Département de la Charente-Maritime

So today was a viewing day - two lined up, one in Hanc (pronounced Honk) and the other Clussais-La-Ponneraie (a lot more difficult to spell).
Up and out we were in Hanc at 1030 to meet Natalie. Wd seen this place by photo and a video so had a good idea, or so we thought, of what was on offer. I had liked this place. On arrival the house was on a small hill, last house up a road which ended as you drove into the garden.
First thoughts - still liked it, big barn still looking good, house with garage with some renovations - but needs a good deal of work, still looking good, lovely sized plot of land/garden with fruit trees and the most amazing unspoilt views for miles - loved it!
The house was three bed with a lounge and kitchen effectively - all good size, but nothing grand. The work needed inside would primarily be tidying up certain bits and decor, plus install of kitchen units etc. Nothing that phased us.
One neighbour with the most lovely dog ‘Charlie’ (pronounced shar’lee - sounds so much better especially if you add an outlandish French accent) and two horses in an adjoining field.
Natalie left and said we could stay looking at the outside of the property if we wished. We then suddenly realised the time and did mercy dash to Clussais-La-Ponneraie to meet Karine and her partner Jason (Jason being as British as you like). The property was two houses joined together which had been renovated and done really quite well although not to mine or Tre’s style. We both want something we can do up - not move into something already finished to someone’s else’s ideas.
The property was lovely but it was a no from us.
Jason then suggested we look at a Longère they were also acting as agents for. The building was really quite large with lots of possibilities on room use and converting a loft. That said it really was a lot of work, more than we would want and so again it was a no from us.
If nothing more we found out Jason works with/on renovations - so handy to know.
We drove to Chef Boutonne and popped into the little SuperU to buy a sandwich and a drink. The cash till lady on realising we were English, decided to tell me how the credit card machine worked - then realised, probably quite rightly, that I was that stupid that I couldn’t put a card against the top of a reader! Smiles and laughter ensued and we left - walking across the road to one of our now favoured coffee shops.
Whilst having a coffee we decided to pop back to Hanc, to have another nosey at the house and the hamlet itself.
On arrival we met the neighbour and had a chat, a lovely old fella who spoke no English, so Tre had to rescue me I. Parts of the conversation, also we said hello to Shar’lee again . . . Love this dog already!
We spent about 15 mins looking at the outside of the house just to see if there was anything we had missed and that cause us concerns.
We then had a spin around Hanc which has a church but not much else. It is however really well kept and a pretty little place.
We then returned to Chef Boutonne and back to the SuperU. We had earlier decided to go to Melle for a ‘Big Shop’ but now couldn’t face it so had decided to go back to Chef and grab some bits to make a home made soup.
On exiting the SuperU our favourite newly befriended cash till lady was still on point. I asked her politely how the card reader worked - I think she got the idea of the polite joke.
We then trundled home in Roxvanne, and I started on the home made soup - which according to Tre was the best I’d made and I agreed. To be fair there have been a few disasters in the past.
We decided to have an early-ish night, as an early start in the morning to collect Lissy from Bordeaux Airport.
Soup Recipe below!

Sexy Soups! #01
1x Onion
4x Carrots
1x Chorizo Sausage (Strong/Spicy)
3x Cloves of Garlic
2x teaspoons of Sea Salt
Couple of splashes of Chilli Olive Oil
Couple of splashes plain Olive Oil
3x large fresh tomatoes
1/3 tube of Tomato Purée
Jar of Tomato Passata
Tin of Lentils
1x Soup Maker Machine!!

Squash and chop the garlic.
Peel and thinly slice the carrots.
Thinly slice the onion.
De-skin and chop the Chorizo into small pieces.
All into a frying pan with the chilli olive oil and then the plain olive oil. Fry for about 15 mins until the chorizo is leaking its own oil, the onion is browned and the carrots starting to slightly char.
Put the chopped fresh tomatoes and half the passata into the soup maker, add the contents of the frying pan and then add the remainder passata.
Cook on high heat for 25 mins stirring once every so often.
Pulse to a thick consultancy and then add the lentils.
Leave to cook for a further 5 mins.
Add a little water if constancy is too thick.
Serve and devour with lots of French bread
- Deeelish!Les mer