This year we caravanned in France in the spring and autumn. In the spring
we got as far as Palau del Vidre near the Mediterranean and on the second as
far south as St Jean de Luz in the Basque country. During the second trip,
on about two thirds of the days it rained and the canopy was taken down wet
on each occasion we moved, except thankfully the last day at Ouistreham when
the sun shone and everything dried out.

I consider the most interesting event was at the penultimate stop. We stayed
at La Ferme de Lann Hoedic near Sarzeau in Southern Brittany. It was a new
site to us and I got the details from the Caravan Cheque site book as we had
7 cheques to get rid of. The site turned out to be an absolute gem and is
run by Mireille, her English husband Tim, and her mother Annette. Mireille
met Tim whilst working on the Isle of Wight and speaks perfect English. Tim
spends most of his time working on the surrounding farm. As we booked in
Mireille gave me a number of tourist maps of the area and spent some time
showing us where the best walks, cycle rides and tourist attractions were to
be found.

It rained most days but I was able to get on with collecting my own
shellfish from the shore at low tide. The essential tide table was supplied
by Mireille who was surprised to find an Englishman who collected shellfish.
The rocks at Lann Hoedic were covered in oysters and it was too easy to get
a couple of dozen for a meal so on my last expedition I concentrated on
finding large specimens. I collected 14 about the size of my hand, but that
evening they were too much, so I only opened and ate 7, saving the others
till the following day. The largest was kept till last and in that one I
found 4 pearls. In fact I felt them in my mouth and almost swallowed them.
One is tiny, about 1 mm., but the others about 3 to 4 mm. in diameter. I
dropped one in the grass beside the table and lost it so I now have just two
nice little pearls. Mireille was impressed and took photos for the local
paper as she had never heard of anybody finding pearls in the local oysters.
We are now known as Les Pecheurs de Perle de Lann Hoedic.

Regards.

Dave.

"Dave D" wrote in message
...

....

The rocks at Lann Hoedic were covered in oysters and it was too easy to
get a couple of dozen for a meal so on my last expedition I concentrated
on finding large specimens. I collected 14 about the size of my hand, but
that evening they were too much, so I only opened and ate 7, saving the
others till the following day. The largest was kept till last and in that
one I found 4 pearls. In fact I felt them in my mouth and almost
swallowed them. One is tiny, about 1 mm., but the others about 3 to 4 mm.
in diameter. I dropped one in the grass beside the table and lost it so I
now have just two nice little pearls.

I think I'm falling in love again, again ...

Mary

"Mary Fisher" wrote in message
t...

"Dave D" wrote in message
...

...

The rocks at Lann Hoedic were covered in oysters and it was too easy to
get a couple of dozen for a meal so on my last expedition I concentrated
on finding large specimens. I collected 14 about the size of my hand,
but that evening they were too much, so I only opened and ate 7, saving
the others till the following day. The largest was kept till last and in
that one I found 4 pearls. In fact I felt them in my mouth and almost
swallowed them. One is tiny, about 1 mm., but the others about 3 to 4 mm.
in diameter. I dropped one in the grass beside the table and lost it so
I now have just two nice little pearls.

I think I'm falling in love again, again ...

Isn't it about time you started swimming with the fishes?

Andy R

"Mary Fisher" wrote in message
t...

"Dave D" wrote in message
...

...

The rocks at Lann Hoedic were covered in oysters and it was too easy to
get a couple of dozen for a meal so on my last expedition I concentrated
on finding large specimens. I collected 14 about the size of my hand,
but that evening they were too much, so I only opened and ate 7, saving
the others till the following day. The largest was kept till last and in
that one I found 4 pearls. In fact I felt them in my mouth and almost
swallowed them. One is tiny, about 1 mm., but the others about 3 to 4 mm.
in diameter. I dropped one in the grass beside the table and lost it so
I now have just two nice little pearls.

I think I'm falling in love again, again ...

Mary

Thank you Mary but I am spoken for. I got the oysters off the rocks with a
10" rock peg bashed with a rubber mallet. My wife reckons I should have
used a metal hammer but I find them too noisy :-)
Seriously, La Ferme de Lann Hoedic is a fantastic campsite, very clean and
well cared for. Mireille, her mum and husband were extremely friendly
hosts. Campers were French, Dutch, Belgian, German and one Danish outfit.
The beach is about 800 metres along a footpath/cyclepath from the site.
Pebble beach with plenty of rocks and rockpools. When we were there the
weather was none too good, the sea was a bit rough and we did not see
anybody swimming.
Regards.
Dave.

"Dave D" wrote in message
...


Thank you Mary but I am spoken for.

So am I - have been for problably longer than most round here ... I was just
relieved to have news again. The server was down for what seemed like a
month but was probably only a couple of days.

I got the oysters off the rocks with a 10" rock peg bashed with a rubber
mallet. My wife reckons I should have used a metal hammer but I find them
too noisy :-)
Seriously, La Ferme de Lann Hoedic is a fantastic campsite, very clean and
well cared for.

You know what my response to that would be so I shan't say it :-)

Mary
good to have you back but the missiing posts have gone for good :-(