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Arrondissement de Niort

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    • Gün 1–2

      Day 01 15.04 . . . Setting Off

      15 Nisan, Fransa ⋅ ⛅ 11 °C

      So today was our setting off day. We had a final few things to sort out - one of which being to put Loup’s normal house crate into Roxvanne, as his usual travel crate is now to small. With a few stiff pushes and a few swear words it went in, quickly followed by Loup straight into it ready for the off
      We set off around midday, grabbed fuel and hit the N10 south to Angoulême where we exited south east towards Périgueux.
      After just over a couple of hours we stopped in a layby so that Loup could have a natural. That completed and a short leg stretch for all of us we set off again, heading now generally towards Bergerac. On route we passed through Gout-Rossignol and saw by complete chance the first house we ever viewed when we were house hunting here in France.
      Bergerac looked very quaint with the river running through it and deserved a stop really, but we had places to go.
      We carried on past Bergerac and then made a very short stop for Loup once again, deciding we would have a longer stop and proper leg stretch at a services further south.
      The entire journey was scattered with picturesque villages and small towns and we lost count of how many rivers we crossed.
      We had decided to head for Moissac for no other reason than it was just over half way to Perpignan. Whilst at our final leg stretch at some services we checked our park4night app and found a small camp site at Les Grets which would see us through one night.
      Finally passing through Agen and Moissac (which again both deserved more time spent at them) we found ourselves crossing a strange little bridge and then onto the camp site.
      There were no staff and certainly no reception desk visible on site and so we found our way to what can only be described as a pay machine which we hoped would discharge a parking voucher to activate the very large barrier.
      To say Tre had some issues with the machine (whilst I sat in the van at the barrier with engine running) was an under statement. I listened to a good two or three tracks in the radio before I saw Tre heading back towards us. I gave an understanding smile of appreciation for her efforts and tried not to giggle at the frustrated expression that I got in return.
      So after a fairly long day we parked up, walked around a pretty much deserted camp site together with our very excited four legged wonder boy and then called it a night.
      We weren’t sure how well Loup would settle after some fairly lengthy periods in his crate during the day - although we don’t think he sleeps, just lays and listens to ensure we are still in Roxvanne with him and chills to our tunes on Spotify.
      We shall see!!

      Not that I will ever acknowledge that he has any good ideas, however I will concede that I have pinched this idea from Fister . . . Don’t ask!!
      So our song of the day is:
      Siouxsie & The Banshees - Arabian Knights (Andy’s choice)

      Also each day we are going to listen to an album that probably most people will have, or should have listened to at some point . . . But neither of us have!
      So todays album never heard before in its entirety is:
      Radiohead - Pablo Honey (Our Rating 7/10)
      Okumaya devam et

    • Gün 10–11

      27.05 Day 10 . . . Italy Bound

      27 Mayıs, Fransa ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C

      Loup is like an accurate alarm clock waking us spot on 7am - again. Up and walked - today was pack up day as our Festival Mayhem had come to an end for another year.
      We are now bound for Italy!
      The pack up went swimmingly although worryingly Teresa’s cough/cold thing had got worse. Ashe has had this for about three days but this morning it has gone up a notch. Maybe last night chilly weather with The Stranglers just finished her off.
      We left the site about 9.30am and headed for our usual post festival MacDonalds just up the road. Tre was not overly bothered about eating but I managed to get her to eat a sausage and egg McMuffin (I had two) and a cold strawberry milk shake to soothe her throat. My eyes were bigger than my belly and so one McMuffin got put by for later.
      On the road in the sunshine we headed south to the coast and the Chunnel. We decided after their performance last night to give The Stranglers a play on route.
      Apart from some initial queuing and a bloke who couldn’t control his dog in the pet passport area, our check in at Le Shuttle went smoothly. A nice little bottle of Lemon Gin acquired for our Italy adventure we headed outside to await our train departure.
      Loup had a session in the pet playground and helped me finish the second McMuffin - his first ever! Tre was still rough and dozing when possible.
      The crossing concluded with a broken down vehicle on the train when arriving at Coquelles, but that was sorted fairly promptly and we departed for our overnight hotel - both of us in need of a proper room and decent shower.
      We drove for an hour and a bit to the our accommodation B&B Béthune Bruay-la-
      Buissière, stopping briefly at Lidl to grab some supplies. The hotel was one of the very low staffed but very office like modern places. Loads of parking, charming member of staff and a modern, very clean, tidy and comfortable room - if not the biggest in the world.
      We took Loup for a last long walk and play with his fairly new ball, which he took joy in puncturing. We then avoided a woman with a very large white mountain ‘attack’ dog which was trying with every sinew in his body to get off his double harness lead to run over and eat the three of us.
      Tre had now got even worse than this morning and so went straight to bed - coughing non stop. It wasn’t long before I hopped off to bed also and thankfully Loup crashed at the same time.
      Tomorrow we journey south on our way to Switzerland and then Italy to rendezvous with Simon and Jax again!! More Mayhem to come.

      The Stranglers - Hanging Around
      Okumaya devam et

    • Gün 14

      30.09 - Day 14 . . . Gournay House

      30 Eylül 2022, Fransa ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C

      We had today arranged to meet an estate agent at 10am in Chef Boutonne to view a house. I had woken at about 6.30am and started to read my daily quantity of rubbish on the phone and also write up the Penguins for the day before. When Tre eventually woke and asked what the time was I obediently checked and replied ‘9.30am - it bloody can’t be!!’. Duvet thrown back with force and a whirlwind of two people from bedroom to bathroom to downstairs and finally to Roxvanne then ensued. Sticking strictly to the speed limits we arrived outside the Mairies office with three minutes to spare and waited for the estate agent. Charlotta (whose name I failed to remember during the entire time I was with her - who puts an A at the end of Charlotte?) finally arrived about 10.10am so no need to rush then!
      After a quick chat we followed her to a property outside of Chef Boutonne - Gournay, which we had visited last Sunday for the Brocante.
      I think both Tre and I initially upon arrival thought - not for us, village/hamlet house with neighbours each side and close to the road. We have a sort of idea of semi rural if we are honest.
      However we entered and were pleasantly surprised, although as we were aware the property would need quite a bit of work. Bad points - needs a re-wire and quite a bit of work, plus a bit of a box as it was a longere effectively. Good points - the work required was not excessive and it was a blank canvas. Able to be re configured room wise and extend into a large loft area. Attached barn which was large, side access from front of the property to the rear . . . . and a large garden with out buildings to die for!!
      So, a bit of a mixed bag - but we came away definitely more positive than negative. Lots to think about.
      After our goodbyes to Charlotta we drove around the area a little, we found the bread machine in the village, the church and nearby school - for little ones thankfully and some of the area we had seen on Sunday.
      Then back into Chef Boutonne to grab a coffee or two and some food for our last night before heading to the UK tomorrow.
      Then back to the gite where we sat in the very hot sunshine for the entire afternoon.
      A quick sort of Roxvanne for her trip tomorrow and then we settled in for the evening.
      Tomorrow we drive part way back to Calais as I’ve got some work still to complete. We will stay in Roxvanne somewhere tomorrow evening and then to Calais and the tunnel on Sunday.
      Really not wanting to return tomorrow - really really not wanting to.
      Hey Ho - it’s only for a short spell and then we will be back . . . We’ve left wine in the fridge chilling!! 😎
      Okumaya devam et

    • Gün 73

      28.11 Day 73 . . . Second Visit

      28 Kasım 2022, Fransa ⋅ ⛅ 6 °C

      Today was the day to have a second visit to the house we saw last Wednesday - just outside Nanteuil-en-Vallée.
      We left at about 10am and we’re pulling up outside just before 11am where we met with Nathalie again.
      We spent the best part of two hours subsequently crawling over this house, checking everything we could think of and asking so so many questions.
      On driving away we drove to Champagne Mouton one of the closest villages to the house, just to see what was there. As is Tre and my luck (ignorance of France) we found Champagne Mouton to be shut. Literally nothing was open in this relatively small village.
      So we spun around and drove to Nanteuil-en-Vallée which was the opposite direction from the house. We parked up to have a look around what we had been told was a lovely village. Again everything was shut including the church, Eglise Saint-Jean-Baptiste - much to Tre’s annoyance. We spent about half an hour before deciding to move on.
      Next we drove to Verteuil-sur-Charente - again somewhere Nathalie had recommended. As we crested a hill on the approach to the town we saw the Chateau which holds primacy high above the town - it looked truly stunning in the sunshine.
      We drove I to the centre and parked up. Again we were now not surprised to find everything shut. When I say everything is shut - it is everything, not a bank or cafe or shop - nothing!
      We did spend quite a bit of time marvelling at the chateau and river that passes below it. It was a beautiful sight - especially as no-one else was about . . . Everything being shut has its benefits.
      The Château de Verteuil is a historic building in Charente, France. It dates back to 1080 and has since been extensively rebuilt, although 12th-century walls remain. The château has always been in the property of the La Rochefoucauld family.
      During the Hundred Years' War (1337–1453) the château was occupied several times by the English. It was demolished in 1442, but was soon rebuilt using the original stones. In the religious wars of 16th and 17th centuries the château was a base for Huguenot forces, and in 1650 it was partly demolished by royal troops. Another château was erected but it received extensive damage in a fire in 1793 during the French Revolution. The château was renovated in the romantic style after the Bourbon Restoration of 1815, and has been extensively modified since then. During World War II (1939–45) the château housed French troops and refugees from Alsace-Lorraine in 1940 and for several months it was partially occupied by some German units. In 1944 some members of the maquis were hidden there. The château was listed as a monument historique on 31 March 1966, and obtained full protection on 19 November 2010.
      The present château, designed on a triangular plan, has five conical towers and a watchtower capped by slate roofs. Archaeologists have uncovered traces of the older buildings on the site dating back to the 11th century. The architect Frantz Jourdain renovated the interior of the 14th-century tower as a library for the Rochefoucault family in 1893. The Hunt of the Unicorn tapestries of the building, which hung in the master bedroom, were rediscovered in 1850; they were later sold to John D. Rockefeller, Jr. in 1923.
      We drove home from Verteuil-sur-Charente stopping briefly at a patisserie to grab a light lunch and then some other food stuffs from SuperU next door.
      Home - we stoked up the pellet burner and settled I. For the afternoon and evening. The sun is still shining but there is a cold chill in the air. Think I am past wearing shorts now.
      Okumaya devam et

    • Gün 34

      20.10 Day 34 . . . Recovery

      20 Ekim 2022, Fransa ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

      Well after yesterdays mega day of early start, work and then the crossing and drive down - today was always going to be a slow day.
      After getting in just before 2am a lay in was always going to be on the cards, but weirdly we were both awake by about 9am. I thought we would be sleeping late into the morning.
      Tea and reading in bed took up a couple of hours before we took advantage of the sunshine and lazed by the pool for a while.
      A few spots of rain heralded the end of the sunshine, before the light shower that had been forecast started.
      We dodged a couple of showers to unload some bits from Roxvanne and then settled in for the evening.
      Having found on our first few weeks out here that the tiled floor was a little on the chilly side in the evenings, we had ordered up some defence options for our return . . . so, out came the newly purchased, cosy as you like, fluffy and padded old gits slippers. The evening passed in newly found warmth, followed by an early night - still catching up from the journey down.
      Tomorrow we house view again!
      Okumaya devam et

    • Gün 40

      26.10 Day 40 . . . Bordeaux Bound

      26 Ekim 2022, Fransa ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

      I hate getting up early but once I’m up I’m fine - it’s a pity the same can’t be said for teenagers. Getting up at 2.00am was always going to be a gutter and so it proved, but as duty driver to the airport I hopped out of bed and dragged some clothes on - as did Tre. However the person that actually needed to be at the airport for her flight was less than eager to do the same and when they did open their eyes thought it best to have a ten minute muse over the content of their phone whilst still in bed.
      Anyhow - that quickly rectified, Munch was packed into Roxvanne with myself and Tre and off we set. The sky was stunning and absolutely massed with stars due to their being no ambiant light.
      Just before 5am we pulled into Bordeaux Airport and walked to the main terminal to check in. Checking the boards - yep, we had to go to the other terminal, the one we had gone to first on Saturday before being re-directed. Think Bordeaux has it in for us!
      At Billi, Munch was soon on her way through security and out of sight - after a fairly long hug from mum of course!
      We now had other plans - we had arranged as we were going to be in Bordeaux to meet with someone re taxes/enrôlement etc into French systems . . . At 9.00am. So we found a very dark corner near the airport and tried to grab an hours shut eye in Roxvanne. The later having failed we decided at about 7.00am to drive into and across Bordeaux City to the location we were to meet.
      We parked up at about 7.45am and found ourselves a pre meet cafe for a needed cup of coffee. Just before 9.00am we had changed location and found ourselves sat in the very lovely Cafe des Arts 138 Cr Victor Hugo, 33000 . . . awaiting our meeting.
      The meeting with Deo went well and lasted about an hour or so - we said our goodbyes and wandered back to Roxvanne.
      We decided to take a different route home so that we could drive a little of Bordeaux. We intend to be back here in a couple of weeks for a longer visit.
      Back on the main roads we headed home with one aim in mind - sleep!
      At about 2pm having grabbed more bread and cheese we flopped by the pool. The pool area is a real sun trap as enclosed all around - so was the perfect place to catch up on a little sleep.
      We were again visited in the evening by the neighbours pet - who now goes by the name of Pussy Chat and I am reliably informed is female!
      Okumaya devam et

    • Gün 78

      03.12 Day 78 . . . Pineau & Cognac

      3 Aralık 2022, Fransa ⋅ 🌧 4 °C

      Another one of those lazy mornings that we are getting so good at. We were asked yesterday if we could help Hannah with a wood delivery she was expecting - to which we had said yes. So when we got a message early in the morning to say the wood man had cancelled it was all we needed to pull the duvet back up and have tea in bed.
      We kicked around for the remainder of the morning, before walking down the lane to the Relais car park to meet with Lou and Vince who were picking us up. As soon as they arrived, we drove generally south through stunning scenery and vineyard loaded fields. The vines like many of the trees have a yellow hint to them now, and in the glorious sunshine they were truly beautiful to see.
      After just short of an hour I guess, we arrived at Neuvicq-Le-Château and pulled into the most nondescript building belonging to Ballet Jean.
      Lou and Vince had been here before - more than once and from the welcome they received it was more like family visiting than customers 😂
      The building - and many others surrounding owned by the family, is a Cognac and Pineau producer. The lovely lady looking after the place when we arrived, quickly started to show us around. However when booked customers then arrived she left Lou to do the tour with us . . . I think that shows Lou has been too many times 🤔Lou mentioned a fact that she had been told - that the buildings that store the barrels all have black roofs, a form of mould and that during the war, bombers avoided buildings with black roofs because they knew what was being made within. Fact or old wives tail makes no difference - the roofs are definitely black!!
      We had a fab time walking around the various parts to the building and wondering how a premises like this makes such well regarded products. To double up on my feeling that Lou had been here too many times, it was reinforced when the lady running the place asked Lou to show further French customers around, while she greeted new ones at the door.
      Finally the time had arrived for the tasting. Firstly the Pineau, which was lovely - much better than the shop bought Tre and I had previously tasted. Then the Cognac - the initial bottle we were informed was for cooking!! Never would you put this in anything other than a glass to drink. Then the next bottle on, that had been aged in oak barrels for 20 years . . . Got to say it was blooming lovely, with a very nice warm feeling in your throat. Finally the top bottle that had been aged again in oak for 40 years . . . bloody lovely, nothing else to say. The glasses of each we had been given (apart from poor Vince who was driving) were quite heavily poured, so Lou Tre and I were all quite rosy cheeked by the finish. Lou took Teresa’s side in the purchase game and so we walked out with three 20 year old cognacs and six Pineau . . . I think the tasting had warped my thinking!
      Pineau des Charentes is a “liqueur wine produced in a specific region” at European level and a “liqueur wine with a registered designation of origin” in France. It is obtained by mixing grape must and cognac.
      This liqueur wine is produced in a region that extends over a large part of the two Charentes, that is to say the whole department of Charente except the north and north-east, and all of Charente-Maritime: on the wine estates of Borderies, Grande Champagne, Petite Champagne, Fins Bois, Bois Ordinaires, and finally Bons Bois.
      Pineau is an AOC (controlled designation of origin). Its production area extends over 1,500 hectares in the same geographical area as cognac. The maximum yield of Pineau des Charentes per hectare of vines required for its production is 45 hectolitres. The two elements making up Pineau des Charentes (cognac and must) must come from the same estate, in compliance with local customs.
      75% of Pineau des Charentes production is consumed in France; Belgium is the leading importer, followed by Canada.
      After the tasting and the purchases were made, we wound our way home, with a brief stop at the Château just a couple of streets from the distillery.
      Back at Chef Boutonne we popped into the small SuperU for a couple of bits and then stumbled into one of the bars for a coffee . . . . and beer. Lou and Vince kindly then dropped us off back at our - A really brilliant day!!
      Merguez sausages and chips for dinner was what was required in an attempt to soak up a slightly boozy body - and then an early night.
      Okumaya devam et

    • Gün 68

      23.11 Day 68 . . . House Hunt Pt 2

      23 Kasım 2022, Fransa ⋅ ⛅ 9 °C

      Waking up feeling rough with ‘Man Flu’ was not how I wanted to feel on the day of the mega viewing session. What had been six viewings lined up had happily dropped to five before we set off, as one house was now under offer.
      We met Kate (who we had met back in April when we did some house hunting with the Hollywoods) at the church in Genouillé. Off we went to a property at Les Mauvoisins which on arrival was situated on a small lane next to what looked like a travellers camp.
      The house was ok but on entering, immediately due to the rain again today, we found water dropping from the ceiling in the lounge. The house was small but had access to an adjoining barn which had extension possibilities - but fairly quickly Tre and I had decided it was certainly not for us.
      We left Kate and drove to Civray to grab some food, stopping in a small boulangerie pâtisserie on the outskirts of the town. We had the best quiche I think I personally have ever had. Everything was baked on site and we will defo be going back. We stayed a little longer than expected as the rain hammered it down for a short period, Teresa and I laughing at customers running in looking like drowned rats, most of them cursing - in French, but I got the idea of what they were saying.
      We grabbed some fuel across the road and then set off to Chaunay to meet another Nathalie - the one who had shown us the Hank house a couple of weeks ago.
      The house at Chaunay was in a small hamlet just outside called Les Fants (initially given to us on an email spelt Les Farts, which made Teresa comment that we were never living there!). A very rural location and very quiet despite the N10 across some fields out of sight. The house oozed being looked after and loved, with a barn half way down the lovely lawned garden, which you could walk through to the second lawned section. The house was immaculate with lovely heavyweight oak furniture and heavy wooden doors. Teresa and I only had one real issue - it was too finished, to well maintained a finished house - nothing for Tre and I to actually do which was never our plan for coming here. It seemed the strangest reason to not want somewhere. So after a shortish viewing we departed in convoy with Nathalie to the second house she was showing us. We had also at this point decided to cut four viewings to three for the afternoon.
      We drove back basically from the north of Deux Sèvres to the southern most part to a house in Souvigné - again!
      This house in comparison the the last, needed a whole host of work and had multiple rooms, so the work was to be honest daunting. Not only that it came with a smaller accompanying house which actually was a wreck. At one point Nathalie looked towards me and I simply said ‘No’. It didn’t take long to close the house up and we were off again to the last one for the day.
      Travelling east we crossed over the N10 yet again to a distance east of it roughly the same that Souvigné was to the west of it. We stopped in a hamlet not far from Nanteuil-en-Vallée at a property that felt distinctly Mediterranean. The property currently has no kitchen but a room suitable for one. Two large ish bedrooms and one smaller. An attached barn and about an acre of land on a slope. I immediately sensed Teresa was in excited happy mode and to be fair I felt the same. The views from the top of the field were spectacular as the sun began to set. There was quite a lot of work to get on with but not so much that it made the project seem impossible. Weirdly I didn’t take as many photos as normal which probably meant I was concentrating on the property more this time. We said our goodbyes to Nathalie and then drove and stopped at the top of the land around the property, this is when we saw the views - jaw dropping.
      Both of us were quite quiet on the drive home, both thinking over all the houses we had seen today but primarily the last one.
      Home an hour ish later we had some of the chilli from the other evening with loads of bread - we were both starving. Then it was straight to bed as we are getting up early for the airport in the morning - Munch is back!
      Okumaya devam et

    • Gün 106–107

      Workaway Tag 4, Frankreich

      23 Mayıs, Fransa ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

      Wir spürten jeden einzelnen Muskel, als wir morgens vom Hahn geweckt wurden. 

      Das Aufstehen war anstrengend und am liebsten wären wir direkt im Bett geblieben. 

      Mit einer immer kleiner werdenden Motivation begaben wir uns in das Haus. Tim ass wieder Tresors mit Milch und Jasmin nahm vom übriggebliebenen Brot. Dazu nahmen wir einen frischen Kaffee, um besser in den Tag zu starten.

      Da es laut den beiden Männern heute nicht regnen sollte, obwohl man offensichtlich die Regenwolken sah, wurde die Entscheidung getroffen, das Tippizelt zu verschieben. Das Kaputte sollte weiter hinten in den Hof gebracht werden, damit die Kinder dort spielen können. Ein neu gekauftes sollte dann auf diesem Platz aufgestellt werden, um es wieder vermieten zu können. 

      Bevor wir die Aufgabe zusammen mit V anpackten, bestand Tim darauf, unsere Matratze schnell raus in die Sonne zu stellen, damit sie endlich trocken werden kann. Die Bettsachen stopften wir in unseren Wäschesack bis auf die Kopfkissenbezüge. 

      Mit V zusammen zogen wir die Heringe aus dem matschigen Boden. Zu dritt transportierten wir das beschädigte Zelt zum neuen Ort. Bereits als wir anfingen, die Heringe wieder einzusetzen, begann es zu tröpfeln. Schnell erledigten wir das Befestigen des Zeltes und rannten danach los zum Klapfi. Einer stand zuoberst auf der Treppe und der andere reichte dem oberen die Matratze. 

      Und schon setzte der Platzregen wieder ein. 

      Wir warteten im Auto ab und merkten immer mehr, dass das so nicht weitergehen kann. Der Regen und vom Klapfi aus auf einer Farm zu arbeiten funktionierte einfach nicht. Zudem wurden durch die starke körperliche Arbeit Jasmins Schmerzen im Bauchraum, welche sie seit zwei Wochen hat, verstärkt.

      Der Plan war es, ab nun der Familie mitzuteilen, dass wir früher als geplant aufbrechen werden. Wie wir das am besten sagen sollen, wussten wir zu diesem Zeitpunkt nicht. Sie taten uns extrem leid.

      Als der Regen etwas nachliess, fragten wir M, ob es möglich sei, dass wir unser Geschirr im Haus abwaschen dürfen. Die Spülmaschine konnten wir nicht nutzen, weil diese bereits überfüllt war und erst angelassen wird, wenn sie gefühlt nicht mehr zu geht.

      Tim wusch das Geschirr und Jasmin bekam Tücher zum Abtrocknen. Wie hygienisch diese waren, konnten wir nicht einschätzen. Für uns war in diesem Moment wichtiger, das Geschirr von dem groben Dreck zu befreien. 

      Der Regen hielt bis zum Ende an und hörte auch nicht mehr auf. Durch den Nieselregen begaben wir uns zurück in den Klapfi. 

      Wie schon seit paar Tagen schwirrten dutzende Fliegen um und im Auto herum. Die Lage des Autos war nicht sehr ideal und wir wussten nicht einmal, wieso es so viele Fliegen an diesem Ort gibt. 

      Die erfreuliche Nachricht des heutigen Tages war die Ankunft unseres aus Deutschland bestellten Paketes. Für 99 Euro haben wir eine Drohne über eBay-Kleinanzeigen gekauft. Sie kam in einem Stück sowie mit einer Batterie an. 

      Danach gab es Mittagessen und wir assen mit den beiden Eltern. Es gab Kartoffelstock von gestern mit gebratenen Nudeln von einem anderen Tag. Dazu gab es Salat mit hausgemachter Salatsauce. Wir assen soviel wir konnten und räumten den Tisch ab.

      V kündigte an, heute Abend nicht hier zu sein und wir überlegten uns, wie wir ihnen am besten erzählen sollen, was uns bedrückt. 

      Wir statteten das Erdbeerfeld mit neuem Stroh aus, damit die Ameisen nicht an die Erdbeeren herankommen. Dabei holten wir direkt neben Klapfi das neue Stroh und nahmen es mit der Schubkarre mit.

      Jasmin gab Tim immer handgrosse Portionen und er hob die Erdbeeren an und legte es darunter. Die guten Erdbeeren pflückte er und legte sie zur Seite. Durch das Entdecken einer riesigen Spinne mit einem weissen Ball, vermutlich ihre Babys, meldete sich Jasmin freiwillig, den Handlanger zu spielen. 

      Als der nächste Platzregen im Klapfi überstanden war, wollten wir der Familie unsere Situation erklären. Da wir aber keine Gefühle verletzen wollten, nahmen wir die Bauchschmerzen als Hauptgrund.

      Leider war V bereits verreist, aber mit Google Translate erzählten wir ihr von den Schmerzen im Bereich des rechten Eierstocks. Da Jasmin bereits eine Zyste erlebte, hatte sie eine Vorahnung. M verstand sofort und erklärte uns, sie werde für uns ihren Arzt anrufen. Da dieser kein Telefon mehr abnahm, widmete sie sich einer anderen Hotline. Da es in Frankreich an Gynäkologen mangelt, wird es sehr schwierig sein, einen Termin zu erhalten. Auch in den Notfall zu gehen bringt nichts, da die Ärzte so gut wie nicht in diesem Land existieren.

      Danach hiess es warten. Wir waren in der Warteschleife und M erklärte uns dieser Prozess kann Stunden dauern.

      Kurze Zeit später traf der erwartete Besuch von heute Abend ein. Eine Freundin aus Deutschland stammend, welche für eine Zeit in dem Haus der Familie gewohnt hatte, während diese auf Reisen war. Sie brachte ihren französischen Freund mit und eine weitere rein französisch sprechende Freundin kam auf Besuch.

      Das Haus sah zum ersten Mal einladend aus und war fleissig geputzt worden. Vielleicht hätte uns dieses Bild am ersten Tag der Ankunft weniger "schockiert".

      Wir begrüssten die drei und setzten uns alle gemeinsam an den Esstisch. Die Deutsche mit ihrem französischen Freund brachten allerlei Knabbereien mit. Sowie auch mehrere verschiedene französische Biere und selbst gebrannten Rotwein. Sie offerierten uns von allem und wir beide probierten die französischen Getränke durch. 

      Dazu gab es genügend Aufbackpizzas, Chips, Oliven, Brot mit Aufstrichen und viele andere feine Esswaren. 

      Wir unterhielten uns ein Weilchen mit der Deutschen und redeten über das Reisen sowie ihren Grund der Auswanderung nach Frankreich. Das Thema Zyste kam kurz auf, um schnell einen einfacheren Austausch mit M machen zu können. Am Schluss stellte sich sogar heraus, dass bereits drei der vier Frauen im Haus ein solches Problem hatten.

      V kehrte von seiner Arbeit zurück und brachte Austern zum Essen mit. Wir probierten unsere ersten Austern und waren weniger angeekelt als gedacht. Zusätzlich zeigte uns V, wie man das servierte Krustentier schält. Es war grösser als eine Garnele und hatte Scheren. Tim bekam Freude an der Arbeit und schälte für uns beide so gut wie alle. Beide mögen Shrimps und die selbstgemachte Mayonnaise passte perfekt dazu.

      Endlich nahm jemand den Hörer ab. Kurz zusammengefasst: Morgen am Morgen können wir noch einmal auf eine andere Nummer, die sie uns gab, anrufen für einen Termin. 

      Gegen den späteren Abend, als die meisten Gespräche nur noch auf Französisch waren, gesellten wir uns zu 3 und spielten mehrere Runden "Dobble".

      Tim verlor so gut wie jedes Mal. 

      1 wurde ins Bett gebracht und wir machten uns auch langsam auf den Weg ins Bett.

      Einnahmen: 0.00 €
      Ausgaben: 0.00 €
      Einnahmen des Monats: 242.50 €
      Ausgaben des Monats: 395.21 €
      Tankausgaben: 568.86 €
      Anschaffungen: 333.81 €
      Distanz des heutigen Tages: 0.00 km
      Okumaya devam et

    • Gün 13

      29.09 - Day 13 . . . Niort & The Douane

      29 Eylül 2022, Fransa ⋅ ⛅ 12 °C

      We wanted to get to the Douane early this morning, we hadn’t made an appointment and so we’re working on the theory if we got there fairly early we may be lucky and find someone working.
      We collected our ever enlarging folder of paperwork, ensuring we had everything we could think of regarding our entry into France, stamped Douane paperwork from Calais and Roxvanne papers.
      It was a lovely bright sunny and warm morning and so the drive to Niort was fab. Just before Niort the sat nav took us off to the east around the outskirts of the town and finally to the Douane office. Parked up we went to the very smart office to find the door locked. Whilst checking the signs on the door a man appeared, opened the door and ushered us inside. We explained our reason for visiting and we’re very soon sitting in an office with him - he being the douane officer we needed to see fortunately. To say he was helpful was an understatement, and everything was explained perfectly to us (although it will cost us financially - but then he is a customs/tax man) - and he spoke enough English that it made life a lot more simple. On seeing the stamped certificates sheet we had obtained from Calais, he showed us a cupboard full of files he was dealing with and exclaimed we were the first ‘Ever’ to have brought him a stamped certified document. So I have to take my hat off to Teresa, who I had moaned at for making me drive around Calais on day 1 to find the Calais Douane! I will never live it down.
      All sorted with the very nice man at the Douane and aware of what we now needed to do - and pay . . . We drove into Niort.
      We headed generally into the town centre and finally parked up in a little side street Rue Barbeziere. From here walked to the first coffee shop we could find where we sat to quickly discuss the visit to the Douane.
      We then walked through the town, which was lovely - with main shopping types streets mixed together with narrow sides streets and thoroughfares. We then stumbled into Place des Halles and straight into market day! The market here is set up in a raised area which also holds a large indoor market area. The food on offer here was as normal fresh and appetising, and within the inside market were small restaurant areas which were busy.
      Overlooking the side of the market area is Niort Castle.
      The Donjon de Niort or Château de Niort (the former is most often used today) is a medieval castle in Niort. It consists of two square towers, linked by a 15th-century building and dominates the Sèvre Niortaise valley.
      The two donjons are the only remaining part of the castle. The castle was started by Henry II Plantagenet and completed by Richard the Lionheart. It was defended by a rectangular curtain wall and was damaged during the Wars of Religion. In the 18th century, the castle served as a prison.
      Whilst admiring the castle we heard what appeared to be a group singing and so we walked down towards the river. As we approached the singing stopped, but more music started . . . We hadn’t stumbled across an impromptu concert - just a full on demonstration 😂. It was the most well orderly protest I think I’ve ever seen.
      After the demo had passed we walked down to the river which passes through the town on its north west corner. The Sèvre Niortaise is a 158.4 km long river in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine and Pays de la Loire regions, flowing into the Atlantic Ocean. Its source is in the Deux-Sèvres department, near Sepvret, north of Melle.
      From here we walked back through the backstreets ack to Place des Halles looking for a lunch spot. Fortunately before lunch I found a vinyl record shop with hundreds of albums for me to flick through. Tre realised that to let me purchase something quickly would get me out of the shop a lot faster. Album securely bagged and under my arm we left to find a place for lunch, not before I promised the guy in the shop that I would be back for a longer visit soon.
      After a light lunch we headed back to Roxvanne and then began the drive home. Tre had another spell driving some of the way until stopping at SuperU in Melle for fuel.
      Home not long after we sat out in the sunshine again until about 7pm.
      Dinner was one or my favourites - Merguez sausages, which Tre had jazzed up with some oven roasted onions and a little from a special jar of crispy chilli I’d hidden from the UK to here - but been found out.
      We almost made to 11pm before bed - not sure what happened there!
      Okumaya devam et

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    Arrondissement de Niort

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