We had been driving for hours and hours, days and days. We had visited some beautiful places, stayed in some lovely campsites and spent the night in some not so luxurious (but cheap) t1 hotels. We had driven down the West Coast of France and we were soon to be arriving in a beautiful place called Duras where we would spend the next few days with Sams (the drivers) parents.
Duras is definately a place that I would suggest going if you are ever visiting France. If you enjoy being surrounded by nature, taking long walks across feilds and eating fresh fruit straight from the tree then the French countryside is for you. It is beautiful.
As we pulled up to Duras it was pitch black. I could hear the delightful sounds of crickets chirping and pool water flowing softly. The house that we were staying in was enchanting. Upstairs, where we were sleeping, was a wooden balcony overlooking the living area. The house itself was surrounded by sunflower fields, woodland and many fruit trees.
As it was so late when we got there we had a quick swim, ate some delicious spaghetti bolognese that Sam's mum had cooked for us and went to sleep.
The next day when we woke up, I peered out of the window to see a cloudless blue sky. I stretched up my arms and took a wander outside. The air was fresh and a soft warm breeze floated across my skin. The stones which had not yet felt the suns warmth were cold beneath my bare feet and i tip-toed over to the peach tree that was bursting with ripe, juicy fruit. I pulled one off and bit in to it. It tasted so refreshing.
There were often deer seen in the fields below our turf so I decided to go for an explore. The tall green grass was damp with the nights dew but there were plenty of butterflies, grasshoppers and beetles about. As I slowly strolled beside the stream, and through the woods I pulled fruit of trees as I passed them and collected pears for my friends back at the Ranch.
The next day there was a wine festival on in the nearest town so we decided to check it out. It was a quaint little town filled with beer gardens and market stalls. It was like a French film where everyone is sat outside drinking wine and socialising! There were bands playing in the small streets and everyone was having a jolly time. We sat down and used this opportunity to try out our French that we had picked up on our travels down to Duras. All I can say is- we're not quite fluent yet!
Our evenings were spent having delicious meals and barbeques sat at a long a thick, wooden table, we would have quizzes in the night time, each quiz still as amusing as the last. And the days were spent exploring this quaint, accepting, little town and its surroundings.
We had spent our time splashing about the pool, having barbeques and wandering in the charming acres, but sadly our time to leave had rushed up on us. As we pulled away waving goodbye to Sams parents who had put us up and fed us for a few days, I knew that this was a place I was definately going to visit again. It was a place that I felt at home.