1st There was an orchestra on the promenade next to the carousel this morning when I went down for a swim as well as a Brocande running down the road all making a for a lovely active family Sunday morning.
8th Started my summer camper tour this morning by heading for Tonnay Charente. I need to re-explore the Charente as the Marina at ST Sevinien, the pontoons of which were out of the water and dismantled when I visited in early May, I have now been informed is full! So I need to st the very least get on the waiting list and look for a temporary mooring near-by. Tonnay is not an alternative as it is still on the tidal section and it is a BIG tide.
The town has an attractive river frontage.
But the main attraction is the 1842 suspension bridge, completed in a staggeringly short 11 months. It was crossed by the Tour de France 40 times before it was closed to road traffic. You can still cross it today on foot or by bike.
9th. Moved on to St Savinien in what turned out to be a wasted day. I had not slept well the night before due to the heat and today was a scorcher. The Pharmacy sign in town showed a sizzling 34.5 degrees and that was at 6pm!
10th. It cooled down in the night so a much more productive day. A good walk in the morning finishing off at the Maison d’Ecluse (lock house) to talk to the lock keeper who refered me to the Marie (Town Hall). I was able to see the Marina re-installed in the water and it is in a lovely spot but it does get the full afternoon sun.
It sits in a protected arm off the main river and is a short walk into town.
Where there are a lot of artist’s galleries/workshops and an attractive Market Squ.
At The Marie I had myself put onto the waiting list for the Marina. The very helpful woman on the front desk told me that last time she looked there were 30 people on the list. it could be a long wait so it was off to Taillebourg, the next Port along the river. I did see another pontoon in town, closer to the centre, that was labled “Les Cantoniers” and wondered what that was about.
At Taillebourg a visit to The Marie revealed that “Les Cantonerie” runs the mooring in town and are stationed at the next little Port, Port d’Envaux. So that will be my next stop but in case I do get a mooring here I thought I would stay over and explore a bit. At Tonnay I had encountered a new Aire experience. A chain of well designed and serviced Aires at competitive prices. Each site had access to electricity and water and a nice clean ablutions block had hot showers. I now have a card so finding one of their sites just below the castle in Taillebourg was a bonus.
There is along side mooring and a small pontoon spread out along a pretty waterfront.
There is not much by way of shopping in town but there is a very good Aire with electricity and water to each stand and a good ablution block. It is owned and run by the same lot that ran the Aire in Tonnay and is nestled below the ramparts.
The English connection to Taillebourg goes back at least to 1242 and the battle between Louis IX of France and Henry III of England. Although to the area in general it goes back even further with Henry’s Father King John, himself the Son of Henry II of England and Eleanor of Aquitaine, being married to Isabella of Angoulême. The connection was strengthened by Henry’s marriage to Eleanor of Province.But back to Taillebourg where the oldest remaining but of the castle is probably the DonJon.
The existing Chateau is approached from the market Squ via an avenue of stately C18th grand homes, most of which look sadly uninhabited and neglected. The chateau is of a similar date, about 1750ish.
11th Short drive through to Port d’Enveux this morning to look up the proprietors of Les Canotiers and see about mooring. Met the guy whose eyes lit up when I told him what sort of boat it was and the date of construction. He asked if I had any photos and I said that I had on my computer so we arranged to meet again at noon.
I HAVE A MOORING AT ST. SAVOINIEN!!!! Luigi and I met at noon and he offered me a mooring on his pontoons at St Savinien. In some ways these are better than the town moorings as they are closer to town and get some shade in the afternoon while the town moorings are in the full sun. I am super excited about this and have run off an e-mail to the transport company of choice and spoken to my friendly saints, Steve and Helen, about them organising the St Jean de Losne departure.
In the meantime the Aire is lovely, by the river, in parkland, under trees and Euro 5 per night. Luigi has offered to charge up my computer so I’ll spend the night and wait for a reply from the transport company.
This is what the local Port looks like. It would have been no great hardship if Luigi had offered me a mooring here instead of St. Savivien as it is a pretty spot but not as lively as St S and probably a bit dead in winter.
It also has a “Beach” next to Luigi’s boat hire….
and “Snack-Shack”.
13th. Moved on to Rochefort today to look into facilities for craning Liberté back into the water at this end. There is nothing between here and St. Savinien big enough to handle her. There is an Aire just round the corner from the Capitainarie in the busy marina area. I also got back in touch with Luigi with a view to getting him to pilot the boat down the tidal section of the river back to St Savinien. So now all I need to do is line up the transporter. I will head back home tomorrow for a couple of days to catch up with friends, laundry and mail and decided where to go next based on the boat transport timing.
The Marina at Rochefort is huge.
And the next photo of this will probably have Liberté swinging in it!
15th. Yesterday was Bastille Day, the big national holiday in France and today FRANCE WON THE WORLD CUP. “Merci Les Bleus” was the refrain chanted by a tri-colour draped, euphoric and very good natured populous.
As the light faded everyone migrated to the sea front and settled down to wait for the firework display. Security was maintained by all the vehicle access points being blocked by heavy duty municipal vehicles, earth moving equipment, 1.5 ton concrete blocks and discreet policing.
I took up my position down by the water facing the town so as to be able to capture the reflections as the first rockets went up in red, white and blue.
and continued to shoot off many more frames being the firework junky that I am!
a display of an infinite variety of colour and more bright, white, light.
29th. Sunday morning and the town is buzzing. The covered market is open with plenty of the region’s best seafood and fish to choose from.
Out on the street there are plenty of stalls selling everything from shoes to hats, clothing to table cloths, phone cases to sunglasses and belts to underwear.
Progressing into the Town Square one meets some of the many talented artists of the region. No doubt draw here by the wonderful light.
And you can even sit for a portrait.
And at the movie house this evening, in celebration of the 5th anniversary of street art in St George, there is a screening of the film “Alberto Giacommetti: The Final Portrait”, staring Geoffrey Rush and with the soundtrack in English!!!
capetocarpe 