Friday 6th September 2013 - Talmont-sur-Gironde And Home

The last day of our wee break on Ile d'Oleron and the weather was overcast. Anne and Graham mentioned the rain which had fallen during the night of which Dorothy and myself were totally oblivious of. We had breakfast as usual at chez nous before packing up and cleaning our accommodation. After handing over our keys, we set off for Chateau d'Oleron to have a wee dauner round the marché before once more taking the bridge over to the mainland.

We intended to stop off at Talmont-sur-Gironde for a look around this lovely village on the Gironde estuary. It was well worth it.

Window Shopping

Fishing Huts On Stilts

L'Eglise de Sainte Radegonde



Pretty Bower In A Garden

Fortified Walls

We had one of the best meals of our break in the Auberge de la Promontaire. It was well worth the 14,50€. After the usual touristy things, we set off for home by way of Cognac and Aigre. It was there that unfortunately Graham damaged the motor home whilst taking a diversion through the town's narrow streets. It was not badly damaged but nevertheless an upsetting end to what had been such a good little holiday.

I was dropped off at the top end of Civray in the Lidl car park and, whilst the others went shopping, I walked down the road to chez moi.

I had thoroughly enjoyed myself on what was a great wee break away.

If you would like to see more photies and a slideshow click here

Thursday 5th September 2013 - A Day In La Cotiniére

Another early start and breakfast chez nous was a precursor to a notable rest day.

No cycling. No exercise.

Just relaxing.

Flowers On The Beach At La Continiére

Heaven.

The day was spent in town wandering about doing nothing.

Pretty House In La Cotiniére

Drinking. Sitting in the sun. Visiting the sites. Drinking. Taking photos. Walking the beach.

Something Fishy In La Cotiniére

Pavement Pattern In La Cotiniére

After a fish & chips lunch and drink it was back to chez nous for a siesta in the sun.

Evening came and with it spaghetti bolognaise washed down by wine.

Dorothy and I finished with a beer in the bar across from the camping site before retiring to our beds.

Wednesday 4th September 2013 - A Cycle To St Pierre D'Oleron

It was another early morning breakfast before the customary walk to the bike hire shop. Another hot day was in store but the planned cycle was to be much shorter.

Anne And Dorothy Cycling To St Pierre D'Oleron

A short ride took us to St Pierre D'Oleron where we spent some time doing the usual touristy things before visiting the marché.



The Lantern Of The Dead




Bell Tower Of L'Eglise St Pierre

A drink there was followed by a lovely meal in Le Zing, after which it was locating the piste cyclable to Dolus D'Oleron.



Vineyard On The Piste Cyclable

This proved to be easier than yesterday's efforts but involved me in a near collision with a motor scooter with pillion passenger. I was lucky to be not badly injured as the said motor scooter hit me and my bicycle before being driven off at great speed.

Dolus d'Oleron was a ghost town and we spent only enough time to have a wee rest before setting off for La Cotiniére. The only problem was the piste cyclable was in places difficult to locate. After stopping off for a drink at a campsite just outside Dolus d'Oleron we set off for the final leg back.

Graham unfortunately had a puncture which required him to walk the last 3 kilometres and I also had a puncture as I approached La Cotiniére.

However, the heat and the problems didn't take away from another great day.

The winding down from our exertions followed the same relaxing course as we sat having a drink at chez nous watching people coming and going. A couple of pizzas washed down with the vino was the perfect finish to another glorious day.

Tuesday 3rd September 2013 - A Day Cycling To St Denis D'Oleron And St Georges D'Oleron

Woke up bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. Breakfast again at chez nous. Then it was a walk to the cycle hire shop and arranging a bike for me for the day.

That sorted, it was then a cycle north to St Denis d'Oleron with a stop at Le Sable Vigniers for a wee refreshment before continuing to the port at St Denis.

It was still glorious weather and we sat down at a portside restaurant for lunch and some wine.

I took some time to take some photographs of the beach and beachside huts, then a visit to a painting exhibition, before we all continued on our way.



Beach Huts At St Denis D'Oleron



Our next port of call was St Georges d'Oleron  but unfortunately I was to have an series of attacks of the old diahorrea ........ or some might say 'skitters'. Suddenly, without warning, I was baring my bum by the side of the piste cyclable - twice!!!! Just before St Georges d'Oleron we came across a Coypu by the side of a salt water pan. It seemed oblivious to our presence and was focussing its attention on eating vegetation by the piste cyclable's edge.

Dorothy And Anne Having A Beachside Stroll

Recovered, it was a stop for drink in St Georges d'Oleron before cycling our way back to La Cotiniére. It was a hot and sticky ride not made easy by poorly marked signposts but eventually we reached our hame.

After a shower we enjoyed the rest of the evening with some wine before retiring to our beds.

Monday 2nd September 2013 - Off To La Cotiniére

After an early start to finish my packing, I set off down the town to lift some money from my bank account and grab a coffee and croissant at the PMU. Once I was all sorted, it was back to my place where Dorothy arrived to collect me at 10 o'clock and take me over to Champagne Mouton.

It was a beautiful day and the weather forecast indicated that it was to be more of the same for the rest of the week. I was looking forward to an enjoyable and relaxing time with my younger sister Dorothy, my older Sister Anne and her husband Graham.

We all travelled together in 'Freda', Anne and Graham's motorhome in which they were later to continue exploring France for another few weeks. We went by way of Saintes and were soon crossing the bridge taking us to the Ile d'Oleron our island destination and the lovely port of La Cotiniére.

The island was considerably quieter than it had been the previous week, with people now returned to work and children returned to school. Le Sous Bois campsite was to be our home for four nights. Anne and Graham in their new motorhome, and Dorothy and myself in a very comfortable two bedroom cabin.

Chez Nous

Chez Anne & Graham

After getting ourselves all organised in our respective abodes, we had some drinks chez Anne and Graham’s before having a walk into town and a look around. It was gorgeous weather and finishing off our afternoon with a further drink in a harbour-side café, we bought our evening  meal from a quayside fish merchant’s nearby.

Returning to Le Sous Bois, Anne got busy preparing our seafood repas. The julienne, or ling as I have since discovered, was lovely - more so than the Scottish salmon.  Needless to say, that the evening ended with some lovely wine to wash it all down before retiring to our beds tired and exhausted after a long day.