The best laid plans

Edit: S walking past a different tree two years ago today!

We decided to go for a walk on the coast today, followed by a nice lunch at a restaurant. We did set out a little bit late, so we decided to just do a short one in the nature reserve on the Ile Sainte Lucie. However, when we got to the bridge where you cross to the island-that-is-not-an-island, there was a sandwich board saying the recently renovated refuge was open for drinks and light snacks. So we decided to double the length of the walk by going there for lunch.

I suppose we shouldn't have been surprised when we got there and it was closed, with no-one about. At least we had water with us, but no food. So we walked back to the car by a slightly different route and then set out on mission "find lunch in France after 1 pm". In Sigean, the nearest place, the restaurant I'd quickly googled en route that was open till three turned out to have closed down and turned into a kebab shop. I'm sure you can picture the look of outrage when we showed up at a nearby restaurant, the only one in sight that was open. It was now 1:45 -- "Of course you're too late for lunch!" I was getting hangry by now. We ended up in Carrefour car park sharing a bacon and salad wrap from the chill cabinet.

We felt better after that though, so we decided that instead of going home along the autoroute, we'd take the coast road along the lagoon to look for flamingos. We didn't find any (or at least they were much too far away to be blippable). But when we parked in Bages, S suggested going up into the village where we might at least get a drink. Extra 1: les Beaux Arts when we arrived at 2:30, the last lunch customers having just left. They still had the menu board up ... worth the risk of another rejection? "Yes, of course you can eat!" said the waiter. "Take a seat."

The chef had gone home, so he offered us a choice of the uncooked items on the menu. Fine by me, I only wanted a salad anyway; the tomato with burrata (extra 2) fitted the bill perfectly, and S had pâté en croûte with chutney, gherkins and more salad. Then he had a ridiculously extravagant dessert (extra 3), literally dripping with calories. I resisted.

So, a great turnaround of the day. The restaurant is open all winter, and the waiter/owner showed us the cosy upstairs room with woodburning stove. We'll definitely be back for a proper lunch. Stats for the walk: 6 km, 20 metres of climbing, 2 1/4 hours including stops. 

A bit of chilling at home, then out for two hours of choir practice, first of the season. I quickly regretted not even looking at the Poulenc Gloria over the summer. It is not easy! Should be fun ...