Last month we decided to take one of our usual self catering holidays, so I did one of my searches via Google for Riverside cottage France(and then Somerset)
The first one we chose was a chalet on the banks of the Vilaine in southern Brittany in the small village of Malon about 20 miles south of Rennes.
The second for later on, is in Bradford on Avon, so I'll be checking out the fishing in the Bristol Avon in due course, unless any reader can fill me in with some information in the meantime, as I will be taking my travel rods......just in case.
So on Friday 11th May we set off for the 4 hour drive to Portsmouth for an overnight stopover before our 9am next day fast ferry to Cherbourg.
A comfortable night in a Travelodge with a pub attached, and opposite the access to the port was a good start.
Our ferry was not very full and we left the port about 25 minutes before scheduled time, arriving in Cherbourg 3 hours later after a comfortable but a bit bumpy ride.
We then set about the 3 hour drive to the cottage, which was pretty much uneventful as we decided to stick to the main A84 and E3 toll free roads arriving at about 4pm(French time)
The chalet was about 50 yards down from Malon Lock and beside the lock cutting.
A two bedroomed home, with one double bedroom and one with two single beds for any kids that may tag along.
Comfortable accommodation on a single level with a good sized garden all around and an orchard.
I did fish the cut it was full of small roach, if I had hit a biggish fish the drop would have been quite dangerous down to the water, so I gave that up and moved across the lock to the island that separated both banks of the natural river from below the weir..
Not wanting to rule out barbel though, I did try out normal tactics for the fish.
No barbel, but plenty of bream up to about 4lb's, probably uncaught before, because as I understand it, the French will eat anything that swims. The males were in spawning mode and very bronze coloured, cracking looking fish.
The French "anglers" appear to only be fishing for zander and pike, but each of them had 4 or 5 rods spaced along the bank all with deadbaits. Not one sat behind their rods, but up the bank chatting with mates awaiting the take. I didn't see them land a fish all week!
Both being fresh seafood fanatics, as should be expected we ate out, choosing on most days the shellfish available. We had a surfeit of oysters,clams, crab,mussels, crevettes, langoustine, whelks and winkles.
I say we, but I still am worried about eating oysters when I have a drive ahead of me, following a very nasty experience of a duff one at a top London restaurant about 12 years ago, so I left them for to Pauline to enjoy.
Anyway after a week which also included some bird spotting, at one time I had a blackcap perch on my rod, spotted a goldcrest collecting nesting material in the garden,and there must have been a chaffinch in every tree, we set off home finishing our first break of the year.
Back home
Another event-less journey, a channel crossing in millpond conditions,and we had another overnight in a different, and better Travelodge in Hillsea, Portsmouth, watching Chelsea win on penalties, and drinking a few pints of Ringwood Breweries Best bitter.
We arrived home on Sunday at about 4pm, following a trip around Morrisons to stock up with provisions and time to relax before what I knew was coming first thing Monday morning.
By the way, diesel is a good deal cheaper in the French supermarkets at 1.341 euro a litre.
My old Octavia clocked up it's 140000 miles, and gave me an average of 60 mpg on the whole 1000 mile plus trip
Fencing
Our perimeter fence on the road side has been held up for sometime by the hawthorn/ elder hedge in the hope that a natural hedge planted along the inside of the fence would grow sufficiently to rule out the need for an unnatural fence... it didn't.
I found a one man band qualified gardener in the next village who would put up the fence at a good price, if I assisted with the labour and paid direct for the materials.
Being naturally eager to learn from a new experience (even at 63 years old), ie fence erecting!!
I took on the challenge.
From 8:30 am, yesterday we took down the old fence, concreted in the posts and placed the Arris rails by 5pm in grey cold conditions.
This morning in very warm sunny conditions, I cleared away the old wood into his trailer whilst he started on the close boarded fence.
This afternoon at about 4pm, job done, and I have to say it looks a pretty good.
Thanks I'm sure to Pauline at least in part, for keeping us supplied with mugs of Assam at regular periods we kept going.
Christ am I knackered!
Next time, if there is ever a next time, I'll pay for a labourer!
Now ? I need a holiday.
Great tits
Despite all the disturbance during the fencing work, although they complained quite a bit the great tit pair fed their noisy brood throughout. My guess is, judging by the noise the youngsters are making, it won't be long before they are out of the box and away.
I'll try and catch them again this year for a count after watching 8 leave the box last year on the 2nd June.
Two years
Next Sunday will be the 2nd anniversary of my Blog.
With any luck and if I have something to say, I'll try to write quite a bit more.
We shall see.
Chelsea
Congratulations to Chelsea FC.
Following many of my football supporter formative years, being lead by the back of the kneck by my Dad, a life long supporter, through the crowds at Stamford Bridge, it was good to see their continued successes.
What a shame Dad didn't live quite long enough to see the last few years of their successes. I'm sure he would be quite proud of them.
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