The joys of being in a caravan.

Nearly 5 weeks ago, we set out on our adventure. Yes. FIVE weeks ago. Since then, Bessie has been renamed Ginormica. Given some of the very narrow French roads that we've had to navigate, she certainly did feel 'Ginormous'! But today was another story! We have a water pump that sucks water out of the water butt outside and delivers it to the taps inside. Simple. ..... Except when the housing for the pump suddenly and mysteriously develops a crack - letting in lots of air, and spurting water all over both the outside AND inside of the caravan. NOT a good thing. Now the chances of getting a part for this, is ... well, lets just say 'zero' - since it's a Sunday. Then we discovered there was a crack in the cap for the water butt, so had to swap them over to stop the water leaking out of there. Then, we discovered, there were SEVERAL leaks in the unit that the water pump plugs into!! So my wonderful husband toiled away all day fixing all these problems, so that we could still have running water inside. No easy task!! But he did it. And all is once again right with the world. 

Fast forward to tonight - 9:30pm. All the lights are on in the caravan, and the kids go to brush their teeth. Lights dim, and the meter reading for the battery drops to zero. WHAT NOW!???? Everything on the pump is checked again, inside and outside, and finally, we discover, a fuse has blown! Some things run off the battery, and others off the mains power that we hook into. The battery is charged up by plugging it into the mains, and without it, many things just won't work. URGH! Off to check it out ...

Tomorrow we are viewing three houses, and I am determined that we WILL be taking one of them!! Even if it means changing our future plans a little. 

Update: We've managed to isolate the fault to the pressure switch on the pump - it's the one that stops the pump when the taps are turned off. Fabulous. It only cost us 6 red fuses. We once again have no running water inside. It's back to bottled water. Wonderful. Will have to get it sorted out tomorrow after the viewings. Oh the joys!!!

Saturday is Market day in Sainte Foy le Grande!!

We arrived here in Monpon on the 19^th August, and the house hunt has begun in earnest! We've looked around at the surrounding villages, and we've contacted the estate agents. Requirements here to rent a property, are not a lot different to those in the UK. You need to prove some sort of income, and you need to be able to pay the rent, and at the very least, look like a decent sort of person. Apparently, we fit the bill, and we're off on Monday to see three houses! One is in Monpeyroux, the other is in VilleFranche de Lanchat, and the cute sounding Le Pizou. Fingers crossed we'll be able to take one of them!

When we were in Sainte Foy Le Grande a few weeks ago (was it really that long ago??), we somehow managed to miss the Saturday Market. Doh! So while we're in the area, we decided to pop down there to see it. WOW! It is B-I-G!! I can see why it was voted best market in France in 2014!! There is EVERYTHING! From live chickens, to toys, jewellery, LOADS of fruit and veg, meat and cheese, clothes, and just about everything else you could imagine! There were even two people there selling beds! Rotisary chickens, paella, Asian cuisinse, sweets and goodness knows what else!
I tried to make a video of the market, but fist my phone died on me, then the dog felt sick, then I lost my husband! LOL! It was destined not to be done this time! But I took some pics though. I will be going back to the market, so will DEFINITELY be doing a video then!

There were two stalls, where they had the cutest little piglets, but were claiming to be selling boxes of sweets for 7 Euros each to fund their vaccinations etc Hmm, it seemed like a bit of a story – an expensive one at that!!

But it was an awesome visit, and I do love that town! Hopefully we'll be regular shoppers there!

There were a few jewellery stalls - this one
had jem stones for sale too.

Unlike the other bag sellers - these bags
were handmade by the seller. French leather
and antique fabric scraps. 

With the heat here, it's important to keep your
food protected from the flies! And these are
super handy!

There seems to be a belt seller (or 5) at every
market!

This picture does not adequately show how
busy it was! At one point it was 'heaving!'

This is a 'floating tap'. There is a perspex
tube that supports the tap, and draws the water
up, then the water pours over the outside of
the tube - all giving the illusion of a floating tap.
90 Euros!

There were several stalls selling fresh seafood.
And it all certainly smelt fresh! There was a
definite 'sea' smell rather than a nasty fishy
smell - which shows how fresh it was!

It was so busy that we all kept bumping into
each other!

More reed tote bags.

A little something for the quilters!

Although there were two of these sweet stalls,
I didn't see anyone buying from them.
There is a lot of 'anti-sugar' feelings here at
the moment.

Back in Vine country, Bordeaux and serious house hunting.

We're finally back in vine country. I love this area! And it is definitely an area I want to live in!! We arrived on Friday at a small camp in a town called Montpon-Menesterol. It's just our base for the area for the time being.

While on our way back to the Dordogne area, we encountered two trucks carrying the same load - we tried to guess what it could be - and finally decided that it must be something for an aeroplane, since airbusses are built somewhere nearby. But getting past them was stressfull to the MAX (right hand car on left hand roads - not fun!!)

Can you guess what it is?!?!

We also saw some of the pretty little towns getting ready for their festivals.

We popped over to Bordeaux this morning, to see the fabric & general market, as well as the city in general since last time it was very, VERY wet. But today, it was gorgeous weather – clear and warm! When we got to Bordeaux at about 9am, I was stunned by the lack of traffic!! It was so light for such a big city! Anywhere else in UK, and it would be murder to get in …. but this is of course France. It is Monday. And it is early. And we must not forget that it IS of course August. We were in a queue of …. seven cars. I am sure that the traffic will be considerably heavier from September onwards. However, within the small number of cars that are on the road, many of them are CRAZY! Changing lanes at high speed with no indicators, and actually, a general disregard of the lanes in the first place! It was quite nervy at times – heaven alone knows how I'd cope in Paris where they're famed for their crazy driving!! We finally parked up, and walked over to the market. At 9:30am, I thought it would be fully set up, and traders in full swing ….. uh, this is France, and it IS still Monday. So no, not everyone was set up yet, and some hadn't even arrived yet! So we meandered along Rue Victor Hugo, got a few more pics of the car hanging out of the parking lot, the Grosse Cloch (Enormous bell tower) and the arches. We saw a lovely sculpture of a tortoise in Place de la Victor. A lovely square where something always seems to be happening – concerts, or like today – blood donations. Hey, it's still something happening! Unbelievably, many of the shops only open at 10am, and even then, it seems begrudgingly – but they're fast to close up for lunch time – even cafes and pizzarias are sometimes closed for lunch – yes, I know it seems mad. But again, it must be remembered – it is Monday, in France. So, we wandered back to the car, via the market, which by 11:30am, was finally in full swing. There was a lot of fabrics for clothes, ready made clothes, and other 'general' things. The food market is on every day except Mondays. We drove around the city and saw loads of interesting buildings, where my husband used to live and work, and a few other places. It was really good not to have to do a lot of walking in the heat! Tomorrow and the rest of the week have promised high temperatures again. Should be interesting as we officially start the hunt for a house. The paperwork alone should keep us occupied for the next few years!!  

Entering Bordaux at 9am. We were at the
back of the 'rush hour' queue.  Not many at all!

Architecture in Bordeaux is just amazing!!

The bell tower of the
Bordeaux Cathedral Saint Andre.

The Market is held in the square
just next to the cathedral. 

This car has been like this for nearly 20 years - it's a feature
of the multi story parking in Bordeaux on Cours Victor Hugo.

Port d'Aquataine aka Place de la Victoire

There's a beautiful sculpture of a tortoise in the square, and
of course the kids had to ride it. Little did we know how hot it
was - being metal - and I'm taking my time with the pictures ...

.... and of course a funky pose too!
And a QUICK exit off the roasting metal!

This is the Grosse Cloche (the enormous
bell). It' is hard to appreciate just how
big it really is from the pics!
Google Maps

Add caption

Back to the market, and by 11:30am it
was finally in full swing!

The long rows of appartments and building on the
river front are very impressive!

In the last 20 year, there have been a
number of improvements to the city.
One of them is the tram system -
inexpensive and covers the city pretty
well.

As with any city, it is rapidly expanding to accommodate
 a growing population.

Porte de Bourgogne

WHICH WAY!?

The main road along the river

Pont Jacques Chaban Delmas
This is the new bridge, and it can raise up
and lower again to accommodate taller boats.

You can even go up in one of the four pillars
to see the view from the top,
just so long as you enjoy climbing stairs!

An old bus, now restored and used for tours around the city.

On the river front, there's a small area where kids can run
around on the square, and it has a centimetre or so of water on
it - and every now and then, it sprays water out!
Wonderful on a hot day!!

On the way back to camp, we saw this huge building.
Apparently here, they make the caskets for the wine!

Bayonne, Biaritz and Pau.

This week has been very, VERY hot. We arrived at this campsite on Saturday after several stops from Pinehlu. This time, it wasn't the kids at fault – but rather the quest for a gas regulator. Now, we had two gas bottles from the UK, which cannot be swapped over for new bottles here in France – they're different. So we had to get two new gas bottles – French ones. Yay. ….. But they have different fittings for the regulator – BOOO! So we hunted for a regulator – and it seems that nobody had one – they were either sold out or just didn't have them in the first place. So in the absence of getting the regulator, we stopped at a another shop called Decathlon – a sports shop like Sports Direct in the UK, but with a bit more variety. And there, they had a lovely girl's bicycle for just 99€! So an early Christmas present for the girl. Thank goodness, as her old bike was so small for her, that her knees were around her ears! So at least she got sorted. But in the time that we took (all with caravan in tow!) the fridge got rather warm. With temperatures ranging from 34 – 36 Celcius, it certainly was not cool! But we finally made it to St Savier, and duly followed the SatNav. Hmm, perhaps not such a wise move. It led us right through the middle of the village, and I can tell you, doing that with a caravan in not fun. We eventually had to turn around – how my husband managed to turn the van and caravan around is beyond me, but we made it, retraced our route, and found where we'd turned left, instead of right. Camp finally found and booked in, awning put up, and finally ….. relax. Or should I say 'melt'?! All of Sunday and Monday were so hot that at one point, I thought I was going to pass out! Keeping very still in this heat rally is a good plan. Unlike some other places, this is a very dry heat. It isn't too dissimilar to being in a fan oven. There is indeed a breeze, but it is hot, and makes you feel even hotter!

Camping les Rives de l'Adour
The camp we stayed at - to be honest, the pictures made
it look far more impressive than it actually was. But it
was fine for our purposes.

On Tuesday, we tried to escape the heat, and headed off to Bayonne and then Biaritz to see what they're like. Bayonne was just a typical French city really with lots of shops and the required cathedral. It had some lovely areas and a lot of shops. It is very close to the Spanish border, which has a great influence on the area. There is a lot of bull fighting rings around, and it's seen as quite a big celebration here. As I understand, in France, the bull may not be killed, but it is still an activity that I don't agree with. The Basque influence here seems to be much greater than the French influence. We collect magnets from wherever we go, and we just couldn't find one for Bayonne – only Basque! It was quite surprising. Eventually, the heat caught up with us, and it was sweltering! So we decided it was a good time to head over to Biaritz. We arrived, but there was absolutely nowhere to park. NOTHING! It was so full, and people were still flooding into the city. It would seem that there was some sort of street party that night, so most people were there for the rest of the night! It reminded me a lot of Brighton, but much prettier. Very seaside resort type, but nice. There's a house that seems like it's clinging to the rocks right out at the very front of the sea front. It is really pretty, and makes for some lovely pics! The rock formations out there are also a geologist's dream!!

Extremely tall trees on either side of the
road - very beautiful, and seen quite often
on the rural roads here in France.

Bayonne Cathederal seen as we walked
down one of the narrow side streets.

Many of the narrow side streets in
Bayonne have
thriving businesses in them. There are
few empty shops - they're snapped
up fast!

Entering Biaritz

Looking down at the coast road in Biaritz
and the house on the rocks. (Note the
rock formations on the left of the pic).

The house & rocks from the lower coast road in Biaritz.

We both agreed though that while Bayonne and Biaritz are very pretty, and seem like lovely places, they're not quite where we'd like to live. But there was still one more town to visit before we could make any informed choice – we had to see Pau on Wednesday. It is is a city with a lot happening. In the Winter, it is the gateway to the Pirinese but sadly, the view of the Piriense mountains was obscured by the clouds. It is said to be one of the most beautiful views in the world, we may have to return on a clear day to verify this claim. There are numerous shops with high priced goods, and these really do cater for the upper classes. It also has an enormous student population, with many colleges and universities in the area. According to Wikipedia, it is where the Wright Brothers set up the very first school of fight, and nobility and aristocracy would come to view people taking flight. It's a lovely city, and somewhere I'm sure we could do business in, but it's not quite where we'd like to live.

Kids in front of the water feature in Pau.

Another photo op! :D 

This is a cable car that runs from the train station below to
the road level - a lovely old thing, and still well used!

Look Mum! Minecraft trees!!

A typical view of the minor streets in
France. This was in Pau - walking back
towards the city centre.

Chateau de Pau - it was beautiful, but sadly doggies aren't
allowed in, so we'll have to look inside on our next trip.

 On our way back, we stopped at InterMarche (a local supermarket) for some cool drinks and ice creams. While I waited in the baking car, I spotted a baguette dispenser!!! So if the shop is closed, you can still get your bread! And the French do looooooove their baguettes!! 10 BILLION baguettes were sold last year alone!! (Pain - pronounced 'pa' with the a as in 'apple' is bread!).

Add caption

It seems that every village – no matter how small – has a church with an impressive steeple. It might not be a cathedral, but it is impressive none the less, and possibly more importantly, it is visible from the whole village – no matter where you are!

A village church

So! Here we are on Thursday – aka French Monday! But today's rather cloudy, and cool, so it's a day for relaxing, washing and cleaning the caravan (a job that is considerably quicker than cleaning the house!). We are very fortunate, this is only the second day of cool weather in the three weeks that we've been out here. It bucketed down when we went to Bordeaux, and today, is just occasional light drizzle with a cool breeze. I'm still in shorts though. Tomorrow though, is moving day. We're going to head back to the Bordeaux area. It's an area that we all liked very much, and felt very comfortable. We need to see about a house. It might not be THE perfect house for us, that might take some considerable searching to find that one. But it will mean the kids can get into school, and we can get our things and the cat over here … and normal life (whatever THAT is!) can resume.

August is definitely festival month! There seems to be a festival planned in every village at some time or another during the month. And somehow, we've managed to miss all the markets! I'm really disappointed about that! They tend to be on quite early in the morning, and by the time we've made our way to a place, it's already been and gone. I will make a more concerted effort to make it to the market in Bordeaux when we go next.