Saint Jean sur Mayenne, France

It was sad to leave the Loire this morning. Our visit had been briefer than we'd hoped, but the forecast was for yet more rain and we knew the weather would be better if we ventured a little further north. Here we go again Marge. A quick stop at a supermarket for a few supplies to keep us going for a day or so, was a real attack on Angela's brain. To us, it's late summer/ early autumn, not Christmas. As you enter the supermarket an array of orange and black greets you. Yes we know it's almost Halloween. Then, a curtain of red tinsel, behind which was probably a Santa and an elf. Christmas toys, sweets, cards and decorations. No, no, no! It's too early!  Saying that, we have a confession. We did buy a Christmas present for someone two weeks ago, Our journey onward was slow. Lots of traffic, and as always lots of roundabouts every couple of miles. But once again we thought it best to press on in search of more settled weather. So we headed to an Aire at Saint Jean sur Mayenne.

We've stayed on this Aire twice before. It is the towns former municipal campsite, so it has all the facilities of a campsite but at a lesser cost. Just fourteen euros and ten cents per night. As we approached Mayenne, we stopped to view a new state of the art viaduct that had recently been constructed across the river Mayenne.

Over the top ran the road bridge, and on the underside you could cross the river by climbing the steps over an archway. A warning sign stipulated three conditions as to why it may not be wise for you to climb the hundreds of steps. One of them was, 'may not be suitable for persons who suffer from vertigo'. Which is why Angela was O.K. walking up, but needed to hold Johns hand to descend. Honestly, she's becoming a right old nanny. Clocks go back an hour tonight Marge, so hopefully we'll all catch up on some rest. Tomorrow is chateau time! Yes, we're a few miles from Dick and Angel's place. Come on. A photograph of Marge outside the front of the chateau, it has to be done. Sadly Dick and Angel are on tour in England at the moment, so they won't get to see her. We think if Dick was at home, he'd be very impressed by our Marge. We are. Not far to go now Marge. You're on the home run. Keep it going old gal.

And tonight for our evening meal Mexican chicken with couscous cooked on the electric griddle!

Chouze sur Loire, France

This morning's thunderstorm didn't materialise as forecast. That's three times now we've dodged one. However, just after seven there was a brief spell of rain, but it soon passed. Today we reluctantly left the Ile de Re. If the forecast had been for a fine, dry day, we would have booked onto the campsite for another night. But alas it was not, so we decided to put some miles under our belt and begin the drive north. By mid afternoon the rain fell relentlessly. We'd planned to stop half way to Mayenne, but when we arrived at the Aire, we decided that another fifteen hours of being confined in Marge was pointless, so John decided to drive on. We had been advised by a mechanic in Toulouse almost three weeks ago, that Marge should just take it easy. Two hours of driving and a top speed of fifty miles per hour. She'd already exceeded two hours, and now we were expecting the same again. had we made the right call? The rain persisted and Marge became a 'little leaky', wetting us both. Angela had hoped we'd be able to spend two days alongside the river Loire and that we could go out cycling. No chance.

As we arrived at Samur we could see the fast flowing river was in flood. So there was a chance the cycle path would be flooded in places. We couldn't believe our eyes. This couldn't be the same river Loire we'd witnessed last May, when the water level was so low, you could walk across the shingle banks from one side to the other in places. At Chouze sur Loire, a few miles out of Samur, tired and relieved us and Marge had made it, we stepped out, glad to stretch our legs and took a walk through the town and alongside the river.

The traditional wooden Loire boats looking a little dismal in the rising waters.

Then a visit to the church before returning to Marge. Tired, we opted for cheese and crackers rather than cook. As the nearby church struck eight, once at five minutes to, again on the hour, which is how they do these things in France, we knew tonight would be 'hells bells', which Angela, actually doesn't mind. 

La Couarde sur Mer, Ile de Re, France

Last night we were warm and toasty in Marge. And upon waking this morning, we were surprised at just how mild the early morning air felt. Today's forecast was for wall to wall sunshine and a top temperature of 20 c. We were well happy with that. Up early enough to see the rising sun smear an orange finger across the sky we were well aware that soon the days would be slightly different. This weekend the clocks go back an hour, as you all know. Misery. Must book some winter sun somewhere. Keen to make the most of the day we were away before ten to drive the fifteen minute journey across the island to La Couarde sur Mer, where the municipal campsite was still open. Check-in during the summer months is from midday, but this time of the year you can basically rock up when you like. As soon as we pulled into the campsite we knew we were going to like it here.

The beach just a minutes walk through the sand dunes, this was our kind of site. The lady at the reception couldn't have been more helpful. We explained we needed the sun for our solar panels, and that we had no electrical hook-up, and she went above and beyond to find us a suitable pitch. Cycling out around the campsite hand picking one that would be ideal for Marge. Just a slightly different attitude to that of the women at the St. Martin de Re campsite. We were well happy. Today was going to be a chores day. The weather is due to change tomorrow for a couple of days. Rain is coming. So as this would probably be the last chance to wash some clothes and actually be able to dry them outside, we chose all the garments that couldn't wait until we returned home and hand-washed away. Shorts on, washing out, amazingly all dry by six o' clock thanks to natures tumble dryer of sun and a breeze. We were on a roll. We were clean, our clothes were clean, and we even gave Marge a little sort out inside as well.

Then an afternoon walk along a beach of soft white sand, stretching as far as the eye could see. Kite surfers took advantage of the weather and took to the water. Tomorrow we will leave the island. This will probably be our last night on the Atlantic coast, and our last sunset too.

A meal out at the pizza restaurant in the small town, before settling down for the night.

There is a weather warning in place for six o' clock in the morning for a thunderstorm. Let's hope, as all the other storms we've had forecast it doesn't materialise.

La Flotte, Ile de Re, France (Day 4)

Tis the season of mist, cool, miserable and damp. By ten the sun had fired up and shifted it away. It doesn't begin to become light here in the morning until around eight-thirty, so on mornings like this the daylight hours seem even less. Goodness knows how we'll cope when we return to England. It doesn't get dark here at the moment until seven-thirty. Just before eleven we arrived at the campsite set inside the ramparts at St. Martin de Re. We were instructed to choose four pitches we fancied, but not in the yellow area, and then return to the office and they'd confirm which we could have. Weve never come across a system like this before. Normally you're allocated a pitch, and then most people ask to change, which is normally fine. We found one that suited us, all the others just too shady, or too muddy. We understand in the summer everyone wants to be able to shade themselves from the intense heat of the sun, but Marge needs to be exposed to the golden rays as much as possible when we're not driving far each day. No, we couldn't have that pitch, it was booked. Really! John was enraged, convinced the lady at reception was being biased against us being English. So we left. No washing of clothes or ourselves was going to be happening today. Oh well, we'd just have to double up on the pat downs.

So we returned to the Aire at La Flotte where the space we'd vacated had quickly been snaffled by the lady two slots away. We didn't mind, it wasn't in the sun enough to give Marge's lithium leisure battery a much needed top up. So we settled her opposite to soak up the full midday sun. A couple with their grandchildren on board parked up next to us. Angela heard the lady who was now in our space from last night tell them we were les anglais. Angela was straight in their. Yes we were indeed. Did we mind if les francais parked next to us they asked? No. Why would it be. One of the children wanted to say 'hello', we really were quite the celebrities. Makes a change. It's normally Marge. Everywhere we visit we have found the French very friendly, more and more of them now want to speak English, which is great, because then Angela can also practice her French on them. Poor souls. After lunch we saddled up, and for the third time cycled to St. Martin de Re.

This time to walk around the older part of town and sit by the harbour drinking coffee and hot chocolate accompanied by snacks of chocolate muffin and vegetable pizza. We were cycling, calories were needed. This evening the Aire is once again busy. There is just one space available for a very small van to the right of Marge. As most of the vans on the island are huge, we very much doubt an one will arrive, which suits us. Our parking space now backs onto the road, shielded by some small trees and shrubs. Whilst Angela changed quickly out of her cycling shorts a car pulled up. Why does this always happen? She'd been caught with her pants down. Which she hastily rectified. Today we learned from another van owner that one of the rules of staying on an Aire du Camping-Car was, you couldn't put your vehicle up on levelling ramps. That was new to us. We know you are not allowed to adopt 'camping' behaviour', like setting out a table and chairs, which we've seen the French do, or putting out your awning, which they also do, and of course we never would, well not all the time. Not sure though if 'mooning' is allowed either Angela!