Sunday morning dawns much colder and quite grey. There’s more rugby this afternoon but we need a good walk so we search all the guide books to no avail. We decide to head back to Mervent – a nearby forest with 2 rivers flowing through it, the Mere and the Vendee.  Both have been dammed to create a huge leisure area for walking, cycling and water sports. Unfortunately we have little information so decide to wing it.  Armed with hats, gloves, snoods and walking boots we set off and find a parking area. The trail is clearly marked and march briskly through the woods very much like the New Forest.  There are joggers, cyclists and other walkers so we are encouraged to push on.

Eventually we drop down a steep path to the ‘Barrage de Mervent” and find ourselves overlooking one of the lakes.  On a better day it would be very picturesque but today it is quite grey, nonetheless we take the usual array of pictures and head back up the slope and back to the picnic area.

Pain au raisin and coffee slip down a treat and we head back to the car.

The forest is a network of footpaths, cycle tracks and bridle paths and we vow to find the nearest tourist office that might be open at this time of year to pick up some better maps.

Back at La Grange Barb puts together a well deserved lunch and we ‘FaceTime’ with Danny for an hour.  Oh the wonders of the internet.