My mishaps continue. First of all, on a weekend in London, I sneeze when going through a revolving door. The door stops, I don’t, and I bang my head hard. A few days later, I am out walking with a group, looking down carefully at my feet so as not to fall over and CRASH! I walk into a carpark sign, which knocks me off balance and I fall into the road. I put out an arm to save myself. I have cut my head so there is a fair amount of blood and I feel extremely dizzy. I realise then that my wrist hurts. A lovely fellow walker drives me to A and E (again!). As I am waiting for the X Ray results, a nurse recognises me. At first, I think it is because of my frequent trips to A and E and then she reveals that she is the mother of one of the students I took on a school visit to Shanghai many years ago. We reminisce about that and I tell her that I still have a painting on my wall that her daughter gave to me after this trip. We are a bit distracted with our conversation but eventually I am informed that I have broken my wrist. I opt for a splint rather than a cast, although the former is advised. “But!” I wail, “I’m flying to France on Monday.”
Not to be deterred, I make an early morning start from Norwich Bus Station to get to Stansted in time for an earlyish flight. It always amazes me how long it takes to get there by bus, but needs must and it is a cheaper option and I can’t drive! I have decided to book my very small case into the hold as I will be unable to lift it into the overhead locker. My arm is in a sling. Juggling a phone and a passport with one hand presents an interesting challenge but all good so far. I board the plane and although it is a little late, I arrive at Nantes airport more or less as planned. My friend, aka Maud from “Lockdown Stories” and “Gutsy Travels” is there to meet me and we head to her home in Saint Hilaire de Voust. It’s a Monday and strangely, in this part of France anyway, a lot of restaurants are closed but as we don’t fancy cooking, we head out to see what we can find. We head to Mervent to a favourite bar of Maud’s, but they are not serving food. The barman suggests we head to Fontenay-le-Comte to sample a restaurant called Le Rabelais. We drive around the town a few times before locating it as we haven’t realised that it is a hotel. The food is fabulous, only slightly marred by Maud breaking a tooth on some extremely hard sourdough and having to lean in to cut my food up occasionally. We chat about how to spend the week and decide it will be one of relaxation, lots of talking and enjoying French cuisine and of course practising our schoolgirl French. Pas de problem! I apologise to Maud in advance, that I will not be able to do as much cooking and washing up as I usually do, as I only have the use of one hand.
The next morning, I awake much later than usual for me because of the French shutters, which make everything so dark that you think it is still the middle of the night. I need some in Norfolk to help my insomnia!
The week unfolds with the weather slowly improving. It is early September but not quite as sunny as we had expected it to be. We make many visits to the supermarket, Super U and I marvel over the amazing variety of produce available. Halfway through the week we make a journey to Chateau Colbert, a luxury hotel and gourmet restaurant in Maulevrier to have lunch with two of Maud’s friends. The building itself is stunning with a majestic, curved staircase in the reception area. We are greeted like old friends by the waiting staff as we walk into the exquisite dining room. The service is top notch and the food beautifully presented and delicious. The chef apparently formerly worked for eight years in his own Michelin starred restaurant. If you are staying in the area, I highly recommend a visit and the prices are very reasonable for the quality of the food and the beautiful setting, including the vegetable and herb gardens outside the chateau.
We spend a few days relaxing, strolling around the market and the town of Niort, picking enormous quantities of ripe peaches from a neighbour’s tree and exploring the beaches of the Vendee, beginning at Les Sables-d’Olonne, and taking in Plage de la Mine and Veillon Plage. We decide to stay for dinner and end the evening eating mussels at Port Bourgenay, as we watch the sun go down over the boats, turning the sky into brilliant hues of red and orange.
The next day is Saturday and we have been invited to the neighbour, Denise’s house as she is celebrating her ninetieth birthday. I have not seen her on previous visits, but I have heard her in the mornings chattering away to Jean-Pierre, who helps her maintain her very large garden and vegetable patch. She does, however, still jump on to her ride on mower to cut the grass! We collect a Super U flan to take as a gift and head next door. We are made to feel very welcome and introduced to all the family members who have arrived from Paris and some from Canada. We are offered drinks and various appetisers and we are about to say our farewells when they explain that as neighbours we are invited to the whole day’s celebrations. A small marquee has been erected in the garden which is festooned with ballons and a large table inside. A make -shift barbeque has been set up using an old wheelbarrow. The food just keeps coming, in a typically French way, including more appetisers, salads, barbequed sausages and steak and a wide variety of French cheeses. There is wine and beer on the table but it is interesting to see how much water is also consumed. Our command of the French language is challenged at times but the family from Canada speak perfect English so we manage. Denise is in her element, surrounded by her friends and family. Happy Birthday is sung in French and English and a lovely cake arrives. We feel we should go home, as we have been here for hours, but we are urged to stay for the Brioche dance.
We have no idea what this means but all is about to be revealed. A very large brioche arrives, balanced on a large tray and a small child stands on it and is carried along, accompanied by Jean-Pierre on his accordion. Denise dances with her son. What a privilege to see and be part of this. It is apparently a traditional custom at weddings and ceremonies in the Vendee and is the signal to start dancing. And so they do! Maud joins in. I am a bit more tentative because of my broken wrist and stick to videoing the event. There is great hilarity with a lot more singing and dancing. Eventually in the early evening, we say our goodbyes and leave the family to it. We can hear sounds of laughter well into the evening. A brilliant experience. (Apparently the cake and the enormous brioche were both baked by Super U!)
The next day our French friends from Brittany are due to arrive so we go shopping to buy the ingredients for a dish to create for this evening and hopefully sit outside in the garden for the first time. We squeeze in a visit to Chateau de Terre Neuve before they arrive and then all go together for a walk by the river in Mervent, before enjoying a drink at the aptly named Chill Out Café which sits right on the riverbank. I manage to cook the dinner one handed with the help of the others and we light the chimera and bring out the blankets. We speak in French and English, although in truth probably mostly in English, and enjoy talking about old memories and new plans.
With one day left to explore with our friends, we go to Vouvant and take a stroll around the pretty town and after a brief lunch (always eating!) we head to Maillezais Abbey. Back to Fontenay-le Comte to a restaurant for a final meal before we all head off tomorrow and leave Maud to enjoy some peace in her home before heading back to her family in England for a while.
If you have read “Lockdown Stories,” you will know that Maud wrote a chapter called “Gratitudes” and part of this chapter describes her move to France with her husband, despite the Covid pandemic and a serious diagnosis which hospitalized her in England for some time. They still have a few setbacks from time to time, such as the flooding of one part of the house leading to unexpected expense, but they have created a beautiful house and garden in a lovely part of France which they can enjoy with their family and friends. For their hospitality I am very grateful, including the summer of 2022 when Maud and I worked together on editing and proofreading “Lockdown Stories. “More adventures to come I am sure!
I can now add travelling with a broken wrist to my repertoire. Too late to add to “Gutsy Travels. Travelling around the world with my invisible friend” as the book is with the publisher but maybe there will be a follow up. Who knows?
