The street gardens are alive with insects this year

fabulous flowers in the mairie carpark

I usually post a story in may or june about the street gardens in our village but they were planted late this year , no doubt because of the weather. Each spring the commune workers replant the little gardens on street corners and road islands and each time they include some form of sculpture with a theme. The past two years it has been ‘birds’ but this year it’s ‘insects’. This must be their indoor activity during the winter and they have proven to be very talented people.

The heatwave that has overwhelmed Europe has kept us indoors on many days. We complained about the cold and rain through winter and spring, then summer hit suddenly . Looking forward to autumn already.

the local patchwork group has wrapped the trees in the street in fabric -
it's an unexpected and happy surprise

We did enjoy a lunch with australian friends last week at a popup restaurant  on the quayside at Pessac-sur-Dordogne.  It was lovely to be outside enjoying a breeze off the river . Someone brought their horses down for a swim, and others arrived by canoe.

Garder au frais (keep cool)

Lily’s first visit to the sea

Biscarrosse Plage 

The weather has now turned summery so a trip to the beach seemed appropriate. It was Lily's first experience of the sea. She wasn't keen on getting wet but was quite happy to play in the sand and say hello to anyone who showed an interest. Another big adventure in her little life.

that's a lot of water, dad

surf's up !

The Atlantic coast from the Gironde estuary north of Bordeaux almost to the spanish border is one continuous beach known as the Côte d’Argent ( the silver coast). One would have expected lots of seaside villages and expensive homes with views of the sea. Not so here near Bordeaux. The few villages that claim the name “plage” are small and simple and sometimes sit behind sand dunes so there isn’t even a view of the sea from their bars and restaurants. The houses are usually quite simple and nestle low as though they are hiding from  atlantic storms. Gardens are non existent, perhaps because so many houses are only inhabited for a few months of the year.

"interesting" toys for the beach

chasing a rogue umbrella

The countryside is very flat and forested. Apparently this region , the Landes, was once all swampy heathland and considered only good for raising sheep. Because of the wet conditions the shepherds walked about on stilts. Heaven knows how the sheep managed.

old postcard of a shepherd and his flock

During the nineteenth century the sheep were replaced with pine plantations, and now the local economy is based on forestry.

marina on one of the lakes

the sailing club on the lake

Behind this long beach is a series of lakes. These too are very popular in summer for boating and fishing and there are many camping areas. As much of the region is a Parc Naturel the forests take priority over everything else  and , apart from the summer holiday towns, most of the villages are small. And then there are the nudist resorts scattered along the coast.

enjoy wherever you are 

Dreaming of a longer stay in France ?

Many people dream of spending more time in France than just taking a holiday.  To have a place of your own as a base and have the time to wander off exploring without a timetable , that’s the way to really discover a place. We’ve done this many times and really enjoyed being able to live “like a local”…..buying fresh produce at the many markets and taking it home to try out those dishes you’ve experienced in local restaurants…….eating with the locals in their favourite little bistros and routiers………discovering new wines through visits to local producers at the source.

duck confit - a local speciality

french onion soup , excellent on a cold winter's day

tarte tatin - what more can one say ?

And then there is all the history.

Chateau de Commarque

Chateau de Neuvic

Abbaye de La Sauve-Majeur

Having the time to explore by car or by foot…to follow the paths less travelled and see the countryside through all seasons, not just when it is full of tourists. That’s the real way to know a place.

Port Sainte Foy et Ponchapt

terrace overlooking the river

Well, my friends Thida and Eric have just the place for you. They have a wonderful house beside the Dordogne in our village. In their garden is a renovated carriage house just waiting for someone with an adventurous heart to rent for a longer stay , like a year or even more.

one of the charming bedrooms

the beautiful main house and garden

Is this for you ?

They are happy to answer all your questions through their website

https://www.labatellerie.com/holiday-cottage

and we are happy to offer advice where we can.

rêves heureux

Inauguration of the Gabarre

It has been a busy month so far, and it all started with a little ceremony on the quai. This village has a long history as a river port and because the Dordogne can be shallow in parts and fast flowing, a flat-bottomed boat called a ‘gabarre’ was used for this. I have heard it explained that , as the boats could only travel in one direction , the current being too strong for sailing back upstream, they were sold on arrival in Bordeaux and the crew had to walk back home and build another boat for the next trip.  Hard work !

the 'Montravel"

  

We have a small museum overlooking the river , the Maison du Fleuve, with lots of interesting exhibits explaining the history and importance of the river to the development of the village. What does ‘fleuve’ mean ? Well, in french, ‘fleuve ‘ is the word for a river that flows into the sea (eg, the Dordogne, the Seine). “Rivière” is the word for all those waterways that flow into the fleuve. What would be referred to , in english, as a tributary.

on the quai

The management of the museum decided to commission a replica gabarre (admittedly a small one) to sit at the quai beside the museum. Naturally, the arrival of the exhibit required a party in celebration. The craft is called "Montravel" in honour of the wine appellation here.

Montravel AOC

The Confrerie de Montravel - brotherhood of
Montravel connaisseurs

The maiden voyage of the Montravel was taken by monsieur le maire and other dignitaries accompanied by a jazz band , as one does. There was a little cheating as the boat was powered by an outboard motor for this event so that it could manoeuvre against the current, but all on board appeared to have a grand time.

Monsieur le Maire, etc, having fun

After the speeches and official photos, the bands played, the wine flowed, and a small luncheon was served under the marquee.

even the local rowing club turned up

The local car enthusiasts club was invited to procession through the town and then parked their wonderful vehicles on the bridge for all to inspect and admire.

we finished up on the terrace of the bar on the corner -
joined by any friends who happened to pass by

It was a very entertaining day.