Blog 1.12: Days Four and Five

26th September 2022

Leaving the Bison Farm (what bison?) In the mizzly murk on Sunday morning, the first task was to find fuel.

Being a bit of a berk, I'd pressed on a while too long after the fuel warning lamp had sparked up the evening before, and we then found ourselves in a fuel desert. Typical. We'd passed scores of 'em earlier on, and many with tempting prices to our jaded English eyes. Still, albeit Sunday (this is France remember, where most people quite rightly demand the day off) Mandi managed to locate a 24hr Intermarchè not too many kilometres away. Well, it onlyhappens to us. The only pump accessible to our vehicle was already occupied by a Kriegsmarine battleship in disguise. Actually it was a huge German-registered Moho complete with Angles Morts signage, but it seemed to be refuelling for a voyage across the Atlantic in pursuit of the RN.

When it finally sailed off, though, we found out why.

It was a card-operated dispenser. No problem with that at all, and we were soon merrily filling, or not filling, as it happens. We'd not realised that there was a limit on it, so had to go through the whole rigmarole twice just to brim the tank. 'Ol Heinrich in the Bismarck probably had the second biggest fuel tank in the world, so no wonder it took the poor bugger so long. Ah well, we're on holiday. Who cares?

The rest of the trip was pretty relaxed, to be fair, only slightly marred by occasional showers.

Our target, for we had one, was Mandi's cousin Rob's house about 15(?) kilometres west of Confolens, and being a fairly short hop we made it by about 1pm.

What peace Rob has found in the middle of nowhere. Barely a sound assails the ears, and the air. Oh, the air. Scented and so clear and fresh. Rob was determined to show us the delights of his regular bar/cafè in nearby Champagne Mouton, so we set off to arrive promptly at opening time "otherwise we won't get a table" only to find that it wasn't open. Damn. Poor Rob. He was determined to show us some 'real France'.

That's Sunday en France though, and nothing else was open that was going to provide food, so we drove umpteen miles further to another bar in the shadow of a magnificent chateau, for drinks before returning for spaghetti and sauce, followed by yet more Comté and baguette.

I think anything would have served as I was starving, but as usual, anything M serves up is always well up to snuff.

Our night in the van was spent - with permission - on the driveway of one of Rob's near neighbours (more level; Rob's drive is at quite a squint), and breakfast was one of the delicious cakes purchased at the boulangerie at Persac the previous day, and coffee on Rob's front terrace with views over the valley.

How French can you get?

We'd earlier made the decision to take a day or two off, so it wasn't hard to decide to drive back to Confolens and book into an Aire de Service, Camping des Ribières, we'd spotted the day before. We booked for one night, but within about five minutes we'd decided to make that two nights. I mean; this is the view of la Vienne from our pitch as I type this (feet optional).

It's a gorgeous spot, with all the facilities you could ever need, and only 14.5 Euro per night. Bargain.

One reason I wanted to come to Confolens was due to my lovely old friend and colleague Wilf Koch having moved here some years ago, and constantly inviting us to visit, assuring us that it was a great part of the world. However, sadly, we never made it here while Wilfy was still around as he died far too young a few years ago. You weren't wrong you old sausage-eating bugger. Rest easy matey. Auf wiedersehen.

The afternoon is ebbing away now, and it's starting to chill down somewhat, but it's still a good time to sit and watch the river flow.

I'll just reflect awhile on this afternoon's lunch at a waterside snack bar, la Patavrap, a couple of kilometres downstream at St. Germain, on possibly the best burger & frites I've ever had, not that I'm a great connoisseur of such things. This, however, sounded really good. But it was better than that. If burgers were this good back home I might just have one occasionally.

Distance covered so far: 569km.