France May/June 2016, Day 5

Although warm and cosy last night we had made an error of judgement going for camping mats rather than airbeds.  Our aged hips were somewhat bruised!!  The task for today will be to head for a large supermarket in Gannat in the hope of finding some more comfortable beds.  On a much more positive note the clouds have cleared and we now have le soleille!!!  A quick trip to Gannet secured a couple of airbeds and they are now blown up and installed.  We thought we were tough enough for camping mats, but it would appear that we are no more than aging wusses!!!  Whilst at Gannat we stocked up on shopping and called in for a wander around Ebreuil in the sun on the way back.  The weather has certainly warmed up for the moment and we have just enjoyed a delightful lunch in the sun by the river.  An orchid hunt and explore is on the cards this afternoon and then a BBQ this evening.

Although warm and cosy last night we had made an error of judgement going for camping mats rather than airbeds.  Our aged hips were somewhat bruised!!  The task for today will be to head for a large supermarket in Gannat in the hope of finding some more comfortable beds.  On a much more positive note the clouds have cleared and we now have le soleille!!!  A quick trip to Gannet secured a couple of airbeds and they are now blown up and installed.  We thought we were tough enough for camping mats, but it would appear that we are no more than aging wusses!!!  Whilst at Gannat we stocked up on shopping and called in for a wander around Ebreuil in the sun on the way back.  The weather has certainly warmed up for the moment and we have just enjoyed a delightful lunch in the sun by the river.  An orchid hunt and explore is on the cards this afternoon and then a BBQ this evening.

Surprisingly orchids were not to be found, but we enjoyed a fantastic drive up the valley to Chauvigny with a return along the valley rim through fabulous oak woods.  We stopped off for a couple of short walks, the fist to a Neolithic megalith dominating the valley below.  I enjoyed photographing a very cooperative common lizard here as well as a common blue butterfly.  Unfortunately the wall browns proved too elusive.  Above Chauvigny we walked to a fine viewpoint looking back along the river to Ebreuil.  It seems a long time since we canoed this stretch with Thomas and Beth and Helen and John.  On that occasion, when Helen and John joined us they were in a campervan whose mechanical problems caused a modicum of amusement.  Needless to say it was sold on their return.  On our return to the site it was beer o’clock and BBQ time.

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