It was too wet for the Swan Whisperer to want to go for a run this morning, and he said that the town of St-Pierre-en-Moutiers wasn't really worth seeing, so we didn't linger (too much!) and after using the services we set sail for an E Leclerc shopping centre we knew was on our way.
Honestly, it was enormous! I got in most of my day's exercise just walking from the motor home to and round the supermarket! And I didn't want very much, really - it was only a top-up shop! Still, it was good exercise, and I always like looking round other people's supermarkets, especially when I am not in a hurry. The SW was getting diesel and then I knew he would be making and drinking his coffee, so no rush.
When we had finished, we decided to revisit Vichy, where we hadn't been for some years. On the way, we passed the commune (as the French call it) of Billy, with a 12th-century chateau that looked amazing. We wondered whether to stop and have a proper look, but decided not to.
Which, in hindsight, was a mistake. We found a car park very near the centre of Vichy, 
and after lunch set off to walk down the length of the park between the two pump rooms, where we hoped to taste the waters. But, alas, all is under renovation, and the pump rooms were closed, as was the park. So that was a bust, and we walked sadly back to the WoMo, saying that we must come again next year to see what it looks like when it has been finished. I expect it will be lovely, but right now it is a mess.
and after lunch set off to walk down the length of the park between the two pump rooms, where we hoped to taste the waters. But, alas, all is under renovation, and the pump rooms were closed, as was the park. So that was a bust, and we walked sadly back to the WoMo, saying that we must come again next year to see what it looks like when it has been finished. I expect it will be lovely, but right now it is a mess.The Casino (the gambling--hall, not the eponymous supermarket) was open, but we are not gamblers, so didn't particularly want to look inside. All very sad! We should have stopped in Billy after all.
So we came away, and drove across country to the top of the A75, everybody's favourite motorway, and are parked up in a Camping-Car Park which we have used before on the banks of the Allier. The SW went for a leg-stretch when it stopped raining.
Supper, however, was a bit of a disaster as I tried to make a pureed broccoli sauce to go with our pasta and aubergine steaks, but my travelling blender simply wasn't up to the job, so the sauce was not exactly smooth, and I was stressed enough not to be very hungry! It did taste good, though - I must try it at home where I have a much more powerful blender.
For once, the WiFi here is working and we have a good signal, so we plan to watch television (I have a VPN and a Chromecast, so if we can get it set up, it should be possible).
