Upon leaving Montalivet, we continue south on the coast- just a short hop this time, to Biscarosse, where we’ve never been. The site we’ve found is at Biscarosse Plage- a small, seaside satellite of Biscarosse [which we don’t get to see after all]. There are a few moments of confusion as we near it, when Mrs Garmin fails to see there are 4 exits off a roundabout rather than 3. We arrive to find that the place is another ‘MS Vacances’ just like the Montalivet site and is almost a copy except it’s a little smaller and doesn’t have the tangled thrill of water slides.
On check-in, [which is an odd system of being told some pitch numbers, going to look at them, choosing one and returning to find they’re booked out even while we were looking], we’re handed a striped shopping bag containing a box with a toilet roll, J-cloth and some detergent sachets. The bag is added to our eclectic mix of bags collected from various countries and is useful for showering, of course.
The good news is that there’s a cycle repair shop very close to the site entrance, which means Husband has a chance of getting his bike fixed. Having set up, we go to the bar and sit in the sun with a beer.
There doesn’t appear to be anything historic or extraordinary about Biscarosse Plage but it’s a pleasant little place, with a small street of cafes and bars leading towards the beach and a large square planted with mature trees. The beach, again is vast and consists of soft, white sand, part of the miles and miles of Atlantic beaches down this coast, On the wide area of prom there is a big wheel. The road behind is lined with grand, beachside houses.
The cycle shop is able to make a temporary repair to Husband’s bike and he manages to get a ride, which is progress!
In the evening, we wander down to the little street of bars and find a quirky place with mismatched furniture and oodles of charm and we can sit and watch the world go by. The evenings are beginning to darken earlier and temperatures, once the sun has gone are cooler.
Driving out of Biscarosse, there’s much more wildfire devastation along the roadsides- huge swathes of destroyed forest. I’m astonished that an industrial estate seemed to escape the flames as the charred trees surrounded it.
In spite of the fire damage, it’s a beautiful area and as we drive on south we begin to be on familiar territory, towns and villages we’ve been through many times. Now we’re on our way to one of our favourite places of all. The weather continues to be warm and sunny as we get closer, the well-travelled route taking us by and through: Mimizan, St Julien en Borne, Vieux Boucau [where we’ve cycled a few times!]. It’s a long way down France- near to the Spanish border, only just north of Biarritz. Then we’re at Moliets, noticing the road layout has changed since last time- over two hills, past the campervan aire, past the shops and cafe-bars and to the site: Le Saint Martine. Wonderful!
Novels by Jane Deans [Grace]: The Year of Familiar Strangers and The Conways at Earthsend. Visit my website: janedeans.com
