a walk along the quay 6-5
quay at La Flotte (image from Street View)
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map showing distance travelled (map from Google Earth)
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At last, vineyards! My virtual bike trip along the coast of Ile de Ré on May 27 took me past some beautiful vineyards …
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to the right, the Abbaye des Chateliers (image from Street View)
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In the distance, I could see the ruin of the Abbaye des Châteliers. Many of the images available for the abbey show fields of poppies – as I ‘drove’ by, a tractor was preparing the soil for the next round of bloom!
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preparing a field for next season’s poppies (image from Street View)
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The establishment of the abbey dates to 1150 although the exact date is unknown. The abbey was demolished and rebuilt several times … today’s ruin is 16th century. The facade of the church is almost intact, and shows the ornate enclosure of the huge windows. It was fun to explore, although in reality I was at a computer rather than admiring the stone walls in person. For more information on the Abbey, see http://www.patrimoine-histoire.fr/Patrimoine/IledeRe/Ile-de-Re-Abbaye-des-Chateliers.htm
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vineyard with church ruin in distance (image from Street View)
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The town of La Flotte was charming and very old. There were so many green shutters, I think they must be legislated in the town ordinance …
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street in La Flotte with plantings and green shutters (image from Street View)
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Flowers were planted everywhere along the street …
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the edge of the wall along the street in La Flotte was planted with different types of flowers in bloom (image from Street View)
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I thought the quay in La Flotte was inviting and sunny, the quinessential opportunity to wander along the dockside buildings and have a drink at one of the tables overlooking the harbour …
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the quay in La Flotte (image from Street View)
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Best View: a blue gate outside La Flotte … and my first effort at line and wash watercolor …
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May 27, 2013 ‘blue gate near La Flotte’ Jane Tims
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Copyright Jane Tims 2013
nichepoetryandprose 
I think this is the most beautiful part of your ride so far. 🙂
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Robin
June 29, 2013 at 1:41 pm
Hi. The colors are so bright … even though it is a Street View image, they seem to have captured a kind of Mediterranean feel! Jane
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jane tims
June 30, 2013 at 6:24 pm
Quay at La Flotte – now that’s a place I’d like to visit 🙂
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Gemma Hawdon
June 20, 2013 at 7:47 am
Hi Gemma. Even with Street View, the quality of the light is amazing and I can almost feel what it would be like to walk there. Jane
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jane tims
June 21, 2013 at 9:40 am
Yes me too. Looks lovely x
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Gemma Hawdon
June 22, 2013 at 3:35 am
The water color is lovely.
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Sheryl
June 20, 2013 at 12:47 am
Hi Sheryl. Glad you like it. Jane
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jane tims
June 21, 2013 at 9:39 am
This is great, Jane. Thank you so much for sharing it. I love the water colour you did: hidden talents! Except that as a botanist you must have used this skill quite a bit. Great work, anyway! Roger.
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Roger moore
June 19, 2013 at 2:03 pm
Hi Roger. Welcome to my Blog! Thanks! Yes, some of my first sketches were of cells seen through a microscope! Jane
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jane tims
June 21, 2013 at 9:33 am
Wow! Lovely water vistas. In many of the photos, these and for the past few days, the shutters on one street or road appear to be variations on the same colour. Do you think they do that purposefully, a coulour, a street? Or is it just the way it appears from street view?
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Carol Steel
June 19, 2013 at 8:33 am
Hi Carol. I noticed the same thing. I think there must be some sort of town ordinance, requiring them to paint their shutters green. I can’t imagine it being a paint sale, or a coincidence! Jane
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jane tims
June 19, 2013 at 8:51 am