La Flotte, Ile de Re, France

It was a little sad to leave the Rochefort campsite this morning. We have stayed here many times, and in our view it is one of the best, if not the best value campsite we've ever stayed on. As we fired Marge up we hoped she would not let us down, having successfully got us this far. As one of our followers said, she's been a little 'naughty'. Angela would use a slightly stronger word to describe her behaviour. As we bowled along tarmacked roads like strips of liquorice, passing villages churches that stood steadfast, the sun slowing emerged filtering through the diminishing canopy of the oak and chestnut trees overhead. The forecast for the next week is good. We'd already decided we wouldn't revisit the Ile de Re on this trip if the weather wasn't going to be on side, so all in all a good result. The Aire at La Flotte is much quieter now, although it is half term in France and we're sure some more vans will soon join us.

The town is also quieter, many of the restaurants now closed for the season. The rows of whitewashed fisherman's cottages all shuttered for the winter, some undergoing maintenance work in order to be readied for next spring.

Tomorrow we hope to cycle out along some of the islands many cycle paths. The daylight hours are shorter now, and to avoid having to cook outside by torchlight, we ate earlier this evening, a North African dish with Couscous.

But the temperature is still up there. 20c today, and not too cool at night. Might be the chance to put on the shorts again yet!

Signs in the market square.

A Puffball, not much of an edible.