La Flotte (Day 5)

 

If there's one thing that annoys John, it's someone running their engine on their motorhome or campervan. So, this morning when we had to listen to the hum of next doors engine, he was not best pleased. Angela on the other hand would rather listen to an engine running than annoying youths buzzing back and forth on their scooters which is what we had to put up with last Saturday morning. Right couple of moaners, aren't we? 

All that aside, it was another beautiful morning. Today we were going to cycle along the north coast to Loix. But first we headed in to the centre of La Flotte to the market. The town was busy, a cacophony of noise that goes with a busy market greeted us.

All the shops were open and from somewhere hundreds of people had descended on the town.

At the market we bought a baguette and cheese. The fromager, a real character was serving a group of Germans, offering them and us a sample of Comte cheese. It was very nice. But we had our eye on some brie, and Angela in her best cheese buying French secured a piece. The fromager seeing an opportunity managed to upsell to John. We ended up buying a piece of sheep's cheese as well. On the counter top was a large piece of English cheddar, the fromager cut small pieces from it and offered it to his French customers telling them the cheese and us were both from Grande Bretange. The French turned their nose up at the cheddar, and passed it to us. It was very good, they didn't know what they were missing. 

Cheese purchased for lunch we set off in the direction of Loix.

The ride was pleasant, the cycle path busy, but Loix itself was a bit of a disappointment.

We lunched by the harbour described as 'beautiful' in the guide book. It was neither beautiful or much of a harbour. Just a few kayaks lay on the harbourside.

So we saddled up and stopped at a pretty place we'd passed on the way just pass the salt pans, where we stopped to look at a stall selling salt and samphire. In no need to purchase as we'd bought salt on Ile de Noirmoutier we continued. Most of the other cyclists rode electric bikes. What's wrong with pedal power? One lady with a posterior resembling two pannier bags perhaps should have given up the electric for a little more leg action. Just saying. Don't want to sound too rude and judgemental like Marge.

We stopped for around an hour sitting under the pine trees, above us a processional caterpillar nest. Oh dear. The sun warmed the tree and we could smell the pine. 

Back at La Flotte, after nearly twenty miles of cycling a party was in full swing outside the cocktail bar on the quayside. Judging by the amount of confetti blowing around our feet we deduced it must be a wedding reception.

All the guests were dressed in an American style from back in the day. A band played rock and roll music, the lyrics sung in English. Funny that. We joined other onlookers for a closer look. Nearby a man dressed in a zebra print suit, gold shoes and a dark blue French Policeman's kepi recognised us. Hello, Hello, he shouted enthusiastically. It was the fromager from the market. We wanted to say to him, your brie was lovely, but your sheep's cheese...well not to our liking. 

Tonight will be our last on Ile de Re this holiday. We will be sad to leave having spent so much time here. But there are many more places to visit, one being the Ile d'Oleron a larger island about sixty five miles down the coast. What do you think Marge shall we drive straight there, or stop a while some where else on the way. Whatever. Just don't bring any of that sheeps cheese with you please!