La Flotte, Ile de Re, Charente-Maritime. (Day 8)

We were up this morning at seven. During the hot sticky night Angela lay awake, and as you all know, night-time is when your mind starts racing. From all the processed thoughts, Angela realised that we shouldn't wait until we returned to the campsite on Sunday to wash our bedding. The pitch we were on now allowed for our long clothes line to be strung up. So first thing, before the other campers descended on the laundry area our washing was in the machine. Checkout time from our pitch was midday, and we had no intention of leaving before as it was so hot, and the free park up by the beach we were heading to had very little shade. So at 11.55 am John hot footed it to reception. The campsite is full all weekend from today, but he knew that vans had been parked in front of the lodges that weren't rented out. So here we are Margery, nice pitch with use of the lodge deck chairs and terrace. We say lodge, we like to refer to it a a chateau! The pitch we'd vacated is just across from us, under the trees in the breeze. But hey ho. Bearing in mind it's classed as a XL pitch, we were surprised to see a Dutch car pull onto it this afternoon towing the smallest caravan. Too hot to walk out or cycle we drove to the nearby Lidl, a French supermarket always provides excellent entertainment for us. So here we are, staying four more nights at La Flotte. But we don't mind, the area is just so beautiful. On Monday we will definitely be leaving the Ile de Re. Originally we booked on the campsite for one night, but by the time we leave we will have been here eleven. With only a couple of weeks of our holiday then left, we'll be heading up to southern Brittany, stopping en-route at a few 'must see' places on our way. This evening as the sun slipped away, the whole sky lit up in a blazing inferno of colour. Red sky at night, it's going to be another warm day tomorrow Margery.

La Flotte, Ile de Re, Charente-Maritime. (Day 7)

During the night Angela realised that the muscles she used when cycling were so different from the ones used whilst walking. All night she suffered with really awful leg cramps. So this morning after a sultry sleepless night she was a little weary. But it didn't matter as today we were going to spend a day just tootling.

After putting on a wash we took a walk into La Flotte to buy a postage stamp for a postcard, and walk around the town and then spent most of the afternoon talking to our English neighbours who moved to France twenty years ago, and claim it was the best decision they ever made.

Today was to be the last day of 'our holiday', within a holiday. We never hardly stay on campsites, and we never stay for longer than a couple of days out of choice. It's been wonderful though. A real rest, just what we needed, as life will be very hectic when we return home in mid July. So tomorrow until Sunday when we return for a night at Camping Bel Air before leaving the Ile de Re, we will seek out some wild camping spots on the island. But tonight we treated ourselves to pizza and ice cream down by the harbour.

The temperature a sweltering 82f. The light of the evening made the harbour and coastline look magical. Angela said, that when life at home wasn't going so well, she'd always think of La Flotte, knowing we will return.

La Flotte, Ile de Re, Charente-Maritime. (Day 6)

Today is our 800th post on the blog, how time has flown!

Each morning as Angela walks down to the shower she checks the registration plates of the vehicles she passes. Most people are already sat out, so this morning it was a good morning, bonjour, goedmorgan, guten morgen and Buenos Dias. Everyone looks tired, it's been very hot during the day, and also through the night. Some people look tired and emotional. We can't believe how much alcohol some of our fellow campers consume night after night. Hoping to cool down, we decided it was just too hot to walk out today, so saddled up the Brompton and rode over to Le Bois-Plage-en-Re.

The temperature in the low eighties we were desperate to seek out shady spots to stop at regularly. Whilst at the beach we checked out some free overnight park ups, as we will be leaving camping Bel Air on Thursday. Not for long though, we've booked back in for Sunday night so we can take a shower and wash a few items before heading back to the mainland and some free overnight stops. Big day tomorrow Margery, we're going to pay to use the washing machine! Angela can't wait, she's had enough of rinsing out our smalls.

The Flotte, Ile de Re, Charente-Maritime. (Day 5)

What have we done today? Well not much. Shopping, a walk down to the seafront where we ate lunch and talked a while with a couple from Macclesfield.

We talked for so long, that they realised their parking time was nearly up. Tomorrow they will drive, towing a caravan to San Sebastian. A journey of at least four and a half hours on a fast dangerous road. We should know. We drove up from the other direction a month ago. We certainly don't envy them, and wish them a safe journey. Today was hot, but sitting down by the beach is more pleasant because of the sea breeze. 

The afternoon passed quickly, and before returning to Margery we stopped in town for Angela to have a very nice ice-cream. Very nice equals high calorie. She doesn't care. Back at the campsite all change. Some of our neighbours have departed. We can't say we're sorry about one of them leaving. As the couple from Macclesfield commented. There's a different type of English person on the Ile de Re. They might get a shock at San Sebastian!

The locals gathering food!

The Flotte, Ile de Re, Charente-Maritime. (Day 4)

A walk along the coast this morning to Saint Martin de Re. The weather an improving picture, the coolness of yesterday now gone, and by midday the clouds moved quickly away changing the light. We were back to a temperature in the seventies, and postcard blue skies.

As we leisurely walked along the cliff path we stopped often to look at the pretty wild flowers scattered through the yellowing grass.

Marbelled white butterflies appreciated the flora and fauna as well, flitting from flower to flower, disturbed only by the light sea breeze.

Saint Martin de Re was busy. As people queued for tables at the harbor side restaurants we found a quiet shady spot to eat our salads. Since our last visit here a month ago the town seemed more vibrant. Clothing shops that line the narrow streets which climb up from the harbor displayed a vast range of shorts, T-shirts and dresses. Assorted colored espadrilles stacked in orderly rows ready to tempt catch our eye.

The holiday season on the island was well and truly in full swing. We couldn't imagine how chaotic it must be here in August. Upon our return to La Flotte, a large ice cream was waiting with Angela's name on it. We have fallen in love with the Ile de Re. Of course we've looked in the estate agents windows. But the property we liked was 1.75 million euros. A little out of our budget. As we've said before, if we were younger, we may have considered a move to France. Fortunately we have Margery now, and she'll be able to take us any place we want her to.

La Flotte, Ile de Re, Charente-Maritime. (Day 3).

After a sweltering day yesterday today was forecast to be ten degrees cooler. It was. In fact at some points, it felt autumnal. But the weather didn't spoil our day. In fact it suited us, as we wanted to once again walk along the coast back towards the bridge that links the island to the mainland, and spend a couple of hours 'just chillin' on the beach, knowing that on a day like today it would be quiet.

We were surprised at just how quiet the area was compared to four weeks ago. As always, cyclists were 'a plenty'. The easiest way to get around the island is by bike. Sadly most are electric, some so powerful they are a danger, especially to us walkers. 

Fortunately at Rivedoux Plage the cyclists are kept separate from pedestrians. But this is France, and when French people walking meet people they know they block the footpath whilst they exchange pleasantries, shake hands and kiss. We just happened to be on the tail end of a group who did just this and were included in the handshaking and kissing! Weird.

After a pleasant afternoon and with a walk of nearly eleven miles done, we bought a take out pizza from the pizzeria and sat by the bustling harbor at La Flotte to eat it.

We are loving being here, and more so being able to enjoy long leisurely days rather than driving from place to place. Spending time looking out at a vast expanse of sand with the tide way of shore, and then enjoying the same view when the tide returns, the waves lapping the shore is our timepiece. And the great thing is. We get to enjoy all this again tomorrow.