And what can we say about our adventure to date? We've travelled the length of the country (some 1000 miles) on our beautiful yacht "Reward"; traversed 219 locks of all shapes & sizes; seen some beautiful countryside; passed some huge barges; met some lovely and equally crazy people; sampled good food and wine; and eventually arrived at the French Mediterranean port of Frontignan. We got to within striking distance of the Spanish border but the ever present winds made it increasingly difficult for us to continue so we returned to trusty Frontignan. Indeed, we're getting a tremontane per week as the summer ends - and it feels very different when you're on a boat rather than terra firma.
It's fair to say we're almost a part of the Frontignan furniture. First Mate knows most of the No. 12 bus drivers, as well as the lovely Chantal in the local launderette (who runs the spotless 'Le Lavoir'). We're missing Fabienne who resigned from our favourite watering hole, the Barracuda Bar. For us, he is Frontignan. The long-suffering folk at the tourist info recognise us and have helped with all kinds of random questions and we've got to know the Captainerie (not least Pascal) pretty well with all our boating/mooring requirements.
But now it's time to move on. We arrived in Frontignan in full swing: the water joust, the floating jazz band, etc., so its a bit of an anticlimax now. The holidaymakers are gone; the kids are back to school; the beaches are all but empty. So, how can we capture the essence of our time in France in a page? We figured a Top 10 would be spot on - not 'arf pop pickers! - with the most forgettable at No. 10:
10. No surprises here: the French showers and loos leave much to be desired. We are in the 21stC guys so, come on, get a grip, please!
9. Whilst at first it we didn't understand, now we accept the dejeuner: a lunch break of 1-2 hours between 12.00 and 1400 during which everything pretty much stops, including automated locks (yes - it's true!) and some bars and restaurants - in which you want to eat lunch!
8. The winds - from whichever direction! Tah-dah to the tremontane, mistral, marin or scirocco.
7. Bumper boats - yes, hire boats are the scourge of the canals in holiday season. We won't miss you - except, from afar, their attempts at mooring!
6. The French obsession that is fishing but moreover, the choice of where to cast your line (or four). Usually a harbour entrance, a narrow canal, a marina - but we never did see a fish on the end of a Frenchman's line.
5. The beautiful outdoors and the French people's love of it. We've passed hectares of woodland and forest; canals; majestic rivers; beautiful towns, villages and cities; mountains; lakes; sea - France has it all. And cicadas... we'll never forget the volume that those guys produce! But better than that: the French love the outdoors - age & size irrelevant (many middle-aged men wear their Speedos or, failing that, their underpants!) whilst making the most of the sun. They're mad for sailing and watersports - brilliant to see.
4. French cafe society: and their bread, cheese, wine, aperitifs, raspberry tarts (divine!), coffee and croissants.
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| Cheers from Le Bar Central, Frontignan |
3. French fiestas: Bastille Day in Macon (unforgettable!); the water joust; the insanity that is the Toropiscine and the brilliant floating jazz band.
2. Our friends and family: cheers to our cruising companions - Alan & Carole; Ken & Katie; Alan & Jacqui; Robert & Carole - it wouldn't have been the same without you and we'll see you again soon. To our visitors, Dave & Roche from Whitstable - great to see you and thanks for a great time in Paris. And then there's our family: Mum (whose been keeping an eye on the post and forwarding all kinds of stuff to us in France) - you're a superstar Ma. xxx; Chris & Pam for their support (and storage!); Claire & Lol (and their lovely neighbours) for help with more storage; and to all our other family and friends who've supported us countless ways - including a special thanks to Uncle Bertie who came to us in our hour of need - thanks a mill.
But -wait for it - straight in at the top spot is:
1. The French! Yes, a surprise entry to us - and no doubt many of our fellow Brits. We won't forget how well we've been received and how warm, generous and accommodating the French have been. Yes, we really like France and would recommend that you spend some time here. Do, though, learn a bit of the language - it goes such a long way (and rightly so in our book) to creating bonhomie. The French seem to be happier with their lot. They acknowledge one another and - very often us - with a 'bonjour' or 'bonsoir'. And it ain't just in the south where the sun shines - the north too. We've heard the family plays a big role here and long may it last. To sum it all up: a French couple who we met briefly at the crane on Tuesday and watched first hand the events of the last couple of days unfold came by last night to say 'au revoir et bon voyage' and brought with them a bottle of wine - produced by their father. I mean, where else would you get that from virtual strangers?
So, if you're wondering about whether to spend some time in France, we'd say 'book it Danno'!
We hope you will join us for the next part of our journey. So, until the next post from Spain (First Mate can't believe we're actually going after 5 months in France) - hasta pronto!
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