AACC U14 FRANCE 2026 - Day 4
Beach Cricket, La Rochelle, Soggy Cats & The Great Minibus Parking Challenge
Another brilliant day in France — despite an alarm clock that nobody particularly appreciated. 
ANOTHER EARLY START
The admin team were up and into the patisserie for 7am, with breakfast on the table for everyone at 7:30.
And we’re pleased to report genuine progress…
Four days into France and the boys are finally realising that when you have fresh croissants, fruit and local jams, pouring yourself a bowl of cereal is a wasted opportunity. 
Breakfast demolished, it was time to board…
THE VENGABUS!
Destination: Châtelaillon-Plage.
We arrived around 10:30am, where the boys met back up with their new friends from Aunis CC for something slightly different…
BEACH CRICKET!
Two hours of cricket on the sand followed, with plenty of laughs and some tired legs after three straight days of cricket.
The timing couldn’t have been much better either.
Almost as soon as we finished…
THE RAIN ARRIVED.
So it was back aboard the bus and into La Rochelle, heading for the beautiful Vieux-Port (Old Harbour) for some sightseeing and, naturally, ice cream. 
Simple enough.
Except first we had to overcome today’s main challenge…
MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: PARK THE VENGABUS
Question:
How do you park a long-wheelbase minibus in central La Rochelle?
Answer:
You don’t.
We tried.
We drove around.
We considered options.
We probably saw several streets more than once.
Eventually, the executive decision was made:
ABANDON SHIP.
The bus was parked about a 15-minute walk away, and we continued on foot.
This decision was met with particular disapproval from the younger members of the squad.
These are children who will happily…
Bat for hours
Bowl for hours
Field all day
Spend another three hours in the pool
…but tell them they have to walk for 15 minutes?
Apparently that’s completely unreasonable. 
THE GREAT LA ROCHELLE DELUGE
Eventually everyone made it to the harbour and enjoyed some sightseeing and ice cream.
And then France decided we hadn’t been wet enough at the beach.
The heavens opened, Not a little shower.
A proper DELUGE.
Suddenly every restaurant parasol in La Rochelle became emergency accommodation.
Bairns.
Adults.
Tourists.
Locals.
Young.
Old.
Everyone huddled together underneath the brollies trying to stay remotely dry. Looking around the harbour, there were dozens of people resembling…very unhappy soggy cats. 
Eventually the worst passed, the sun burst out again bathing all in glorious warmth and drying everyone’s soaked clothing, a bit more shopping and we headed back to the Villa, taking in Barbezieux Castle on the journey back.
BACK AT THE VILLA
After another full day, there was only one thing everyone wanted…
POOL TIME!
Followed by:
Burgers
Hot dogs
Exactly what was needed.
Tonight the villa has a bit of everything going on, Some boys are beginning to settle down…Others have naturally invented corridor cricket…
Because apparently four days of actual cricket hasn’t quite scratched the itch. 
And then we witnessed one of the rarest events of the entire tour…
CHARLIE GOT IN THE POOL!
Yes.
THE POOL.
For the first time.
It took until Day Four, and apparently the secret was simply waiting until it was nice and quiet with Lyall.
And just like that, our final full day in France is coming to an end.
But we’ve had some brilliant news for tomorrow…
BONUS FRIDAY!
Our fantastic hosts have kindly waived our normal checkout time, meaning we don’t have to spend hours hanging around Bordeaux Airport before our evening flight.
Instead, tomorrow morning we’re heading into Ribérac for the local market.
French cheese?
Local produce?
Souvenirs?
Something completely random that seemed like a good idea at the time?
Based on previous supermarket performances, we’re making absolutely no guarantees about what actually comes home.
Then it’ll be back to the villa for a few final hours around the pool before packing the Vengabus one last time and heading for Bordeaux Airport and the journey home to Scotland. 
One more day.
One more diary.
And probably several more opportunities for somebody to do something ridiculous before we reach Glasgow.
Amitié • Cricket • Plaisir • Souvenirs pour la vie!
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