4 Days in France!

Thursday, May 24, 2018
Génissac, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France
We again had a lovely drive after leaving San Sebastián. Our destination was Genissac about 300kms. We were in France before we knew it. Gracias  España por un tiempo amoroso. nos gustaria regresar. We noticed now, that we were in France no fences just lots of fields being ploughed or already planted. The land was flat and very expansive. Canterbury Plains but no mountains down one side. We saw more horses than cattle and no sheep.
We tried to stop for lunch but ‘sorry lunch fini ‘ at 2pm, twice. Still on Spanish time of late lunch. Some roads hardly had any traffic. Lots of tree plantations like on the road to Hanmer but a lot more acres. Maison d'Hôtes L'Arbre Rouge 1393 route de la Palus Génissac 33420 France so near Bordeaux so in amongst the grapes. We nestled on the banks of the  Dordogne River and our B&B has a pool at a very refreshing 24 - same as the air temperature so idyllic. Room has Nespresso machine so life is great!   François ( ?) suggested where we could go and have dinner. L’Atmosphere in St Germain du Puch was a great suggestion and we had a lovely meal. Of course being in Bordeaux we had to have some of the local product. 2015 was apparently a very good vintage so 2015 it was. Grown 4km away. We kept the cork as being responsible we took the remaining wine - yes there was some remaining, back to our accommodation. The restaurant was busy for a Sunday night, they were turning away people who did not have bookings. As we had arrived at 7.15 while the staff were having their dinner, we were able to get an outside table. Dinner started at 7.30. It was about a 10 minute drive from our accommodation. Another great nights sleep so we must be relaxed. We have been asking ourselves what day is it? 
In the morning before a swim, Simon went for a run a ‘mini St Clair Half Marathon’ in amongst the vines so many little blocks of vines. All looking ready for spring. After we both had a swim we had breakfast and then headed to Vouillé a 250km drive. The owners of L’Arbre Rouge have sold and bought a house down the road, one that they had tried to buy twice in the past. The house came onto the market just after they had sold L’Arbre Rouge so it was meant to be. The house they have bought is actually 2 - the first is fine, it was renovated 10 years ago the second is a ruin - where the roof is kissing the floor in places. They must love a project. 
We struck a bit of rain midway through trip to Vouillé but again spectacular vistas. Public Holiday so not much open - passing through the small villages we couldn’t see what could have opened if they were allowed to open. French trading laws are more restrictive than in NZ. Shopping is an essential and not a thing you do when you have a day off. Like it was in NZ last century. We found a bakery that was open  for a roll and quiche to keep us going.
In Vouille our hotel,  Le Cheval Blanc et Le Clovis, was partners with a neighbouring hotel and everyone had dinner in one, where our room was and breakfast at the neighbouring hotel 30m down the street. Our dinner was nice. Very traditional formal with fish knives, wine kept in a wine bucket - you hardly ever see those in NZ. Simon had Snails, Veal kidneys, cheeses and desert to end. Cheese then desert it’s the French way! We had so much cheese - just cheese, 3 sorts, a knife & fork and nothing else - no crackers or grapes. Susan did not sleep that well with a nightmare - could have been the cheese.
We left Vouillé, which had a bit more activity on Tuesday morning as it was a normal working day for the French, at 10.30 and headed north for Domaine de Chabottes, Saint Laurent Nouan about 200km. 
IF: In France we have not had to show our passports at reception. In both Portugal and Spain they took a copy of our passports at check in.
IF: Synonyms for Spectacular adj amazing, wonderful. astonishing · astounding · awesome · breathtaking · fabulous - fantastic · incredible · marvelous · outrageous · phenomenal · remarkable · superb · terrific ... Feel free to substitute an alternative to make it easier for you to read so it is not too repetitive! 
We had lunch  at a lovely Bar / Restaurant in Cigogne. Able to sit outside as weather was a pleasant 23 degrees. As we had a pre-arranged dinner on Tuesday night we were thinking a light lunch would be enough. They had a nice salad bar so we tried to ask just for that. The waiter said Oui. But it turned out that was the starter and then main course was a chicken salad! It was touch much, even for Simon. We drove on along the banks of the Loire and stopped a lovely wee village of Chaumont-sur-Loire. Simon went for a wander while Susan had a wee siesta. We then carried on along the banks of the Loire until we arrived at our accommodation, Chambres d'hôtes et table d'hôtes L'Intemporelle in St Laurent-Nouan at 4.30. Check in was between 5pm - 7pm when the gates opened. So we waited in the shade - Simon drafted this. After checking in, Beatrice told us they limited the arrival times so they weren’t stuck at home all day and dinner was from 7.15 starting with a drink and nibbles again so other guests weren’t waiting for latecomers. Made sense.
On arrival we were greeted with a wine but as our stay was cash only, Simon went on an expedition to an ATM, to get some more Euro’s. Beatrice’s, English was much better than Simon’s French and she drew Simon a map on a wee blackboard. Simon made it there and back so could now have his wine. We are the only guests - they have 4 rooms  and a separate cottage. L’Intemporelle is on 1.5 hectares of bush, neighbouring 20 other similar sized properties. A bit like a gated community except the gates are to each individual residence. We sat down to a 3 course dinner with Beatrice and Patrice. Beatrice understands English better and Patrice speaks a English better so the conversation was a bit like a tag team! Their was a lot of laughter.
Huge turkey leg which Patrice joked and said was actually Kiwi and had been mutated by the leakage from Nuclear Power Station nearby! 
Beatrice showed us her planned itinerary for a trip to Aussie & NZ. They  are going to have a camper van and they could be in Chch December 25th, so we may have house guests. Patrice thinks we are first New Zealanders they have had to visit.
Patrice gave a Simon a nightcap French Rum! Talk about strong, between Susan and Simon we couldn’t finish it. Patrice then told us he can’t drink it as it’s too strong for him as well. The French! 
Wednesday morning dawned so of course Simon went for his last run in France. Simon turned  right at the end of the drive and ran for 3.5km down a country lane and only saw only a squirrel crossing the road. No cars, no people very peaceful. After an omelette for breakfast we packed the car for the last time and headed off to Orly. A shorter drive today only 150km. We at the first boulangerie we saw., to get a roll etc just in case it was the only one we saw. Of course today we saw plenty. Again the countryside was terrific, we found a parking area to stop in to eat our ‘picnic’ before heading to our hotel, Inter-Hotel Paris Sud Orly-Draveil. The  plan was to drop our luggage off and empty the Skimobile  at the hotel then make our final drive to The Peugeot drop off. The plan worked even better than we hoped as the kind a Peugeot man kindly dropped us back to the hotel. Our Skimobile served us well and we would EuroLease again. We would check that the contact numbers to use in an emergency actually worked as they didn’t when we needed them to. A Skimobile gives you so much more freedom and price wise it was about  $100 a day + fuel plus it’s a brand new Skimobile. Next time we would take the intended model for a test ski in NZ to see how comfortable it was for both skiers. It wasn’t the most comfortable Skimobile Simon has been in. 
Our hotel is close to Orly Airport and only 150m from the River La Seine so where else to dine on your last night in France - plus it was only 1 of 2 nearby that the hotel recommended so on the banks of La Seine at Restaurant Gibraltar ( French restaurant not a very French name) was where we headed. The meal was Très Bon. We returned to pack ready for a plane not a Skimobile. Planes do not have a back seat so some stuff was no longer needed and the red wine we had safely transported from Bordeaux had to be finished. It has travelled well since it was opened on Sunday. 
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