Photoshoot, take one, take two

Enjoying the Marais Poitevin photo credit ©S.Bonnet

As I hinted in my last post, the week of our twentieth anniversary of arriving in France, was a busy week, even by our standards, but one full of fun and laughter too.

 

When I think ‘model’, images of long-legged beauties, immaculately made up, not a hair out of place and coordinated couture, come to mind. I certainly don’t think model when I catch a glimpse of myself in my sweaty cycling gear and helmet hair. It’s as much as surprise to me as anyone, that not once, but twice this summer I have been filmed and photographed cycling on the local bike routes.

 

Take one

My first experience of pretend modelling was back in June. This mission was to produce promotional material for the Vélidéale, the new cycle route that starts on the Atlantic coast in Saint-Nazaire, before crossing the departments of the Vendée, the Deux-Sèvres, the Charente, the Haute-Vienne and finishing up in the Creuse, at Lac Vassivière in central France. 

La Vélidéale

This journey also takes it through five regional parks, as well as passing right outside the Château de Javarzay. When the Deux-Sèvres department put out a call on social media looking for volunteers to be photographed along the section that passes from Niort to the Château de Javarzay, I knew I wanted to be a part of it. I might not be that comfortable being photographed but will do all I can to help promote this area, and especially to fellow cyclo-tourists. One of the most important things I’ve learned in the last twenty years is that saying yes to things that initially seem outside of my comfort zone, often leads to fabulous experiences.

Photoshoot, take one, Niort

 

At half past eight one June morning, in the carpark of the Château, our long day of filming began with introductions, instructions on how to ride the e-bikes we had been provided with for the day, and a bag of pastries from the local boulangerie to tuck into. The Vélidéale had employed a photographer to visit all the departments and take a mix of stills, video and drone footage to highlight the sights the cycle tourists will see over the six hundred and sixty-five kilometres. Our day consisted of lots of short rides up to or past châteaux, churches, an abbey and a silver mine, where we’d stop, look up or around us, laugh, smile, and then repeat, until the photographer was happy. This was interspersed with driving between locations and lots of waiting around for the clouds to clear and the sun to shine (June wasn’t the best month for good weather this year). I probably pedalled less than two kilometres over the eleven hours we were out, but it was still as exhausting as it was fun, as well as being a fascinating behind the scenes glimpse into how tourist brochures are put together.

 

 

Take two

At the beginning of August, I received a phone call from the lady who works for the promotion of tourist sites in the Deux-Sèvres department, and who had accompanied us on our June day out. They were looking for a couple to cycle the twenty kilometres between Niort and Coulon on the Vélo Francette, for a social media campaign, and would we be interested. This well-established long-distance route from the ferry point in Ouistreham in Normandy to La Rochelle on the Atlantic coast, just happens to be one of our favourites, especially this section that passes through the Marais Poitevin, so how could I refuse. 

 

The bronze dragons of Niort

It was a totally different day out to the first one, but even more fun. We met up in the centre of Niort and our first task was to cycle through Place de la Brèche, somewhere that has changed dramatically in the last twenty years, before passing the famous bronze dragons and taking a pause at the market halles. Recently voted the best market in France, I am ashamed to admit that this was our first visit, my lame excuse being it is only open in the mornings and is over an hour from home. While our bikes were guarded, we were filmed wandering from stall to stall, admiring the fresh produce before stopping underneath the nine-hundred-year-old Donjon, once home to Alienor of Aquitaine, Queen of France and then of England in the 1100’s.

 

The real cycling began as we left Niort and followed the meandering Sèvre Niortais river towards the Atlantic. This is where things got a bit tricky. We are both in our fifties and were on our Bromptons (small wheeled, folding bikes, powered by legs). Our ‘film crew’ were on e-bikes and the girl whose project it was, was younger than Ed, but as we set off with her filming from behind, it soon became apparent, she couldn’t keep up with us. I am taking this as a middle-aged win!

 

Once we’d got into a comfortable rhythm for everyone, we made good progress, stopping at various points for extra shots/close ups and action clips. One of these was on the chain ferry that is a self-operated, floating bridge to get up to five people (or two and two bikes) from one bank to the other and was yet another first for us and great fun. 

Getting the best shot

 

As we relaxed into having the cameras follow us, we laughed, pulled silly faces when asked to hold hands for a touch of romance, and enjoyed the looks we got from passers-by no doubt wondering who this odd couple were being filmed crossing the pretty bridge in Magné, dangling their feet over the jetty in Coulon and sitting at the terrace of the Hôtel au Marais. 

 

To give the impression of it being a mini-break to Coulon by bike, we also enjoyed a delicious two-course meal at L’Atelier Gourmand and a special visit to the Maison du Marais Poitevin museum in Coulon, another first for us and somewhere that has been on my wish list for a while. What a treat it was learning all about the history of the marshland that goes back hundreds of years, and the people who lived and worked here. I certainly recommend a visit, especially as there is an English headset available to accompany the film that explains the various projects that have reclaimed the land from the sea.

 

Before we returned to Niort, there was just enough time for a few photos back at the Hotel au Marais, including a sneaky kiss on the balcony of the best room. We have promised ourselves that we will return for a real night away, and hopefully we can book ‘our’ room with the balcony.

 

Hotel au Marais, Coulon photo credit ©S.Bonnet

As if this wasn’t enough, we were not only welcomed by Parc Naturel Régional du Marais Poitevin (who kept our bikes safe as we wandered) but they also gave us a book of watercolour images from the Baie de l’Aiguillon, the muddy estuary where the Sèvre Niortais joins the Atlantic. We might not have gone that far today, but in 2022 when we followed the river from its source in Sepvret, near Melle, to Niort and through the Marais Poitevin, we dipped our wheels in the shallows of the bay as we neared the end of the second day of our cycle tour. Luckily for me, Adrian was happy to squeeze a large hardback book into the bike bag on the front of his Brompton for the final twenty kilometres, isn’t he a star. 

 

At the end of the day, Niort photo credit ©S.Bonnet

I can’t think of a better way to have spent the eve of our anniversary of moving into our house in France. We were treated like celebrities, the sun shone, and memories were made with smiles on our faces. It turned out to be a win-win situation for everyone as alongside a fabulous day out on the bikes, our participation helped their work placement student with her final project - putting together a promotional film of a couple on a cycling holiday in the Marais Poitevin. 

The Sèvre Niortais photo credit ©S.Bonnet

The finished film won’t be available for a while, but I have been given permission to use some of the photos that were taken, and I love them. Merci mille fois S et J.