The "Vagabond" on La Charente

Life onboard the Vagabond, our 'bateaux habitables', on the Charente River

Floating down La Charente, which is a charming, tranquil river in the southwest of France, between Saintes, Cognac, Jarnac and Chateauneuf, for a week in the June of 1987, was 'good fun'. 

Fred and I did just well with 2 little children in a boat, bathing them in the sink, and just generally making sure they did not fall into the river....


Reading my postcard to Mom, I could pack my bags right now and hire another boat.

There is nothing quite like cycling into a village in France, finding a boulangerie for baguette, picking up cheese and charcuterie, buying summer fruits, opening some easy drinking wine and having a picnic on the bank of a river.

Fred and Barry look so pleased with themselves in this photo, what an impressive place to choose to stand for the first time! Fred loves Roman history and the Triumphal Arch dates back to 19AD, the Gallo-Roman Arena in Saintes is also impressive as were the 11th and 12th C churches, I know he must have been having a ball.