Paul had arranged for some of his local French friends to take us out for the day to the coast. Early in the afternoon 3 of us (Courtney, Dan and myself Cullen) were picked up by a group of 8 Brossacaise younger generation. We would have set off earlier but for Sarah, The daughter of Paul’s Neighbours, who had to work Sunday morning at the local supermarket in Chalais. So the eleven of us piled into two cars set off for the coast direction La Dune du Playa or Pyla: an enormous Mountain of a sand dune on the coast of south west France.
The group consisted of Niko, Elvis, Dan, Courtney and Arnaud in one car and Camille, Sarah, Aymeric, Romain, Lucy, and Cullen in the other.
The group having a Picnic lunch
Before the trip had really began the group stopped by an old stone structure and vineyard for a picnic that consisted of crabs legs, oysters, cheese, and fresh bread very French. Aymeric, ever the gymnast, climbed to the top of the ancient stone structure where he wowed the group with acrobatic feats that one could only dream of being able to do.
The trip to La Dune du Playa took the group through Bordeaux but the time passed quickly as Aymeric serenaded the car with each song on the radio. As the trip ended and we searched for parking places in the already crowded parking lot the boys decided that they would take the difficult way up over the dune: by climbing it on their hands and knees. The girls decided to save their energy for the beach and took the stairs (120 in all!). After a still strenuous climb up the stairs the girls had the difficult task of finding the boys amongst the crowd of people scattered over the dune. The size of the dune became apparent as the sea stretched out before them, boats becoming mere specks on the water and people crawling over the sand like ants.
View from the top of the dune.
At last the group reunited by the surf where they boys constructed a makeshift volleyball court. As the girls soaked up the warm suns rays mixed with the cool ocean breeze the boys played a mixture of volleyball and football, alternating between using their feet and their hands to get the ball over the net.
The makeshift volleyball net.
Lucy and Cullen began to venture into the water, only going up to their knees as the water was a freezing cold temperature (and was only made worse by the sea breeze). Suddenly, cold water cascaded over them from behind as Niko and Aymeric had abandoned their sports game and snuck up on the girls to soak them with the freezing water. A group-wide water fight ensued and ended with many people gritting their teeth and submerging themselves despite the cold temperatures.
After thawing out in the sun and changing into slightly drier and warmer clothing the group turned to head back to the car, only to find that they must once again climb the mountain of sand that stood before them. The group immediately separated into groups according to speed and agility with Elvis, Dan and Niko taking the lead and scaling the side of the dune in no time at all. As each person struggled to climb to the top, feet sinking and sliding in the sand and calves burning from the exertion, the group recollected at the top where water was shared and pictures taken. The short break before the descent allowed the group of new friends to watch the sunset on the water together with sail boats and clouds reflecting along the water.
The view of the sunset over the water from the top of the dune.
After re-hydrating and catching their breath, the group stood and turned to descend the mountain realizing at the last minute that the more appropriate term would be to “fall down” the mountain. The back edge of the dune was so steep that some chose to slide down on their derriers instead of running. A collective avalanche of sand preceded the group and left a trail of fresh, cool sand in their wake.
The group was thoroughly exhausted and sore from the physical exertions of the day and, after a take-out dinner of pizza, sushi, and kabobs in a park in Bordeaux, the group returned home in the early hours of the morning to sleep a good sleep.
