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- 25. sep. 2022, 20:01
- ⛅ 15 °C
- Høyde: 502 ft
- FrankrikeNouvelle-AquitaineAlloinayChaignepain46°10’29” N 0°0’53” W
25.09 - Day 09 . . . Sunday Sights
25. september 2022, Frankrike ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C
As it was Sunday we needed to get up and crack on as normally on our previous trips we have found France closes at midday on a Sunday. Not a bad thing as it seems to be like old time UK where family time is important and the need for shopping 7 days a week isn’t that necessary.
So off we toddled to Sauzé-Vaussais which is about 10 minutes west from us. After collecting a few top up provisions, Tre suggested we go to the small bar across the street for coffee. As we entered Tre going first, I noted a pause in her step and a slight reluctance to push further forward. It was at that point I noticed an all male filled bar, who had all stopped talking to watch us enter.
After a slight shove from me we entered, ordered coffee and sat. We really didn’t think 1015am was unreasonable to ask for coffee, but we quickly noticed the guys were already on the beer and small chasers and so we obviously seemed a bit boring! Wasn’t long before a few acknowledged smiles and nods were given to us together with words of welcome. So not so bad after all.
We left Sauzé and decided to take a scenic drive home to take in a few villages we’d not visited before.
It wasn’t long until we entered Montjean where we stopped at a local boulangerie and bought a couple of cakes. One particular cake has been noted a couple of times by both of us in literally every boulangerie we have been in - still not got to the bottom of the reason for the design! Anyhow every time we spot one we immediately think of Mr Hollywood - not the real intelligent one, but our nutcase of a friend lookalikey! So Mr H the photo is for you to titter at 😂. The lady in the boulangerie needed up giving us an impromptu French lesson which was welcome, so we have booked once a week visits with her.
We then drove on through the never ending fields and countryside through to Chef-Boutonne where we have visited before. We stopped in the market square and had a walk around the (closed) shops. The Boutonne is a 98.8 km (61.4 mi) long river in the Deux-Sèvres and Charente-Maritime departments in western France. Its source is in the village of Chef-Boutonne which translated means Head of the Boutonne.
We departed Chef-Boutonne and drove finally to Gournay where we saw signs for a Brocante (Tre calls it a Vide-Grenier), I call a jumble sale. The brocante was actually quite large compared to a lot we have seen but as usual had a large marquee to sit with friends and family to eat, with associated food and drink stalls. Tre and I always feel that these events bring out the whole community it seems and are a real social gathering, just to catch up and enjoy time together. This one was no exception, really well attended and not a single person sitting twiddling on a mobile phone to be seen.
We wandered the stalls and for once actually didn’t buy anything - not sure how that happened. Tre even prevented me buying a candy floss 🙁
We drove back to our gite and exuded to unpack a few more bags from Roxvanne - so another job ticked off the list at least.
Food was a new one for us which we have named
‘Poirier Smashed Pots’ with lardons - with a home made tomato, cornichons, olive and garlic salad. Was bloody scrummy.
Bit of TV before bedtime and another day was wrapped up nicely . . . Oh forgot about the rose wine 😋Les mer