While staying in Grayan, one of our favorite places to visit, especially at dinner time, was Soulac-sur-Mer (where we had the mussels) about 7 miles to the north. It’s a typical, touristy beach town, but it’s just different enough to be fun to visit.

First, when you first enter Sulac, next to the ferris wheel from 1900, there’s the ancient Basilique Notre-Dame-de-la-fin-des-Terres, a cathedral from the 12th century…

…that was buried repeatedly by the shifting dunes. You can see how the cathedral even today lies well below the surrounding plaza, as these visitors walk up about 10 steps to exit.

We walked this street, ducking into shops, cafes and restaurants, several times during our stay here. This night, we had French pizza with a pastry crust.

But it was time to go. We’re leaving for our next domicile in France, this time in the heart of Bordeaux at Nico and Sandrine’s townhouse near the city center.