Ile d'Aix
After a day at sea, the Explorer was just off Ile d'Aix at sunrise. This very small island is nestled amongst various arms of the French coast, just south of La Rochelle.
We were ferried to shore by zodiac.
The structure on the right of the photo is Fort Boyard, a 19th Century fortification and now a location for French and international filming of silly game shows. I do have a closer view, which shows that the fort was built on one of the many shoals in the area.
The early morning light was also good for a zoom-in on the Explorer.
Our landing was called a dry landing because you don't get your feet wet, which would happen if the zodiac just ran up onto the beach. This video clip shows how a dry landing typically works. For a wet landing, guests would be wearing boots and swinging their legs over the sides into several inches of water.
The largest claim to fame of Ile d'Aix is that it was where Napoleon stayed for the his last few days of freedom before surrendering to the British. The southernmost tip of the island has the jetty/dock and the historic Fort La Rade, whose walls are the first thing a visitor sees.
After passing through the gates, you encounter some footpaths and this map. Being such a small island, it would be difficult to get lost.
The main cluster of non-residential buildings, including shops, a hotel, and the Napoleon Museum, are within the old walls of Fort La Rade.
But Joan and I were not here primarily for the sights; we had an opportunity to meet again with Serge and Jeanne, our guests from 2½ years before. We landed only thirty minutes before the ferry from the mainland, so we had to dash back to the dock to meet them! Jeanne and Serge are on the right ...
The four of us walked along the island's edge, taking in such items as late 19th and early 20th Century gun mounts.
But most of the time was spent visiting, strolling, catching up.
There is a seasonal restaurant just off the central road.
Joan and I had to return in time for the last zodiac, and that timetable was driven by the tide. Which was going out.
So we had to bid adieu and au revoir to Serge and Jeanne, and ride the zodiac back to the Explorer. We were on board by 11:00, and after the ship winched up all the zodiacs,
we began a gentle repositioning to La Rochelle. It being a Sunday with fair weather, there was a great deal of mid-day activity to see in these sheltered waters. First, the view of the entire Ile d'Aix.
Zooming in,
The area was being visited from the air,
by catamaran,
and by kayak. These kayakers had paddled over from the mainland.
Shoals, exposed by low tide, were being visited by people harvesting seafood (click on the photo to enlarge).
La Rochelle
After lunch we visited La Rochelle. It was a long zodiac ride in, because the Explorer had to stand off in the shallow waters.
We landed on a dock just outside the innermost harbor, which is guarded by the Tour de la Chaîne and Tour Saint-Nicholas. The Tour de la Chaîne is so named because it housed the chain that could be drawn across the mouth of the harbor to block hostile ships. In this photo, the Tour de la Chaîne is the one on the left. Note the kayak in the channel.
Today was a double-reunion day. We were met at the dock by Bruno Corson, who Joan had met during her junior year abroad. Thus we had a private walking tour, much to our advantage, and a chance to catch up after many years. Bruno is the handsome gentleman on the left.
We visited the Tour de la Chaîne, but didn't stay long. Note the flag atop the tower; does it look familiar? It's the flag of Quebec. La Rochelle was the main port of emigration from France to Quebec during the 17th and 18th Centuries.
Looking down from the ramparts ...
Looking out, you can see the parking area for the esplanade.
On the far right you can see a walkway to the third tower of the port, the Tour de la Lanterne. This tower was a highlight of the afternoon for us, and it was a place that the guided tour groups did not (and probably could not) go. Here is an aerial view covering the ground of the above photo.
The Tour de la Lanterne was used as a prison for many years, and the prisoners found the soft stone walls of the tower a suitable canvas for carving, to pass the time.
Some were much more elaborate than others.
Here is one carved by a Richard Dowling, surgeon of the privateer Prince of Wales, captured in 1745. Click to enlarge.
There are also Dutch carvings,
and even a locomotive.
The Tour de la Lanterne is 72 meters (236 feet) high, and access to the upper floors, with the prisoner carvings, is by a narrow winding 15th Century staircase, which is one reason why it's not suitable for large groups. As it is you should observe the listening protocol: before you begin to go up or down to the next floor, listen to see if anyone is already on the staircase. There is little room to pass. But one advantage to climbing to the top is the view, and here we are looking out over the old town.
We could also look across to the dock where all our zodiacs were parked.
Back inside, the view up to the crown of the tower was worth the effort of bending your neck backwards.
The three of us saw a few other sights in La Rochelle.
But soon we settled down at a sidewalk café for some tea and a long chat. Bruno presented us with a present, a book of watercolors.
He is a self-taught artist, in addition to being a gardener and retired schoolteacher. This book came about because the mayor of a small town who also owned a printing company attended a show featuring some of Bruno's watercolors,
and proposed the idea of an art book showcasing paintings of the various municipalities of the region.
Soon it was time for us to say goodbye,
and Joan and I took the long zodiac ride back to the Explorer. It had been a fulfilling day.
After seeing Mont Saint Michel in the morning, those of us up for a hike took the bus headed for Cap Fréhel. This was the first time Lindblad had visited Cap Fréhel, and it was billed as a 'strenuous hike,' which it turned out not to be. Perhaps the local tour company was concerned about the uneven footing.
The tip of this strategic cape is adorned with two lighthouses. The larger, 98 feet high, was built in 1950, while the smaller dates to 1685.
In all directions, the view was spectacular. Here, looking north and west, there is a very choppy and chaotic sea between us and the large rock. The tide wants to go one way while the wind is blowing the other way, leading to conditions nobody would want to drive a zodiac through.
From this same road, which from the parking area forms the beginning of the walk, I took this picture out to the point.
Several of us walked out to the very tip of the cape. Note the lack of guardrails and warning signs ... you are assumed to be smart enough to not fall into the ocean. Or if not, that you are supervised by someone who is.
We soon came across this foundation of a gun mount from World War II.
Looking east, we could see Fort La Latte perched on the next cape, peeking over the cliff's edge in this photo.
The trail wound along the cliff top towards Fort La Latte, which would have made a wonderful destination for an all-day hike with packed lunches. As it was, we got close enough for me to take this photo with my zoom.
Some of the group, including the local guide, elected to hang out around the lighthouse; others of us, including some Lindblad staff, wanted to walk as far as we might. Along the way there was something new to see around every curve of the trail. Here is one of the rock formations that has split from the mainland.
Cormorants were sunning on the slabs just beyond the reach of the waves.
We were not the only ones drinking in today's weather and vistas.
Further on there was a mount still connected to shore being visited by fishermen and picnickers.
As you can see, the trail was mostly flat. Too soon it was time to return to the bus; the only good aspect of leaving the cape was that dinner was drawing closer.
Back at the dock there was a good view of the northeast corner of the walls of St. Malo from the Explorer's rear deck.
The next day was a day at sea as we sailed west and then southeast to round the western tip of France and enter the Bay of Biscay. Our destination was the small island of Ile d'Aix, just offshore from the port city of La Rochelle. My course line is conceptual only and in no way based on formation about the navigation of the Explorer.
We had hoped for some good views of the French coast, but the French maritime traffic authorities insisted that the Explorer follow the routes for regularly scheduled passenger ships, which we were not. This meant we had to sail out of sight of land. The bridge crew was not happy. The Explorer had sailed the closer route before. But once persuasion fails there was little that could be done without running the risk of being boarded by the French coast guard.
In the beginning there were some large swells, leading me to take a Bonine tablet. As you can see, the plates at the breakfast buffet would accordion up and down with the pitching of the ship. Perhaps the video clip could be longer, but you don't dare stall the line for long!
The Lindblad staff and guest experts have a depth of knowledge that makes a day at sea a fascinating learning experience. Even if, like me, you don't retain much after 24 hours. Here are the presentation offerings for this day:
- 0900: Jim Kelly on "The North Atlantic Ocean: Weathermaker of Europe."
- 1100: David Barnes on "Napoleon: The Revolution on Horseback" (relevant to the following day).
- 1500: Kenneth Brassil on "Romanticizing the Celts."
- 1600: Justin Hofman photography "Breakout Session."
- 1700: National Geographic Photographer Katherine Carnow with a presentation on the region of Poitou Charentes.
- 1845: Video Chronicler Rodrigo Moterani presenting a preview of the film of our trip so far.
Our pigs Mocha Puff and Cream Puff had a play date during one lecture with Freddy and Carry, who were accompanying one of the Lindblad staffers.
As we turned to the southeast the seas, or the ship's position relative to them, improved, so between presentations Joan and I spent time on the bridge watching the shipping traffic. The Explorer passed this vessel, which was on its way to Gibraltar. It's a dredging or oil surveying barge; the big square block at the stern is living quarters.
The next day would be very busy, with stops at Ile d'Aix and La Rochelle. We would be rendezvousing in the morning with Serge and Jeanne during our brief visit at Ile d'Aix, and meeting Bruno Corson, another friend Joan made during her junior year abroad, in the afternoon at La Rochelle. With these reunions we would be forgoing the guided tours at these spots.
