Andernos les Bains - 5 to 7 September 2024

05.09 - Chanverrie and Mauléon

Thought the sky looked lovely last night when off walking to find a bin. It rained not long after. 

We’ve managed it again - somehow used over 20GB of data overnight. No tv, YouTube etc. We’re wondering if Amazon music is using it, despite being ‘downloaded’. According to the app it’s run for 6 hours - which ties in with how long we’ve driven for listening to music. Otherwise, one quick WhatsApp phone call, or uploaded our blog…

Tintin driving today. Nearly 3 hours - good roads - even on ring road around Nantes wasn’t hectic. Rained for a little while about 11am - maximum temperature about 21°.  We pulled in to a boulangerie going through a little town - have to take advantage when possible!

In the fast lane of the dual carriageway - we saw a wheel stood upright - in the middle of the lane - further along we saw a car with a boat on a trailer pulled over - someone wasn’t having a good day. It lead to conversations about how the wheel will be retrieved - unless someone drives into it first…

We arrived at the new Aire in Chanverrie. Uses an adaptor we don’t have to be able to get fresh water. Other people had complained too. Walked to the supermarket to collect a few bits and pieces, then decided to move on. Filled up with diesel - €1.62/litre. Tintin drove for another 30 minutes - now at Mauléon. 

06.09 - Andernos-Les-Bains, Gironde, Acquitaine near Arcachon 

We thought about going for a look around Mauléon, and maybe a pizza last night. Glad we didn’t - the heavens opened! Had healthy veg and protein to eat instead. So many vans kept arriving until it was dark - there was no room at the inn - not sure where people park up so late at night. 

Today has been a driving day. Started about 10am - and didn’t arrive here until about 17.30. We took it in turns driving - I started and on balance drew the lucky straw! Just down the road we serviced Dave - quite impressed we had managed 8 showers, water for cooking, dishes and even some hand washing on one fill up of water from home!

I seem to remember having issues with driving around the ring road for Poitiers in a previous life - no problem today 😊. About 13.00 we found a reasonable place to stop off for lunch - no baguette or cakes today ☹️

Tintin then drove through a changing landscape of fields of sunflowers, then vineyards, lots of pampas grass and now we’re looking at the sea from our window. It also feels like we’ve been driving forever - and that this part of France is flat! We’ve even managed to up the average fuel consumption to 26.2mpg! 

We arrived about 45 minutes later than our ETA - all around Bordeaux was heavily congested - and there only seems to be one main road to here - and yes - very busy too. 

It’s been a mixture of cloud and rain on our journey, just inconvenience rain - not enough to keep the wipers on full time! It’s dry now - and forecast for tomorrow shows full sun in the afternoon. Fingers crossed we’ve made the right decision to drive to better weather!

A few weeks ago, Tintin scraped his ankle, not even enough to bleed. On the Saturday before we came, he took it to the pharmacist as it wasn’t really healing. Was told to see a doctor! Luckily he saw one on the same Saturday morning. Was told to apply prescription cream for 48 hours and if no improvement to take the penicillin antibiotics - due to risk of sepsis! Sadly the cream didn’t work, so now on antibiotics - 4 times a day. Needs to have each one an hour before food, and no food for two hours afterwards. Will be good for both of us - means we can’t snack on sweets whilst driving - and cakes would have to be timed just right! They’re also upsetting his tummy - so let’s hope they sort the original problem quickly. 

I’m trying hard not to take too many photos, or if I do - delete repeats at the time! We won’t be writing every day - just when we have something else to say!

07.09 - Day 2 at Andernos-Les-Bains

Last night took our wine down to the sea to watch the sunset - very pretty. 

Checked again early this morning - but still wasn’t feeling the need for a swim!

We had a little pop up van next to us yesterday. The licence plate was French - but now think they were English. A young couple, with a baby and a boy about two. We heard him crying going to bed, and again waking up this morning. The parents are either brave or silly! Feel they’ll need a holiday after their holiday!

So, we’re still feasting on breakfast with fresh fruit from home and homemade granola - will run out soon…

Wasn’t looking brilliant weather first thing, but the forecast was good for this afternoon - so had a cycling day. 

Rode up to the boulangerie, then came back to Dave to make up the seeded baguette for lunch. 

Bit of a strange ride to start. I thought we might be able to follow the sea promenade for further than we could. We ended up going through trees and trying to ride in deep sand! So not ideal. However - did see some squirrels! If you like oysters - then around here is the place to be!

The last 5 miles to the beach was on proper cycle path - lovely through the forest - just a bit bumpy in places because of tree roots. 

The beach was called Le Grand Crohot - looked like it went on for miles!

Went for a swim - even where we were supposed to in front of the life guards. It was more of a bob around if I’m honest - was too lumpy and wavy to swim - but very enjoyable. 

As Tintin had ‘done a thing’ - we had a Euphoria Magnum each sitting watching the world go by. €7 but fairly remote on the beach. 

Then the cycle home! We did better and found the cycle path all the way. Cycled 27.5 miles in the end. 

Our spin dryer is finally getting some action, after rinsing his wetsuit and spinning - it’s easy to dry - obviously the sunshine helps!

The poor pain au raisin travelled in my bike panniers, and due to tablet timing have only just been eaten - a tad squashed! Oh, and we had probably the best ever mille feuille the other day!

So - next - decisions needed as to where we drive to tomorrow…