At the start of this year we had decided that we needed a wee break from full-time sailing or a change of location. We both love Greece. I would probably have settled here, and we may still do, but Louise was not so sure about buying, and renting as we know is damn near impossible in the summer due to the Air B&B syndrome prevalent everywhere.
We have been extremely lucky to have had Another Day in Paradise (ADIP) every winter since 2020 & the earthquake! and we count Ton & Corinna amongst our friends now.
We were both looking forward to our 1st shore based summer break since leaving Scotland way back in April 2014. We planned to just chill and decide what the medium to long term plan was going to be.
Fotis & Kostas at Aramis again supplied us with a discounted rental car although not quite at our normal winter rates but still very good of good of them given it was their busy period.
Firstly though we tackled the garden. It took about over a week in total. It was exhausting in the summer heat but enjoyable in an exercise sort of way and it not only meant it would be nice for Corinna & Ton when they arrived in September but also for us to enjoy.
As usual the normal cuts and bruises by Captain Chaos!
The finished results
We also drained, cleaned & refilled the pool
ET “Phone Home” arms. LOL
Lily also gets a summer break in the fields as well (when not snoozing) although there are more dangers to contend with, busier roads and the possibility of snakes. Apparently this particular valley is known for snakes. I have only ever seen one alive out the back, most of the others are dead on the road. I think the poor buggers come out at night to lie on the warm tarmac and get squashed flat. There is only one type really to be worried about and that is the Viper, the others are harmless.
So anyway …………. back to our plans.
I think I have said before elsewhere in this blog that we loved Atlantic France on our trip down from Scotland and we had always considered the possibility of “doing” the French canals on the way back. So a germination of an idea began ………….
After our shore leave and final mini sail in the Aegean at the end of this summer – Why don’t we spend yet another winter here in ADIP and, beginning in say April, next year sail back the way we came via the Ionian, Sicily, Sardinia, Corsica to France, planning to arrive September / October ?
OK, Yes !
We would look into the possibilities of obtaining a berth in a marina in the South of France, and renting accommodation for the winter period October 2026 to the following March / April 2027.
“The best laid schemes o’ mice an’ men ……… gang aft agley.”
I wrote to nine or so marinas along the stretch of the south coast of France where we thought we would likely want to be. The story was almost the same in each one. There was a waiting list for an annual contract and whilst they couldn’t guarantee a winter berth they were more hopeful of offering a winter package, perhaps ashore, and only for six months, but we must apply again apply later in the year after October.
A helpful phone call received from one of them confirmed my thoughts that all the negative posts online were exaggerated. I did however stress our Scottish Nationality in every request written & verbal so maybe the “La Rochelle Effect” was in play ? LOL
Now this possible lack of availability gave us a problem.
Louise had looked at numerous rental options and had come up with a shortlist of likely places. If we sailed to France without a guaranteed place for the boat what would we do if, on arrival, we came up empty handed?
There was the possibility of finding a place actually in the canals or we could just transport the boat home to Scotland. I had got two quotes to do so and they were agreeable for us arriving at a French port around September or October.
So the decision was made, lets go for it, and we booked a villa in Homps, Aude, planning to set sail next April.
………………. more later !
Summer chilling continued.
Clara came for lunch & a swim.
Just a wee snack !!
It was now blisteringly hot even with air conditioning on in the upstairs bedroom.
The gardening continued.
We had an ant infestation. Every morning we had ant Armageddon despite setting traps and spraying.
Lily didn’t seem to bother sometimes she managed to wolf them down along with the rest of her food bowl before we could exchange them.
When getting advice in the shops we gleaned it was a common problem, A Greek shrug and “Next month, finish, finish next month”. LOL
We hoped so both for Corinna & Ton and also for us in the coming winter . We normally don’t see hide nor hair of any.
Two ant hills and them carrying all the grass seed I had put down into their nest.
Culture “an at” ……………………. “ Go Compare” ……………… a night at the opera.
I got dragged along to an outdoor opera held at the Pythagorio Amphitheatre up in the hills near the monastery. Two singers & a pianist. It was very good although the lady singer was far better than the bloke . We spoke to her after the show and very nice she was too.
Dinner before the event daaahlings ! was taken in Mytilinii square (picture below) , so all in all a very enjoyable summer’s evening.
Mytilinii Square
Brian was out to do some work on Tutela so we “ convinced” him to take a break and come for lunch to Aghios Costantinos – didn’t take too much convincing & neither did the evening visit to Samos town one night for dinner. LOL
Drinks before hand in Ag Konstantinos
Taverna with Brian
Silvie, our French friend was in transit between sailing boat’s and we managed to catch up briefly in Pythagorio before we saw her off on the ferry to Leros
Quick drink with Silvie in Pythagorio
Nothing more of import to tell re the summer break ……….
other than Nicolas contacted us “with a plan” ……………
He has a friend who lives in Mazamet not far from Toulouse. His friend was in the final stages of selling his business and then planning to go on a world tour. He was looking for house sitters for the period May 2026 – Sept 2026. Nicolas had put our names forward and the guy was delighted to have us. Apparently we had met him with Nicolas while sailing but we can’t remember ? This meant we could have almost a full year in France , 5 months of it FOC with perhaps a car thrown in!
These are pictures of the house.
What’s not to like?
We accepted his offer, the actual timings & itinerary details would be confirmed later.
A year would certainly give us plenty of time to see if we liked France enough for a permanent move.
BUT
Obviously we couldn’t sail there in time for May 2026 only leaving in April 2026 .
What to do then ?
We came up with the following solutions:
Leave the boat in Greece and fly to France.
If we liked it, all well and good, we would return to Greece pick up the boat and sail back to France , hopefully having actually eyeballed some French marinas in person and been successful in guaranteeing a berth or storage space or sell the boat!
If we didn’t like it, then return to Greece, and hopefully decide what to do after that.
This left all our options open:
-
permanently or not,
-
with or without a boat
-
property purchase or not
-
in France, Greece or wherever.
…………………. even more later !
Could be doing all this again eh ? (in reverse of course)
All very exciting as we head off for what could be our final sail in the Aegean, or even for ever!
