Ile de Noirmoutiere

Showered, did more washing and then checked out. 56€ total so not too bad.  Grey drizzle this morning so no worries about leaving, heading for Ile de Noirmoutier.  The English couple at Gastes recommended that we drive to the very tip of the island to a small aire, so we did!!  The drive over the bridge onto the island was lovely and compared to ile d’orelon the views were stunning. 

A much prettier island and less commercialised.  Sea salt farms as well as huitres and moules is the main business on the island.  We drove to a village called L’Herbaudiere which has a pointe.  The aire is tiny with about 10 spaces but we were lucky and got a space straight away.  Lots of people had to turn around as no space for them.  We walked into the village.  It has a big port/marina with restaurants and souvenir shops surrounding the harbour, looks really pretty.  Got change for ticket machine by buying a bag of nourmoutier sea salt, 8€ for aire.  

The aire was 30 meters from coast, really rocky with sandy patches.  Tide was coming in fast, lovely views south to a large sandy beach and north to the Pointe which had a large WW2 bunker on top.  

 

The kids enjoyed playing on rocks, Chris took Evan back to Flo for the toilet and during this time Morgan managed to fall on some rocks and cut open her shins so Seren, Morgan and I followed not long after!!  

Sausages for tea went down VERY well, especially with Morgan.  Seren has been difficult with the past few meal times not really wanting casoulet, dauphinoise, curry, lentils or whatever else we’ve had so it was nice to have a stress-free meal with her!!

After tea we walked the kids out to the pointe with the German bunker on, about 1 mile along coast path.  Evan was REALLY interested to know what it was and why it was there so Chris explained and linked it in with our visit to Oradur sur Glane previously.  They climbed up onto the bunker. The tide had started to go out leaving rock pools so we walked back along the beach looking for crabs – was slim pickings but Chris eventually found some big ones, they were still too fast though to catch!!  Seren loved popping seaweed bladders and Morgan collected a load of periwinkles.  Reminded me of Port Eynon on Gower.  Would have been great for a late night BBQ on beach whilst the sun sets.

Automatic toilet on aire was awful so once again very grateful to have Flo’s loo! As we walked back into the carpark there is a T25 being pushed out trying to start - Chris joined in;could so easily have been us earlier today on the way here – we were diverted just after La Rochelle into a village with a crossroads that was so ridiculously narrow and everyone was trying to get over in all directions.  After 45 mins queuing to get to this crossroads we were at the front waiting to go over when half way across we think Chris stalled and then Flo wouldn’t start again!!! PANIC!!!!!!  Blocking the whole junction that people were queuing hours to get to led to a few horns being honked!!! The only thing to do was pray – which we did and after probably only a minute or 2 which felt like an hour Flo started again!!! AMEN!!  We had to fight our way back into the flow of traffic!!  Panic over, ha ha ha !!!  No further problems!!