In the French calender ‘La Rentrée’ marks the end of the summer holidays and the return of the masses to what they were doing before vacations began. Its almost a celebrated event here and if it wasn’t for the fact they had just finished their hols the French may have sanctined yet another bank holiday! In reality the kids go back to school, people go back to work, politicians back to telling pork pies, prisoners back to prison…………the PC is rebooted and I get back to the blog, oh and maybe do some paid work too!
- The Bay of Arcachon
Alas the summer vacation has finished, over 2 months off work and a month off the blog I now return to a somewhat normal existence – voila la rentrée! I’ve blogged about the early part of the summer here is a quick recap on the last month when computer access was denied.
I caught up with and friend of mine who was holidaying with his family not so far from here. I used to work with Mark and his wife Chris in the good old (pre GE) days. Over the 12 years incarceration at Glostiz we did a lot together – golf, climbing, walking, mountaineering, five a side, running and probably most of all a few thousand miles on the bike. So it was befitting that we tried to cram in a few miles on french soil fighting for road space with the tidal wave of Parisians who migrate to the Pitou Charente for their August vacation. It was a great day out catching up on each others lives and generally reminiscing of happy days!
The Atlantic coast at Cap Ferret
The day after seeing Mark we (Helen, Claudia et moi) had a few days up in Brittany with our friends. Brittany is a lovely area and if you want France but like the UK go there as the weather is very similar - wet! We still managed to eat, drink plenty and still be well enough to get out for a run in the morning. After returning home we had a few days rest before setting off again. This time camping at Cap Ferret which lies on the coast south west of Bordeaux. Some friends recommended this area and they were not wrong, it was absolutely superb! A long spit off land with beaches on both sides. On the west side the wild Atlantic, great surf miles of sandy beaches with a backdrop of sand dunes and pine trees. On the eastern side the sheltered bay of Arcachon, in contrast calm beaches, fishing boats and more commercial activity of one type or another. We stayed on a site hidden in the pine forest between the beaches and it felt like paradise. There are miles of bike trails so we reckon next year we will go back there park the car for a week, set the tent up and use the bikes from then on to get about, can’t wait!
