Brocante d’automne Quinconces – part two

I thought the cars at Quinconces should have a post of their own. It’s unusual to see cars for sale at these events, but this collection is gorgeous.

yes that's €23,000

€8,500

Is there anything that takes your fancy ?

I think this one is €30,000

€43,000

€13,900

€37,000

but could you afford to drive it any further than the end of your drive ?

a unique little baby - but does it run ?

Bon courage sur les routes 

mes amis

Brocante d’automne Quinconces - part one

along the riverfront - Pont de Pierre  in the distance

Twice a year Bordeaux holds a ten day brocante fair at Esplanade des Quinconces in the centre of town by the river.  On Sunday we went along for our first time to see what all the fuss is about. The weather was grey but the forecast said no rain.

the leaves are dropping everywhere

We arrived early and wandered from stall to stall with nothing particular in mind, just curious.  I’ll admit there were many things I would have bought but Graham just kept saying “NO”, as he does. The fact that we had bought a few pieces (five !) the day before at our favourite brocante dealer across the bridge did influence this.

at least the stalls were undercover 

barbecuing whole legs of porc french style - that's crackling discarded in the tray at the front (???)

There were lots of places to eat, of course, but we decided that the barbecue was the most interesting. A farmer from St Germain du Puch had brought along all his family to cook and serve their own produce - basically barbecued pork and fries washed down with lots of ok wine, and a crepe sucre to finish if one wished, and coffee. And who do we bump into just finishing their lunch as we arrived, but our favourite  brocante dealer and his wife . They were looking for bargains for their shop so I suppose we may see some familiar items in their window soon. We were greeted with two kisses so must have slipped into the category of good regular customers. I meant to take a photo of the chef at the  barbecue as I knew you would all love him. He was an old guy in a black leather biker jacket with a baseball cap worn backwards and sunglasses on his head. His face was quite weathered and he kept a cigarette in his mouth while grumbling the entire time . This was only day three – it’s going to be a long week for him.

toy pedal car

sitting on Marilyn ?

I'd love this as a planter

gorgeous little stone chickens

a bit of everything

I think it's a pedal boat ?

don't know how old this is,we think the wheel guards are bamboo 

another use for a bath

what every home needs 

I really wanted this coquerel, but Graham said no as he would have to steal it from the monument - too heavy ?

You can find anything here - books, toys,  old bikes, stuffed animals, fine silverware, paintings, furniture both antique and modern vintage, posters, glassware, furs and vintage clothes – even cars. By the time we left four hours later it felt like everyone in Bordeaux had arrived.

naturally everyone brings their dogs

  

no it's not real, but what a strange place to keep your toy dog !

Our conclusion - we’ve decided it’s like the Marché aux Puces at Clignancourt in Paris, but not quite so grand, if you’ve been there. Great fun and lots to see and buy, if you’re allowed.

not a happy face - and seven more days to go 

Bonne semaine mes amis

and don't miss part two

OK, so you’re all enjoying the Australian beaches in hot spring weather (or not)….

but we also have ours , and though it’s autumn and raining and cold and windy, we also like to enjoy a day at the beach.

Le Cap Ferret is west of Bordeaux on the point of land between the Bassin d’Arcachon  and the Atlantic Ocean.

Arcachon is a very popular resort town on the south shore of the Bassin and was originally a fishing village surrounded by salt marshes. When the railway was extended here from Bordeaux the area was developed as the first health spa in France. That was in 1852 when the resort was officially opened by Napoleon III. Then the wealthy flocked here and built their 'belle epoque' villas surrounded by gardens. Today the town is filled with designer shops and modern apartment complexes – as these places so often are. Tens of thousands come here for their annual summer holidays, either staying in the town or in the many holiday camps in the area.

Le Cap Ferret on the other hand reminded us of the coast south of Melbourne around Sorrento, for those who know the area. Very private beach houses surrounded by high fences, and passed down through the family (so difficult to find anything for sale) and nothing flashy. The roads are narrow with no guttering and the houses are nestled down behind the coastal dunes under pine trees to protect them from the Atlantic storms. There are a couple of little village shopping strips with restaurants and smart shops, surf schools and boat sale yards. Lots of Range Rovers and Audis and the occasional Porsche parked in back streets, but just as many ordinary cars. Even at this time of year and on a sunday many of the shops and restaurants were open (unusual in France).

Cafe Ricardo for a great lunch by the fire.....

these houses look like they could be in Australia, don't they ?

On the Bassin side you can see the oyster beds and Arcachon in the distance and the Ile des Oiseaux , a bird sanctuary, in the middle of the basin. The water is actually quite shallow and when the tide goes out it really ‘goes out’.

Not the best weather for the beach...

so we headed inside for tapas by the fire in a cozy little cafe where a group of young locals enjoyed a drink at the bar while they waited for their pizzas to take away - very civilised

On the other side there’s nothing but the Bay of Biscay and the Atlantic Ocean.  This area is warmed by the Gulf Stream but that also means terrific storms. From the tip of the Gironde north of Bordeaux to Biarritz near the spanish border,  the Côte d'Argent  ( the silver coast) has around 120 kilometres of sandy beaches with very little in the way of villages. This is a very popular surfing area, and out of the summer high season is almost deserted.  I understand the area also has a couple of nudist holiday resorts for those who like an 'all over' tan.

and the storms roll in ...

Hope the weather is ok wherever you are…

Bon week-end mes amis

Isn't autumn wonderful...

The summer crops have been harvested and birds of prey hunt for small rodents

We drove off into deepest countryside last week to buy golf balls. Why? Well, Graham has taken up golf again and decided, with his loss rate, he needs more golf balls.

Thanks to the Angloinfo site (very helpful for anything you need to know about living here) he found an englishman living further south who had a few boxes to sell, so off we went.

You've been warned !

It was a cool hazy morning and eventually we found our way down ever more  narrow country lanes to the little house in the fields. Transaction concluded, 150 golf balls in the car, long chat about why were are all living in France, then back toward civilisation.

By now it was midday, and as everyone in France knows, that means lunch. We had been recommended a bar/restaurant in the nearby town of Issigeac. This is a beautiful little medieval village that holds the best sunday morning market all year round. We have often taken our australian visitors there and it's where we get our supply of vegemite from an englishwoman with a little van where she makes quite good egg and bacon baguettes.

This little piggy goes to all the markets

So into the Auberge du Café de France we went. The restaurant room,off the bar, is charming with stone walls, french country style wooden furniture and wicker light fittings. We were lucky to have a table by the window and in the sunshine. This is one of those country restaurants with a set menu for lunch and two choices for main and dessert.We started with a salad plate, simple and delicious. Then a choice of moules frites or coq au vin. Graham chose the moules cooked in wine and herbs and served with a bowl of excellent fries ( not as common here as one might expect) while I had the chicken. Uncomplicated food and very pleasant. Dessert was a choice of a selection of ice cream boules, or gâteau au poire . We both chose the pear cake - good choice. Served warm from the oven with custard, it was yum. The meal price included the 3 courses, a basket of freshly baked bread, water, a half litre of wine  ( a delicious rosé was our choice), and coffee - total cost €13.00/$A19.00 each. Can't complain.

As we left the village, we almost hit a large goose crossing the road, then we were surprised at the sight of a pair of deer grazing in a field beside the road. No hunters out today.

The countryside was looking at it's best with the sun shining, the leaves turning gold and red, and the grapevines, now that the fruit has been harvested, looking tired. Cépe mushrooms are appearing in the markets now, though expensive at around €20.00 a kilo, and of course, lots of pumpkins.

Decorative gourds at the markets

The first day of november is Toussaint, or All Saints Day. This is a public holiday and families all gather to visit family graves in cemeteries and  family plots all over the countryside. For the past month all sorts of shops , from supermarkets to hardwares, have been selling arrangements of plastic flowers for those who want something longlasting, and chrysanthemum plants for those with more traditional tastes. Unlike in Australia, here the chrysanthemum is the flower for the dead ! So saturday will be a quiet day with families spending it together first at the cemetery and then at home over a long lunch , naturally.

Bonne semaine mes amis