The new season approaches

Suddenly everywhere seems to be getting busier: a lick of paint here, shops re-opening there, visitors trickling in. We even went to see a band the other night at the Café de la Plage - summer's on its way, phew!

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We have it on good authority that the jetty infrastructure is sound and only the railings and wooden walkway will need to be replaced. Elsewhere the council workers have been very busy on the beaches creating man-made dunes where last month's storm destroyed the original ones and strengthening some sea defences. Fencing is still down on the footpaths submerged in February but the level of water in the Plan d'Eau is now lower than before and the breach sealed with huge rocks.

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Nadine and Jim & Les arrive next week - we can't wait!

Anna & George's Wedding

What a fantastic weekend back in the UK to celebrate Anna & George's wedding and also a rare occurrence these days: the Cleggy 5 all together.

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The rain couldn't dampen a very magical day in beautiful surroundings. Anna & George were so relaxed (well, once George got his speech out of the way!) and our old friends Jim & Les were very proud parents of the bride.

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Photo 1: the happy couple in the magnificent chapel after a moving but fun service.

Photo 2: a very glamorous Les

Photo 3: Jim with his brother John all the way from Australia - it was great to see him again

Photo 4: Clare & Anna looking radiant

Photo 5: Clare's boyfriend Raye chatting to Beryl, Les's Mum

Photo 6: Jim with Jane, George's Mum

Photo 7: Nadine & Simon tucking into the champagne

Photo 8: Matthieu, Simon, Nadine & Philippe with a few empty glasses!

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These and more photos can be seen on http://picasaweb.google.com/PapamanPicasa/AnnaGeorgeSWedding

Catching up

We finally spent a few days in Figeac this month as it has been impossible for us to fit it in whilst Tine was working. We decided to go across country, keeping motorways to a minimum and really enjoyed the journey (merci Guy, we picnicked in your home town!) - it took 30 minutes longer but just 5 € in tolls.

The family were all well and Figeac as beautiful as ever despite the cold. As usual we ate too much but I wasn't complaining about the wine!! Photos 3, 4 & 5 were taken at Francine's lovely house which overlooks the town. Rémi was more than happy to show off his monocycle skills whilst we watched on from the terrace.

Caro and Francine look good at Loulou & Sylvie's house, don't they? (And the sugared soleil bread surrounded by home-made crème au chocolat doesn't look bad either!)

We even had a touch of snow whilst we were there and a very heavy frost on the morning of our departure as you can see from the tree opposite Francine's.

Update

We've managed a couple of afternoons this week relaxing on loungers with our books (then doing a bit of garden tidying) as the weather has belatedly decided to become more spring-like! Here's evidence of our first lunch outside this year on 2nd March.

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Tidying up is also taking place in La Tranche as the camp sites, shops, cafés and restaurants prepare for the fast approaching season. Storm damage is also being repaired. Photos 2 and 3 show the breach in the dune that flooded the sailing lake the other weekend (taken on 3rd March), and photo 6 (15th March) shows how the breach has now been blocked as very high tides are expected again at the end of the month.

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The surfers'/sailors' car park by the jetty is still in a state of disrepair (photo 4) as is the jetty, and we have a very interesting sand bank forming on the Plage des Génerelles (photo 5).

A few days with AAA (2)

We called in at Bourgenay on our way back from Les Sables, Tine and Anita enjoying an unexpected free shower as we walked along the breakwater. Next is a great photo of Arun with Astier, both very playful!

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Now guess what we're up to in Photo 3. You need to look at Photo 4 and realise that Tine had just said the tower at Talmont looked like all the moving stones in Diagon Alley. (Harry Potter fans will understand!)

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We couldn't let Anil go without him doing a couple of jobs (no arms twisted, honestly). We now have a gutter and water butt at the back of the shed - hope Hughie approves when he arrives in a few weeks.

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The last photo was taken less than 36 hours before the waters stopped all access to La Pointe d'Aiguillon. Look how calm the sea was...

Disaster strikes

We never thought that one day the beautiful coast by our new home would be ravaged in the way it was just three days ago. Winds of 160 kph (100 mph), a very high tide and extremely low pressure combined to destroy so much. Sadly there were deaths in neighbouring towns where the huge waves breached the sea walls, and our thoughts go out to those left behind.
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Here in La Tranche, although there has been much damage and parts of the coast have completely changed, workers are already tidying the beaches. No doubt experts have begun to plan how to repair our lovely new jetty and the breach between the sea and the sailing lake, which now fills up twice daily with the continuing high tides since the waves broke through. Houses are perched on the edge of fragile dunes awaiting the next high tides and rough seas, whilst nearer to us the dunes have been completely wiped out.

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In L'Aiguillon and La Faute they have been receiving donations of clothes, bedding and even offers of rooms for the many homeless people, their dwellings still with sea water a metre deep.

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These three links give you an idea of what we woke up to last Sunday morning, after such a stormy night. We were lucky, many weren't.

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/PapamanPicasa/AfterTheStormAtLaTranche280210

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/PapamanPicasa/AfterTheStormAtLaTranche280210Part2

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/PapamanPicasa/AfterTheStormAtLaTranche280210Part3