Vaucluse Dreamer

Last night, after a long day’s ride and a superb, much-needed supper, we ambled around the Vieux Port and collapsed into bed, sleeping like babies until just after 7, this morning.

The thought of having a day off had taken away the early-morning wakefulness, when normally we’re alert, planning the route and getting everything ready. Today though, there was nothing to do, so we could just relax and enjoy a slow coffee, before walking out onto the bustling harbour to find somewhere to sit, for a slow breakfast, whilst watching the world pass by.

It would be fair to say that the first five days had finally taken a toll on our legs, and whilst we weren’t exhausted, we were very happy just to take a slow walk around the town, just enjoying a bit of well-earned rest & relaxation.

I mentioned yesterday that we love La Rochelle, and we feel very at home here, but it has changed so much, since I last visited, in a way that has made it even better than before

When I was last here, the road around the old port was still open to traffic, with cars, motorbikes and buses jamming the road between the cafes and the harbour. Now though, it has been made a pretty-much traffic-free zone and instead of dicing with death crossing the road, it’s now a lovely place, filled with walkers and cyclists enjoying the open space and scent of the sea.

We had a lovely, slow breakfast just watching the world pass by, before taking a stroll out towards the Port Des Minimes and the Maritime Museum, where we had spent so many hours with the boys, when they were little.

It was a real trip down memory lane and we found ourselves just sitting on benches, like a couple of old dears, reminiscing about the old times and the fun we have had in this glorious part of France.

Looking back on it, it feels as if whenever we have arrived, there has been something going on here. When the boys stopped off on their cycle ride, they found themselves watching the practice sessions for the Red Bull cliff diving, with people diving into the channel between the two towers from a platform, built out from the top of the fortress walls.

We have been here before in the middle of the Festival of Sailing, when the Old Port acted as a catwalk for a stunning display of yachts, coming in for their own moment in the limelight, before ending the evening with a spectacular fireworks display.

We were also here during a ‘tempete’ when we saw people standing at 45 degree angles, stopped from falling just by the force of the wind… And we were here on Back Wednesday in 1992, when the pound plummeted and interest rates went through the roof. We bought a painting that day, from one of the artisan stalls on the quay and still have it hanging on the wall at home now, a constant reminder of what happened.

Sitting with a sandwich in the shade of a tree for lunch, we were happily watching the constant flow of boats in and out of the harbour, whilst we did our Daily update and a recap on the trip so far

The port is always busy, there’s always something to watch and it’s very easy to sit and just let the time slip by, which to be honest was just what we needed today, especially with a rather excellent ice cream

Feeling that we needed to move, otherwise I think we would have spent the afternoon dozing gently in the sun, we walked round to the town’s Ferris Wheel and happily watched the city rooftops fall away below us, dreaming of owning a little place with a roof terrace, where we could sit and watch the comings and goings and the shadows shift with the sun.

Dreaming over, we managed to find the next map we need to start planning the next stage of the trip, heading down and across into The Dordogne.

So tomorrow’s route is drafted and marked on the map, and I have my little list of roads and villages too.

We’ll head out early this evening for supper as I think we’ll be ready for bed by 9 at the latest. Then back on the bikes tomorrow and hopefully a trip over the Transporter Bridge at Rochefort on our way towards Pons.

Hopefully our legs will be ready to go again …. Although I’ve just seen that we have walked 7km today, so perhaps they aren’t as rested as I may have hoped …

Hey ho!