Last days with Phil

On Thursday and Friday we continued our wanderings. On Thursday we walked to the end of la Pointe de l'Aiguillon where the tide comes in from two directions. The sea was pretty calm but it still quickly reclaims the sand and is fascinating to watch. Phil soon had to escape his island (Photo One)

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We drove back across the old marshes to an ancient island called La Dive which now rises very impressively from the fields. The sunset photograph was taken from there looking back over the area around l'Aiguillon. In the evening we treated Phil (and ourselves) to a pizza at Pizza Rico, open again for the holidays.

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Yesterday (Friday) we took Phil to the Isle de Ré. It was foggy but there were still quite a few people around and we enjoyed a lovely crêpe at Monique's cousin's restaurant. We then motored along the island to le Phare des Baleines, which we can see across the bay from La Tranche. We'd never walked on the beach on the other side of the two lighthouses. Although it was low tide you could hear the thundering of breakers out at sea. I bet it was very dramatic at high tide.

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We had rather a stressful evening as the flight from La Rochelle was cancelled due to the foggy weather and 200 people (including Phil) were taken to Nantes airport only to be told they were going back to La Rochelle as there was no flight! We drove up to Nantes to pick up a very disgruntled Phil so that he could at least sleep in a bed.

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Thankfully a replacement flight was arranged for yesterday (Saturday) and Phil is now safe and sound in Bingley ready to celebrate the New Year with his mates! We really enjoyed his stay here but the last few hours did spoil it somewhat. Fingers crossed for Nad who fies out on New Year's Day until the end of the week...

Boxing Day

On Boxing Day (http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boxing_Day) we travelled up the coast to have a look at les Sables d'Olonne, the major seaside resort in the area. To be honest we were disappointed with the town, a mixture of beautiful architecture and modern concrete blocks, but the beach is beautiful and we all loved the graffiti under the promenade.

We drove back down the coast to the Puits d'Enfer, just north of where we stopped our walk from Port Bourgenay before Christmas. What an amazing place! It's located a short distance from the Les Sables, a range of chasms offering an impressive spectacle when they fill with ocean water at high tide. Luckily the sea was pretty wild and we loved it. Phil's getting an arty shot in the last photo!

Joyeux Noël

And here we are.....our first Christmas living in La Tranche. We can't claim originality for the first photo (Jean & Monique did a better version for their Cartes de Voeux last year) but hope you accept our sincere wishes for a VERY Merry Christmas - perhaps the MERRY should have been in capital letters!!

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Last night we did the 'Réveillon' at J&M's with Cécile, Arnaud, L&M. It was lovely to see the children so excited but it still felt odd that they opened their presents on Christmas Eve. The cousins made a wonderful meal and we wished each other 'Joyeux Noël' at midnight over the cheese course!

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We arose this morning to find Père Noël had been working very hard in the night and left lots of presents under our perfect Christmas tree (Photo 2 - there's the stocking on the right). When Phil eventually got up we set to on the pile of gifts and each of us was well and truly spoiled.

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Photo 3 is just to show you some of the cards we've received from 'back home'. A big thankyou to everyone who sent us cards, bringing us up-to-date with their family news. We miss you, Bingley, especially at Party Time!!

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Tine prepared and cooked a wonderful Christmas Dinner for the three of us this lunch-time, roast pork for a change. We couldn't get all the traditional ingredients but thanks to Nad's forward-thinking there was a parcel with Christmas Crackers under the tree. We're now feeling very full but will shortly be cycling to see Jean-Pierre & Catherine and family to wish them a Happy Christmas.

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Hoping all our family and friends have a wonderful Christmas, AND KEEP READING THE BLOG!!

Phil comes to visit (2)

On Thursday we took the car along to Port Bourgenay (again!) to do the walk along the low cliff tops. Phil had seen the photos on the blog and wanted to sample the real thing! The coast is so different here, very rugged with little sand but dramatic drops as the photos above show. We walked quite a lot further this time until we arrived at the outskirts of Les Sables d'Olonne - there are some rich people who live here judging by the fantastic houses.

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We stopped at Le Rocher on the way back to see the sunset (last photo). Sorry the photo is suffering from WHS (Wobbly Horizon Syndrome): that's the problem with these big skies, you've got to get the horizon right!

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On Friday we had a browse around La Roche-sur-Yon whilst Tine had a meeting (forget to say, she is now the President of the local Fitness Class) then onto the shopping centre for some lunch and a further browse.

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Phil and I had a good walk along our beach on Saturday whilst Tine went to give a French lesson. In the evening Jean & Monique came to eat and brought a couple of DVDs on which had been transferred some old home movies. Phil loved our 70s wedding (yes, we ARE that old!) especially seeing all his grandparents. We've got copies now so prepare to be thrilled!

Phil comes to visit (1)

Big excitement on Tuesday when we went to fetch Phil from La Rochelle airport in the early evening. Just less than an hour later we were 'home sweet home' catching up in front of the roaring fire. Phil reckons the house smells French - hope that's a compliment!

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On Wednesday we cycled to La Terrière and wandered along the beach there as these photos show. Although beautiful weather it was still pretty cold! Hope you like the photos.

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(1) Phil's showing off his driftwood and found-ball cricketing skills

(2) A legless starfish (for French readers, legless = very drunk!)

(3) This sign amused us: 'No Nudity from this Point' - no takers either side of the sign!

(4) We love the ever-changing effects of the tide on the sand

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Back home and on to Super U to show Phil what it's like out of season. We are very lucky to have a great supermarket just 5 minutes away but I do miss the sport of all the crowds in Summer! However we DID bump into Jean & Monique there who came back for aperitifs.

Cold but happy

Just got in from a drive to La Terrière (to keep the car happy - not used it in a few days!) where we had a short walk along the beach. It has been so cold recently with a low of minus six the other night and just touching zero in the daytime. I know we're lucky to have blue skies but you're very glad to be back in front of the log fire! The beach/seascape was taken this afternoon whilst the other two photos were taken a week ago when the seas were still quite rough.

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We went to La Rochelle on Saturday with the Four Cousins to watch 'Stomp'. What an excellent show, done with great humour. Afterwards we went for a lovely meal just along the road from the theatre. We all met again next day to go to Julie & Cedric's where I had yet another oyster (one only, mind!!) They have worked really hard on their house and they should be very proud.

Last week Tine put our forms in at the Town Hall asking permission to convert the garage into living space - they have to give their response within a month so keep your fingers crossed! We also had a builder and joiner round to look at the plans and both seem keen to work for us. Where are you when we need you, Mick?!

Aftermath

Last weekend's weather was amazing! We were totally mesmorised by the power of the sea. Sadly the photos we took then were a bit disappointing - it's hard keeping a camera still in those conditions! We weren't the only ones who ventured out to watch, everyone thinking it a good job that it wasn't the very high tide.

On Monday the blue skies made a welcome return and the seas were still quite rough as the first photo shows: a wall of water heading for the jetty. There were quite a few surfers there making the most of the extreme conditions - they're not really allowed to 'play' there as it is normally a boating area.

The second photo shows a lovely 'cloudscape' taken from near le Pavillon, and the 3rd photo shows some of the damage done on the main beach. The balcony you see belongs to l'Equinoxe bar (for those who know La Tranche). So much sand has gone from this area that you can now see where the road drains empty into the sea (Photo 4). It's just in front of where the life guards are in the summer but locals said they'd never seen this before. A few days earlier a box of German artillary was uncovered by the tide just along the beach!

Wild weather

Have seen on Yahoo that Old Blighty is being battered by big storms at the moment. Looks like we're getting our share of the same. The last couple of days have been extremely wet and miserable but overnight last night the wind went up a gear - at least we've got beautiful blue skies between the heavy showers! So far the house has resisted well to the elements and we are very pleased with the lack of draughts and leaks. Fingers crossed!

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Photo 1: Main beach taken from the jetty - note the sand 'cliff' made by the strong seas.

Photos 2&3: Me'n'er (for French readers: my wife and I - 'me and her') at La Terrière this morning at low tide: look at the huge breakers in the background - going to go back to see the high tide very soon!

Photo 4: Windy sand sculpture - that's seaweed in front to give you an idea of perspective

Photo 5: Leaving La Terrière beach with the sand gusting along the beach

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Right, time to get wrapped up nice and snug to face the elements. Eating with J&M Chez Nico tonight before he closes next weekend for a few months. Think there'll only be one bar left then. Thank goodness for Super U!!

Visits

Had a great week with our friends Caroline and Martin, eating and drinking wonderful things but energetically walking it off with several beach walks. The first photo shows Bouchots de Moules sticking out of the sea at low tide by La Pointe d'Arsay. We saw fishermen using a tractor-type machine lifting these sticks one by one to scrape off the moules. La Pointe d'Arsay is a sand spit just along the coast from here. Apparently much of the sand from round the bay to the north is deposited there. Here endeth today's lesson!

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I'm sure you'll be impressed by the second photo which was taken at St Martin-de-Ré just as the morning mist was lifting around midday. I'm positive I've never seen a white rainbow before! We wandered around the port before our guests treated us to a wonderful meal at a harbourside restaurant. Then we explored the town fortifications before driving C&S to the airport for their flight home. It's a good little end-of-holiday treat to go to the Ile de Ré as the airport is just on the mainland side of the bridge.

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Next day we drove down to Figeac for a couple of days to play Père Noël to Martine's family. The weather was very disappointing but we still managed to watch Loulou and his band play a gig at Assier, visit the beautiful village of Fons for a Christmas market where we saw St Nicolas (see photo), stock up at our favourite home-made pâté farm AND have some happy times with Francine, Loulou, Sylvie and les enfants. I even helped young Rems with his Maths homework and his iPod: what a man!!

Close to nature!

A few photos taken yesterday that I thought I'd share (cos I think they're great!)

(1) Are we flying over the Nile or is this a wonderful sand formation on La Terrière beach?

(2) A starfish escaping from the sand

(3) A starfish trail - La Terrière beach had hundreds of patterns like this

(4) The sea breaking over rocks near Port Bourgenay

(5) Tine with an ancient stone fish!

Visitors from Blighty!

Having a great few days with our friends Caroline and Martin who arrived on Saturday under a beautiful blue sky. We took them down into La Rochelle for a spot of lunch and a wander, then back to La Tranche (eventually - kept taking the wrong road!) just as the sun had set. We took them to the jetty to see the sea then back to show off our house and eat a lovely beef casserole already prepared by Tine.

On Sunday we went for a stroll along the beach (weather cloudy but mild) and our visitors enjoyed collecting shells and identifying sea-food. A few shops open on Sunday morning and we bought some oysters and wine before heading for Nico's bar for a couple of aperitifs (well, it was past midday!)

We lazed around in the early afternoon watching Amélie on our NEW television (yeah!) but left at 5 o'clock to cycle to Le Phare to see the high tide - big coefficients this weekend. Martin stayed at home snoozing on the sofa. Back later to finish the film then we returned to Nico's for our evening meal, sitting near the blazing fire on which the food was grilled.

Today we borrowed an extra bike and all four of us cycled to La Terrière at low tide. We had glorious blue sky and made the most of the near-empty beach. We chatted to an old couple who were 'fishing' for pignons, shellfish which are found just under the sand when the tide changes. Martin & Caroline each tried one and pronounced them good!

Home via Super U just before it closed for lunch, to stock up on bits of food and drink, then we ate outside on 25th November - it has to be said that we had our coffee inside though! The plan is to drive up to Port Bourgenay this afternoon but everyone seems very settled, sleeping, writing and reading (oh, and doing the blog!)

Cold nights and lovely walks

Just returned from a walk back along the beach after doing a couple of jobs in La Tranche. It's clear blue today, excellent weather for a walk, so long as you're wrapped up. There were three kite surfers showing their skills on the choppy sea and we were watching little sanderling birds racing along the water's edge, teasing the waves and taking off when they got a little too big to wade through - they're just like cartoon characters!

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As you can see from the first photo it has been VERY cold recently, down as low as minus 4 degrees Centigrade one night. Thankfully the log fire has kept us nice and warm (plus the electric radiators, it has to be said). We went to see cousins Julie & Cédric on Saturday to see how they are getting on with their transformations. They told us about a great walk near to them - La Vallée du Piquet - so we took their advice and the other photos were taken there. That's an old mill in Photo 3 and frozen water of the River Yon in the last one!

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The cold spell was followed by a few days of torrential rain. Sunday, as we were tired of being indoors, we decided to brave the extreme elements and ventured out to see the sea. It was great fun despite the fact that we returned soaked to the skin! What a brilliant excuse to curl up by the fire with a hot drink (for sober Martine) or a beer (guess who...)! Seeing the sea every day is almost a must which we really enjoy - regardless of the weather - so we feel very privileged not even to need a car to get there...

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Anyway, it's time to light this evening's fire, so I'd better start rubbing sticks together!!

New car and frosts

Had a big day on Tuesday when we went to fetch our brand new car from nearby Fontenay-le-Comte: a Renault Modus (somewhere between a Clio and a Scenic). We are both very happy with it and especially pleased to have a number plate with 85 (Vendée) at the end!

Yesterday we took it out on its first proper run up the coast to a place called Port Bourgenay where we parked up and enjoyed a lovely walk in the pine woods along the low cliffs. We'd like to return when the tide is up (and even better if the sea's wild!) as I should think the views will be even more dramatic.

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The days have been beautiful but we have had some very cold nights. Despite cousin Jean's promises we've had quite a heavy frost these last two mornings, and another one is forecast tonight. Lucky we had the protective netting which we put over our more vulnerable plantations.

Lots of photos today, including some of the other day's tidying up at the front of the house (bulbs yet to show!!)