The Rapture? It happened didn't it?

As I sampled this wonderful chocolate souffle at Le M in Rivedoux Plage today I thought for a moment that that Rapture thing might well have happened yesterday and I had died and gone to heaven - it was that good. Our culinary adventure in Ile De Re continues although now that we have got to know a few restaurants on the island we are somewhat reluctant to experiment any more as we've only got five days left and we've only tried a couple of dishes in our favourite places and could eat at least another ten before we need to look elsewhere. It's a good job that we've only five days to go as the waistbands are tightening by the day but what's the point of being good when there are more outstanding restaurants within five miles of here than there are within fifty miles of home? We've got all summer to eat lettuce and brown rice and drink water.

Even the local Pizzeria - Le Phare -  (which we visited last night as a break from fine dining) was a treat. Great service, super view (see below), lovely pizzas and a real treat for families with kids as the place was extremely welcoming and family friendly.

The harbour here in St Martin De Re was heaving today with a huge influx of day trippers enjoying a stroll along the quayside so we rode a few kilometers down the coast and visited a "brocante"fair or flea market. After lunch at Le M we felt so guilty about our over eating that we cycled about another twenty kilometers as a sort of penance. There was a huge variety of cyclists enjoying the island's tracks. They ranged from toddlers with stabilisers through young lovers on tandems (why is the man always at the front?), groups of men in all the gear who look like late arrivals for the Tour De France and spend all their time ringing their bells to warn dawdlers like us of their presence, dads with kids on baby seats or in little carts being pulled behind the bikes, lots of couples from teens to pensioners and much bigger mixed groups of all ages. It's all so pleasant, so French and something we would never see in England. We love it.


And on a cycling note, here's a few who enjoyed it so much they carried on even when they got to the airport.