Today was the big day with the cycle ride… all the training Heather had done was put into practice… we left the campsite headed for Le Grois, a road only passable for 3 hours a day, hidden by the tide and a Secret passageway onto the island of Noirmoutier.

The wind was against us…literally all the way!!!!!! I don’t understand how it could be!!

On the way out we stopped and booked a restaurant as an incentive.

We cycled along the coast and reached the crossing point a little over an hour into our journey. We started the crossing and stew and I calculated that we through that we could make it right to the other side. The road is 4KM through the sea, and you will understand that there is little room for Error!!! Once the tide starts to march in… time and tide wait for no man!! Through the children’s protest at the cobbles we made it with time to gobble down an ice cream and turn around for home… even stopping to climb one of the Emergancy towers… these are designed for those who are stuck and need to seek refuge! I was thinking that I could imagine my dad and Joe riding their bikes out there and lugging their fishing gear to the top of the tower and sitting the tide out in search of the big one!!! I don’t even know if people do that!

On the way back there was a disaster. Fraser hurt his shoulder, and needed to limp back at slightly slower speed… meanwhile Dave and I were hero’s for an elderly plump french damsel in distress who’s car had broken down in a crucial part of Noirmoutier! With no English from her and very limited french from us, we enlisted the hel;p of passers by, Dave directed traffic and we got her off the main road into a lay by. I loved how her first reaction to breaking down was to put on her high vis, even though she had no idea how to use her mobile phone which clearly was designated for Emergancies!!

Once back, we had some lunch. I’ll be honest, the cheese didn’t stand a chance against Heather, Dave and I and then I got out granny’s port decanter and it was chilly and we all needed a nap! The kids faired rather better and followed their 38km bike ride with a film whilst the cheese eating adults had a snooze and stew READ HIS BOOK!!! Who knew he could even read!!

We somehow got up, showered and dressed and braved the rain and heavy wind into the town for the restaurant. I really enjoyed a seafood selection whilst the others had other fish or mussels…. a great dinner. Everyone was envious of Fraser’s Hamburger Pizza!

We headed back in time for the promised last night open air cinema, with some new friends and the adults finished their first holiday leg watching the amused faces of passers by…. trying to work out how such a teeny van had an open air cinema!!