Saintes to Saujon

Saturday 24th Oct. Saintes to Saujon We didn’t really have a plan for today; all we knew was we couldn’t stay where we were, too expensive and cold, and that the sky was full of rain and the forecast terrible. So we set off in the rain to look at the cathedral and the Roman gates to the city and then the Roman amphitheatre which could seat 17,000 people. The latter is impressive but there isn’t really enough of it left to really get you excited, but they really did set lions on locals and gladiators against one another so it was quite a happening place once. By now we’d just about had enough of Saintes and the rain was really taking it’s toll but amazingly it was quite warm rain and the wind wasn’t too bad so we decided to set off for Saujon and see just how far we’d get. Somewhere about half way we found an Auberge which would have been perfect but it was closed until 6pm and as it was only 4 we decided to keep going until amazingly and much to our surprise we arrived in Saujon – soaked to the skin, in danger of getting webbed feet, but proud of ourselves. We rejected the first hotel because the room was freezing but the next to our surprise a) let us in but b) spread towels and sheets on the lobby floor and made us undress into a bucket so our clothes could be taken away, washed and dried. Things were looking up - a bath, a whiskey, dry clothes and out for supper.