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Last night's heavy showers have given way to a bright sunny morning. The cicadas and toads have been joined by a nearby cuckoo who thinks it's a thousand o'clock.
Croissant and Pain au chocolat with real coffee for Breakfast. Ali says goodbye to our host and buys a small jar of Rose Jam as a courtesy, as is the way when staying on a France Passion.
We set off at 10:30 heading for our next stop at St Jean D'Angely near Cognac. As we head south the landscape changes from the Marais of yesterday to wide flat crop fields with a variety of Rye, Wheat and root crops planted in parallel rows which stretch to the horizon.
Beyond La Roche sur Yon the scenery changes again from the long flat roads to rolling hills and bends but still vast fields of crops with the occasional dairy herd. We also see the first vineyard of this trip.
We take a short detour into the centre of Surgeres, a town we've visited a number of times in the past. The square below the castle walls is bathed in sunshine which shows up the honey coloured stonework and the greenery on the trees around the ramparts. After a sandwich (large French baguette) we journey the final few miles to St Jean D'Angely and find the Campsite near the lake.
We take on water, connect the electric and get a few things charging up, then we set off to walk into town. We find the old abbey, much of which is missing, but the towers, walls and buttresses separated by open spaces give an idea how massive the original abbey would have been. We wander into the town centre and find a bar to sit outside in the sunshine with a local beer while watching a blackbird fly to and fro feeding her chicks high on the wall of the bar. On the way back to the campsite we circle the lake, and go through the camping car Aire which would be a good place to stay except that our nearby campsite has electricity and wifi which we need occasionally.
Around and on the lake are a number of ducks and geese; one group of ducks gets chased noisily into the water by a golden retriever. There are also swallows swooping and diving low above the lake.
Back on site Nick has a walk around the perimeter road for some exercise. We sit outside before the sun goes behind the trees then go inside for supper : Spagbol, garlic bread and wine.
- comments
Wendy Cullis Congratulations and celebrations - happy anniversary for 15th. We will raise a glass to you. Great reading your blog, it' s given us ideas. Continue to have a great time and take care xx
Dino & Judy You seem to be having a fantastic time. Belated best wishes for your anniversary. We are enjoying your descriptive blogs. xx