And They're Off!
Well, here we go then. We’re off. Tails of Wine is on the road. We’ll be living out of the car and Airbnbs for the next five and a half months visiting France, Spain, Portugal, Spain again, France again, Italy, Switzerland, France again, Belgium and finally one last trip through France on the way back home. It makes sense when you look at the map, trust me.
So we packed up the car, then unpacked it, purged a load of stuff, packed again, rethought things, and did a final pack about 20 minutes before we left for the Eurotunnel. Bearing in mind that we need to keep the three of us happy and healthy through three seasons, I think we’ve done pretty well. We've got a duffel each, a box of other season clothes, a kitchen box and a duffel I’m referring too as the Airing Cupboard. You know that cupboard in the house where you shove all the spare crap you’re going to need eventually or have extra supplies of. Yep, that. And that’s it really. You’ll be able to tell when you see us wearing the same clothes in every picture.
We somehow managed to bumble our way through the Eurotunnel check in and got on the train. It’s amazing how many people seem to know what they’re doing when you’ve got no clue. Every single person seems to have themselves together and you’re the only idiot with a gormless look on your face. This will be a reoccurring theme no doubt as we go around. I’m sure you relax into it eventually…right? We’re not there yet, let’s just say.
We sat in the car and had a cup of tea and a biscuit as we trundled along underneath the English Channel. It’s jolly civilized as long as you don’t think about the fact you’re 250ft below the seabed going 100 miles an hour. Hobnob anyone?
A mere 35 minutes later we were in France and there was a flurry of Google maps, car sat nav and much gesticulating at signs to get us on the right road. The less said about the language in car during that 20 minute period the better. Let’s just say pardon my French and leave it at that.
Our first stop is the town of Touques. If anyone knows how to pronounce it correctly, please let me know. We toggle between calling it “Touk”, “Tou-keys”, “Tou-kez” and “Touks” and Google is no help on the matter. Despite not knowing what to call it, pulling up to our Airbnb was a real delight. The wooden gates slowly open and the most delightful little cottage sits on a hill over looking horse paddocks and in the far distance, the ocean. Jackpot! Our host Genevieve speaks no English and our French is woeful, but some how we manage to figure it all out with hand gestures and a few laughs. The pictures don’t do this place justice. It’s like living in a fairytale.
We headed off for a trip to Deauville, which unbeknownst to us is considered the “Queen of the Norman beaches.” Who knew? You probably did, but we really should be better at research. Anyway, this place is all kinds of famous. Apparently it’s where William the Conquerer planned his invasion of England, it played a staring role in Marcel Proust’s In Search of Lost Time (don’t worry, I haven’t read it either) and it’s where high society come for their summer holidays. Of course we didn’t know any of that when we were traipsing up and down on a cold, windy day in the dead of winter and we’re the only ones on the beach. But it was stunning nonetheless and it sure does make you feel like a big plate of seafood looking at all the mussels and clams on the beach. The WonderDog was beside herself with joy with all the sniffing and digging and wading in the water.
Afterwards, I sent Mr T in to a nearby shop to get some provisions. He came back 15 mins later with a bag of crackers and a slab of cheese the size of my head. That’s dinner sorted then! Buying wine is a bit of a minefield, we didn’t get anything to write home about, but we’ll let you know when we get a good ‘un.
The next day, we wanted to hit the Route du Cidre, or Cider Route, which is also known for Calvados apple brandy. Pouring rain didn’t slow us down, first we hit up Pierre Huet, a family run distillery that’s been in production since 1865. Everything was delicious. I can never live here. I’d drink this stuff until the cows come home, and even if the cows didn’t come home, I wouldn’t give a bugger, just pass the bottle.
Next stop was Beuvron-en-Auge, one of the Les Beux Villages de France or “one of France’s most beautiful villages.” And it was so charming. There was not a soul about and the guy in the shop selling wooden toys was playing his keyboard at full volume. So as the jingling music echoed around the village, it did have a little touch of the child catcher scene in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang about it, but other than that, it was delightful.
We stopped for lunch in Cambremer, which is also a very pretty village with some great shops. Sadly, we hit it right at 2pm Saturday afternoon, so they were all shut when we came out from lunch, but you should go if you have the chance. The cheese shop and the butcher both looked like great options. Lunch was at Les Saisons, a three course affair which is so often fabulously the case. We ordered after some frantic googling and all in all, we did pretty good. The same can’t be said for my trip into the supermarket for a few things - apparently you have to weigh and tag the fruit and veg yourself before you get to the check out. Who knew? Apparently every one in the line behind me.
We had another trip to the beach as a treat for the WonderDog who had been very patiently waiting for us to taste cider and eat lunch and she ran as fast as her paws would carry her into the ocean. No sense or feeling that dog.
So here we are having a picnic tea in front of a roaring fire on our last night in however you say it, before we move on to Bouille near Mont St Michel tomorrow. I’ve wanted to go and visit ever since I read ‘The Inquisitors Tale’ by Adam Gidwitz. It’s a great book, technically for a younger audience but it’s a ripping yarn. And we're going to St Malo as well, home of another outstanding book 'All The Light We Cannot See.' If you haven't read that, you should. It's one of the best books I've ever read.
Cider highlights, restaurant recommendations and book reviews. What more could you ask for? We’ll see what tomorrow brings, stay tuned!
