fortunately the weather has been good all the way since leaving the UK in September until this last week.
Our first stop was at a place called Coutainville south of Cherbourg. This was a nostalgia trip for me(H). I stayed here for two summers in the 60s with my French pen-friend, Béatrice, and her family. Of course it’s changed but I was delighted to find the “Sucettes Chaudes” shop where we used to hang around the open window while the sweet-makers rolled and stretched hot toffee to make the lollipops. The braver ones made attempts to snatch bits only to be whacked on the hand by a toffee-stretching tool! Unfortunately the shop was closed when we got there and the family house has gone too but it didn’t spoil the enjoyment of a pleasant seaside town. The sea goes out a long long way revealing rocks where an abundance of sea food is found and I remember being initiated into finding one’s own dinner(cooked by Grandmère) among the seaweed and rockpools.
Our next stop was the Ile de Ré:a small flat island connected to La Rochelle by a soaring curved bridge. Being flat, everyone cycles everywhere on well placed cycle paths so we did too. It’s a beautiful island with small whitewashed houses, their shutters and doors painted in various shades of green and blue and set off by brightly coloured flowers. Oysters and salt are the main industries so we had mussells(oysters not being a favourite of mine) and even better caramel icecream and chocolates both laced with salt-delicious.
From here we travelled on down the west coast thinking we could get to N Spain while the weather stayed good. We got seduced by an aire by the side Lake de Cazaux et de Sanguinet at Biscarosse. Placed under pines on a sandy beach next to the enormous shallow lake, like being at the seaside without waves and marvellous to swim in once one had waded out about 500m. The west coast of the lake is part of huge pine covered dunes which form a barrier between the lake and the Atlantic. We did cycle as far as the top of the dune but decided we would be too exhausted for lunch if we went any further.
So back in France and making our way now towards Barcelona via the north side of the Pyrenees and, hooray, the sun has just come out. A tout a l’heure!

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Photos

Coutainville Beach
Trotting horses being exercised. These races are popular here.

Coutainville
The Sucettes Chaudes shop!

St Martin de Re
Concert "en plein aire"
by Joseph Verdi!

Ile de Re bridge
Taken from Ile d'Oleron

Biscarosse
About to take a swim

Biscarosse
Still wading out!

Potes
In the Picos de Europa,overlooking the campsite.

A bijou residence!
One of the hermitages we climbed up to from Potes

Riano
View from the campsite over the reservoir.

Paxarinas campsite,W Spain
Looks better from a distance in the evening sun but the beaches on both sides were marvellous.

A Galician Granary
This one at the entrance to the campsite in Paxarinas built entirely of granite with a sundial on one end.

Santiago de Compostela
The entrance to the Pilgrim's Bureau where completion cards are stamped.

Santiago de Compostela
Cathedral

Biarritz
The Casino and just in the picture are some of the many surfers who line this coast.

A fashion statement.
Where else but Biarritz.

Comments

[Jude and Kiri]

Great to hear from you and see some piccies of your travels.
good to hear from you and see some of your photos of what you have been up to. We have just returned yesterday from doing a cruise from Istanbul to Israel to Egypt and on to Greece. It was great. Then went to a wedding in Crete. Jet lagged now but happy Cheers Jude and Kiri

[Dinah]

Crocs!
Why on EARTH would someone line Crocs with polythene bags! The French photos brought back lots of memories. Let me know when you're fully installed in your over-Winter spot and I'll see if its poss to visit from my friends place in Figueres, bit North of Barcelona. Stay chilled, Dinah x

[Sally Arnhold]

Hello!
Read your blog sometime ago now but only just got around to commenting!! Loved your photos! Somewhere! we've still got photos of us on bikes on The Ile de Re when Camilla and Jack were very small. Oysters are not a favourite of mine (I got sick on them on a French exchange and could only tolerate the Aussie slightly firmer ones after that!) but needless to say George loves them. Camilla got back from NZ on Saturday,safe, happy and well! and that's one reason I won't be sending Xmas cards this year cos I've got 18months catching up to do!! A VERY MERRY CHRITMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR! wherever you are! Love to you both, Sally George Camilla and Jackxxxx PS I've slightly lost the plot here. What is your current Email address?