Camping Le Rayonnement, Rochefort (day 1)

At eight this morning it was raining. Oh dear. We packed up everything inside the tent and decamped to the nearby sanitaire which fortunately had a covered area over the dishwashing sinks. We ate peanut butter on bread and waited. Taking a risk we hung out very wet tent and groundsheet on our washing line and hoped the rain would abate long enough for it to dry. At eleven-thirty we packed up and left to cycle into La Rochelle.

First the tourist office, then lunch which we sat and ate whilst chatting to a couple, two of three hundred from a visiting cruise ship. Food stocked we set off down the coast. Yes, we'd abandoned taking the train to Bordeaux, the weather forecast for the area was terrible. So we have decided to cycle there hoping that it will be more favourable by the time we arrive. Our cycle along the coast took us through pretty small towns we had driven through in Marge last spring. It was hot and humid and as we approached Rochefort the skies darkened. Then bang crash wallop, quick get under a tree. Us and three French cyclists. The weather worsened, then one of the other cyclists beckoned us forward to a narrow tunnel running under the adjacent dual carriageway. Result!

Talk about being in the right place at the right time. As the storm raged, and we mean raged throwing down curtains of rain and then hail, which bounced of the path in anger. Two of the French were a young couple who'd lived in London for five years recently returning to Paris. As always the conversation turned to Brexit. We know! The storm over we pressed on arriving at the campsite around seven. The security man checked us in using Google translate to communicate with us. There is a notice up here for an orange weather warning. Let's rent an eco pod? No, both taken. We have pitched our tent near to the inside covered area just in case we need to evacuate our little tent in the night. The mosquitoes sense the storm and ate dive bombing us from all angles. It is very warm. The German shepherd cyclists sit around in nice clean evening wear. Us in smelly wear. We must arrive somewhere early tomorrow to wash my shorts and t-shirts. It is now ten-fifteen. The site is eerily quiet. We will keep our fingers crossed the rain is not too heavy. We're so jealous of the Germans. Eco pod and evening wear. Living the dream.