The magic of French markets

At the Saturday morning market in Chef-Boutonne

It’s early November and the Saturday morning market in Chef-Boutonne may be quieter than it’s been all summer, with the weekly live music sessions all but a faded memory, but it still has an important role to play for the locals. 

 

It has become a regular thing for our friends to cycle down to market and enjoy a catch-up chat, a coffee, and a croissant, but it was something that for us had to fit in around Saturdays working at the château. Now that the château’s doors are firmly closed until next March, and all I can do is keep my fingers crossed all winter, in the hope there will still be a need for an extra pair of hands and a bilingual tongue, it does mean I’ve now got more time to enjoy the market.

 

Typically, our friends had other plans for today; a social lunch at the village pizza restaurant, which we’d declined as we’d pigged out on burgers, chips and a café gourmand dessert selection in Poitiers with Ed and Pearl yesterday. This, coupled with hardly any kilometres cycled this week meant a pizza lunch wasn’t calorie-compatible with our regime. Plus, the weather, which had been wet and wild yesterday morning, was calm and sunny today, meaning we didn’t want to miss out on a bike ride into market.

Poitiers catch-up with Ed and Pearl

 

Within ten minutes of arriving, and before we’d even made it to the boulangerie for croissants to accompany our coffees, we had chatted to ten different people. They were a mix of French and English, some were friends from our village, some were people I’ve got to know from working at the library or the château, and others were just acquaintances. Mostly it was a quick bonjour, followed by a few words to catch up on life before another friendly face pulled them, or us, into a new conversation. One friend who we hadn’t seen for ages, joined us on the terrace of the bar and over a coffee in the sun we found the time for a catch up that has eluded us all summer. It couldn’t have been better planned, even if we’d tried.

 

It was our final encounter that was the most unexpected. As we sipped coffees and tried to capture every crumb of flaky croissant, a man approached our table, asking if I was Jacqui Brown. With a little trepidation, I confirmed that I was, and he then thanked me for the last blog post I’d written, saying how much he’d enjoyed it. Woah! Thank you, sir. Every friendly face we met this morning made my day, your kind words were the icing on the cake and just emphasised the magic of a morning spent at a French market. 

That feeling of belonging, of community and the deep-rooted tradition that French people have been making the time for each other like this for generations. It is humbling to think this is now part of my life too.

Weekend fun on the Brompton

 

Even with a strong headwind for the seven-kilometre return, I couldn’t help grinning as my legs turned the pedals and my lungs filled with fresh air.

It was nothing short of a perfect start to the weekend, although we did miss the usual banter from our cycling buddies. 

Cycle touring - the Sèvre Niortaise and Charente Tour

La Rochelle

The Sèvre Niortaise and Charente Tour

 

Who says holidays need to be far away and in exotic locations? Not me! We have just spent a fantastic week cycle touring, taking in rural river valleys, the second largest wetlands area in France, the Atlantic coast, salt marshes, vineyards, historic buildings, and monuments – including the last working transbordeur bridge in France, and we were never more than 80kms from home.

 

This post is the nuts and bolts of the tour for all our cycling friends who have expressed an interest in the routes, cycle paths and infrastructure as well as cycle-friendly places to stay. It includes links to the GPS routes, the accommodation we used and just some of our photos. Happy cycling!

 

Fully loaded Bromptons at the source of the Sèvre Niortaise river

Day 1 – Sepvret to Niort 72kms

 

Ride With GPS route

 

Starting at the source of the Sèvre Niortaise river and following this as close as possible to Niort.  We pick up the newly created V94 in Exoudun.  

 

There is a bar in the square at Le Mothe-st-Héray (KM18) (the short detour to the Orangery as you arrive in town is recommended) and plenty of bars and restaurants in the military town of St-Maixent-l’Ecole (KM30).  Following the river closely, this route can get quite steep in places as you climb out of the valley, but the climbs are short and manageable.

 

Really good patisserie stop just before KM43 in La Creche.

 

The track sections from KM44 to KM50 are pretty good.

 

Pick up the Velo Francette at KM59 by the Château Coudray-Salbart dating from the Middle Ages, and follow this into Niort, avoiding the dogleg just after KM62.

 

Highly recommend the restaurant Douc’Heure De Maroc off Place Brèche run by a local Moroccan family.  Great value tajine.

The dragon snakes of Niort

 

Don’t miss the famous bronze dragon snakes that rise from the pedestrian streets in Niort and the Franck Ayroles ladies on the bench in Les Jardins de la Brèche are worth a photo stop.

 

AirBnB accommodation very close to the covered market and Donjon. 

  

NOTE: All accommodation on this trip is ground floor and easily accessible for 2 people and their Bromptons.

On the Vélo Francette in the Marais Poitevin

 

Day 2 - Niort to La Rochelle 100kms

 

Ride With GPS route

 

Leave Niort on the Velo Francette following the river all the way to Coulon at the entrance to the Marais Poitevin (KM17). The Marais Poitevin is the second largest wetlands site in France (after the Camargue) and a haven for wildlife. There are good bars and restaurants in Coulon – it can get busy in tourist season.  Perhaps stop and take a barque (punt boat) onto the marais but we prefer to do this from the less busy town of Arçais further on.  Leave the Francette and follow the easy and very pretty road to Irleau (KM23).  

 

Staying off the Francette follow the road and trail to Arçais at KM28.  The Francette avoids this town and it is such a shame as it is lovely.  Take a picnic on a barque from the embarquerie du martin pecheur.  A 1 hour rental at lunch time grants to an additional 45 minutes free to stop at their remote picnic island in the middle of the marais forest.

 

Continue to Damvix (KM32) more bars here.  Divert off the Francette again to Bazois (KM35). Then follow the Francette to Marans at KM 58.  This is a long section.

 

After Marans, we could smell the salty sea air as we continued to the coast where the Sèvre meets the Atlantic.  However, if you need to press on to La Rochelle then follow the Francette alongside the Napoleonic canal all the way into the centre of La Rochelle.  Pop into Dompierre-sur-Mer if you need a bar stop.

The fabulous cycle routes approaching La Rochelle

 

We came inland from the coast as the coastal path is a bit tricky on tyres.  KM72 to 89 is a mix of easy road and great dedicated cycle tracks that are well used by the locals.

 

KM 89 to 91 joins a slightly busier road to skirt the runway at the airport, but it is perfectly safe.  Then join the wonderful cycle network through La Rochelle at KM92.  Using this route means you arrive into La Rochelle from the ocean side rather than from the land side.  There is one large industrial estate to bypass and look out for the large WW2 submarine pens in the port.  Then savour La Rochelle which has become a cycling wonderland and has to be one of the best cities in France. A visit to Café de la Paix is a must.

 

Apartment in ancient town house.

 

A nice idea here, if you have the time, would be to spend an extra night and cycle over the bridge to Ile de Ré. The highlights of the island can easily be covered in a day. The toll bridge is free to cyclists who have a dedicated path safely separated from the road. In high season the cycle paths on the island can get very busy.

The Atlantic coast Vélodyssée

 

Day 3 – La Rochelle to Rochefort 65kms

 

Ride With GPS route

 

Leave La Rochelle following the coast on the well signposted EV1 Vélodyssée.

 

Sample the divert around Angoulins to follow the coast around this little headland at KM9.

 

Chatelaillon Plage (KM17) is a classic French seaside resort and has plenty of bars and restaurants.

 

It is really worth diverting to Fouras at KM29.  The route into town follows the old deserted railway line and passes some of the traditional carelet fishing huts built on stilts in the water.  The town itself is lovely and sports a splendid Vauban fort guarding the entrance to the Charente river.

 

Fort Vauban, Fouras, Flow Vélo

Leave Fouras and stick to the coastal path from KM38 to 42.  This is worth the detour although it can be narrow in places.  It was a highlight section of our trip.

 

Follow the EV 1 into Rochefort and around the edge of the Rochefort peninsula.  The cycle way here is very good.  Pass under the huge road bridge and arrive at the pont transbordeur at KM61.  It is the last bridge of its type in France and has been recently renovated.

Pont Transbordeur, Rochefort

 

NOTE - If you are en route to Bordeaux via the EV1 we would recommend crossing the river here, on the pont, rather than following the official route to the east of Tonnay sur Charente.  Crossing the bridge is an experience not to be missed.  Then rejoin the EV1 just east of Echillais and follow it on the old railway line although a diversion to the fortified town of Brouage in the middle of the marais is a must and it is such a shame that it is bypassed by the EV1.

 

Today’s route ends in the royal dockyards at Rochefort.  Rochefort is a great town for travelling around in.  There is not much dedicated cycling infrastructure, but all roads are laid out on a grid iron pattern and every road gives way at every junction.  Plenty of one-way streets but almost all of them allow cycles to travel in both directions.  The courtesy and patience of the drivers in this town is lovely.

 

AirBnB apartment in a lovely old town house.

River Charente, Rochefort, Flow Vélo

 

Day 4 – Rochefort to Cognac 90kms

 

Ride With GPS route

 

This was a big day and was over six hours in the saddle despite taking some shortcuts.

 

The route follows the relatively new FlowVelo V92.  The trail sections are not all well surfaced until the outskirts of Cognac where they greatly improve. Public toilets and benches were a bit thin on the ground too.

 

The initial run out of Rochefort and through Tonnay sur Charente (KM7) follows really well-planned cycle paths alongside the main road. The old suspension bridge is worth a look although you will need good climbing legs to get up to crossing level.  It is open only to pedestrians and cyclists.  You would understand why if you crossed it…

 

From here the trail sections are variable with some very narrow or very rutted.  There are bypass routes following local roads which you could divert on to at many points. Don’t forget to look out for storks who arrive here for a summer of breeding.

Saintes

 

Saintes at KM53 is a busy town but with all facilities.  Plenty of evidence of the Roman occupation here too.

 

At KM71 we finally had had enough of the variable quality trails and hit the road all the way to KM82 at Pres Menu where the trail surfaces get noticeably better.  This point marks the crossing from the Charente Maritime department into the Charente.  From now, all the way to Angouleme and beyond to Nontron, the trail sections on the Flow Vélo are superb.

 

The final run into Cognac follows the old railway line and ends up at the main quay where you will find the impressive Hennessy cognac house. Many Cognac houses in the city offer guided tours.

 

Beware the roads in town are busy and the drivers are not too courteous.  It was quite a shock after La Rochelle and Rochefort.

 

Large open plan loft accommodation behind the park.

Cognac, Flow Vélo

 

Day 5 – Cognac to Angoûleme 62kms

 

Ride With GPS route

  

The FlowVélo splits between these 2 cities.  We followed the northern route partly because it passes through the lovely town of Jarnac in time for a croissant and coffee.

 

A mixture of road and trail but all well signposted for the V92.  The trail after Jarnac from KM18 to KM36 via Chateauneuf is superb.  We had planned a divert onto the road to save some time but the trail was so good that we stayed on it.

 

Wall art in Angoûleme

You can divert to the southern loop following the river at KM41 but we decided to follow the river and it is a nice section.  KM49 to 54 is a little busier with traffic but nothing serious before picking up the river trail at KM54 all the way into the city of Angouleme.  Angouleme is built on an outcrop of rock.  Plan your access.  The marked route is about the easiest we know at about 7% incline.  This can increase to stupid % on some of the other routes into the city.

Le Bruleau Charentais, Angoûleme

 

If you like steak then there is only one place to head for your Entrecote aux Echalottes cooked over an open fire in the Bordealise fashion:  Le Bruleau Charentais on Rue de Beaulieu.  Fabulous and very reasonably priced restaurant.

 

AirBnB apartment in the centre of the city.

 

Great (cheap) coffee in the covered market at the Italian deli – don’t forget to buy your croissant from the boulangerie in the market halle first.

 

Getting here

There are TGV services from Paris Montparnasse or Lille to Poitiers, St-Maixent-l”Ecole, Niort, La Rochelle and Angouleme.  Ordinary train services to other major towns on the route.

 

Regular flights from various UK airports to La Rochelle or Poitiers.

As another year draws to a close

Three years of owning my Brompton

Today I am celebrating three years of Brompton bicycle ownership and I’m still enjoying the fun, fitness and freedom that #KTTinyTourer has given me. Every year has brought new adventures and new places to explore, as well as seen me challenge myself to longer distances and harder mountain climbs. It is no exaggeration to say that owning a Brompton has changed my life for the better.

 

January cycling

Despite turning fifty this year, I struggled to set myself cycling challenges for 2021. I would have loved a long-distance tour, ideally one that crossed France north to south, or east to west, or maybe from the Atlantic coast to the Mediterranean, but that wasn’t going to be possible. I did decide on a mini challenge, to cycle a minimum of 10km every day, during the month of January, which was a real success in terms of helping to beat the winter blues, so my plan is to make it an annual January challenge. 

 

Having cycled less than one thousand kilometres the year before I bought Katie the Tiny Tourer, in my first two years I’d clocked up almost eight thousand five hundred kilometres, so decided it would be a good challenge to reach fifteen thousand kilometres by the end of 2021. Sadly, I have failed, but only just. For a year where Covid-19 restrictions and work slightly clipped my cycle touring wings, I still managed to cycle further than last year and have reached the grand total of fourteen thousand kilometres since December 2019. I can’t be too harsh on myself. 

 

My 2021 cycling highlights 

We knew there would be no summer holiday this year, as I was working from the beginning of July until the end of October, but we did manage to squeeze in some unforgettable short breaks. 

Salers in the Cantal
Click here for more photos

 

In May we spent five days cycling in the Corrèze, Cantal and Puy-de-Dôme departments, where the climbing rivalled that of the Pyrénees and the gorges of the Haute Dordogne were stunning. 

 

Looking down on the Lot
Click here for more photos

In June we returned to the Lot where we enjoyed cycling through vineyards and river gorges, as well as sampling lots of patisseries. It was only a five-day break, but we clocked up four hundred kilometres, including two 100km days. 

 

Aubeterre-sur-Dronne

In July we spent a long weekend in Chalais, in the south of the Charente department, where the weather wasn’t as kind and the accommodation was unforgettable for all the wrong reasons. We still managed some lovely cycling through sunflower fields and along old railway lines, taking in pretty locations like Aubeterre-sur-Dronne, Riberac and Montguyon.

 

Summer in the Cognac vineyards

In September we celebrated my birthday with two 100km days, one to Jarnac, through the Cognac vineyards, and one crossing the chemins de Saint-Jacques pilgrimage route to St-Jean-d’Angély.

 

Autumn in Angouleme
Click here for more photos

In October we had an autumn overnighter to Angouleme, a short and sweet escape where we avoided the worst of the wet and windy weather and dined like kings on local steak. 

 

My library commute

I also really enjoyed the seven-kilometre commute to Chef-Boutonne for the four months I was working at the library. As well as proving to me that commuting by bike, even if we live in a rural village location, is a viable option, it was also a great way to clear my head and shift my brain between French and English at the end of the day. I was impressed that for a short commute, I still managed to clock up over one thousand, one hundred kilometres, meaning a huge saving on fuel for the car.

 

I can’t deny that these last two months have been rather sparse in terms of cycling, but the weather has been pretty rubbish, yet again. Even as I write this, the wind is howling outside, and the rain has been falling steadily since Boxing Day. I am, however, extremely thankful that Christmas Day was bright and sunny and so much better than forecast, meaning for the third year in a row, we managed our Christmas Day bike ride.

 

Morning coffee on Christmas Day

This year we cycled a fifty-two-kilometre loop, stopping at a lavoir (stone wash house) for morning coffee and then on to our favourite covered picnic table (with restored bread oven) for lunch. The village of La Faye also provided us with a fresh baguette from a vending machine, and my first experience at using one.

Our Christmas Day picnic

 

We laid out our baguette, naan breads, humous, carrot sticks, pâté en croûte (like a cross between a pork pie and a sausage roll), coleslaw, tuna pasta salad, Pays Basque pâté, satsumas and mince pies, plus the bottles of beer, and then two friends turned up. With smoked salmon and prawns, oatcakes, sparkling white wine, sparklers and great conversation, they certainly added some sparkle to our Christmas Day.

 

Christmas Day blue skies and sunshine

The longer we sat, the warmer the sun got, and two hours had passed before we realised it. This was markedly different to last year when we got cold sitting for a quick picnic. Thanks to the great weather, we set off for a longer route home than originally planned, treating ourselves to hot chocolate, cake and pressies when we got home at 16h30. It was a lovely, relaxing but active day, with none of the usual stress of a big Christmas dinner.

 

Our Boxing Day turkey meal

 

We did have a more traditional turkey meal on Boxing Day with Ed and Pearl, but even this was an easier option than a roast dinner. The slow cooker sorted out the spicy red cabbage and while the dauphinois potatoes were in the oven I cooked the diced turkey with lardons, onions, mushrooms, sprouts and crème fraiche.

 

Life seems to have developed a habit of throwing the unexpected our way, so I’m happy to let 2022 show me where it’s going to take us and our Bromptons. I know there is still lots of France to explore by bike and many adventures waiting for us.

This post brings with it my sincere wishes for a Happy and Healthy New Year to you all. 

   

An Autumn ride from Aigre to Angouleme

Angouleme at sunset

November arrives in a flurry of changes

They say a change is as good as a rest, but so much has changed, in such a short space of time, that I’m finding it exhausting. 

 

We have said goodbye to October, which means my four-month contract working at the library is over, and the clocks have changed. It still amazes me how sensitive my body clock is to just a one-hour time adjustment and the gloomy early evenings really haven’t helped my mood. The first few days without the routine of work were busy, but then my motivation deserted me. I cleaned out the fridge, Adrian defrosted one of the freezers and we battled the crowds to do the weekly shop, foolishly thinking that as Lidl had decided to open all day on a public holiday, we’d be the only ones there – wrong – I’ve not seen a supermarket so crowded since life pre-Covid. I baked a cake, made a couple of batches of soup and tried my best to plan some exciting meals using food we’ve found in the freezer. I’ve got books to read and lists of jobs to do, yet for now, nothing seems quite as appealing as serving customers at the library.

Autumn colours

 

Even without this huge change to my daily routine, November and December are my least favourite months of the year and it’s always been a challenge to keep my mind focussed. The weather has been changeable too, the sun has shone, the wind has blown, and the rain has poured down, sometimes all at once, but we’ve enjoyed the autumn colours on dog walks and bike rides.

 

Our studio apartment in Angouleme

Aigre to Angouleme

As a pick-me-up to take my mind off the end of my library work, we did manage to escape for an overnight mini adventure. The plan had been to finish work at lunchtime and cycle the sixty kilometres from home to Angouleme, enjoy a meal out, stay the night and then return the following day. Short, but sweet, however, things don’t always quite go to plan. 

Bright and breezy Autumn days in the Charente

Despite checking the weather forecast before making the last-minute booking, what looked like a breezy, dry, two days had changed for the worse by the day we left. The breeze had become a headwind of thirty to forty kilometres an hour, with bright sunshine, on day one and the return was looking to be wet and wild with stronger gusts of wind. They do say there is no such thing as bad weather, just badly equipped cyclists, however low autumn sun combined with wind creates flickering leaves and shadows, which is particularly risky for my photosensitive epilepsy. To say Adrian was concerned with me attempting a sixty-kilometre ride in these conditions was an understatement, so we took the disappointing decision to take the car part of the way in order to reduce the risk of an incident.  

A Charente village cemetery for All Souls Day

 

I can’t deny it was hard work battling into the wind, but the autumn colours were beautiful as we passed through villages, churches, cemeteries and vineyards. The villages may have been quiet, but the cemeteries were busy as family members placed colourful potted chrysanthemums on the graves for All Saints/All Souls Day. 

Sunset in Angouleme

The benefit of only having a forty-kilometre ride meant we’d arrived at our town centre AirBnB with plenty of time to wander around Angouleme in the daylight, catch a dramatic sunset and treat ourselves to an outdoor apero before dinner. 

 

Angouleme street art

Angouleme is a pretty town to walk around, with an impressive cathedral, a town hall that looks like a fairy tale castle, and superb views over the ramparts. It is home to an annual bande dessinée (comic book) festival and I especially love the themed wall art decorating entire building facades around the town. The apero treat soon turned into an eye-opening experience that was equally shocking and terrifying. To find ourselves amidst so many people out socialising, many in large groups, the students all greeting each other with multiple (unmasked) cheek kisses, almost made me run back to the sanctuary of our quiet rural village life. 

 

Le Bruleau Charentais restaurant Angouleme

We ate at Le Bruleau Charentais, a small, family-run traditional restaurant where the speciality is steak cooked on an open-fire, in full view of the diners. Most of their produce is locally sourced. For a grand total of fifty-five euros, we enjoyed a glass each of the local Pineau aperitif with a shared charcuterie platter, followed by entrecote steaks served with chips and a half litre of house red wine. This was our second visit here and easily lived up to our experience two years ago.

 

Breakfast in Angouleme market

Breakfast the following day was coffee and a croissant in the (almost deserted) covered market, surrounded by the deliciousness of the fresh produce. We made our escape before the rain started and although we’d lost the clear blue skies and sunshine of the day before, it was still a lovely cycle, criss-crossing the river Charente and returning to the car in Aigre, damp, but not as soaked as we’d feared.

 

River Charente in Autumn 

New beginnings

With a clearer head and an empty diary, the time has come to plan the next step in the adventure that is life. My dream job might belong to someone else, but I feel privileged to have been given the opportunity to look after it for her this summer. Life is too short not to make every day count, something that hit home this week when I learned of the sudden death of someone who had been a good friend to us since we moved to France. Her enthusiasm for life was contagious and over the years she taught me so much about French food, culture and the language, as well as sharing her gardening and sewing skills. If it wasn’t for her, I’d probably still only be able to speak French in the present tense. 

RIP Fatima

RIP Fatima. You were colourful, kind and caring, and lived life at such a fast pace, finding photos of you where you aren’t blurred in movement, or talking, was a challenge.