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Get off le beaten track!

As usual, we have decamped to France, although a week later than usual, meaning we’ve missed out on the Bastille Day festivities/eating opportunities. We’ll be making up for lost time!

Along with a stack of other books, I’ve got a copy of Alastair Sawday’s Go Slow France, which kind of sums up our approach to these trips: somewhere nice to stay, slow travel and slow food. We are in the West, in the Charente Maritime, and Alastair only has one place in this area, Le Clos de La Garenne. Sounds marvellous, and worth a trip.

But the book seems to have a very southern bias, perhaps illustrating the British obsession with Provence and possibly guaranteed sunshine. There are whole swathes through the middle of France which would appear to have nothing to commend themselves, and quite a few of the regions around here too.

We’ve been to this area, probably within a 20 mile radius, for the past 4 years. We’ve ticked off all the big things: La Rochelle Aquarium (more times than I care to count, but perfect for a rainy day or with toddlers), La Palmyre Zoo (reminds me why I don’t like zoos), Ile de Ré, a tour of a Cognac producer or two… I could go on. What I love though is last year and so far this year we are exploring the smaller places, the ones that tend to get overlooked.

Ile d’Oléron is the poor relation of Ile de Ré, as anyone can go onto Oléron, not just those with the money for the toll. Of course it’s a bad idea to go between Friday and Sunday night, but the rest of the week it has idyllic, quiet and sheltered beaches, as well as lively, active, surf crashing type beaches.

And it’s not short of great eating. Last time we went St Denis d’Oléron, it was pouring down with rain and all we could see was a campsite complete with tacky looking snack bar and amusements.

We didn’t stop.

Had we gone on about 300 yards we would have come to a delightful little run of small restaurants and bars overlooking the marina. We had a very relaxed meal at Bistrot du Port, with good galettes, interesting house aperitifs (Cognac, tonic water, sugar syrup and peach syrup) and fabulous ice creams and crepes (the one with the fleur de sel caramel ice cream being our favourite). The only downside to me was that I had about the worst fish ever. You would think sitting on the quayside it would be impossible to get bad fish. You would think grilling a piece of sea-bream was child’s play. Apparently not. Everyone else loved their dinner though.

We also have good recommendations for L’Annexe and Restaurant Fleur de Thym on the same run of buildings, and Quai 17 if you want mussels or seafood. We’ll definitely be going back, as the view and ambiance were both terrific. Very chilled, very friendly.

 And whilst I’m saving a trip to the market at La Rochelle for my birthday, the daily market at Fouras was also delightful. Two covered markets, one devoted purely to fish and shellfish, the other with everything from fruit and veg, through a great cheese stall, charcuterie and artisanal macaroons, the cupcake of France.

 If you venture to the centre of these towns, shop like you live here, eat and drink like you live here, then not only will your Euros go further but it’s a more authentic view of the way things happen day to day. Of course it means you’ll come out of the loo at the back of the bar to find a stranger at the urinal whilst you wash your hands, but just shrug in your most Gallic way and carry on!

One of the challenges of books like Slow France is that almost by featuring them they gain in their popularity, therefore risking losing some of the things that made them special in the first place. I think you can safely visit all of the places I’ve mentioned in 5 years time and discover them not suffering from the Tarver effect of over-exposure!