Bright sunshine - at long last

The weather during the last few days at Camping Manjastre has been absolutely gorgeous, and it was very difficult to leave the campsite.   No wind or grey clouds, just beautiful blue skies and sunshine.    

Walter and I went to La Faviere for a pizza lunch, and then for a walk on the board walk.    The weather was perfect, not too hot, just sunny and warm.

We looked back towards the port.   The previous week we walked around the shop and restaurants, in the background in the photograph below.

The beach beside the port, looking serene and very clean.   No police boats patrolling the beaches in order to keep people out of the water.   This was the situation during the previous week, when there was bacteria in the water, due, I guess, to the first heavy rain in five months.   There were a few people swimming but I think the water was very cold.

As we walked along the board walk I took another photo of the beach, with Le Lavandou in the background.  I certainly wished I had brought my new beach lounger with me.   It would have been great to sunbathe for a while on this beach.

A view of the campsite, hidden among the trees.   An early morning photograph taken during my walk.   Unfortunately the sun had just risen above the hills.   The camera in my telephone was not up to the challenge.

The cork tree below looked fantastic against the bright blue sky, but again I did not capture the effect. Instead the rays of the sun made it look as if there were clouds in the sky.  

I managed to have a swim on the Wednesday and Thursday, in water that was as cold as the water in a lake.    The plunge in, took one's breath away, but after a lap or two it was surprisingly very refreshing.   I must confess to swimming in the shallow end, which meant my laps were considerably shorter.      

The view of the pool, from where I was sitting on the sun lounger, recovering from my swim.   I also took a photograph of my feet in the foreground, but it was not a flattering sight, so I deleted the photograph.   I obviously do not have the knack of feet photography, a little bit like taking a selfie, I think.

Our favourite drink, Perrier sparking water.   Very expensive too, I might add, but oh so delicious.

We went to our new favourite restaurant at St Clair beach, with Joan, Steve and Sasha, their gorgeous dog.   The day was beautifully calm and we sat outside in the sunshine.   Perfect.

I included a photograph of an electric heater just to show people that we did have some days that were very cold.    The coldest September on record I think.   The heater was in David and Alison's lounge in their onsite van, in another camping site.   We sat in their warm lounge and drank coffee, and managed to thaw out.    However, we, like many people on the site, decided that a heater was needed in the caravan.  We found a heater in our van that had not been used since the the end of October, 2009.   Luckily it still worked.  

During the last week we also went to the bar for the 'happy hour' at 5 p.m.   This was when one can buy two beers or two wines for the price of one.  Unfortunately I managed to consume more wine then was good for me and it was amazing that I ever managed to cook dinner afterwards.   But theyt were very social occasions and heaps of fun.   Sadly no photographs.   I think I was too busy consuming the wine and socialising to think of photographs.

 It has been lovely to be with all our Camping Manjastre friends, despite the often awful weather.   It is always such a special time being with them, and catching up on all their news, and just generally enjoying ourselves.   And always sad to leave, but then we can look forward to the next year.

Determination - Camping Manjastre

We are determined not to let the weather deter us from having a good time.    We currently have two types of weather patterns, windy and chilly but with sunshine, or overcast and chilly and with rain.   

Today I got the small heater out, and amazingly it still works.   The first time we have used it since late October, 2009.    So I am sitting in the caravan as I write this, with the heater on, and a rug over my legs.   I feel very cosy.

But one must always remember, and down here we remind ourselves of this constantly, the weather is colder and wetter up north.    So not too much complaining really.

Yesterday we went to La Londe market, and spent a couple of hours happily wandering around in the sunshine buying all the items we saw the previous Sunday.    No rash decisions there.   There were also more winter clothes out for sale too.   Colder weather.

We stopped for a lovely cup of coffee, and sat in the sunshine for a short while.

I bought a pair of trousers, and a very warm cardigan with a hood.   Luckily I left it in the back of the car because I had to get it out and wear it during lunch today.    

 In the afternoon we drove up to Bormes-les-Mimosa to have a look at the craft stalls there.    It was so windy, the stall holders were having trouble keeping their wares on the table.    I bought three jars of orange marmalade.   We opened one tonight and it was so delicious.   Good buy there.

 The view over Bormes village.  Serene I know, but the wind was blowing strongly.

 When  I returned I was determined to go for my daily afternoon swim.   The water was extremely chilly, to the point that my legs were tingling when I got out.   I then tried to find a less windy spot by the pool in order to sunbathe, which was difficult, but determination was there.   I lasted until 5 p.m.

My towels and two piece bathing suit drying very quickly on the line.

 Today we washed clothes, and as before, everything got an extra rinse on the line,  due to the lightly falling rain.     We decided to head off to Collobrieres to our favourite restaurant, with its balcony over the stream.    Only on this occasion people were sitting inside, rather than outside on the terrace, and as usual the place was full of people, with many being turned away.    Only those people with bookings could sit inside, so we sat outside on the narrow terrace.   This is why I went back to the car to get my new cardigan.    There were many people going back to their cars to get warmer jackets.   It was very wet and cold.

The food was delicious.   Walter chose the Salade Paysanne (local salade) and I chose the Plat du Jour (plate of the day) which was duck in a fig sauce with vegetables.   And it was delicious.   I decided that as I was in the chestnut village I would have the marron (chestnut) desert with Fromage Frais on top.  

 This was the first time I have visiited Collobrieres in anything but brilliant sunshine.   And often it has been extremely hot there.   But I guess it can rain too.    Walter sheltering under his umbrella, in front of the square.

No swimming this afternoon.   Instead we went to the bar for pre dinner drinks, and joined a large crowd of people also doing the same thing.   Much more sociable.

The red wine was last years vintage, and very delicious.   It was great to think that I helped to pick the grapes.    Much more meaningful.

Tomorrow the forecast is for sunshine, with the accompanying wind too no doubt.  

Blue skies and sunshine at Camping Manjastre

Good news!    Sunshine this morning.  And it is amazing how a bit of sun lifts one's spirits. 

We went for our usual walk, no tripping over, just a relaxed fast walk for both of us.   There was one small moment of anxiety for me.   I knew the pig hunters were in the hills on other side of the valley, but not near the track I was on, or so I thought.    As I went around a corner, there was a pig hunter in his red hat, leaning on his rifle.   His faithful dog was standing beside him.    The dog was very keen to come and greet me, but was reprimanded very quickly.   In my poor French I asked if I could carry on walking and he said 'oui', and waved me on.   The heart was pounding a bit.   I am not sure if he was the rear guard, waiting for a pig to run out of the bush, or the lookout person who was keeping an eye on stray people walking past.   A little bit of excitement to start my day off.

The view from our caravan canopy.    Look at the wonderful sunshine.   I sat in the sunshine for all meals today.

 The swimming pool looked so calm and peaceful this morning.   A choice of loungers too.   Now where will I sit today?    I did go for two swims, very bracing and refreshing too.   Loved it.   Plus I lay on the loungers and soaked up the rays of the sun.   Bliss.

 I also went with a friend, Sue, to the small beach of La Fossette, where we soaked up the sun, while admiring the view.    The sun shimmering on the choppy water.   It was a little breezy.   But not to worry, as there was sunshine.

And now it is time to climb into a lovely bed, with clean sheets.   A great drying day as well, so made the most of it by washing sheets and towels.  

I love sunshine.

Grey skies and cold weather at Camping Manjastre

We were not expecting so much cool weather, grey skies and wind, and realised today that it cannot always be sunshine, warmth and outdoor living in September.   The idea of two weeks of swimming and sunbathing was perhaps unrealistic. 

Today was overcast, all day, with a few spots of rain, and a little chilly towards the end of the afternoon.

We did, however, get up at 7 a.m. for our early morning walk, which was delightful.   One of the plants, in abundance down here, releases a strong but very pleasant perfume.   I must ask someone to identify the bush.     

A view along the dry creek bed.

 I complete a circular walk, which takes me into the bush above the campsite, and then back along the road.  Walter meets me on this road, as his knee does not cope with the rough path on the track.

Yesterday we did a tumble together, as we were walking back to the campsite.  Walter caught his foot on the edge of the road, tripped and fell, and I tripped on his leg, and fell on top of him.   Poor man, I am no light weight.  Neither of us was hurt, except for the pride.   We must have looked a sight, lying there on the side of the road together.   And then I could not get up, from a sitting position, and Walter had to haul me back onto my feet.  We did have a laugh.   Luckily the road was deserted.  

 What does one do, on a campsite, when the weather is overcast and grey.   After doing the housework, which consists of emptying the toilet, filling the water tank up, doing the dishes, making the bed, and sweeping up all the dust and leaves brought in via the wind, and finally drinking our morning coffee, there is basically nothing to do.    Oh joy, all the people who have to work, will say, I know.   A rough life.

I also might add that we fill in quite a bit of time talking to neighbours and friends.   And reading our books.    And when one has nothing to do, watching caravans being either taken from a site or being put on a site, also fills in a bit of time.   Unfortunately there is no fun watching some hapless person trying to reverse their caravan onto a site.   The owners use their tractor to tow the caravan to the site.  Too hilly.

Today, shopping seemed a good idea.   A bit of retail therapy is always a good idea on a grey and overcast day.

We did a lot of looking, and not too much buying, thank goodness.    I always love looking at the piles of mussels, all ready for the pot,

 and the enormous array of fish, looking very tempting, on the ice.

After lunch it was rest and relaxation time.    Reading time.     So easy to do all day really.

A gloomy view out over the empty pitch in front of us.   The campsite is actually nearly full of caravans and motor homes, but not right in front of us.   There are a lot of touring vans around at the moment.   But no children.    They are back at school.    Grownup time.

                                     
 Walter dressed in his fleece top, and tracksuit trousers.    Warm clothes are definitely needed.   I made a pasta bake for dinner.   Great comfort food.   Then we went for a walk, and drank coffee in our friends' warm caravan.  

 Yesterday, the day was perfect, blue skies and no wind.   Glorious.   So I guess one must take the good with the bad.

I went to Le Lavandou beach, for an hour, and basked in the sunshine.   No worries about kicking sand in someone's face here, hardly anyone on the beach.    Walter sat in the bar on the other side of the road, and drank coffee.

 And no one swimming either.   Strange, I thought.   But then an announcement came over the loudspeaker, to say that people could not swim due to bacteria in the water.   I did wonder why the police boat was going past every five minutes or so.   They stopped two people from swimming in the water.   I guess the bacteria was due to the first heavy downpour last weekend, which would have emptied the storm water drains into the sea.   A beautiful beach and no swimming.  

And I am hopeful that tomorrow the weather will be fine enough again for at least a little sunbathing.

I have been for two swims in the swimming pool.   Bracing.

Blue skies plus wind and rain at Camping Manjastre

I feel windblown and dishevelled.  After five days of strong blustery winds, I am definitely more wind burnt than sun burnt.    And my tinted blond hair has a dry sun bleached surfie look rather than an elegant and expensive, been to a good hairdresser, look.  

But I must not complain, at least the sun has been shining, most of the time.   Which was something people have reminded me of, that is, those people that have recently arrived from up north.

Our new sun canopy, has stood up to the elements brilliantly.   We bought a canopy that was easy and light to put up and would also keep the sun and rain off our cooking and preparation area.   It was not intended to be used for us to sit underneath it.   Not when we have trees and shade cloth to sit under.  But we have had to shelter under it and luckily there was enough room.     

All our bits and pieces, which did not fit under the sun canopy, waiting for us to buy a cover.   But unfortunately they got absolutely soaked in the thunderstorm and heavy rain that occurred last Saturday.   The first rain in five months.

Just when I hung out the washing, the torrential rain started.   Well these clothes certainly received an extra rinse.

The view from the front window of the caravan.

The ground, which was very hard, became a river and then a lake.

It was so cold on Saturday night, we considered going to bed with our clothes on.   Winter time.

The next morning we woke to brilliant sunshine.   Great we thought, the storm was over.  

A view towards the three campsites in front of us.   We used to like the one at the end of this row.

The breeze was a little cool, so we sat in the sun awning.

But it started blowing again on Sunday, with strong gusts.   But we managed to go to the La Londe market, and purchase some food for dinner that night.    The swimming pool at the campsite looked most unappealing.    The sun was shining, but the white caps on the water informed us, and everyone else, that swimming was going to be a cold and miserable affair.

On Monday we decided to travel to St Clair to have lunch in our current favourite restaurant.   The photo below makes it all look very serene, but I can assure you the wind was blowing strongly.

Inside, under cover, and sheltered from the wind, all was serene.   Moules Mariniere for me, and pizza for Walter.   Delicious food.

A few people on the beach, braving the strong wind.  

We drove back to Le Lavandou, where we ate ice creams in what seemed to be a roaring gale.   However, one would never know, when looking at the seemingly calm scene in the photograph below.

Early on Tuesday morning we went for a walk along the fire track in the valley, not far from the campsite.   All was quiet.   No wind there.  We noticed that after one rainfall the small plants had started to revive and were turning green again.

A beautiful rock formation in the creek, not enough rain yet to make the water flow again.

Wind or no wind, there was a need to get out of the house, or in this case the campsite.   We made a visit to La Faviere, where it was protected a little, so less of a gale.

The wind did not deter the people from playing boules.

We walked around the marina, first time in years, and could not believe how many large boats were moored there, or how large the marina was now.

A perfect line of sailing boats.   Whoever managed the marina certainly liked everything to be ordered into straight rows.

Last night the wind reached fever pitch, and the caravan groaned and moaned, and our new sun canopy flapped around.    At 2 am I went outside and checked on it, and it appeared to be holding up well so I did the most sensible thing, and went back to sleep again.   Luckily Walter was sleeping soundly and did not hear a thing.   It was enough for one of us to lie there and worry.

We got up the next morning, and went for our morning walk in bright sunshine and only a little wind.   Did I imagine it all, or not.

One awning blew down, but otherwise there was little damage on the campsite.   However all our neighbours looked a little bleary eyed, and it was not due to too much wine the night before either.   Sleep evaded most people, I think.

The view from our sun canopy this morning.  Our bright green shade cloth, tied around the tree to stop it blowing away is now back in its bag and stored under the seat in the caravan.

Tonight all was calm, and altogether the day had been reasonable too.  Just a slight breeze blowing.

I had decided that after six days, it was time to venture forth, and try the beach and the swimming pool.   After all we are in the Cote D'Azur and September is usually the best time to visit here, warm weather and no crowds.

I have a new beach mat, with a raised back and I was keen to try it out.    My view from my spot on the beach at La Faviere, looking across the sand and water with the marina in the background.   There were a number of people soaking up the sunshine, but no one in the water.  

Then when I got back here I went for a swim, a plunge into the icy cold water of the swimming pool.  It quite took my breath away.

The prediction is that the strong winds will return, but at the moment there is calmness.

No grape picking for me this year, as they harvested the grapes early,  during the week before we arrived, due to a very hot and dry summer.

A visit to the Somme

Finally we made it, to the Somme region of France, a significant World War I area.   We have driven past on many occasions, on the motorway from Calais to Reims, and each time we said that we must make time to drive in from Arras towards Amiens and visit the Somme region.   And after twenty five years of living in Britain, we have finally done so.

We could not visit every memorial or cemetery, as there were so many, seemingly dotted everywhere amongst the farmland.    The area was also very scenic, with rolling hill and valleys, and green.  It rains a lot here, that is for sure, which made fighting in the area very difficult.

The Thiepval Memorial, at 45 metres high, is the largest Commonwealth war memorial in the world, and over 72,205 names of missing soldiers are engraved in the stone pillars.   It also stands on top of a hill, so is clearly visible for kilometres away.   

The memorial was built between 1929 and 1932 and was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens.

It was a very sombre experience to visit this memorial and we were both overwhelmed by the enormity of the loss of life, of mostly young men, during the Battle of the Somme.   I believe that 90% of the names on the memorial were killed during this battle.   

In front of the memorial there were graves of 300 French soldiers and 300 Commonwealth soldiers.

The simple Australian memorial in the village of Pozieres, which was captured by the Australians on the 23rd July, 1916.   The village, like all the other villages around the area, was completely destroyed during the battles.   Australia also has other memorials, at Le Hamel, Villers-Bretonneuyx, Sailly-le-sec and Peronne.

The Ulster Tower, a memorial to the soldiers of the Ulster Battalions ( Royal Irish Fusiliers, Inniskilling Fusiliers, Royal Irish Rifles) who fought and died between Thiepval and Le Hamel.   The tower was a replica of Helen's Tower from the Clandeboye Estate in Ireland.

An early evening visit to Beaumont-Hamel, The Newfoundland Memorial.  The memorial was open but not the carpark, so we parked on the side of the road.   An eerie visit for sure, on an overcast evening, just before dusk.   We were the only visitors at that time of day. 

The three villages of Beaumont, Gare-de-Beaucourt and Hamel make up the municipality of Beaumont-Hamel and during WWI they were behind the German front line.   On the 1st July the men from the Newfoundland Regiment left their trenches and were immediately trapped under German machine gun fire.  Half an hour later only 68 men remained alive or not wounded, and all the officers were either killed or wounded.    It was one of the bloodiest actions of the Somme.

The caribou mound, which also had an orientation table beside it.

It was a sobering experience to walk around this memorial site, which had been left with its trenches and bomb holes intact, although they have filled in a little over time.   And there would have been no grass, just mud and more mud, plus metres of barbed wire.

Walter standing in one of the trenches, on a wooden path, rather than the mud path of WWI.

Sheep now graze amongst the shell holes.

One of the cemeteries on the site.

We visited the town of Albert three times, the first time to find the owner of the B and B we were staying in, and then for dinner in the evening, and finally to visit the museum the following day.   We really liked Albert, a small town with plenty of atmosphere.

Albert was completely flattened during WWI, and after August 1918 nothing remained of the town but a vast expanse of ruins.    It was rebuilt with the help of the city of Birmingham.    Many of the houses and shop facades show the arrival of the Art-deco period from the 1920's to 1930's.

The statue of 'Mary with Baby Jesus' on top of the Basilica was hit by a shell in 1918 and toppled over.   A legend was born that if the statue fell it was to be the end of the war.

The Basilica Notre Dame de Brebieres, built between 1885 and 1897 was damaged during the war, and was rebuilt by the son of the original architect.

A view along one of the side streets of Albert, with the Basilica dominating the background.

Inside the very elaborate Basilica.

A building with a large painting on the side, commemorating 1916.   Notice the leaning statue at the top of the Basilica.

Around the town there were ten statues, which represented the involvement of soldiers from around the world who fought in the Battle of the Somme.

A 10 metre deep, 250 metre long tunnel, which dates from the 13th century, and used as air raid tunnels during WWII, ran from the church, under the square and came out in the gardens below the square.    And in this tunnel, there was the Somme 1916 Museum.

A very scary walk down the stairs into the museum.

The walls of the tunnel contained information about the war, plus a vast array of artefacts.   An amazing museum in a very appropriate setting, and it certainly captured the atmosphere of life in the trenches.   At the end there was an area where light and sound made you think you were walking through a trench, in the dead of night, under artillery fire.    I hurried through this part of the museum.

In between the boards with photographs and information, and the exhibits, there were lifelike dioramas, which were very realistic, and helped the viewer understand the hard life that the soldiers experienced.

Finally you stepped through a door, into the museum shop, and then out into beautiful gardens.  That was quite a relief.

After the museum we felt that we needed to move on, as we were emotionally drained by the experience of looking at the memorials and cemeteries.   However, we were pleased we came to the Somme region as it certainly gave us an insight into the horror and futility of what happened during 1914-18.    And sadly continues to happen elsewhere in the world today.

On a lighter note.    We stayed in a very quaint B and B in a little village called Mailly-Maillet, which was run by the French wife of an English landscape gardener who lived in Berkshire.   Consequently they both partly live in Berkshire and in the Somme region.  She was a very interesting person, and we enjoyed having breakfast in her kitchen and talking to her as she made our packed lunch.   Yes a packed lunch, which cost ten Euros, and there was enough food for dinner as well. 

Our room was on the top right of the house, the one with the open window.  We climbed up a very steep and narrow stairway to our large room where we slept in a bed that dipped a bit in the centre.  

We went for a walk before breakfast, and took a few photographs.    La Chapelle Madame, which belonged to the local chateau and then sold off after the French Revolution.   I think the chapel became part of a monastery.

The beautiful avenue which lead away, or towards the chapel, depending on the direction of the walk.

The village church in the early morning light.

After an evening, night and morning in the Somme region of France we drove back onto the motorway and continued on to our next stop, Beaune, where we ate the rest of our packed lunch, and collapsed into bed and slept very soundly.    Exhausted.