GK Tours. Day 5
Friday 8th November
La Barre-de-Monts to Ile de Re.
Wow, another great night’s sleep in the cave, think this is how it’s going to be so won’t mention it again 
.
The sun was out this morning, in fact it’s been out all day!
After breakfast we took another walk to the lovely beach via a different track. There are loads of walking and cycling routes here so bikes would have definitely been a good shout.
I’d gone out wrapped to the 9’s and was peeling layers off by the time we got back to the van. Obviously not bikini weather but definitely not winter either.
We decided to visit the island of Noirmoutier as we were right next to it and we’re glad we did. It’s long and thin with a really good road and lots of roundabouts!
Driving to the middle you arrive at the port and town. A dinky little place with one of the longest Jetty/sea walls I’ve ever seen. The Jetty edges an enormous spread of salt flats. The salt is sold locally, some of which we saw at the local market.
Oh yes, we do love a market . The markets in Europe are always so busy with good fresh food on sale. Some fresh veg was purchased for our dinner and Gareth had a gander through the indoor market – dangerous places that sell cheese . He emerged triumphant, and unlike a previous cheese market purchase, he managed to just buy a little bit 
, instead of €40 he only spent €8 .
Wandering around the little shopping lanes, a fridge magnet was acquired and a baguette, who doesn’t love a fresh baguette?
We then sat for a coffee in the sun listening to all the locals greeting each other, filling up the cafes and having a thoroughly good catch-up. Gareth likened the friendliness to home.
Lovely though it was, we had to make tracks to our next stop so bade farewell to this lovely little place. Not only do they produce salt here they also farm oysters and mussels, had we succumbed to lunch we would have had to have spent the night 
.
Today was my first drive in the new van on the right 
.
It went ok, I did about 1.5 hrs and frankly got very bored of the numerous roundabouts. To be honest, yes I can do it, but I much prefer being a passenger princess (Lady Penelope) to a driving queen .
We stopped in a parking spot off of the motorway for said cheese and baguette, swapped drivers and carried on. The temperature has risen to 18° so we have been sat in our t-shirts for the first time, heading for Ile de Re, just off the coast of La Rochelle.
The Aire we have chosen is right on the beach, amazing that these spots are available, prime building land in the UK! It’s just as you get on to the island and next door to a campsite, which like all of the others on the island are closed.
We were lucky to get a spot as there were only about 4 left and as I type (18:41) they have all gone .
As soon as we parked up we took Meg onto the beach before it got dark. Sadly, there are lots of mozzies around and I have 2 bites already. Thank goodness I bought my new little mozzies zapper, the magical Beurer if you need one, sorted them right out, well as soon as I got back to the van .
We are now relaxed and sipping red wine while our Thai green curry cooks.
Happy days and happy Friday everyone xx
Leave a Reply