Just before we left our Logis hotel in the rain this morning, we were given a short tour of their stage and club room, which was actually very impressive. We drove down in the direction of the autoroute, looking out for Super U to fill up with diesel. We found the filling station but not a working pump which would take a credit card. However, there was over half a tank of fuel so we pushed on towards Bordeaux.

It rained off and on until we got past Bayonne and the need for fuel became more pressing. I recalled a filling station just off the autoroute near St Jean De Luz, so we took that exit. A lane closure stopped us turning left for fuel, we went to the next roundabout, retraced our steps and shortly found ourselves going back down the autoroute away from the fuel. A ‘short’ 14 kilometre to the next exit and back saw us return to fill up successfully.

Thanks to the closed slip road, we had an interesting drive round the back of St Jean De Luz until we picked up the autoroute for one junction. Once we entered Hondarribia, things got interesting. The sat nav took us up the wrong road, up a wooded cliff, which we drove back down. Then we located the restaurant we had booked for tonight, mainly because it was a very short drive from our hotel. So we ended up here, at our Casa Rurale, along a single track road and up a steep hill, but with comfy, spacious rooms, an outstanding view and an intermittent wifi signal.

The need for food led us to Arroka Berri, where Susie was given a pair of surgical pliers, with which to tackle her langoustine salad. The rest of the meal we managed with more mundane cutlery…

The food was excellent without being outstanding (though we have booked a table for tomorrow night). I had a bottle of local cider, which turned out to be 75cl and too much to drink and drive, so sadly I couldn’t finish it. Not sure what will happen tomorrow, it depends on the changeable weather. We’re very grateful for the warm radiators in our room…it is May isn’t it??