59th Autumn Rally, La Rochelle, Charente Maritime

Another 'Rallye d'Automne' bypassed our Gites again this year on the 6th,7th & 8th of November, It is organised every year in the Charente Maritime and ends with the winners receiving there trophy's in La Rochelle. The 4 main fast circuits this year were at 1) Ste. Soulle near La Rochelle 2) Surgeres ending across the fields from our Gites near Landrais. 3)Around Genouille and 4) Near Fouras.
One of our guest's 'Mirko'staying in the Pigeonnier has kindly allowed me to blog some of his photo's see below of the cars passing us. The photo's do not really show it but these cars are moving very fast and loud!

La Rochelle vs Gloucester Rugby November 2015

What a great night of Rugby at the Stade Marcel Deflandre where 14000 attended including many away supporters to watch La Rochelle take on Gloucester in the European Rugby Challenge Cup.

It all started with a sombre minutes silence to remember the suffering of the Terrorist atrocities in Paris, France and then defiantly everybody sang the Marseillaise with all their hearts.

When they kicked off a really exciting match began as Atlantique Stade Rochelais fought hard and the score line stayed close, swaying from one team to the other; at half time Gloucester was winning 19 to 13. The second half carried on as the first with the boot of Greig Landlaw  helping to keep Gloucester in front until then Eaton managed a try and Rochalaise edged in Front by 1. It wasn’t until the last 9 minutes of the game when Mc’Coll and Sharples scored the winning tries with Twelvetree kicking the 2 conversions and it ended 20-33.

For a Thursday night the atmosphere in the stadium was electric and the Rochalaise can hold there heads up high for putting on a great display.

European Rugby Challenge Cup

La Rochelle      20   -   33     Gloucester

Tries

   Audy             Morgan

   Eaton             Mc’Coll

                          Sharples

Penalties

Fortassin 2            Laidlaw 4

  Conversions

Fortassin 2               Laidlaw 

                                    Twelvetrees 2  

L'Hermione

More photo's of L'Hermione, Notice Fort Boyard in the background.

Hermione is back

Hermione is back after her epic journy to the U.S.A. and back, We caught up with her just off the Ile d'Oleron, she was waiting a couple of days at sea before returning over the week end to her berth in Rochefort. during the week end A fete was held to welcome her back with many displays and lots of people dressing up in the costumes of the era.

Collection of old cars in Landrais near La Rochelle, Charente Maritime, France.

An amazing personal collection of old vehicles most in good working order. The collection is here in Landrais.

Port ouvert, La Pallice, La Rochelle

Sunday June 14th the Commercial port at La Pallice opened its gates to the public and put on a nautical display of working boats, had bus and boat rides around the harbour and installations and of course around the historical German submarine base that controlled the Atlantic in WW2 and Where also the famous 'Das Boot' and 'Indiana Jones and the lost ark' was filmed (Which they actually played on a big screen in the evening). The life boat and Helicopter put on a demonstration of rescue as a man and stretcher was lowered onto the boat then retrieved later. nautical games were played and information concerning the working port were displayed (In French). The Cruise liner 'Star Legend' and its passengers left the Port in the afternoon and had to traverse through a small 22 metre wide lock unbelievably 9961 tons went straight through without touching the sides!

unluckily the weather was not as good as it usually is at this time of the year but it did not dampen a great afternoon out.

l’Hermione Sets Sail from Rochefort

After 17 years of construction the frigate l’Hermione has finally sailed in the estuary of Charente.

On September 7, 2014 more than 50,000 curious and history enthusiasts accompanied it from the banks of the river and on more then 1,500 boats as it left the commerce port of the Rochefort – where it was pulled from the docks of the shipyard – and sailed on the river and sea stopping at the Aix Island. L’Hermione paid tribute to the large crowd gathered with cannon fire.

It has since been doing sea trails and has visited ports on the West coast including Bordeaux where many more visited her.

She has now returned to Rochefort and is in her docks for all to see before her sail to America which is scheduled for April 2015 where it is planned she will follow her original course to help George Washington in the war or independence, sailing first to  1) The Canary islands 2) Yorktown, Virginia 3) Mount Vernon in Fairfax county, Virginia 4) Alexandria, Virginia 5) Annapolis, Maryland 6) Baltimore, Maryland       7) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 8) New York  9) Greenport, New York 10)  Newport, Rhode Island 11) Boston, Massachusetts 12) Castine in Hancock County, Maine 13) Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, Canada 14) Back to Rochefort stopping at Brest on route, travelling about 9000 kilometres total distance.