Not getting away from it all

Woo-oo we’re on holiday. Our first ’traditional summer holiday’ together in six years – it’s difficult getting away in summer because we have gites ourself. (We don’t have the promised internet access so postings will be irregular.)

We are in La Rochelle for a week or so, staying in an apartment in the heart of the old town, about 30 metres from the harbour. Quite a change for us country folk, being surrounded by noise all the time – especially for me who thinks that a crow flying overhead is action and the sound of a distant tractor is traffic.

As opposed to the municipal street cleaning teams that seem to enjoy recreating the Monaco Grand Prix at the crack of dawn here in La Rochelle city centre, and the ‘boisterous’ gangs of youth who seem to battle in the streets at 3 o’clock in the morning.

Anyway La Rochelle is a very pleasant and interesting place – very attractive local architecture; tons of shops, boutiques and cafes; and lots of street entertainment during the evening. All set around a pretty harbour region.

There is also a sprinkling of museums which don’t have immediate appeal (having looked at the brochures) but perhaps I missed something…more later perhaps.

The teeny question of whether we can find a single activity or interest that we can enjoy together ‘en famille’ remains unanswered…but at least the girls are old enough that they can be left to their own devices, as long as they always have a pocket full of euros.

In truth I’m the difficult one, always wanting to leap from bed early in the morning and driving miles to see the sunrise on a castle ruin, or wandering quiet village streets before any other tourists have arrived, while the rest of the clan prefer a more traditional holiday – getting up late, drifting around the shops and cafes…

Still it does mean that between us we see all aspects of a place, even if we miss the shared holiday memories that are supposed to see couples though their old age… »Do you remember that lovely sunset boat trip to Ile d‘Oleron»… »Errr, no, I was watching X-Files The Movie at the time »…

For all that, and despite the absence of a decent beach unless you cross over to Ile de Ré (close but 16.50 euros the return ticket), it looks like we made a pretty good choice, and we should all manage to amuse ourselves as much as anticipated.

Which for the girls means there are more shops than they expected and for Mrs B means that I am less grumpy than foreseen.

For myself I didn’t anticipate any pleasure at all so I suppose the holiday can only exceed expectations.