Yesterday rained a lot so we stayed put for Friday.

The day starts cool but warms up by lunchtime. We drive a few miles out into the country to see the imposing chateau at Bourg-Archambault, which is similar in style but a bit smaller than Suscino in Brittany which we visited in May. The moat is stocked with fish, some very big, approaching a metre long.

The village is ancient too, but most places are well renovated and decorated with flower boxes. A little park has a crazy golf course and a stone model of the chateau.

We continue to Montmorillon, to E.Leclerc to get LPG and then a few miles more to Journet where there is a Passion we stayed at in March when it was cold and bleak.

Ali goes to find the owner and to see if we can buy any cheese. She finds him busy with a digger in the process of building a pond. Apparently, worried by all of the dry yellow grass and trees so deprived of water they are already shedding brown leaves, the authorities have asked farmers and landowners to dig reservoirs and fill with water in case needed by the pompiers.

We have a phone call with Chris and Paul who are in Poole Harbour ready to catch the morning ferry to Cherbourg and we are all looking forward to getting together in a few days' time. They are having very strong winds and in the evening the wind picks up here as well.