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    • French Frolics
      2
      Day 4

      20.09 - Day 04. First Little Explore

      September 20, 2022 in France ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

      We needed to get up this morning as the chimney sweep was visiting to clean and service the burner.
      We also decided we needed to do a ‘Big Shop’ as we couldn’t survive on crisps and snacks any longer.
      So having given Hannah a bottle of fizz for being so helpful when we needed it, we headed out in Roxvanne. We decided to head to Lezay, about 15 minutes away to visit the market.
      Lezay was busy and the market full of stalls, which took over a fair part of the village - there seemed to be more stalls around every corner. We bought a few bits and pieces, Tre making a very quick impulse buy of a jumper, probably made that quick to avoid me giving her any reason to doubt the purchase. We haggled with a basket seller and now have our ‘Market Day’ basket, fit for all purchase eventualities, including jumpers!
      After a couple of coffees in the sunshine we made tracks, me suggesting Tre could have another practice drive which she took up without hesitation. Thinking back, getting Roxvanne out of a heavily populated, road closured village was possibly not the best idea for a second stint, to be then followed by the Gendarmerie for a few roads also didn’t help matters. I think Tre was more than happy to pull up and hand brake on in the SuperU supermarket ten minutes further down the road. I only surmised this as we parked about 10 metres into the car park and about 200 metres from the front doors of the supermarket.
      We wandered around supposedly working to a list we (Tre) had devised, but actually just grabbed what we fancied, headed to the tills and then trundled home again in Roxvanne.
      Bread and cheese for lunch obviously and then the afternoon by the pool finished the day off nicely.
      A relaxed evening in the gite and a relatively early night finished off our first full day here - not so bad really 😎      Read more

    • French Frolics
      Day 14

      30.09 - Day 14 . . . Gournay House

      September 30, 2022 in France ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C

      We had today arranged to meet an estate agent at 10am in Chef Boutonne to view a house. I had woken at about 6.30am and started to read my daily quantity of rubbish on the phone and also write up the Penguins for the day before. When Tre eventually woke and asked what the time was I obediently checked and replied ‘9.30am - it bloody can’t be!!’. Duvet thrown back with force and a whirlwind of two people from bedroom to bathroom to downstairs and finally to Roxvanne then ensued. Sticking strictly to the speed limits we arrived outside the Mairies office with three minutes to spare and waited for the estate agent. Charlotta (whose name I failed to remember during the entire time I was with her - who puts an A at the end of Charlotte?) finally arrived about 10.10am so no need to rush then!
      After a quick chat we followed her to a property outside of Chef Boutonne - Gournay, which we had visited last Sunday for the Brocante.
      I think both Tre and I initially upon arrival thought - not for us, village/hamlet house with neighbours each side and close to the road. We have a sort of idea of semi rural if we are honest.
      However we entered and were pleasantly surprised, although as we were aware the property would need quite a bit of work. Bad points - needs a re-wire and quite a bit of work, plus a bit of a box as it was a longere effectively. Good points - the work required was not excessive and it was a blank canvas. Able to be re configured room wise and extend into a large loft area. Attached barn which was large, side access from front of the property to the rear . . . . and a large garden with out buildings to die for!!
      So, a bit of a mixed bag - but we came away definitely more positive than negative. Lots to think about.
      After our goodbyes to Charlotta we drove around the area a little, we found the bread machine in the village, the church and nearby school - for little ones thankfully and some of the area we had seen on Sunday.
      Then back into Chef Boutonne to grab a coffee or two and some food for our last night before heading to the UK tomorrow.
      Then back to the gite where we sat in the very hot sunshine for the entire afternoon.
      A quick sort of Roxvanne for her trip tomorrow and then we settled in for the evening.
      Tomorrow we drive part way back to Calais as I’ve got some work still to complete. We will stay in Roxvanne somewhere tomorrow evening and then to Calais and the tunnel on Sunday.
      Really not wanting to return tomorrow - really really not wanting to.
      Hey Ho - it’s only for a short spell and then we will be back . . . We’ve left wine in the fridge chilling!! 😎      Read more

    • French Frolics
      Day 73

      28.11 Day 73 . . . Second Visit

      November 28, 2022 in France ⋅ ⛅ 6 °C

      Today was the day to have a second visit to the house we saw last Wednesday - just outside Nanteuil-en-Vallée.
      We left at about 10am and we’re pulling up outside just before 11am where we met with Nathalie again.
      We spent the best part of two hours subsequently crawling over this house, checking everything we could think of and asking so so many questions.
      On driving away we drove to Champagne Mouton one of the closest villages to the house, just to see what was there. As is Tre and my luck (ignorance of France) we found Champagne Mouton to be shut. Literally nothing was open in this relatively small village.
      So we spun around and drove to Nanteuil-en-Vallée which was the opposite direction from the house. We parked up to have a look around what we had been told was a lovely village. Again everything was shut including the church, Eglise Saint-Jean-Baptiste - much to Tre’s annoyance. We spent about half an hour before deciding to move on.
      Next we drove to Verteuil-sur-Charente - again somewhere Nathalie had recommended. As we crested a hill on the approach to the town we saw the Chateau which holds primacy high above the town - it looked truly stunning in the sunshine.
      We drove I to the centre and parked up. Again we were now not surprised to find everything shut. When I say everything is shut - it is everything, not a bank or cafe or shop - nothing!
      We did spend quite a bit of time marvelling at the chateau and river that passes below it. It was a beautiful sight - especially as no-one else was about . . . Everything being shut has its benefits.
      The Château de Verteuil is a historic building in Charente, France. It dates back to 1080 and has since been extensively rebuilt, although 12th-century walls remain. The château has always been in the property of the La Rochefoucauld family.
      During the Hundred Years' War (1337–1453) the château was occupied several times by the English. It was demolished in 1442, but was soon rebuilt using the original stones. In the religious wars of 16th and 17th centuries the château was a base for Huguenot forces, and in 1650 it was partly demolished by royal troops. Another château was erected but it received extensive damage in a fire in 1793 during the French Revolution. The château was renovated in the romantic style after the Bourbon Restoration of 1815, and has been extensively modified since then. During World War II (1939–45) the château housed French troops and refugees from Alsace-Lorraine in 1940 and for several months it was partially occupied by some German units. In 1944 some members of the maquis were hidden there. The château was listed as a monument historique on 31 March 1966, and obtained full protection on 19 November 2010.
      The present château, designed on a triangular plan, has five conical towers and a watchtower capped by slate roofs. Archaeologists have uncovered traces of the older buildings on the site dating back to the 11th century. The architect Frantz Jourdain renovated the interior of the 14th-century tower as a library for the Rochefoucault family in 1893. The Hunt of the Unicorn tapestries of the building, which hung in the master bedroom, were rediscovered in 1850; they were later sold to John D. Rockefeller, Jr. in 1923.
      We drove home from Verteuil-sur-Charente stopping briefly at a patisserie to grab a light lunch and then some other food stuffs from SuperU next door.
      Home - we stoked up the pellet burner and settled I. For the afternoon and evening. The sun is still shining but there is a cold chill in the air. Think I am past wearing shorts now.      Read more

    • French Frolics
      Day 34

      20.10 Day 34 . . . Recovery

      October 20, 2022 in France ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

      Well after yesterdays mega day of early start, work and then the crossing and drive down - today was always going to be a slow day.
      After getting in just before 2am a lay in was always going to be on the cards, but weirdly we were both awake by about 9am. I thought we would be sleeping late into the morning.
      Tea and reading in bed took up a couple of hours before we took advantage of the sunshine and lazed by the pool for a while.
      A few spots of rain heralded the end of the sunshine, before the light shower that had been forecast started.
      We dodged a couple of showers to unload some bits from Roxvanne and then settled in for the evening.
      Having found on our first few weeks out here that the tiled floor was a little on the chilly side in the evenings, we had ordered up some defence options for our return . . . so, out came the newly purchased, cosy as you like, fluffy and padded old gits slippers. The evening passed in newly found warmth, followed by an early night - still catching up from the journey down.
      Tomorrow we house view again!      Read more

    • French Frolics
      1
      Day 40

      26.10 Day 40 . . . Bordeaux Bound

      October 26, 2022 in France ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

      I hate getting up early but once I’m up I’m fine - it’s a pity the same can’t be said for teenagers. Getting up at 2.00am was always going to be a gutter and so it proved, but as duty driver to the airport I hopped out of bed and dragged some clothes on - as did Tre. However the person that actually needed to be at the airport for her flight was less than eager to do the same and when they did open their eyes thought it best to have a ten minute muse over the content of their phone whilst still in bed.
      Anyhow - that quickly rectified, Munch was packed into Roxvanne with myself and Tre and off we set. The sky was stunning and absolutely massed with stars due to their being no ambiant light.
      Just before 5am we pulled into Bordeaux Airport and walked to the main terminal to check in. Checking the boards - yep, we had to go to the other terminal, the one we had gone to first on Saturday before being re-directed. Think Bordeaux has it in for us!
      At Billi, Munch was soon on her way through security and out of sight - after a fairly long hug from mum of course!
      We now had other plans - we had arranged as we were going to be in Bordeaux to meet with someone re taxes/enrôlement etc into French systems . . . At 9.00am. So we found a very dark corner near the airport and tried to grab an hours shut eye in Roxvanne. The later having failed we decided at about 7.00am to drive into and across Bordeaux City to the location we were to meet.
      We parked up at about 7.45am and found ourselves a pre meet cafe for a needed cup of coffee. Just before 9.00am we had changed location and found ourselves sat in the very lovely Cafe des Arts 138 Cr Victor Hugo, 33000 . . . awaiting our meeting.
      The meeting with Deo went well and lasted about an hour or so - we said our goodbyes and wandered back to Roxvanne.
      We decided to take a different route home so that we could drive a little of Bordeaux. We intend to be back here in a couple of weeks for a longer visit.
      Back on the main roads we headed home with one aim in mind - sleep!
      At about 2pm having grabbed more bread and cheese we flopped by the pool. The pool area is a real sun trap as enclosed all around - so was the perfect place to catch up on a little sleep.
      We were again visited in the evening by the neighbours pet - who now goes by the name of Pussy Chat and I am reliably informed is female!      Read more

    • French Frolics
      Day 78

      03.12 Day 78 . . . Pineau & Cognac

      December 3, 2022 in France ⋅ 🌧 4 °C

      Another one of those lazy mornings that we are getting so good at. We were asked yesterday if we could help Hannah with a wood delivery she was expecting - to which we had said yes. So when we got a message early in the morning to say the wood man had cancelled it was all we needed to pull the duvet back up and have tea in bed.
      We kicked around for the remainder of the morning, before walking down the lane to the Relais car park to meet with Lou and Vince who were picking us up. As soon as they arrived, we drove generally south through stunning scenery and vineyard loaded fields. The vines like many of the trees have a yellow hint to them now, and in the glorious sunshine they were truly beautiful to see.
      After just short of an hour I guess, we arrived at Neuvicq-Le-Château and pulled into the most nondescript building belonging to Ballet Jean.
      Lou and Vince had been here before - more than once and from the welcome they received it was more like family visiting than customers 😂
      The building - and many others surrounding owned by the family, is a Cognac and Pineau producer. The lovely lady looking after the place when we arrived, quickly started to show us around. However when booked customers then arrived she left Lou to do the tour with us . . . I think that shows Lou has been too many times 🤔Lou mentioned a fact that she had been told - that the buildings that store the barrels all have black roofs, a form of mould and that during the war, bombers avoided buildings with black roofs because they knew what was being made within. Fact or old wives tail makes no difference - the roofs are definitely black!!
      We had a fab time walking around the various parts to the building and wondering how a premises like this makes such well regarded products. To double up on my feeling that Lou had been here too many times, it was reinforced when the lady running the place asked Lou to show further French customers around, while she greeted new ones at the door.
      Finally the time had arrived for the tasting. Firstly the Pineau, which was lovely - much better than the shop bought Tre and I had previously tasted. Then the Cognac - the initial bottle we were informed was for cooking!! Never would you put this in anything other than a glass to drink. Then the next bottle on, that had been aged in oak barrels for 20 years . . . Got to say it was blooming lovely, with a very nice warm feeling in your throat. Finally the top bottle that had been aged again in oak for 40 years . . . bloody lovely, nothing else to say. The glasses of each we had been given (apart from poor Vince who was driving) were quite heavily poured, so Lou Tre and I were all quite rosy cheeked by the finish. Lou took Teresa’s side in the purchase game and so we walked out with three 20 year old cognacs and six Pineau . . . I think the tasting had warped my thinking!
      Pineau des Charentes is a “liqueur wine produced in a specific region” at European level and a “liqueur wine with a registered designation of origin” in France. It is obtained by mixing grape must and cognac.
      This liqueur wine is produced in a region that extends over a large part of the two Charentes, that is to say the whole department of Charente except the north and north-east, and all of Charente-Maritime: on the wine estates of Borderies, Grande Champagne, Petite Champagne, Fins Bois, Bois Ordinaires, and finally Bons Bois.
      Pineau is an AOC (controlled designation of origin). Its production area extends over 1,500 hectares in the same geographical area as cognac. The maximum yield of Pineau des Charentes per hectare of vines required for its production is 45 hectolitres. The two elements making up Pineau des Charentes (cognac and must) must come from the same estate, in compliance with local customs.
      75% of Pineau des Charentes production is consumed in France; Belgium is the leading importer, followed by Canada.
      After the tasting and the purchases were made, we wound our way home, with a brief stop at the Château just a couple of streets from the distillery.
      Back at Chef Boutonne we popped into the small SuperU for a couple of bits and then stumbled into one of the bars for a coffee . . . . and beer. Lou and Vince kindly then dropped us off back at our - A really brilliant day!!
      Merguez sausages and chips for dinner was what was required in an attempt to soak up a slightly boozy body - and then an early night.      Read more

    • French Frolics
      Day 68

      23.11 Day 68 . . . House Hunt Pt 2

      November 23, 2022 in France ⋅ ⛅ 9 °C

      Waking up feeling rough with ‘Man Flu’ was not how I wanted to feel on the day of the mega viewing session. What had been six viewings lined up had happily dropped to five before we set off, as one house was now under offer.
      We met Kate (who we had met back in April when we did some house hunting with the Hollywoods) at the church in Genouillé. Off we went to a property at Les Mauvoisins which on arrival was situated on a small lane next to what looked like a travellers camp.
      The house was ok but on entering, immediately due to the rain again today, we found water dropping from the ceiling in the lounge. The house was small but had access to an adjoining barn which had extension possibilities - but fairly quickly Tre and I had decided it was certainly not for us.
      We left Kate and drove to Civray to grab some food, stopping in a small boulangerie pâtisserie on the outskirts of the town. We had the best quiche I think I personally have ever had. Everything was baked on site and we will defo be going back. We stayed a little longer than expected as the rain hammered it down for a short period, Teresa and I laughing at customers running in looking like drowned rats, most of them cursing - in French, but I got the idea of what they were saying.
      We grabbed some fuel across the road and then set off to Chaunay to meet another Nathalie - the one who had shown us the Hank house a couple of weeks ago.
      The house at Chaunay was in a small hamlet just outside called Les Fants (initially given to us on an email spelt Les Farts, which made Teresa comment that we were never living there!). A very rural location and very quiet despite the N10 across some fields out of sight. The house oozed being looked after and loved, with a barn half way down the lovely lawned garden, which you could walk through to the second lawned section. The house was immaculate with lovely heavyweight oak furniture and heavy wooden doors. Teresa and I only had one real issue - it was too finished, to well maintained a finished house - nothing for Tre and I to actually do which was never our plan for coming here. It seemed the strangest reason to not want somewhere. So after a shortish viewing we departed in convoy with Nathalie to the second house she was showing us. We had also at this point decided to cut four viewings to three for the afternoon.
      We drove back basically from the north of Deux Sèvres to the southern most part to a house in Souvigné - again!
      This house in comparison the the last, needed a whole host of work and had multiple rooms, so the work was to be honest daunting. Not only that it came with a smaller accompanying house which actually was a wreck. At one point Nathalie looked towards me and I simply said ‘No’. It didn’t take long to close the house up and we were off again to the last one for the day.
      Travelling east we crossed over the N10 yet again to a distance east of it roughly the same that Souvigné was to the west of it. We stopped in a hamlet not far from Nanteuil-en-Vallée at a property that felt distinctly Mediterranean. The property currently has no kitchen but a room suitable for one. Two large ish bedrooms and one smaller. An attached barn and about an acre of land on a slope. I immediately sensed Teresa was in excited happy mode and to be fair I felt the same. The views from the top of the field were spectacular as the sun began to set. There was quite a lot of work to get on with but not so much that it made the project seem impossible. Weirdly I didn’t take as many photos as normal which probably meant I was concentrating on the property more this time. We said our goodbyes to Nathalie and then drove and stopped at the top of the land around the property, this is when we saw the views - jaw dropping.
      Both of us were quite quiet on the drive home, both thinking over all the houses we had seen today but primarily the last one.
      Home an hour ish later we had some of the chilli from the other evening with loads of bread - we were both starving. Then it was straight to bed as we are getting up early for the airport in the morning - Munch is back!      Read more

    • French Frolics
      Day 134

      28.01 Day 134 . . . Oh Deer, Oh Deer!

      January 28, 2023 in France ⋅ ⛅ 2 °C

      So for another day we both woke quite late and after a period of discussing the improving weather and life in general, we finally dragged ourselves out of bed to get showered and dressed.
      After a late breakfast of porridge, I watched some very very old TV whilst Tre finished getting ready. The Big Match Revisited and World of Sport brought back some fond memories of growing up in Crawley, especially football pitches resembling a ploughed field rather than a lush green turf covered masterpiece.
      About 2pm we hopped into Roxvanne, the injection warning light still popping up immediately on ignition. We took the back roads over to Sauze to go food shopping.
      On route we saw the Chasse were out in force, passing one field that had a hi-viz wearing huntsman in each viewing stand - all looking into the adjacent wooded area. We always take note of which way they are facing due to reading articles about deaths caused by the chasse - to drivers passing by in vehicles. Stray bullets from high powered rifles don’t differentiate between humans and wild boar or deer.
      We passed safely by and drove possibly another minute before in an adjacent field we saw five or six deer walking calmly across a ploughed field. If only the chasse had known 😂
      Into Sauze and subsequently SuperU we stocked up on pellets for the burner in the Gite, together with food for the week. No unknown foods for us to investigate this week so we opted for new cheese - Tomme de Normandie.
      On driving home using the road to nowhere rather than the back lanes, we saw even more deer, these standing right next to the main road - they obviously had heard the chasse were elsewhere.
      At home the dreaded I loading of the pellets took place. I will be so pleased when we can get the pellets in the van anywhere near the front door of home - rather than a little stroll with them.
      At home we had some of the cheese - which was lovely. If you asked Tre she would say it was a little fruity . . . She told me about five or six times 😂
      Next up I decided to attempt to sharpen some of the knives we have in the kitchen. Last week in the UK I had acquired Teresa’s Dad’s very old bench stone - a double sided block with two grades of coarseness.
      Now I’m not saying it was an outstanding success, but the knives I tried were definitely sharper than when I began. Every days a school day so next time it will be better.
      During the afternoon we made a batter for some new recipe Yorkshire Puddings we had found - and put it in the fridge for an hour as instructed.
      About 6.30 we set the Yorkshires off and running and subsequently had them with some chorizo sausages and salad . . . with a new untried salad dressing . . . all good!!
      In between some FA Cup football, we watched Michael McIntyre, Ant & Dec and then Lethal Weapon 2 on the TV for the evening. We are so living the high life - exciting to the extreme. All joking apart it is lovely spending time with Tre in the evenings, despite it being winter like here, just chilling and chatting, with no work the next day to be worrying about.
      If the house comes off, we will be heading into the summer and a whole new life will be opening up for us.
      Can’t wait 😎      Read more

    • French Frolics
      Day 166

      01.03 Day 166 . . . Dinner at Noyer

      March 1, 2023 in France ⋅ 🌙 2 °C

      Tre and I both woke at about 4am - both of us obviously thinking the same thing and chatting about it - why had we not been sent signed copies of the compromise. Both of us then struggled to get back to sleep but eventually drifted off.
      Waking again at about 8am the same subject was the main focus of our conversation. Tre received an email from the Insurance company with a revised Certificat D'assurance Automobile and our very first Certificat Provisoire d'Immatriculation, otherwise known as a Carte Grise - official vehicle registration document in France- well an email copy of it anyway. Roxvanne is now officially Roxvanné with her new index number of
      GM-285-LP.
      We got up and had breakfast, then sat and composed an email to our French Notaire asking for clarification.
      To shift it from our heads and as the weather was glorious we decided to walk the nearby lanes. So off we pottered wrapped up to avoid the chill but enjoying the sunshine on our faces, while checking out all the little flowers and plants that have suddenly appeared in this more spring like weather.
      We were probably out for over an hour doing our usual circuit, this time in reverse, annoying the large Alsatian in one particular house . . . We always do!
      Back at home we decided as we were wrapped up to take the recycling to the bins and the bottles to the bottle bank. We always feel like drunken bums walking down the road with an ever chinking bag of bottles - probably to near the truth.
      Back at home we chilled for a couple of hours before getting ready and then walking to the Relais car park, where we had arranged to be picked up by Lou and Vince at 6.30pm.
      Just before 6.30pm we were sat in the car with Lou and Vince and were being whizzed off to Auberge du Noyer for dinner. Auberge du Noyer is just south of Montjean and we arrived about 15 minutes later.
      We had not been to Noyer before although we had heard it mentioned regularly by others and as we had heard, the food was fab with so much choice. We spent the evening catching up on each other past month or so and generally chewing the fat about life. The hours flew past and it seemed not long before Lou and Vince were dropping us back outside our place at well gone 10pm. We have been really lucky to have found certain people here that have given us so much help, advice, support and friendship - couldn’t ask for more.
      Indoors I settled down and found West Ham v Manchester Utd was still on TV and was heading to extra time with about 10 minutes to go - so I was happily anticipating another 1/2 hour if football. At that point West Ham caved in and Utd win 3-1 in the last minutes of normal time - so I went to join Tre who had already gone to bed.
      Tomorrow we try to get Roxvanné her new plates!! We may possibly even hear about the Compromise - would be nice!!      Read more

    • French Frolics
      Day 202

      06.04 Day 202 . . Botanical Knowledge!

      April 6, 2023 in France ⋅ ⛅ 9 °C

      Not an early get up again this morning, but once up and breakfasted we were straight back on it.
      A further email to the lorry hire company with driving licences and other info plus some questions, booking ferry crossings x3 which proved less easy than previously due to the length of the 7.5t lorry. Booking a hotel outside Dieppe for our return journey. Sorting some accounts stuff and emailing the bank.
      That all done we perched ourselves outside for another dose of sunshine - it was lovely.
      A few nibbles for lunch and we decided to go on one of our walks of the lanes nearby. Tre ran for a shower first, while I put some chicken with garlic ginger and green Thai curry paste for dinner and then we were off for the walk.
      Whilst doing these we’ve been noting the changes in plants and crops along the roadsides and the fields, trying to spot changes that actually help identify some of them.
      Today we noticed the following over our 2.5 mile ramble. Japanese Honeysuckle which is actually in our patio garden, Broad Bean, Rutabaga, Cherry Laurel, Cow Parsley, Smooth Bedstraw, Blackthorn and Shining Cranesbill . . . and add into the mix a Green-Veined White butterfly - a male, as he only had one spot and not two on each wing.
      Back at home an hour or so later we again chilled on the patio, joined again by the neighbour cat - ‘Le Petit Chat’.
      He/She/They/It hasn’t been around for a while - probably as we’ve not been outside on the patio too much.
      Once back inside we watched a little TV with a cold drink and then stuck the chicken on for dinner. We timed finishing dinner just right to sit and watch another Film4 called Skyscraper with Dwayne Johnson. A sort of mix of Towering Inferno/ Die Hard the Nakatomi Plaza one and Mission Impossible Ghost Protocol - the Burj Khalifa stunt on the outside of the windows. Tom cruise used specialised suction cups - Dwayne used inside out gaffa tape around his hands 😂
      After that we sat and watched the next film up which was Tom Cruise in Reacher . . . and that took us up to bed time.
      Another day and another lesson about the uses of gaffa tape.      Read more

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