Postcards from Provence and beyond

After a seriously soggy arrival at our friends’ home, our wet disc-brakes sounding like an angry flock of geese, as we pulled up, we quickly showered and settled into catching up.

We first met Peter and Jo, when we first rode from Devon to Provence, in 2023. Jo had contacted me over social media, kindly offering us a bed for the night, if we were passing nearby, and we have been good friends since.

They live in a spectacular spot, in the heart of the salt-marshes, near the Ile de Noirmoutier, and with the vast skies, the incredible wildlife, and the tang of salt in the air, from the ocean about 200m away, it’s the perfect spot to relax.

And almost the moment we arrived, we switched off . We had no idea of how tired we were, until we arrived, and for the first time in 8 weeks, we had nothing to think about. We had no day-to-day stresses to worry us, no fairs to prepare for, no work on the house to think about, and suddenly we relaxed.

After a lovely evening, we collapsed into bed and slept like the dead until we woke, in the morning to a message from Jo, saying porridge was ready when we were, and they were on the terrace. It was 8am – we had slept solidly for 10 hours, undisturbed by a sound. For us, this is unheard of, we’re up and about by 6, after often being awake by 5.30. I honestly can’t remember the last time we slept this long. We must have needed it!

We quickly showered, dressed and enjoyed breakfast, watching the birds and listening to the gentle sound of cows chewing the cud, in the neighbouring field. There are few places now, where you can enjoy the easy silence of nature, and this is one of them.

With thunderstorms threatened for the afternoon, we set off through the marshes for a walk along the coast, near Pornic.

It was a beautiful walk, along the coast path, which clung to the coast, passing rocky little coves, with golden sandy beaches. It was so different to the landscape, just a few miles south, in the Marais, and felt more like we were in Brittany, or even Cornwall.

We were walking in glorious sunshine, yet out to sea the storm clouds were growing, and we could hear the distant rattle of thunder, with occasional flashes from the deep heart of the blackening clouds.

We reached the beach-side bar that we had planned to eat in, only to find it closed with the threatened storm, which turned out to be the best thing that happened.

We found a restaurant that was open, near where we had left the car, and ambled back, arriving in time for a perfect lunch, as we sat behind the huge picture windows, watching the storm gain pace.

The food was superb, the company wonderfully easy and the view of the lightning over the Ile de Noirmoutier was mesmerising, with the rumbles of thunder being heard over the chatter of customers at the tables.

By the time we left, the clouds had darkened even more, a sheet of slate grey, marbled with paler lines, above the pale waves. We stood by the fence, watching as the lightning flashed, with dramatic bolts striking the sea, in the distance, as the thunder crashed around us

It was absolutely spectacular, yet somehow we were still dry.

As we watched, the sea began to change colour, darkening and becoming more opaque as the first drops of rain started to break its surface.

Somehow, we were still dry, but took the hint that if we stayed much longer, we would be getting very wet indeed, making it back to the car, just as the first drops started to hit us.

Then the heavens well and truly opened!

We drove through torrential rain that turned the roads into rivers, puddles, quickly becoming ponds of water, yet as we arrived in Pornic, the tap was turned off and the sky cleared a little.

We hadn’t intended to stop, but as there was a respite in the storm, we parked and took a little stroll along the quay, under the chateau of this pretty little port. It’s a fascinating place, with a long history; the chateau guarding the entrance to the harbour

And a large mill still working, next to the quay, which has been in operation there since the late 1800s

It was as if the storm had decided to give us just enough time to get a sense if the town, as the moment we started walking back to the car, the heavy drops started to fall again. Then the storm really hit.

By the time we arrived back in the Marais, the roads were awash with water, birds were on the ground, and the wind was whipping the trees and bushes into a frenzy. It was dramatic and it was easy to see the power of nature at work.

We dashed inside, watching blue skies on one side of the house and black on the other, enjoying carrot cake and tea, as the storm continued to rage. Happily, I love a good storm!

Within an hour though, it was as if nothing had happened. The wind settled, the skies cleared and the gentle sounds of nature returned.

We ambled down to the oyster shed, where Peter has his studio, falling in love with a few more pieces of his work that will be heading off to galleries and shows in the UK, very soon.

It’s always fascinating, hearing him talk about the artistic process behind his work and the act of making the first mark on a canvas, and where that takes him. He chatted about how he will work, until he reaches a point with a piece, where he has to change it, which is the point of departure, when the art begins.

We feel very lucky to have 2 of his pieces at home, both inspired by the landscapes of the Marais, with that sense of space, openness and colours of this special corner of France.

The evening ended, watching the sunset, listening to the birds settle, with no sign of the storm that had raged, just a few hours before. And we had relaxed.

Today, we woke to blue skies and took another walk through pine forests, (oddly enough along a section of the Velodyssey cycle route)

And along the stunning sandy beach to Fromentine, where we sat on a wall, watching the world play out before us. There were children flying kites, people fishing in the soft waves of the estuary, and the ferry leaving for the short trip across the bay to the Ile d’Yeu.

Before we took a gentle drive back through the Marais. This was always going to be a delight, as Jo and Peter have incredible knowledge about the local wildlife, especially the birds. It is an incredibly rich area for this and we were astounded by what we saw, including a Little Owl, Storks and Sacred Ibis

A stunning Black Shouldered Kite

Glossy Ibis and Spoonbills

And finally a newly arrived Osprey.

This evening, we’re feeling as if we have slowed down and that we have had a real break. The busyness of the summer weeks has been cleansed from our minds, and now we’re ready to continue pedalling.

Tomorrow, we head away from this calm and beautiful place and head inland, towards a stop in Les Essarts, on the first step our way south.

Hope you enjoy the journey