So it turns out that the "detailed" cycle maps weren't so detailed after all. They really did look good and had great directions on the back, the unfortunate thing being that the directions and indeed the map were the authors own personal take on the area and didn't actually match that of the real world. They did look good though. It was also raining a fair bit. We ran/cycled up to St Emilion and with much stopping and starting tried to follow one of the cycle routes. Even though the route was somewhat vague it was really cool to se the fantastic vineyards that you hear/read about or drink from in the vine. The first vineyard that we got to (Ausone) is the top-of-the-top with bottles sometimes in the four figures mark...these ones we only heard or read about! We made up our own versions of the route a few times, and after about 10 miles founds ourselves at a junction we recognised. At this point, it was raining again and Chris was hungry so she headed back to the campsite whilst Andy made up his own route for another 10 miles, which involved looking for the Chateau part of the vineyard we were interested in, but it seems very well hidden (not in a Harry Potter sort of way, as Chateau in these parts simply means the building that is part of the land the grapes are grown on and the wine is produced in - it can be a tiny building, unlike in the Loire! - Ed) so he gave up, before joining Chris for a very late lunch.
On Tuesday night we decided that, the next day, if it was raining, we'd go into Bordeaux for a look around and if it was good weather, we'd go into St Emilion to look again for a particular wine producer and also try to find one who would give us a tour without booking and also in English. Earlier on, we had managed to get a couple of spare inner tubes for Chris' bike (the previous ones were probably ok too, we now realise, but that is another long story) and replaced the perma-puncture rear inner tube, pumped it up and went to bed with our fingers crossed. When we woke up, it was neither raining or very nice, so we decided to go with the non-rainy plans (especially as, hallelujah, Chris' rear tyre was still inflated!!) and headed for St Emilion on our bikes. We went to the Tourist Info office (did we mention this is the best and most helpful tourist office we have ever come across?) to find out where we could go without booking and in English and got a very helpful brochure from which we found one very close to the campsite that would hopefully fit the bill, whilst still being a Grand Cru producer (oh dear, there is a danger we could be turning into wine snobs!) and then embarked on the next task - trying to find an exporter who also stocked a fantastic wine we had tried previously so we could get some sent home. We tried a few wine shops, none of who stocked it, and then went into a very nice looking shop next to the one which ran the class we had been on. They did stock it, but quoted a lot more than we though it was for sale on in the other. We did, however, do a few tastings for some other wines (well, it would have been rude not to....). Andy then nipped to the other shop to check the price, whilst Chris chatted to the nice lady in the current shop. Chris did tell her where Andy had gone, and the lady said that, if we were right, she would talk to her manager to see what they could do. The price difference was so great it at first seemed unlikely. Then Andy came back and quoted the offer he had got, which seemed unbeatable, but no! After Chris hanging subtely onto Andy's belt to stop him leaving the shop just in case, happily, we got a fantastic deal and they knocked a massive amount off the original deal. We think the nice lady needed a stiff drink herself afterwards! Andy then felt very guilty about the other shop and refused to walk past it again in case they spotted him...... That made for a few more scenic (rather than direct) walks around the town....
We then partook in a few more tasting sessions (a pattern emerging here, perhaps....) to find a really nice, drink-now, bottle of wine each using Euros kindly given to us by Chris' Mum for our respective birthdays. That aim was also achieved :o) We then freewheeled (carefully!) back towards the campsite with our precious two bottles in Andy's rucksack to the aforementioned vineyard. There we were shown around, and had the wine making process explained to us, by the extremely nice winemakers' Mum (!). The winemaker himself then appeared and did some wine tastings with us (the theme continues), so we felt obliged (aye, right! - Ed) to buy a couple of bottles from there too, before walking with the bikes (a lot safer than carrying the extra bottles as there was no room left in the rucksack!) back to the campsite where we even got to lie in the sun beside the pool for a while afterwards. All in all a very enjoyable, if in a tad expensive-but-productive-way, day.
We then decided to be ultra-organised and pack up the Uno tent this evening, especially as it was forecast to rain from the evening onwards. We had managed to get everything organised, empty the Uno and pack up the inner-tent when the rain started. Could it not have waited five more minutes?! We have left the outer up to deal with tomorrow morning, most likely wet. Oh well. Tomorrow we are heading towards Sarlat. Not far, but apparently a lovely town, so we are looking forward to that. Oh, and it is due to stop raining tomorrow afternoon too and return to mid-to-high 20's the day after. Here's hoping!
BTW, it is absolutely POURING with rain at the moment.
No comments:
Post a Comment