Becoming French-week one

Now one week into M Hulot's French vacation and all performing to the script. Act one was a day's drive from the deep South near Nimes/Arles on the autoroute system to get to our residence set in the vineyards of Bordeaux. Timed perfectly so that we were in sync with French changeover day: they were either going home after holiday or leaving home to go on holiday. This is a cultural event of some magnitude and by keeping the peage system mostly manual then this ensured we had plenty of 'bouchons'. Avoided the numerous rest stops where they had special activities set up for the kids and places for adults to stretch out for a few minutes/hours rest.

 

 

Act two was to become rural French. We are well located, although our gite is not in an area of the Grandes Crus but we are surrounded by Bordeaux Superior. At first glance some of the nearby villages seem just a little down on their luck. We picked up a few more essentials at the local Bourg Sunday market and to complete this Act we lunched at home in the vines and them rested up and planned for the week ahead.

Our gite is possibly the best equipped we have ever had, the weather is mostly still with us and we are doing our fair share of local travelling most days. In some ways the biggest difference is that we are mostly self catering now. Yvonne was a bit tickled the other day in a hypermarche as 'advice staff' were on roller blades to cover the site which was a combination of Bunnings, Big W and Woolworths under the one roof. It took us over an hour to get our few staples: wine, cheese, fish, fruit and coffee.

 

As you do, we lift our expectations each time we visit France. This time we require the most interesting places to be just a bit closer, near to each other and in the same direction. But with the car, we are not that far from some interesting places; a day in Bordeaux (rain and a lousy restaurant), a day at the beach resort of Lacanau (sandhills, wind and some sun), a day at Arcachon plage (great spot, good beachside lunch and plenty of tanning), a day into the Perigord and Brantome (very pretty but been there done that), a day wandering along our side of the Dordorgne/Gironde river systems (must be the 'poorer' side), a day to St Emillion (packed with us tourists) and in between a few hours relaxing at home (Hmm, those mussels were good! And the cheese is not bad either).

 

So Randall is getting his 'fix' on things French and Yvonne is happy enough to go along for the opportunity. All well known sites are stretched to beyond full capacity but everyone seems relaxed enough. We might not be quite 'getting it' but it seems that for a lot of French people, a few weeks camping or in beach cabins is a good holiday and a welcome break from day to day living. At least that is what is projected on TV. There is a small camping spot close by which we pass during our morning or evening local walks. Quite a few vans and tents but not the smartest looking place and not great facilities I expect. I think they see quite differently than us, to say the least.

Meanwhile, the grapes are still coming on. There is an occasional worker tending and trimming but generally things are very quiet in the vines. And life goes on.

Episode France 1 is completed. Now for week two and more of the same.

 

 

PS. Randall has discovered that French Top 14 Rugby competition starts next weekend so how can we include a couple of matches in the itinerary? Hmmm.