Monday

Woke up to 15 degrees and thin rain. Drove through the Charente through mixed forests with bracken and toweing above the ghostly shapes of wind turbines. Small single track roads from Montrollet to Conforens. These paintings were in the little bar by Nicole Receurat. Not often you find originals in so humble a place.

Now just stopped on the side of the road to Niort. Switched off Waze and reading a map.

Now on the plain with the dark brown soils . Golden corn. Nearly black sunflower heads and brightly coloured rolls of straw.

White stubble and wonderful avenues of trees.

After Nantes found a restaurant full of french truckers so great food for very little.

For 12E buffet salad, carbonara and dessert. The buffet included snails. Various meats as well as lots of salads. Very different from a British burger van. All tough looking men in jeans or shorts of various shades of wear

You could have a dessert of the moment. I had fresh fruit salad.

Le Relais de Beaulieu.

Got to Carnac nice and early then after ironing a warmer dress for going home walked up the tumulus. Steep and tricky coming down but a young girl came to my rescue.

Everything is quite different . Houses white with black rooves and my favourite pines.

Fabienne came to see me and collected the surplus wine and olive oil. It was very nice sitting in the late sunshine.