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Médoc excursions
Basins of Light in Bordeaux
Last Thursday we went back to Bordeaux for the first time in a long time. We went to the Submarine Base beside the Garonne: this is an old
bunker for submarines dating from WW2 (you can learn more about the bunker for submarines here) where a cultural centre for digital arts opened
last year. These “Basins of Light” welcome exhibitions and artistic installations...
read more
Last Thursday we went back to Bordeaux for the first time in a long time. We went to the Submarine Base beside the Garonne: this is an old
bunker for submarines dating from WW2 (you can learn more about the bunker for submarines here) where a cultural centre for digital arts opened
last year. These “Basins of Light” welcome exhibitions and artistic installations...
read more
Secret Little Lakes
Last Sunday, I signed up with Oscar the dog for a group walk in the forest, not far from home. We met up in a small carpark next to a little
lake. The other dogs, accompanied by their masters and mistresses, were already there. And we set off on the forest path. It was 11 o’clock
and we were leaving for 2 hours of ... forest bathing. There were pine trees, oaks and giant ferns...
read more
Last Sunday, I signed up with Oscar the dog for a group walk in the forest, not far from home. We met up in a small carpark next to a little
lake. The other dogs, accompanied by their masters and mistresses, were already there. And we set off on the forest path. It was 11 o’clock
and we were leaving for 2 hours of ... forest bathing. There were pine trees, oaks and giant ferns...
read more
Guided tours of the Bunkers
For quite a while now, Medoc Actif has published articles about the end of the war in the Médoc. It all started when the daughter of an old
prisoner of war came to try and learn about her father and asked us for help. Other sons and daughters of prisoners were contacted and this
subject became an important element in our range of contributions...
read more
For quite a while now, Medoc Actif has published articles about the end of the war in the Médoc. It all started when the daughter of an old
prisoner of war came to try and learn about her father and asked us for help. Other sons and daughters of prisoners were contacted and this
subject became an important element in our range of contributions...
read more
An artistic journey at Montalivet-les-Bains
Do you want art and nature? This summer, Montalivet-les-Bains is offering an artistic journey. Seven installations have been set up along the
road around the seaside resort. Discover art while walking or cycling behind the Atlantic dunes: a shark’s fin, 60 waves between the pines, a
giant bird in front of a grove...
read more
Do you want art and nature? This summer, Montalivet-les-Bains is offering an artistic journey. Seven installations have been set up along the
road around the seaside resort. Discover art while walking or cycling behind the Atlantic dunes: a shark’s fin, 60 waves between the pines, a
giant bird in front of a grove...
read more
A family visit to Cordouan
Visiting Cordouan is part of our family tradition: we’ve made the trip to Cordouan lighthouse at least once with each of our children and
grandchildren. The first time was in 2001 with our youngest child, the last time in 2021 with our two teenagers. In the meantime we have also
been to the lighthouse with the “Cordouan and Grave Lighthouses Association”...
read more
Visiting Cordouan is part of our family tradition: we’ve made the trip to Cordouan lighthouse at least once with each of our children and
grandchildren. The first time was in 2001 with our youngest child, the last time in 2021 with our two teenagers. In the meantime we have also
been to the lighthouse with the “Cordouan and Grave Lighthouses Association”...
read more
Excursion to the sea station of Le Verdon
How often have I looked west on the beach of the Médoc and crossed the horizon with my thoughts - in a steamer to America. So it could have
been to take the wishful thinking from here to the New World, then as now. And this could have been the case back then: I go to Le Verdon to
the Seebahnhof, board the ship after completing all the formalities, busy life on the quay, the chimneys smoking...
read more
How often have I looked west on the beach of the Médoc and crossed the horizon with my thoughts - in a steamer to America. So it could have
been to take the wishful thinking from here to the New World, then as now. And this could have been the case back then: I go to Le Verdon to
the Seebahnhof, board the ship after completing all the formalities, busy life on the quay, the chimneys smoking...
read more
The port of Saint Vivien
Saint-Vivien. This is a little corner of the region where you need to get out walking and rambling along the little roads that criss-cross
it, roads smothered in grasses and wild flowers, well-away from the hurly-burly of the Atlantic coast. In and around the village many people
get on their bikes, not only to do a bit of shopping in the centre, post a letter or drink a cup of coffee, but also to go as far as the port
and savour a magic moment admiring the light of this “ little Camargue “...
read more
Saint-Vivien. This is a little corner of the region where you need to get out walking and rambling along the little roads that criss-cross
it, roads smothered in grasses and wild flowers, well-away from the hurly-burly of the Atlantic coast. In and around the village many people
get on their bikes, not only to do a bit of shopping in the centre, post a letter or drink a cup of coffee, but also to go as far as the port
and savour a magic moment admiring the light of this “ little Camargue “...
read more
The Cordouan Lighthouse
We visited the tourist office in Soulac to check on forthcoming events and, although it was Autumn we noticed that it was still possible to
take the boat to the Cordouan Lighthouse, as we had guests, this was brilliant news. The times of the visit varies as it is linked to the
tides, our trip was to be in three days time at 10am. So, lets hope the weather would improve because on the day of the booking it seemed
like a force 10 wind was coming off the sea, ideal for the wind surfers but not for our land-lubber guests...
read more
We visited the tourist office in Soulac to check on forthcoming events and, although it was Autumn we noticed that it was still possible to
take the boat to the Cordouan Lighthouse, as we had guests, this was brilliant news. The times of the visit varies as it is linked to the
tides, our trip was to be in three days time at 10am. So, lets hope the weather would improve because on the day of the booking it seemed
like a force 10 wind was coming off the sea, ideal for the wind surfers but not for our land-lubber guests...
read more
Royan Market
The weather forecast for Saturday was mixed, so we decided to leave weeding the garden and visit the market in Royan, living in the Medoc the
journey is quite easy. We caught the morning ferry from Le Verdon as foot passengers (3€ each way) and enjoyed sitting in the warm sunshine
on an outside deck for the 20minute crossing. Most visitors to this area think of Royan as a ferry crossing point only...
read more
The weather forecast for Saturday was mixed, so we decided to leave weeding the garden and visit the market in Royan, living in the Medoc the
journey is quite easy. We caught the morning ferry from Le Verdon as foot passengers (3€ each way) and enjoyed sitting in the warm sunshine
on an outside deck for the 20minute crossing. Most visitors to this area think of Royan as a ferry crossing point only...
read more
The Tour de France comes to Médoc - a personal view
After years of watching the Tour de France a personal ambition of seeing a stage of this great race was realised this year as the final time
trial came to the Medoc Region on the 24th July. We are privileged to be a member of the St Vivien community spending as much time as possible
in France while the remaining time in Britain for work commitments. The opportunity to take a day off house renovations to see first hand the
race was an opportunity not to be missed...
read more
After years of watching the Tour de France a personal ambition of seeing a stage of this great race was realised this year as the final time
trial came to the Medoc Region on the 24th July. We are privileged to be a member of the St Vivien community spending as much time as possible
in France while the remaining time in Britain for work commitments. The opportunity to take a day off house renovations to see first hand the
race was an opportunity not to be missed...
read more
Hollywood in the Médoc
The highest tide coefficient of the year in March 2015 resulted in an exceptionally low tide, a good time for a trip to La Negade , Amélie near
Soulac, which provided the rarely seen spectacle of much of the exposed wreck of the USA ship Hollywood. On 29 November 1945, this American liner
registered under number 2220527 (home port of Los Angeles) came aground off the coast of the Médoc 1.5 Miles to the South West of Soulac sur Mer...
read more
The highest tide coefficient of the year in March 2015 resulted in an exceptionally low tide, a good time for a trip to La Negade , Amélie near
Soulac, which provided the rarely seen spectacle of much of the exposed wreck of the USA ship Hollywood. On 29 November 1945, this American liner
registered under number 2220527 (home port of Los Angeles) came aground off the coast of the Médoc 1.5 Miles to the South West of Soulac sur Mer...
read more