Thurs 9th

Very cold morning but sun sone warms everything up as make way through Nantes and head SW. stop at sandwich shop for bite to eat. Order sandwich and can of beer and have chat with bloke sitting at one of the tables while it is prepared. Sandwich apperars along with a large loaf (brioche I believe). Looking slightly puzzled at the gorl behind the counter she explains it is courtesy of the patron and nods to guy I had been talking to. Offer thanks and sit outside in sun to eat. Next prob, how to strap brioche to bike without it ending up like a pitta. Manage it by making envelope out of waterproof jacket and trapping it by the edges with bungee cords. Looks rather like large orange ravioli strapped to rack. Was going to get food on way but no room now so straight to campsite to drop everything off. Nearest shop is now 15K away so end up doing extra 30K due to brioche; was nice though.

Fri10th
Pleasant day cycling through countryside punctuated by small villages with big churches and little else. Pretty humdrum day really

Sat 11th Set out for Rochefort via Rochelle. Rough winding roads make final stage of journey a bit tough. Stop to work out where campsite is and french cyclist stops to help. As he is headed in same direction cycle with him to site. Just as well as it was nowhere near where I thought it was. Notice Decathlon nearby so may stop over to get some bits and pieces on Monday.

Sun 12th
Lazy day in sun, washed a few things and charged up PDA

Mon 13th
Call into Decathlon to get gas cartridge, cycling glasses (previous ones had broke at Dover) and a dry bag to reorganise kit to prevent another brioche incident. Cycle out from Rochefort on very impressive bridge. Very busy but a white line protected from all those cars and lorries.
Had cultural fix by visiting Abbey at Trizay. It was closed but managed to see what I wanted by scaling wall. Pleasant half hour relaxing under shade of tree in abbey herb garden.

Tue 14th
Cycle S down coast meeting another french cyclist who is headed same way so chat in franglais for a while. Visit hermitage at Montagne sur Gironde but that's closed as well.
Arrive at campsite in Jonzac where bloke in reception looks supprised I when I tell him I'm in a tent. Everything seems designed for motorhomes so end up on narrow lumpy grass strip between toilet block and wire fence.

Wed 15th
Head towards Perigeaux with choice of two campsites, decided to go for furthest as going was good. Get to Menesplet and follow directions to campside which promptly directed me 4K back the way I had come. Arrive a bit fed up to find warm welcome and free carafe of local wine. As I'm in reception a woman knocks on door and asks if I would like dinner. As I had already bought stuff, and caught a little wrong footed I declined.
Pitch, cook and drink wine and all is well with the world.

Thurs 16th
Spoke too soon. Woke in night 01:00 to strange prodding sensations coming up from under tent. Turns out I had pitched on top of a mole run. After putting up with mole trying to clear tunnel that I kept on collapsing I gave up first and moved tent at 03:00. As I couldn't tell whether I was on top of another mole run I slept in the campsite day room.
Met one off the proprieters, Marianne originally from Nottingham, and later the other proprieter, Mark, comes along so end up having general chat. They had moved from Notts down to Cornwall but decided to buy this campsite and property and give it a go. End up stopping for dinnerand beer.