Summer holiday 1

I feel like the new year started this week, not in January next year.  This is due to the long holidays that the French have during July & Aug and that the schools & universities start in Sept with their new year - and as a result the diaries start in Sept too!
We didn't have a long holiday, only 2 weeks, but it was super! I've realised it will take me too much time to write it all down, so I'll post a lot of photo's during the next few days to give you an idea of an island holiday.  I'm starting with some French classes next week and still need to update the blog on the visits during May/June!
Background: we chose île d'Oléron - the biggest island in France after Corsica, situated on the west coast, between La Rochelle and Bordeaux.  It's not far from Fouras, where JL's family lives, and it has numerous cycling roads and we were in desperate need of exercise!
Our diet did not include any meat, except for chicken during two picnics on the beach.  JL ate a pile of oysters and me mussels, and with it various types of fresh fish - wonderful! (oh, I almost forgot to add, it also included some terrible wine produced on the island, although one or two did surprise us)

La Cotinière: one of the many villages on the island and the main port. Above: the buildings behind host a huge market where you can buy fish and seafood. Below: the port



Below: you can see the bicycles are a popular way of getting around on the island. We went to La Cotinière sometimes by car and sometimes by bicycle, depending on the time of the day and the energy levels (it was about 7 km from the hotel)

You find delicious soft toffees - caramels à la fleur de sel - all over île d'Oléron and île de Ré (another island I've already blogged about).  On both islands salt of a very good quality is harvested.



Dinner time: there are numerous restaurants but in some you won't find place unless you have booked before



All along the area bordering the port you'll find benches and people occupying them, admiring the beautiful view