Volunteering In France | Interning in France

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.

Saturday 29th and Sunday 30th

It has rained so much the little town of Chalais has finally drowned!! The river broke its banks unsurprisingly and as it passes through the Centre of Chalais the whole of the town’s streets are now underwater!!! The intermarche is knee deep in water and so is the petrol station and a few of the little local shops in the dip where the market is have all been flooded and were struggling to save stock. The high street is blocked off and we have to wait till it all drains away. I doubt there will be any market tomorrow and I really hope all the folks in town are okay, if we’d known sooner we could have sent out an LG party to do some rescue work!! Lets hope for a stop in the rain tomorrow

Sunday, April 29th

The group awoke to another grey, rainy morning. Paul, Dan, Cullen and Alice shouldered umbrellas and headed into the rain for Paul’s weekly 9 KM stroll with Sydney, the 11 year old Labrador that is never far from Paul’s side. The stroll took the group through some lovely countryside spotted with cattle (les vaches) and down to the lake where they took a small break for coffee at the clubhouse and spa, Etang Vallier. The countryside leading to the lake resort is a mixture of textures: swaying grass and herds of cows border vineyards and rolling hills topped with stone houses and fields of flowers.

After coffee and respite from the rain, le petit group continued up to the center of Brossac by way of the Petanque court where Paul and the locals have a friendly game every week. In the Village Center the group stopped again at one of the local restaurants, Le St Bernard, and partook in drinks and friendly banter with the local patrons and owners. The owner and workers not only sat and spoke with the group but helped the group read through the horoscopes and tease each other in French. This interaction with the French people and language is one of the most effective ways that the group can practice the level of and amount of French they feel comfortable with, as well as use what was taught during the weekly French lessons on Friday.

While at Le St Bernard the group learned that, though the record amount of rain that has fallen has been beneficial in filling the lakes and watering some of the crops, it has left Chalais flooded and many businesses closed.

Market in Chalais flooded from the rain.

 

In the afternoon the group took an excursion to AUBETERRE-SUR-DRONNE, Charente. With its red-tiled roofs, steep cobbled streets and typically French town square lined with linden trees, it is one of the most popular of the Les Plus Beaux Villages de France. The once fortified town saw battles against both the English and the Huguenots during the Wars of Religion and was a stopping point for travellers on their way to Santiago de Compostela in Spain. Little known to many people, the small village was the birthplace of Roger Vivier, the inventor of the stiletto. However, it is the beauty of the village, with the pottery and other crafts of its local artisans, in combination with its pilgrimage history that make Aubeterre a well known and much visited town.

The group sat in  Place Trarieux, a tree-lined square named after Ludovic Trarieux, the founder of the League of Human Rights who was born there, and had crepes and coffees while watching the world bustle by. Gerard, the owner of the clubhouse and spa in Brossac, met the group and he and Paul led a small tour of the town, as the rain had stopped and the sun had come from behind the clouds. C’etait une bonne journee.