Camping Le Relais des Garennes, Monbert, France (day 2)

After two late nights on the trot we were glad to be spending another night at Angela's favorite French campsite, Camping Relais des Garennes, at Monbert, near Nantes. It's her little piece of paradise. Although the temperature is at least ten centigrade cooler than of late it still feels warm, so we walked out to the small town this morning, purely to get some steps in.

Since our last visit here three years ago there have been some changes, mostly the building of new homes. Our only criticism of the small town is we wish it had a small supermarket, but with an Aldi now an eight minute drive away we can see why it doesn't. We are now on our home run. Marge has been tidied in preparation for all the goodies we want to buy to take home, and Angela has given her hair yet another trim, a little more severe this time. She's been trimming it since we left home, and thinks she's become quite good at it, as from the front it looks alright, from the back, well she'll save that shock for when she returns home. So this evening, still warm but with a fresh breeze we enjoyed our last evening at this wonderful campsite which we are so glad we discovered all those years ago whilst cycling in the area.

When we return, which hopefully won't be in another three years, we will feel like we've returned to our French home. Tomorrow Marge, a short drive to the river Loire. Well we couldn't not spend a night alongside it before we left France. The area holds special  memories for us , memories that inspire us to follow the path ahead and discover more exciting things that we can share with you along the way.

Camping Le Relais des Garennes, Monbert, France

As the fireworks took over the skies late last night, sadly the French weren't celebrating a place in the world cup final. Despite this, they were in good spirits enjoying the 'much too loud' music, good food and drink and 'Vive la France'.

Leaving the French to their celebrations we returned to Marge where a singer had been entertaining the campers with Spanish songs. We loved listening to him, clapping and whooping, as the English tend to do when abroad. Well, he needed the support, the French could barely put their hands together. It probably wasn't the best night for this style of music.

Just before midnight we watched the firework displays along the coast and in the nearby town along with others, young and old. After the last burst of cascading light faded into the darkness we all slowly drifted away. One elderly lady appeared to be stuck in her seat. Upon her release her relatives took to inspecting her behind. Not very dignified. Suddenly we hoped we hadn't seen our future!

We have now travelled via Sablone were we cycled through for John's 60th birthday ride to Spain, stopping for an ice lolly at the beach cafe we stopped at 10 years ago!

Then onto Monbert, Angela's little piece of paradise, where we are now settled under the shade of the oak trees. 

Rue de l'Espérance, Fouras, France (day 2)

Today is a big day in France. Not only is it Bastille day, the biggest public holiday in France, it is also the day France plays Spain in the semi finals of the world cup. When the fireworks are set off later, will the French be celebrating more than the birth of the modern French Republic? The aire and campsite opposite slowly began to empty this morning.

We'd decided we would stay another night, so fairly early we walked along the seafront to the nearby town, visited the market and stopped for tea and coffee at a cafe on the seafront, before returning to Marge armed with a still warm freshly baked baguette.

After weeks of intense heat it doesn't feel too warm to Angela now it's only 29c. It feels comfortable. Whilst John took an afternoon rest, Angela sorted out Marge's cupboards in readiness for all the goodies we want to bring home with us. We already have rather a lot of tinned mussels and tuna we bought in Spain. Sorry Marge, there's wine to buy yet, then you'll feel really loaded up! As we enjoy the early evening sunshine  across the road at the campsite bar a guitarist is tuning up.

Looks like it's going to be a great evening. Music, football and fireworks. Then tomorrow we'll be telling Marge to 'twende' (swahili for) Let's go! It was the name of Muddy Marges former owners truck camper which he used in Africa.

I've borrowed the photo from the previous owners page which I'm sure he won't mind.

Rue de l'Espérance, Fouras, France

During the night the wind got up. It woke Angela. We were going to take Marge's awning in yesterday evening, but we forgot, as it was late when we came back around from our English neighbours who we'd spent the evening talking with. Not really wanting to disturb John, Angela felt she had to (at 3.30am). A thunderstorm was forecast during the night, and we couldn't risk the awning being damaged. So we were tired this morning. The storm didn't materialise until around eight thirty, and then it wasn't anything to be bothered by. After two days at the chateau it was time to move on. We know this area of France so well we decided we wanted to stay in some new places rather than the old faithfuls. But the village we chose we weren't that enamored by, so after eating lunch we left heading for the Atlantic coast. The very coast we were not going to stay on as it would be busy and expensive. Fouras was was our destination, and we really liked it. It reminded us of the Ile de Re with its whitewashed buildings and blue shutters. But it was popular and difficult to find a free overnight spot that wasn't overlooking houses, so we left and moved down the coast a little to the Plage L'Esperance where we found a nice free spot overlooking the sea.

Angela loves this area along the Atlantic coast. When we cycled down this coast in 2015 to Spain when John was sixty, this area is the one she remembers the most, and never tires of returning to.

An evening walk on the beach, the tide now far off the shore we were surprised to see so many large jelly fish left behind by the tide.

Their silicone-like bodies made us think of implants, a strange thought, we know. Walking back to Marge we stopped at the paid aire to see how much it cost, but the pay machine was broken, so it was free! We decided to move, as, as lovely as our spot was, it felt a little isolated. As night fell a dramatic sunset of dark pink streaked the sky.

This evening feels fresh, the temperature today is 24c cooler than yesterday. We never thought we'd feel comfortable like this again. For the first time in many weeks the heat felt bearable. We have just one week left in France. We can't believe that the time for us to return home will soon be upon us. Already we are looking into travels for next year. As they say. One life, live it!