Day 2 (part 3) - really, still La Rochelle
Not everything is about food in that town. Let's step back a little bit; we leave the tracteurs, special transports with thumping big pieces of stuff , the thumping big lorries and other sundry slow cars on D roads that should have been N roads, and recall our entrance in the town... Tourists crossing the road - death wish - bicycles crossing - death wish II - and Brit tourists on the wrong lane (Phil still says he was "only" avoiding the bus lane, which is a crap cover-up story).
So, our first impression of the town, despite the traffic chaos was pretty good; summer feeling, white paved streets with white classical buildings, beautiful port and a great Bed and Breakfast... "La Maison du Palmier" (linky). Great location, great taste; we are in the Chambre du Voyageur, 95€ a pop, rez de chaussée, windows facing the lovely courtyard garden and the street... but oh so quiet). Lovely compendium of XIXth century traveller paraphernalia in the most lovely room (lovely x 3, yes, I did notice the repetition). By the way, the hat is ours.
So, our first impression of the town, despite the traffic chaos was pretty good; summer feeling, white paved streets with white classical buildings, beautiful port and a great Bed and Breakfast... "La Maison du Palmier" (linky). Great location, great taste; we are in the Chambre du Voyageur, 95€ a pop, rez de chaussée, windows facing the lovely courtyard garden and the street... but oh so quiet). Lovely compendium of XIXth century traveller paraphernalia in the most lovely room (lovely x 3, yes, I did notice the repetition). By the way, the hat is ours.
Le hat on ze bed
Le 'appy voyageur
Le courtyardSo, even though the piccies are self-explanatory, let me tell you about the room. If I turn my head to the left from the bed, there's the bathtub, visible through a window on the wooden partition that separates bedroom space from hand basin and bagnoire - loo is on separate closet, thankfully. This reminds me of the wondrous and very comfy tents that colonial travellers used to set up on their posh safaris - bit round or square yugurta with draperies over wooden four poster and proper English bathtub carried to camp on the back of long suffering elephants, or camels, or slaves... Open the curtains, and voila le courtyard, all silent, but full of light. Niiiice...
We are located next to the port, parallel to a pedestrianized street full of lovely looking restaurants. As you know if you read the previous installment, we ended up having dinner somewhere else, in the Rue des Bonnes Femmes, who were bien sur neither dames nor nuns - confirmed by the sex shop in the same address.
We are located next to the port, parallel to a pedestrianized street full of lovely looking restaurants. As you know if you read the previous installment, we ended up having dinner somewhere else, in the Rue des Bonnes Femmes, who were bien sur neither dames nor nuns - confirmed by the sex shop in the same address.
So, historic / holiday city checklist; port (tick), good food (tick), wonderful white houses (tick), old town with old houses (tick), cathedral (tick), and of course great bemirrored café, at Place Verdun, host to many writers' débats (as a French café should be, Simenon et alia discussing stuff over a croissant) with a cinema at the back. Reminds me of that café in Lisbon where I am sure Pereira used to have his lemonades ("Sostiene Pereira" always a wonderful book). And this, ladies and gents, is the coffee place where we will be having brekkie tomorrow, for 6.80€, so check this space.
Labels: Diario, France, holidays, La Rochelle
