James & Clare, Coddiwomplers Inc: A country life, France

“Quand on a pas ce que l’on aime, il faut aimer ce que l’on a”

(If you can't have what you love, you must love what you have)

We drove to Saint Martin L'Ars in mid-west France having taken the ferry from Dover to Calais. We stopped in Chartres for a night at a travel lodge, conveniently placed just off the highway, close to shops, restaurants and supermarkets. With an auto card check in/out system and only a bed and bathroom it is all we require for a nights sleep.

We don't drive on the motorways in Europe for a couple of reasons .... they are mostly toll roads an as we have more time than money, taking the longer route is not a issue to us. Although spending money on accommodation may just about even the financial aspect out, we get to see the real France [insert any other country here] this way, not just a sanitised motorway which bypasses all the cool bits.

The first thing we noticed about rural France is than every little village we drove through had a water tower and church spire which can be seen for miles before you get there. Most also have a big grain silo or similar agricultural structure.

These small villages are then made up of many tiny hamlets dotted around, each containing approximately ten houses or so individual houses. There is a mixture of barn conversions (usually owned by expats) and more traditional french cottages.

Walking into one of the many hamlets on our walkabouts

The nearest village to our hamlet is Saint Martin L'Ars which has a population of approx 380 people in the municipal, doesn't have any shops ... except a grain outlet, a restaurant and a strange little roadside cafe ... but does have it's own Maire (Mayor). One of the main reason visitors come to this area, in season, is for the Circuit du Val de Vienne, a permanent road course for motor racing.

Our housesit turned out to be a very cute traditional French country cottage.

Our charges ... an even cuter border collie, Bobby and two horses - Winston and Maiglin

Bobby was rescued from the neighbours where he had a postage stamp sized world contained to a small concrete patio at the front of the house. With his new owners, Bobby enjoys hours of walking the countryside pointing out (and chasing but never quite catching) the local wildlife. We estimate that we walk an average of 10km a day humouring Bobby's obsession. We don't mind a bit. There is so much beauty to discover .... and an adventure to be had each day.

We encountered lots of coypu and deer, enormous hares, a fox, a red squirrel. Mostly unphotographable as now you see them, then you don't.

This guys is pretending we haven't spotted him!

A coypu

A couple of less wild locals

Spectacular fungi

Everyone has a disused water well

There are chateaus, abbeys and an assortment of other interesting buildings and structures everywhere

Chateau Saint Martin L'Ars

The derelict manor house at Abbaye de La Reau

12th century Abbaye de La Reau

A wee homemade fishing lodge

This cool floating camping ground at Pressac

As our stay was during winter we very rarely came across anyone else on our walks. It was so peaceful and quiet. We have only come across one other person walking a dog in all this time!

However, winter supplied a beauty all of its own ...