Wednesday with the Fallourd Tour Guides

First stop was the St Jean D'Angely covered markets, in an amazing old building. The produce was fabulous - live prawns, lobsters and crabs, black radishes, long beetroot, Charentais melons and cheeses.  No lamb - very difficult to get, but pork and beef everywhere.  The kids had to sample the local chocolate eclairs - apparently they were up to scratch!  We had a look around a bit more of the town but decided we haven't seen enough so must come back one day soon. 

We picked up Leah from school - it finishes half day on Wednesday at midday.  Before any Australian children think this is NOT FAIR, you might like to know that school starts at 8.30 everyday but finishes most days at 5.30, and the French children still have lots of homework and older children can't really get a part time job because there's no time!

We then drove about 1 hour to a nearby town called Angouleme - the old city is completely walled and still intact - amazing! As a home owner I had to wonder at how much a retaining wall like that would cost- scary! We were at last able to meet Curtis Fallourd - Loic and Wendy's son, who also had a half day from his culinary school.  At 15 years of age, he is required to wear a full black suit, business shirt and tie to school each day (!!). He looked very smart but we felt a little underdressed meeting him for lunch (he changed out of his suit in about 30 seconds flat as soon as he was free from school).  We spent a lovely afternoon wandering around Angouleme, had a beautiful lunch in a leafy courtyard restaurant, and did a bit of shopping too before dropping Curtis back to school. It so great to have a personal tour guide - Wendy and Loic pointed out the gold medallions which identified solicitor's offices in France - just below the sign of one very posh looking office with amazing views was another sign with hot pink lettering which translated as "Stephanie B - Furs and Skins". Wendy thinks it's the skins of the clients who haven't paid their legal fees!