Wednesday 22 June 2016

Today’s report is having to be put first into Microsoft Word as we have no network  right now.   We returned from our favourite restaurant to find that there is no access to EE(Orange).   I imagine that some electrical storms this evening are responsible.   As we sat at table in Villa Noe we kept seeing flashes of lightning and thunder to follow.

It has been a very strange day with rapid changes between sunshine and heavy rain.   The temperature has shot up too.   We set off after an early rain shower to see if we could make our way to an island just off the coast south of Pornic.   There are two roads there, one of which can only be used when the tide is down.   You might know that our satnav chose to direct us along this low tide causeway.   When we reached the beginning of this road there were lots of cars parked..   It looked as if they were waiting for low tide.   I didn’t wait around to find out what the story was.   Pauline was feeling the effects of her water tablets so we needed to get back to the gite.

On the way back here she spotted a couple of signs saying that just off the road was a vineyard.   Later today we returned that way and located one of the vineyards.   The wine they were growing was vin de pays so we took interest in what they had.   We had great fun tasting wines we had not previously known.   Have you ever heard of Grolleau Gris?   Neither had we, but I can say it is a lovely clear, crisp white wine and worth drinking.   We tried other wines and they were excellent.   We bought a case of 12 bottles, of which four were typical Loire Valley Rosé wines.   They are almost not pink, so delicately coloured are they.   At home I would have to pay about £90.00 for them.   Direct from the vineyard they cost 44.60 euros!   I kid you not!!!   They are going back to Anglesey with us on Saturday along with odd ones I have got from Intermarché supermarket.

We are so pleased to have bought so cheaply direct from the vineyard.   We shall have lovely memories to share when we drink them.

Our visit to Villa Noë saw us sampling Coquilles Saint Jacques and rouget barbet (red mullet) plus a new take on lemon cheesecake and vanilla ice cream.   Once again it was a triumph and we are happy again.

Tomorrow Pauline wants to visit an art studio and then we shall travel up the coast instead of down.   The people and places here are lovely and the gite in which we are staying is excellent too.   I can see us returning here one day.   France, being a different country does so many things differently that it is a journey of wonder and interest.   Wait for the next instalment!