other villages ile de Ré

5/10/2013

We took the bike a short distance west to the tip of the island to see the lighthouse; phare des Baleines. There are two lighthouses, the older is shorter and fatter and houses the museum, but was being used as a venue for a party while we visited. 

The newer lighthouse is very attractive; it stands 50 metres tall with 159 steps to climb, and rises from a symmetrical building which houses the gift shop. From the top you can see a great way in every direction and the light can be seen 70 km away at sea. It was not too windy and we enjoyed the view. 

Then jazz music wafted up to us, and we could see a small crowd gathered around, but not the musicians. When we got down they were still playing; a tuba player, a banjo, clarinet, trumpet and trombone. Percussion was interesting, a combination of wash board, cowbell, and various other small tympani on a wooden frame. It was someone’s birthday, we heard them singing later.

Strolling back towards where we parked the bike, we stopped for a coffee at the nearest café. It was delicious, the sun was out and it felt warm. Then we spotted a couple eating oysters, and noticed there was a set menu with oysters as a starter. So we stayed for lunch, a leisurely hour long affair, with oysters, a fillet steak and herb butter (what they call medium is still rare), and cheese for me, and ice cream for Carol as dessert.

Riding back home, we decided to take a look at nearby St Clement des Baleines, of which there is not much to see. However they have a bicycle hire and repair shop, and we stopped to take a look. The ile de Ré style of bike is a very relaxed affair, with a soft comfortable seat, and pulled back handlebars. We are thinking of taking our bikes in tomorrow to have them modified, if the cost is not prohibitive.

And we have to go back to the artist, M Canard, at Ars en Ré, as his paintings are quite lovely, bright and colourful. I would like to buy one, with boats in a harbour. Of all the stuff we have seen, his art is the nicest, and seems to be reasonably priced. Otherwise there are plenty of small shops selling all sorts of useless tat, sunglasses, bags, T shirts, and stuffed toys – donkey in pantaloons. This is a riddle we have not yet fathomed, why do they put their donkeys in pants?  The only donkeys we have seen were standing in a field and looked a bit Rastafarian, as they were moulting, with long matted stringy stuff hanging from their sides.

In the late afternoon we lay on a nearby beach, reading and listening to the sea. There was a girl playing the guitar on the beach; she only knew one chord, and I am not sure she got all the notes correct with that one, oh yes she had no rhythm either. But no matter, the sound of the sea, and French voices in the distance was all very tranquil and pleasing.

Cycling is promoted on the island, and you do see  lots of cyclists. Not the eager lycra clad types on racing bikes, but rather couples and older folk riding a sit up and beg type of bike, and the occasional tandem or a child in a sort of buggy behind. Our kind of motorbike is ideal, you can’t get up much more than 80-90 kph on the small roads of the island, and although we have seen the odd Harley or larger Beemer, there is not much purpose to it beyond posing.

I am tempted with the idea of going to mass on Sunday at Ars en Ré, since the church is quite lovely, and it would be nice to hear some singing, or even just voices filling the church to get a sense of the acoustics and atmosphere of the place. Somehow empty churches don’t do much for me, I like to see them ‘in action’.

The nice thing about the beaches on ile de Ré is the complete absence of anything developed or commercialized. There is no charge for parking or using the toilets, there are no showers, no shops, and no ice cream or tat salesmen. Perhaps being here after the summer season helps too, since there are very few people, and mostly retired. We have been staying at a free Aire parking too, at the northern tip of the island, and enjoying the van. It has everything we need, but we do run out of fresh water after two days and the leisure battery looks in need of a charge. The electric point at this Aire (there was only one) did not work, and the water did not have a screw thread to take a hose. There was nowhere to empty grey water, but there was a toilet block which was useful, until the only loo with a sit on ceramic bowl became blocked! Time to move on.

We only moved a very short distance, and for €11 have had the luxury of dumping waste water, taking on fresh, and all night electricity to recharge laptop and van battery, and read with all the lights on.

I picked samphire fresh from the beach which we cooked with pork for supper, - Rachel would be proud of us.

Carol has found her first bolt of fabric, after my constant pestering; she got it for free from the rubbish bins. It was the canvas from an old deck chair, and would make a very nice bag I think. They sell bags like this in the shops for about €30.

8/10/2013

We are still on ile de Ré, now at Rivedoux, which is near the bridge to the mainland, and overlooks the sea directly. This site is pretty good, with electricity, and waste water drainage, and a toilet block, although no sit on ceramic types. And there is wifi.

The view to the sea is great, there is a huge expanse of sand, and a few boats. The bridge, the pont de Ré, is both arching over the sea, kind of parabolic, but also curved from side to side. It is the first bridge I have seen which has a curve in both horizontal and vertical directions, and it is enormous. There are oyster beds, with metal frames in the tidal zone of the sands, which look like a healthy and clean method of farming oysters.

We did our weekly wash yesterday, an ideal site in this village, the only automated laundrette on the island, and a place with lovely gleaming yellow machines. We took advantage of the half hour wash cycle to walk around and explore the village, not that there is very much to see.

The day before yesterday, while in St Clements, we went and had our bicycle seats replaced with lovely sprung French models, much more comfortable. We asked if the bike mechanic could give us swept back handlebars. I explained in my best French “Nous voudrions changez les guidons, et les selles parce que les selles sont trop dur pour nos culs, (the seats are too hard for our British arses), et les guidons les plus en avant.” (The handlebars too far forward)  Despite the impressive French, he had to resort to English to explain that he did not have any spare handlebar sets, and although he tried to put a handlebar riser on Carol’s bike it would not fit, because the sizes were wrong. Eventually he put it plainly. “la velo pour madame est trop petite” – Madam’s bike is too small for her. Would we like to buy one for €230? “Non merci.” However a huge improvement in cycling comfort.

We found the most amazing artist in Ars en Ré, which is a very pretty village; he paints in acrylics, and varnishes over the finished painting, and it looks like an oil. We hummed and harred over buying a nice harbour boat scene, eventually deciding David”s bedroom was too small. We have taken to calling the bed above the cab “David’s bedroom”, in wishful anticipation, and not meant to exclude others. However David is not very tidy, and his bedroom is full of extra clothing, sheets and towels, none of which are really needed. He needs to tidy up a bit!

I think we may have another day or two here as there are still a few villages to see, and they are all quite pretty. Then it will be a case of pressing on towards the Med.