Route Barrée

On our way over to Susan and Simon's last night to celebrate Simon's birthday all was going well as we approached the Rond du Chene. The road was dappled with sunlight through the trees...

However as we left this eerie place in the centre of the forest we came across this...

 
We were going nowhere fast... Funny thing is that when we came this way the week before we commented on the large oaks, wondering when and how they would be moved? Now we know...

Fortunately for us, the driver had to dismount from operating the large Hi-hab as the other homme had picked out a trunk that the Hi hab wouldn't reach. So he pulled his camion to the side and we managed "just" to squeeze past...

The party was great and there was no sign of any camions when we came back... It was a different story for the combine harvesters though, some were still working by floodlights bringing in the grain crops...

A good repair or half a job?

We think this door splicing is a great job....

but after all that work would you have painted the whole door???

I certainly would, even given the price of paint here in France...

Festival Cape et Epée, Richelieu 2

The weather couldn't have been better for the second day of Richelieu's Festival Cape et Epée.

The sunshine was unbroken and the warmth very welcome and after a poor start to the season, we now feel that summer is officially HERE!

We went down to take a look at the displays and stalls in the square, the Parc and on the Grand Rue before taking lunch in one of the many 'restauration' marquees set out to cater for the large number of people who flocked into the town.

Period costume was very much in evidence.. There were Muskateers, firing enthusiastically into the crowd (!) and what a noise they made!!

And the dancers,

A skilful horse display, in costume, was held on the Parc

Fire-eaters demonstrated their skills in the square..

And, of course, there was the man himself... A very appropriately chosen Cardinal Richelieu!

There was so much going on and so many opportunities for photographs that we've decided to put them onto a separate web page which can be viewed here


A report of the event can also be found in La Nouvelle Repubique

The whole thing ends tonight with a grand firework display in the Parc at 23:00.

We will be there!!

Festival Cape et Epée, Richelieu

Today is the first day of a two day event, the Festival Cape et Epée, in Richelieu, hence a very short post...

To whet your appetite, here are one or two shots...

We'll be back this evening for the rest of the day's programme of events...

For anyone who can make it, it is well worth coming along tomorrow.... We will definitely be there!

Eglise Paroissiale Saint-Jean-Baptiste, Braye sous Faye

The church in Braye is dedicated to Saint-Jean-Baptiste and dates back to the twelfth century.

After a restoration project in 1924, the church was registered as a historic monument in May,1926. Today, sadly, the church remains locked, with access only by application to the Mairie.

Earlier this week we went to the Mairie and got the keys... The second photo gives an idea of scale... we certainly wouldn't want to be carrying them round for long!

The interior of the church is deceptively spacious, with a brightly painted chancel, and a feeling of light throughout.

There is little decoration other than the main and side altars. Looking back down the aisle the simplicity of design is apparent..

The plain walls are broken only by a plaque to the war dead of Braye and, of course, by a statue of Jeanne d'Arc.

The settlement of Braye has been inhabited since Neolithic times and although we were unable to find any, apparently ancient sarcophogi have been used in the building of the church tower. What we did see, however, was a magnificent crack down one wall of the tower...

Perhaps it was time to leave....

It felt quite strange having the keys to an ancient monument in our possession and we were rather relieved to return them to their rightful place in the Mairie.

What a pity the building is so infrequently used.... and that it has to be kept locked in the first place.

Making a Complete Spectacle of Myself..

I'll be completely honest here....

I'm not the sharpest pencil in the box when it comes to remembering where I've put things, but this last couple of weeks I've excelled even my wildest expectations of forgetfulness.

Having enjoyed a lovely evening at Barrou the other Saturday, I then lost my spectacles. Now that wouldn't be too bad if they were a throw-away pair, but these were a new pair of varifocals... need I say more?

Convinced that I'd lost them at Barrou I enlisted the help of Pauline to go and ask at the Mairie on the following day to see if they had been handed in.

However, we then decided it was worth a drive over to Barrou to search the area of grass where we had been sitting during the concert. A two hour round trip later and I was still spec less!

Ten minutes back chez nous and the mystery was solved! They were in the case where they should have been.... which is actually where they were the first time I lost them some time ago.

Now DON'T ask me why I hadn't looked there in the first place.... I didn't have any specs on to look for my specs with, if you get my drift. And anyway, that would have been too logical to even consider.

So problem solved.. But not quite!

Somewhere out there is a pair of prescription sunspecs which I believe I may have left in the hire car I had on my recent visit to the UK.

I am at present in negotiations with Hertz car hire lost property division, who have contacted me to say "an item" has been found in my hire car.

To progress things any further I have to describe "the item".

How on earth do you describe a pair of sunspecs which you've only owned for a month and not had cause to wear during that period (for obvious reasons!)

Consequently my description is hazy and for security reasons Hertz can give me no help on the matter...

The sad thing is, perhaps it isn't my specs they've found; perhaps I've left something else in the car!
Maybe I've lost more than just two pairs of specs.....


Oh, perish the thought! 


ps. In case you're wondering....
The model of specs outstanding is now defunct so there are no pictures online to help me here!

Birthdays in Braye

My daughter's birthday is the day before mine, and this year we were able to share it in Braye..
Whilst we were out Colin decorated the house with bunting...

Jean had offered to bake the cake.....And what a fabulous cake it was!

As well as Jean, Nick and Lulu, our French neighbours, Nathalie and Jean-Noel, and other neighbours Monique and Janeck joined us, along with their six year old granddaughter, who kept us entertained with her boundless energy...

The cutting of the cake was eagerly anticipated....

Then it was a case of going....

Going.......

GONE!! Sorry Lulu there is none left! 

So poor Lulu had to seek consolation from mum, Jean! 

At least she cheered up in time for the group photo!

Thank you to all my friends for their good wishes and gifts and for coming along to share the day with us.  But a particular thanks to Jean, because without her the party would not have been anything like so.... Pink!!

Thank you, Jean!! xx