SNOW AND HOUSE HUNTING

We left Spain early.
We had planned a riotous Spanish New Year but as we were on our own and had been disappointed by houses on offer in the Aude, we decided we might as well follow a lead in the Charente where houses do have gardens.
Life had been tough in the cold campsite near Narbonne. As I struggled with cold water, I comforted myself by saying 'It was worse in the Gulags'
It didn't occur to me that this was a ridiculous comparaison until a beggar came bounding up to us in Narbonne. He looked warm, cheeerful, and well-rested. John and I looked worn out, cold and haggard!
After that common sense prevailed, we rationalised and left for Spain as soon as the wheely cabin was fixed.

Well - you should see us now.
We left for the colder region of Charente. We decided it is sensible to see property at the least favourable season. Our first stop was in Tarbes where we had warm hospitality from more old young friends who are also renovating a house in France.

As we left Spain it became clear that the wheely cabin boiler had not been fixed. The first day into our trip the boiler let water out under pressure and ceased to provide either heating or any water. The towels we used to mop up the floods froze solid inside the van. We were well into our Charente house hunt down on the Rue de la Fantaisie, but temperatures of minus 8 forced us into a very expensive B&B and now into a Formule Un hotel. Here we are trapped. The campervan repair workshop is 500 metres up a steep slope and we can't get the van there because of a fall of snow last night.
The Mairie sent men around with salt but the slope has defeated better vans than ours so far this morning.John has ddecided to cheer himself up by doing his tax returns. I am stealing teabags and secretly making coffee in our room. This is the city of Angouleme but the cleaners couldn't make it to the hotel either!