More adventures in France Episode 17

It was only in the very last week of our holiday that the weather decided to play fair and show us that the sun really can shine in England too, sometimes. Sadly the sunshine didn’t start until Tuesday so the Children’s Festival on Monday was held in cool and showery weather. It was such a shame because everyone had made an enormous effort to build floats of a very high standard, and outfits that were never really intended to get wet. Even so, it was a joyful event with five brass bands from the surrounding towns and villages all blasting away with great vigour; the smallest children, well wrapped-up waving from the floats; and bigger children marching along in groups that represented various activities in the towns – swimming club; karate club; Morris dancing; gymnastics; majorettes and so on. The townsfolk turned out in force to cheer them on as they paraded through the streets and there was a great atmosphere of bonhomie. As the route circled the centre of town, it was possible to cheer while they went past on one side then quickly cut through a narrow lane and be ready to cheer them again when they appeared on the other side of town. After two circuits of town they all withdrew to the playing field near the centre for the judging of the floats, then in the evening they did it all again with the addition of a fair number of adults in fancy dress. A wonderful spirit was shown by all who took part, and by all who looked on. In spite of the crowds, I never saw a policeman or in fact anyone who appeared to be in charge of crowd control. How marvellous!
When the following day promised to be a good one, we again had an early lunch then jumped aboard the ‘Melody Scott 11’ and went for another dreamy drift on the canal, this time in the other direction. Not as pretty as the route towards Lancaster but very interesting and again we saw masses of birdlife. The humpy-back bridges fascinated me and when we got home and I downloaded my afternoon’s photographs, I realised that I had taken about twenty shots, just of bridges! But they are so attractive and each one seems prettier than the last. We stopped off and had an early supper at a place called Guy’s Thatched Hamlet, which sounds like a little village but is, in fact, a pub that grew. It is on the canal bank, so is very convenient to boaters, but is also close to a fairly major road so is accessible by car too. The pub is surrounded by a mass of little buildings that look like old shops and houses, and while the shops really are shops with ancient-looking fronts, the houses are really accommodation for tourists and holiday-makers, and are very nice inside.
The following day some friends came up from Warrington for lunch, which was a good choice of day as it was quite cold, blowing and wet. Indoors, of course, we were very snug with the central heating on.
Thursday again looked as if it was going to be miserable all day, but our hosts were determined to make the most of what little time we had left so we went for a drive around all the back lanes all the way up to the Lakes. Every now and again we got a glimpse of what a stunning area they live in and how much history there is to be seen and enjoyed. We had lunch in Hawes, a delightful village next to a large cheese factory, and visited the factory afterwards. The varieties of cheese made are mind-blowing. I think this particular place made about thirty different cheeses, and they were all delicious.
On Friday morning, I begged the morning off to pack, but in the afternoon the wind dropped completely, the sun came out and it was a simply beautiful day, so we packed a coolbag and jumped into the boat again. This time we took the Lancaster route again, but turned around halfway there, found some picnic tables and chairs on the canal bank and sat and ate our supper in the lovely slanting evening light. It was a fitting end to our time in England because we left the next day and by Sunday were sleeping in our own beds again.. We were sad to have to say goodbye, but happy to be coming home to see our family again. And, of course, there is always next time………!

More adventures in France Episode 16

After our problems with the computer, finally having to resort to using another machine to send an episode through, we ended up with quite a short week to report on. In the end, we did not make the return trip to Garstang until the Wednesday which turned out to be a good choice. Monday had been quite horrendous with gale force winds and pouring rain, while Tuesday was calmer but still wet. Wednesday seemed to be the beginning of a dry spell so we took advantage of that to make the two and a half hour trip. We chose a route that meandered down through the Cumbrian lakes and which provided us with magnificent views of the countryside. It really is the most stunningly beautiful area. When we got home, there was just time to unload our bags from the car, and get the old car into the garage before the rain started falling again! Thursday was drier but very windy so it was Friday before we could go out on Steve’s little 23 foot cabin cruiser on the canal.
The Lancaster Canal runs almost past the house – one block away, in fact – and the boat is moored in a marina further down the canal. We set off in overcast and slightly windy weather, which later cleared up quite nicely and it turned into a lovely day. As Ratty said in ‘The Wind in the Willows’, ‘There is nothing so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats’, and I can heartily agree. We glided along to Lancaster and back, a trip that took six hours on the water, and there was never a dull moment. The same trip by car would probably take only an hour or perhaps a bit less, but what a lot one would miss. Apart from the other boats on the canal, both cruisers and narrow boats, there were ducks, with chicks all paddling furiously to keep up with Mama; there were haughty and regal swans, also with chicks, just as keen to see if there were any scraps of bread to be had. There were cows and calves, and sheep and lambs in the fields on either side and we even saw a tiny foal which must have been very, very new as it really didn’t know what to do with it’s legs. In places the trees had grown into an arch over the canal, which gave the impression of being in a long, green tunnel. Then, every so often there would be a humpy-back bridge to allow the traffic to cross. All the bridges are numbered and on the waterways map of the canal, it is how you know where you are. We were entertained by the names some people had given their boats especially the narrow boats, some of which are occupied permanently. Names like Auntie Rincal, and Stressless stand out for me amongst the many Louisa’s, Mary-Anne’s and Betty Boop’s. All I all it was a good day out.
On Saturday we went into town, a five minute walk away and were accosted by a lady who appeared to be in fancy dress. She was in a bright red outfit, with a cape or cloak over her shoulders, shiny black shoes with a buckle over the toe and a red and black hat. I’m almost sure the costume was something special but have no idea what it could be. Anyway, she told us that we really should go and see the flower display in the local church, so on the way home again, we took her advice and were treated to a wonderful show of colour. I am constantly struck by the number of bright blue flowers that one sees here and in Europe – I’m sure we don’t get as many in South Africa.
And so we come to the end of another week and the beginning of our last week away. We shall treasure the time spent with family, and have made many memories to look back on with great pleasure.

More Adventures in France Episode 15

Having arrived back in Garstang, we continued to battle with our internet connection, finally managing to get online on about Tuesday, when ,with great relief I could send off the next episode of the blog. From then on we were caught up in a whirl of activity! Although the house that sister Carol and brother-in-law Steve are moving into is not a new house, they have done extensive alterations and have turned it into a really beautiful residence, but the builders, who seem to have been on site forever, are still around but mainly working outdoors on all the finicky finishing off bits. Neels and Steve joined the crew of carpenters, plumbers, electricians and brickies and have been terribly busy fitting shelves into cupboards; moving piles of unused bricks and clearing space in the three-car garage to accommodate Steve’s pride and joy – his 1938 Rover car. Meanwhile Carol and I have had the easier tasks of deciding on colours and designs for window blinds and floor covering for the utility room! It is quite amazing how long such things take, leaving remarkably little time for browsing the shelves of the local supermarkets.
At the end of the week, we returned to the old house in St Bees in Cumbria to fetch some more things to be taken down to the new house, to cut the grass and to collect a trailer load of rocks for the new rockery. And, of course, the Rover. I can’t actually believe that so much has already been taken out of St Bees – enough to furnish the Garstang house – because there is still so much left. Having moved house several times in our lives, I am fully aware of how hard it is to find space for all one’s treasured possessions in a new house, but when down-sizing it is almost impossible, and this is the position Carol is in at the present time. I foresee many trips back and forth over the next few months as more and more gets transferred from one house to the other.
We were supposed to return to Garstang on Monday, in convoy – Carol driving one car towing the trailer full of rocks, while Steve follows at the wheel of the Rover, but if anyone was watching the news that day, you may have heard about the terrible gales in Scotland which flattened trees and left 40,000 people with electricity. So we decided that it wasn’t prudent to try to attempt the trip then so stayed over for another day. A heavy trailer would not make for fun driving in high wind conditions and the little old Rover prefers to travel in fair weather anyway.
I am unable to attach any photographs this week as I am using a remote computer to send this in an attempt at getting back into the old routine. Pictures will have to wait until next time.

More adventures in France Episode 14

Profuse apologies for the long hiatus in our saga! After arriving in the UK we were completely frustrated in all our attempts to set up a cell phone connection and get on to the internet. To make matters worse, the cell phone service provider did not operate their Customer Care over weekends, so we were rather stumped until Monday morning which was the day we set off for East Anglia. I had the next episode of the blog all written and ready to send, but it was not to be. So now, four days into the following week, we have finally concocted a connection.
The week before we left France was a very busy one. We were suddenly inundated with invitations to tea, lunch or supper; the house had to be spring-cleaned; arrangements had to be made for housing the car over the coming summer and then winter, and there were lots of goodbyes to say. We were sad to have to say goodbye to the cats especially Flo who is such a soft, cuddly little animal, but I had still not been able to work out how to squeeze her into our luggage. However, after a good flight to the UK and an enthusiastic welcome from the family there, they were soon forgotten. We were excited to see the new house, and were not disappointed. It is spacious and airy, and being recently re-decorated, it is, of course pristine.
Having examined the house from top to toe, the next thing to explore was the town and it’s surroundings. Steve was quite willing to oblige and over the weekend we went on a long rambling drive which took in the town, the countryside and the canals, where Steve’s little cabin cruiser is moored. While nosing around there, we met some friends of Carol and Steve’s who were cruising the canals on their narrow boat. We were invited to inspect the inside of their boat and, having never seen the interior of a narrow boat before, we accepted immediately. The boats are fifty feet long but only six foot six inches wide, so fitting every in is quite a feat. The owners say that they can quite comfortably live on board even through winter as it even has a tiny wood burning stove in the living area which heats the whole boat.
The countryside around Garstang is beautiful at present, with a thousand shades of green all around and darling baby lambs bouncing around in the fields. There are wonderful long, green, leafy lanes where the trees meet overhead and we felt as if we were driving down long green tunnels.
On Monday we left for Saxilby in Lincolnshire to spend two nights with oour landlords of the French house we had been staying in. They live in a marvellously compact terrace house which has the steepest staircase I’ve seen in ages! The road from Garstang to Saxilby took us past some villages with simply delightful names which made us chuckle. How about Blubberhouses? Or Spital in the Street? I was dying to stop and take pictures of the name boards but it would have been quite insulting to the residents so we didn’t.
Our first night at Saxilby was spent chatting and catching up, but the following day we went into Lincoln to a piano recital in the restored Drill Hall. The restoration has been done very sympathetically and we believe it is frequently used. After the concert, we walked around Lincoln a bit but I’m afraid we declined to pay the (rather large) amount required for visiting the cathedral. It is a shame as we hear that Lincoln has a really beautiful cathedral, but as the French would say ‘Tant pis!’ (Too bad)
From Saxilby we went still further south to Framlingham in Suffolk to visit an ex-South African friend and her English husband. What a lot of talking we did! We also went for a long walk around town and through some fields where we saw rabbits hopping about in the grass. Although our friend does not drive, they travel a lot by bus and she was able to direct us perfectly all over the surrounding roads to do some sightseeing. She took us first to Blythburgh Cathedral, also known as the Cathedral in the Marshes, which took us completely by surprise. We pushed open the doors and expected to be met by dingy, dark and dank interior, but what a surprise! Due to the style of architecture, it was wonderfully light and airy, lit by the usual long side windows as well as others which are high up in the walls. The exterior was also unusual as it has a flintstone finish which gives the appearance of a massive mosaic with plastered quoins. Quite charming!
From there we headed to the coast and a little place called Southwold. This seaside resort has somehow been missed in the great commercialisation of all tourist spots, and we loved it. It has a pier with a few shops on it and a quirky amusement arcade containing homemade penny-in-the-slot machines which had us rolling with laughter. My favourite was a machine which simulates an eldery person trying to cross a busy road while clinging on to a zimmer frame. We didn’t actually try it but watched others and it was hilarious.
About then the weather changed, so after having a light lunch we drove slowly back to Framlingham via a whole collection of little villages, just viewing them from the car. By the time we were back ‘home’ again, the rain had stopped and the sky was clear again. The next day, after saying our goodbyes to our friends, Neels and I returned to one of the small towns to visit a steam museum, but were a bit disappointed and did not stay long. Our ultimate destination had been Lowestoft where our eldest son is currently studying at the Maritime College. When we arrived, we found that he was in the process of moving out of his holiday flat and into a more permanent rented apartment. As the holiday flat was fully equipped and the rental had only very basic furniture, we spent the rest of the day helping him to buy things like crockery and cutlery, linen and saucepans and a few things in between. The next day though, he refused to do any more shopping and instead took us out for a full days sightseeing. We drove cross-country to Sheringham which is on the north Norfolk coast and then returned very slowly all along the coast line visiting almost every village on the way. We were fascinated to discover that every village had an almost identical square-towered church and the villages couldn’t have been more than two to three kilometres apart. It was just like a line of defence in a war zone! Once again the weather changed as we were returning and we arrived home again just in time to dash across the road before the shower started again.
On Sunday we will start back towards Garstang to spend more time with Carol and Steve.

More adventures in France Episode 13

A quiet start to the week but a busy end! Halfway through the week we at last met our last-year’s landlords face to face for the first time when they entertained us to dinner. It was quite strange to be there as their guests when we felt so at home in the house, but lovely to meet them at last and to be able to chat properly and get to know them a bit. Needless to say they have been busy in their garden, in spite of having been away since January until mid-April, and the veggie garden is already looking good, with onions, garlic, carrots, peas and leeks. Not being a gardener, I find it quite hard to think that anyone could enjoy working in the garden during the bitter November and December months, but this is what they must have done to achieve the present result. They have invited us o return to their next year while they are away, spending the coldest months in Spain (where it is warmer) but we are still thinking about that one!
At the end of the week, we met another couple whom we had previously only known through email messages or phone calls. They are South Africans who are embarking on a similar campervan tour to that which we did in 2008, and had been referred to us for advice. I’m not sure if we helped much in the advice department, but they are a great couple and we had a lot of fun in the two days that they spent with us. On Saturday we all piled into the little gold car and made a round trip which visited numerous little villages in the area, and also managed to fit in a lunch stop at our favourite restaurant at Bassoues. By the end of their two days, they were so entranced with the area that they have booked in to a camp site nearby and are spending a few more days here. We were delighted to have made two converts so easily!
Our three months here has flown past and by this time next week we will be in England. We will be really sad to leave as everything is just reaching it’s scenic best, but I can’t wait to get to England to see my sister again and to visit their new home which is a bit further south in England than they were previously. We will also be visiting some other friends while we are there, some of whom we haven’t seen for ages so we are looking forward to that too.
As I look out of the window of the study where I type, I am struck by the fact that I can no longer see the house across the road – it is totally hidden by trees and bushes which were bare when we arrived and are now thick with leaves. There are doves (pigeons?) nesting in a large pine tree at the edge of the garden and there is constant commotion as they fly in and out. One of the cats has got the gardening bug too and has taken to sleeping curled up in one of the flower pots outside the door. Obviously she has as much enthusiasm for doing the actual work as I have. She also enjoys far more, watching the plnts grow!

More adventures in France Episode 12

Feeling confident that we would not be likely to run into another snowstorm this week, we again ventured into the mountains for a day out. This time we were aiming for Pic du Midi de Bigorre, one of the higher peaks in the Pyrenees. We also checked on the weather in that part of the country before leaving, hence the reason for our confidence. There is again a cableway up to the highest point, but it is really quite expensive at 25 euros per person and before we left home we decided that we would only ride on it if the weather was very, very clear. Which turned out to be quite a good decision in the end, as the cableway section only opens to the public on the 30th April! We had also thought that if we didn’t go on the cableway, we would continue on the road into the mountains which would then take us up and over the Col de Tourmalet (those of you who follow the Tour de France will recognise the name), and bring us back down again further along the range. However, that idea didn’t quite work out either as the road to the Col was closed to traffic because of the heavy snow in the area! But even if our ideas didn’t quite work out as planned, we had a wonderful day out. The little town at the end of the road to the Pic du Midi is called La Mongie and is principally a ski-resort. It is not an attractive town by any stretch of the imagination, as it appears to have been purpose-built. There are no pretty little mountain chalets, but instead large solid blocks of holiday flats and equally large and solid hotels line the road and climb up the hillside. Ski-lifts and cableways stretch out in all directions like massive spider legs, and in season I can imagine it being alive with hundreds of people wearing skis and colourful ski outfits. The day we were there though, it was very quiet. There were some people around, and a few families with small children were having fun tobogganing on a small patch of snow not far away. The shops were all closed, probably taking a welcome break after the winter season and before the summer season starts, but we found one café open that served coffee and sandwiches. Needless to say, he was doing a roaring trade! Somehow we do not seem to have great success with our trips to the mountains.
Coming back from shopping a few days back, we happened to pass the old barn which I took a picture of at the beginning of our holiday. The enormous oak tree next to it was quite bare and brown at the time, so I took another picture of it to compare the winter and the spring view. With the tree in full leaf, the old barn looks almost attractive and not quite so derelict!
Interestingly enough, although I had always considered Europe to be predominantly Catholic, Easter is not celebrated with a holiday weekend in France. Friday was business as usual at all shops and businesses, but Monday may well be a half-day holiday. All of the supermarkets have huge stocks of Easter eggs and chocolate bunnies, but there are no hot cross buns and no ‘Easter specials’. In fact, it is a complete non-event. We are quite amazed. As I so often say, ‘One learns something new every day’.

More adventures in France Episode 11

Another relatively quiet week for us. Things got done, like polishing the car and thoroughly cleaning the house before some dinner guests arrived, but there were no outstanding scenic trips this time. Although, even as I write that, I know that every time we take the car out, if only to buy groceries, we admire the scenery all around us. The wooded areas between the fields, which were all bare, brown and dry when we arrived are already wonderfully green and inviting, while the vines which were pruned back to what looked like dark-grey arms sticking out of the ground topped by a clenched fist, now have a healthy growth of greenery. There seem to be very few really private roads, apart from those which go directly to a farmhouse, and when we are not in any hurry, which is often, we frequently venture off the track and are rewarded with scenes like the ones I have included of the forest near here.
The birdlife too, seems to have increased as the food has become more plentiful. We become aware of the incessant chattering as soon as it begins to get light in the morning, and which continues all day. We have discovered a completely new bird (for us) which is also quite exciting. We kept hearing this strange sound – rather like someone shaking one of those rattle-type instruments sometimes used to accompany South American music. At first we thought it was field-mice rootling around at the base of some bamboo plants, but it was too loud for that. Then I thought that it was the neighbour’s chickens, that sometimes make their way into our garden, scratching amongst the dead leaves in the hedge, but the sound kept moving and seemed to really be coming from quite high up in the trees. Finally we identified it as a Mistle Thrush, so called because apart from insects and other berries, it loves to feed on mistletoe. It has a pleasant fluting song, but when alarmed makes this extraordinary rattling sound, which of course, is why we always heard the noise when we went outside. I’m sure they must all be enormously fat as there is so much mistletoe growing everywhere. It is a parasitic plant and it is that which I saw earlier on, forming large balls around the branches of some of the trees.
Behind the house stands an enormous Horse Chestnut tree which is now in full flower. I have heard that one can make a tea from the flowers and that it can be used as alternative medicine for certain conditions, but quite honestly, I will just enjoy looking at it! The birds and the bees also seem to enjoy it and going too close could definitely be harmful to one’s health! French bees look more like South African wasps and I’ve been told that they have a really nasty sting. As for the birds, well…………they do what birds do and nothing would persuade me to stand under the tree in the daytime! It is, however, a beautiful tree.
We are hoping to be able to venture into the mountains again next week. As the weather seems to have become more stable now, we are unlikely to run into another snowstorm, but then………..you never know!

More adventures in France Episode 10

Our main outing this last week took us to Mielan, about sixty kilometres south of where we are, to visit the very pleasant young lady who cuts my hair. Quite a long way to go for a haircut, I can hear you all saying, but I got to know her early last year and as she cuts my hair well; speaks English and, because she works from home, charges about a third less than any of the local hairdressers, we make the effort to get there. It is a lovely drive and we have enjoyed seeing the restoration of their home progressing each time we have visited. Interestingly, what they bought initially was a house with a large barn attached to the one side. What they have done is to convert the barn into a charming and very attractive house for themselves, and turned the original house in to beautifully appointed and equipped self-catering cottage, known here as a ‘gite’. There is now also a pool, horses and splendid views. It would make a wonderful base for anyone wanting to discover more of rural Gascony. Needless to say, the fact that it was a simply glorious sunny day, probably did make everything look even more attractive.
On the way back home, we had chosen to stop off in Tillac which is a sweet little mediaeval village, and the one we had been to a week ago to visit the market and the floral fair, when the weather had been so unfair and gloomy. We wanted to have another look at it without the market stalls up and down the main road, and had noticed a rather nice-looking little restaurant where we thought we may be able to get a reasonable lunch. It was not to be though! In spite of a notice in the restaurant window announcing that they are open every midday, it was as though the whole village had died! Not a soul was to be seen on the streets; all the shutters were closed and there was no sound of radio or television from behind those closed shutters. Admittedly it was during those two hours of the day when the whole of France closes down for lunch and a siesta, and it was also very hot – about 28 degrees but the closed restaurant was a disappointment. Still, it was not the end of the world, and we still had to go past Marciac which we know well and where we consoled ourselves with delicious grilled duck breast and ‘frites’. Goody! No need for me to cook that night!
All along the route we had chosen, we saw vast fields of brilliant yellow rape-seed which I am almost sure is the same thing as the canola which grows in the Overberg. The fields are so bright and make a wonderful splash of colour in amongst the rest of the lush greenness.
The rest of the week was taken up with all sorts of chores around the house. Apart from the usual house-hold chores of cleaning, washing and ironing, the grass got cut, some overgrown bushes were trimmed and a broken shutter was repaired – a job which entailed using quick-setting cement. We now know what those nasty Mafia guys made the ‘concrete boots’ out of for their victims! This cement is positively scary as it sets rock hard in just five minutes, or less if the day is very hot. As that particular day had been very hot indeed, we waited until well after 7 pm to do the work and even then it set almost immediately. We learn something new every day!

More advenures in France Episode 9

Although Monday started off as rather a miserable day, we had to get to Auch as early as possible in order to deliver some documents, which had to go to South Africa by courier, before the cut-off time for same day collection. We made it in good time and then found ourselves with time on our hands and no real plans to do anything. Auch is only about a half hour drive away, so it is an easy run. On the several occasions that we have driven this route, we had noticed a tiny village perched on top of a hill overlooking the national road, with w the somewhat strange ame of Ordan-Larroque, so on the way home again, we turned in there to have a look. It is such a pretty and neat village that we promised ourselves that we would return on a sunny day. And the sunny day presented itself later in the week. We had arranged to go with Nicky to another town further north of us called Lectoure, which has plenty to see and is also the only place in the world where woad is still made in the traditional way. Naturally, it is no longer used by the Brits to paint their bodies and frighten their enemies, but it is now used extensively as a dye for fabrics, pastel crayons and even paint. The mediaeval technique was revived by a couple – Denise and Henri Lambert – who were fascinated by the unusual shade of blue paint on the shutters of the old tannery that they bought. After much research and a few lucky finds, they discovered the process of making blue woad from the woad plant leaves, and today there is a sizeable factory and research centre where colourants are produced for everything even plastics and ceramics. Sadly Henri passed away last year at the age of 54 and is obviously greatly missed.
The rest of the town was looking quite beautiful! The town gardeners have obviously been hard at work and every traffic island is a mass of glorious spring flowers. Although there was a market on in the main street of the town and people were milling around all over the place, there was not a speck of litter that we could see, and almost all of the buildings were looking as if they had been given a quick splash of paint along with the annual spring-clean. We had taken a picnic lunch which we enjoyed sitting on a bench at one end of the town, in a garden, making sure that we disposed of our lunch wrappers in the bins provided! We had picked up a leaflet at the Tourist Office that showed a walking tour around the town, so we did part of that before heading off again, and by the time we returned to the car we had all stripped off our jerseys and were strolling along in shirtsleeves. What a change!
As the day was still clear and sunny and the hour was not too late, we turned into Ordan-Larroque again and were rewarded with a sunny view of a really pretty village. It is almost too good to be true – every house is in excellent condition, all the shutters are painted and clean. Almost like a film set in the attention to detail, with every building appearing to have been built in the same period, although we are sure that some of them are really quite new. Again, everything looked fresh and clean, and even if the entire village only consists of about twenty houses, there is a church and community hall; a public library and a bakery. It is a dear little model village.
The week ended with us going down to Tillac which was combining a market and a floral fair, and where we had arranged to meet someone who may be going to help us with a project of a literary nature. The weather had changed drastically again which was a real shame as all the lovely flowers and seedlings of the floral fair were all under cover and I could not photograph them. On the way there, while barrelling along a long straight road, two deer leapt out into the road in front of us which gave us both a huge fright but luckily there was no other traffic and Neels was able to swerve to avoid the back one. On the way back from Tillac we came across someone who wasn’t so lucky. There were violent skid marks in the road and a car lying on its side in the ditch, and we are quite sure he was trying to avoid a deer. Later on, and nearer to home we saw another one standing all alone in the middle of a ploughed field, not far from the road. We have sighted deer in the past but never so many in one morning. Perhaps the cooler weather has brought them all out. We are due to dine out tonight with friends so will have to take great care getting there and back. We have no desire to also end up sideways in the ditch!

More adventures in France Episode 8

The good weather of the past week encouraged us to go much further afield and when Tuesday dawned clear and sunny, we thought it was a perfect day to go to the mountains. The house we stayed in last year has a wonderful panoramic view of the Pyrenees, but the one we are in this year doesn’t so we just had to go and check that they were still there and, possibly, see some snow on the peaks. We didn’t start off all that early (surprise, surprise) and dawdled our way along the back roads to get where we were going, which was a point in the mountains called Pont d’Espagne – presumably a bridge on the border between France and Spain. Consequently we arrived, shortly before lunch-time, at a parking area close to a cable way station. Having been caught out before, we had taken all our winter and wet-weather gear with us, in spite of the hot sun when we left home. It was just as well because the temperature at the cableway station was 2 degrees and there was a fine mizzly-drizzle falling and there was mist all around. After some debate we decided to take the five-minute ride to the upper station, even if we just stayed in the cable-car and came down again. However, when we arrived at the top it seemed clearer and the drizzle had stopped so instead of staying in the car, we opted for a 300 meter walk to the café. There was lots of snow all around and it was really pretty. Plenty of people, too, with skis or proper walking boots. The café was crowded but we found a table and had a sandwich and a cup of coffee, while we enjoyed the warmth and jolly atmosphere inside, thinking that we would go and look for the bridge after we had eaten. But when we pushed open the door to leave, we were greeted by a silent white wonderland, and it was still snowing fairly hard. Luckily we managed to tag along with a fellow who seemed to be with a group of children who had been skiing, who knew the way back to the cable station. By now it was snowing heavily and we were getting quite concerned about the trip down the hill from the lower station, which is a steep zig-zag all the way down. After brushing a 2 inch layer of snow off the car, we were again lucky to have someone pull out of a space close to us, who obviously knew the way to the exit. We followed his tracks and made it safely out of the parking area and also down the hill.
By the time we got back to Espas it was again a beautiful day! Well! Well! Well! what an adventure.

On another day we thought it was more prudent to stay away from the mountains for a while and instead drove a circular route which took us out of our usual towns and villages to some we had never visited before. To those of you with maps who like to know these things, our route took us through Nogaro, Aire-sur-l’Adour, Grenade-sur-l’Adour, and St Sever to Mugron. As we so generally do, we stayed away from the main roads and detoured through all the quaint little villages off the beaten track. Our return trip came via Hagetmau, Pimbo, and Garlin, after which we cut across country and came home on an assortment of farm roads. The weather was again simply wonderful and with Spring well sprung the country side is looking it’s very best.

We keep telling each other that we will not be going into any more churches, but somehow we just can’t resist having a quick peep to see if there are any ancient stained glass windows and we are frequently rewarded. In any case the churches are often situated on the highest point in the area and have amazing panoramic views, so it is always worthwhile.

We sincerely hope that next week will be equally productive.

More adventures in France Episode 7

To those of you who were expecting an action week to read about, I apologise. It was not the cause of the blog being posted a day late.
In fact, the first part of the week was really very dull – quite literally. So, as the weather was not great and we expected house guests for the weekend, we thought a little preparation for that event would be a good idea. So the first part of the week was taken up by very mundane tasks like sweeping, dusting, cooking, Hoovering, cutting grass and generally tidying up the outside of the house and shopping for supplies for the weekend. One could describe it as having nothing to write home about! The weekend was spent entertaining our guests, and driving them around this beautiful area, to introduce them to another part of France. It was a weekend of very late nights, not very early mornings and probably too much wine, but enjoyable all the same. They have now departed though, and all I have to show for the week are two pictures of Spring flowers.
The weather seems to be set for a few days of sun and warmth, so we are planning to make the most of it. With a bit of co-operation from the weatherman, I should have some real adventures to relate next week.

More adventures in France Episode 6

One way and another, this has been a good week. On Tuesday we went over to Peyrusse Vieille where we first visited the Mayor’s secretary to ask for her help with a couple of telephone calls. In this way we managed to establish that our renewed visas were ready for collection; that the cost was less than we had been previously quoted; and that the Treasury Office in Plaisance would be able to provide us with the necessary amount in revenue stamps. Delighted with this news, we went to have coffee with Ady to celebrate. Then the next day we went to Plaisance to get the stamps. This is the town in which we used to do most of our shopping last year, but we have hardly been back there this time, so it was pleasant to visit it again in a different season. As it was a reasonably clear day, we managed to make the return journey as circuitous as possible, admiring all the blossom and flowers along the way.
The next day we set off in good time to go to Auch. The sun was trying very hard to come out properly, without much success, and there was still a chilly nip in the air. The young lady we dealt with at the Prefecture was not the same one who had taken our applications but she was equally friendly and went to great lengths to explain what would be required of us, should we wish to extend our visas for another year. Unfortunately, if we should want to do that, it will mean returning in Winter again as each visa is valid for only a year, and renewal has to be applied for before the expiry date, just as we had to do this year. Pity about that, as it is not the best tourist season. However, we are delighted with our renewed visas, and we now have an actual card saying that we are legally in France and can come and go as we wish for another year.
Friday was forecast to be sunny all day, so we duly made plans for an outing and were up bright and early. I am not quite sure why, as we were not going far at all, only about 30 kms along the road, in fact. But it really was a beautiful day for a change and it was lovely to be out and about. Our destination was a deer and wild boar farm near a place called Le Houga. When arrived, we were told that there was a walk around the farm’s perimeter which would include visiting the enclosures where the deer and wild boar were. We were also told that the walk was about six kilometres long, but having walked it, I very much doubt that – it may have been three, or at a stretch, four kilometres. We were given a little tin bucket half filled with dried maize kernels, to feed to the boar, and off we went. We arrived at the boar enclosures first and by rattling the bucket, we encouraged the animals to come closer to the fence so that they could enjoy the kernels we threw to them. They really are very ugly creatures, much more like a farmyard pig than a warthog, but with a longer nose. The males have quite fearsome tusks and I get the feeling that all of them are probably quite dangerous as, as well as the substantial mesh fence, there was also an electric fence about 30 centimetres inside that. There were several different areas to see, with groups of wild boar in each, in what could have been family groups. The babies were too sweet, as all baby animals are, and quite interestingly had three darker brown stripes down their backs, although the adults are an all-over grey-brown colour.
Having left the boar enclosures behind, we walked through some vineyards before arriving at some open fields with lots of deer in them. One of the bigger stags was not at all shy and came right up to the fence where he stood and posed so that we could take pictures of him. His antlers were magnificent and he was obviously very proud of them too. I think he was hoping fr a few maize kernels too, but by then we had given them all out. It was a lovely day for a walk, and a lovely walk around the farm and at the end of it all, we enjoyed a meal in the farm restaurant. And that was a bit different too. We started with a cocktail of orange juice and Armagnac, as an aperitif. This was accompanied by what looked like a small individual pastry tartlet, filled with wild boar patẻ and cut into four pieces for the two of us. Next to be brought to us was a salad with some deer patẻ and something like brawn made with wild boar meat. Our main course was a venison stew, served with boiled potatoes and chunks of garlic bread and we rounded the whole meal off with a glass of delicious red wine. Mildly sun-burnt and decidedly replete, we returned home agreeing that we had had a perfect day out.

More advetures in France Episode 5

At last! At last! Some glorious sunshine! And how different everything looks under clear blue skies. The blossoming trees are even more noticeable now – the white more startling against a backdrop of bare brown branches, and the pinks brighter and clearer. We drove past a house with a long driveway, which was lined on each side with alternating dark green fir trees and what had been spindly dry branches, but which were now a cloud of soft purplish pink. It looked so pretty. The French are obviously quite garden-conscious because we have noticed that the farmhouse gardens are always planted ‘for effect’. Splashes of brilliant colour around the houses, in each season, are the order of the day. When they get the time to do it all, I really don’t know. They all work so hard already.
We went to visit our friend Ady, in Peyrusse Vieille, and she had been helping her daughter to slaughter thirty ducks and to get them oven ready, for sale. Being the generous soul that she is, she presented us with a duck breast for our supper. I must just say here, that one breast probably weighs about 200 – 300 gms and is easily enough for two people. We were simply delighted to accept the gift although I had never tried to cook one before. Thank heavens for the internet, though, where I found detailed instructions on a video by the world famous chef, Gordon Ramsay. I followed them precisely and we had a meal fit for a king!
Something that I have never mentioned before is that this area of France still practises bull-fighting, although they do not kill the bulls here. Quite a few of the bigger towns have bull-rings and most of the fights take place around Easter time. Special little black bulls are bred especially for the purpose and it is a great excuse for a party. On the top of a hill near to Aignan is a huge cut-out of a bull advertising the Easter bull-fight while at the nearby town of Vic Fezensac, there is an enormous bullring with a large statue of a man facing a bull, outside. I doubt very much if we will be going to view one of these events!
The other thing that we take for granted but perhaps not everyone knows, is the style of building around here. The previous house that we stayed in was originally a double storey stone house with two foot thick walls. (It now has an extension which is modern and brick-built) And stone is a popular building medium for a lot of the older houses. Even older than that though, is what we would refer to as ‘ wattle and daub’, and which is here called ‘colombage’ or ‘half-timbered’. Amazingly, a large number of these houses are still standing, and even more amazing, are occupied. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if some of them are a few hundred years old. As one drives around past some of the older farms, it is not unusual to see just the remains of an old barn – the skeleton, probably made of oak, still standing long after the weather has taken its toll on the mud or brick filling. It just goes to show that all those things like building regulations which require one to have foundations of a certain depth, damp courses and the like, are really unnecessary for the house to last. As to the comfort of the houses without those attributes, well, I really wouldn’t like to comment. I just think that people in the old days were a lot tougher than we are now, and somehow managed to survive in houses that were cold, damp and unhygienic!