Sightseeing in Dordogne

We decided to make our return journey on the main roads rather than take the motorways. What an excellent decision: it might take a little longer but the route is far more interesting.

We stopped to visit two towns in Dordogne on the way, the first a small town called Château Léveque where the first three photographs were taken. The castle is magnificent but not open to the public.

The last three photographs were taken in Brantôme, a town we used to drive through in the old days but which has since had the obligatory by-pass constructed. A highly recommended stop for anyone venturing that way.

The travels continue: back to AAA's

After a quick overnight stay chez nous we set off for Dordogne next morning to see how our old Bingley neighbours were doing with their new house. The first night we ate out in Perigueux and Photo 1 shows the view from outside the restaurant, the cathedral bathed in beautiful sunset light. We definitely want to explore the town next time we're in the area.

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Next we have catch up at Anil, Anita & Arun's . Photo 2 has me standing just inside the sliding doors of the living room with the family's bedrooms to my right; and Photo 3 shows the widescreen window from the kitchen looking over the vineyards opposite. Tine is proving she can't sit around in Photo 4 - Anita's vegetable patch is doing very well - and Photo 5 shows that Anil & I know very much how to relax!

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Both evenings we were treated to a wonderful fire outside to ward off the cooling air, this sunset just one of many photos. Next day we took a short walk to the vineyards opposite to get an excellent view of the new build. Finally our hostess and host, Anita serving out yet another lovely meal. Merci les amis!!

The morning after

Still in Courseulles we ventured out for a bracing walk along the front next morning to blow away any cobwebs (not to mention hangovers) from the night before.

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Annie & Christian were busy preparing for a wonderful lunch back at their home, so the rest of the cousins are on view here: Claude, Dany, Tine, Catherine, Jean, Jean-Pierre & Monique in the first photo, and Tine watching over Jean-Pierre, Jean, Dany & Catherine in the second.

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Photo 3 shows pétoncles (scallops) for sale freshly caught on the Sunday morning and delivered to the fish stalls alongside the port. I had eaten a scallop and prawn dish at Annie's meal the previous evening (for those who are interested in my fishy intake)! However I politely declined the oysters at lunchtime, beautifully opened by Jean, Jean-Pierre and a friend of the family.

Yes, I'm still alive!

We are finally going to get some neighbours alongside our garden. The bulldozers were busy working early one morning (well, before 9 am) flattening the land and making space for the new house. They've left the fruit trees alongside our shared boundary and the new house will be a one storey build which will still allow us our full day of sunshine.

We had a wonderful weekend mid-September to celebrate Annie's 60th birthday - yes, she beat me to it! We travelled up to Normandy with Jean & Monique and had lunch at Claude & Dany's at Troarn where we discovered this lovely abbey (Abbeye St Martin de Troarn). We later met up with the rest of the Moignet family at Annie & Christian's second home in Courseulles.

Photo 5: Tine, Claude, Annie and Dany

Photo 6: Jean, Loic, Séverine and Cécile

Photo 7: Annie, Christian, Monique, Dany, Catherine and Jean-Pierre

Photo 8: Tine and Claude

We were treated to a fantastic meal in Courseulles plus a stay in Fawlty Towers (sadly without John Cleese) and a great time was had by all.

Nigel & Nick come to visit

Nigel, Jeannie, Nick and Jonathan were regular visitors at the camp site and we had many fun times together over the years but sadly Jeannie died at far too young an age and we hadn't seen Nigel since. So what a surprise to get an email from Nigel asking if he and Nick could come and see if La Tranche still had the magic. Well, it does and we know they'll be back!

The first photo is from 1992 when you used to stay behind the big house. Next there's Nigel on their pitch just behind La Paillote (closed until the Thursday unluckily for them, but we managed a few beers elsewhere)! Nick enjoyed revisiting his youth on Papy's old bike but the three oldsters ventured out along the canals and to La Terrière beach. We DID manage a meal at La Paillote on Thursday lunchtime before they set off back home.

And just to change the subject, we next have the creature of the week: yes, one of two VERY snuffly hedghogs we surprised in our garden after an evening out with N&N.

End of season

It's a sad time when the season approaches its end, although it's very nice to have 'our' beach back again and no big crowds in town.

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La Paillote had its end of season do at a wonderful restaurant in Les Sables d'Olonne. You can see Drinette, Simon and Nadine in the first photo, and Emilie, Jérémy and Floppy in the second.

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We had some great weather whilst Simon was visiting us. Here he and Nadine are showing off their bat-and-ball skills on the beach near Les Conches.

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And finally this week's 'creature of the week'. Not only did Tine capture our pet toad on camera but she also released it from a night in our kitchen. It must have been sheltering from the rain on the doorstep when we closed the shutters. We normally leave the inside door open to let the cool air in overnight. Little did we know we had an extra visitor!