Le Château de la Guignardière

...otherwise known as Le Château des Aventuriers (Adventurers' Castle).

We've been wanting to visit this castle ever since we arrived in Vendée, so a big thank you to Maddie for giving us the excuse! There are three outdoor trails and a visit of the château all in the price, so value for money too!

We were met by these two VERY odd pirates

The château is very impressive, as you can see

No amount of whistling could get the peacocks to perform!

Maddie in 'Le Tour du Monde' (Round the World)

and with Tine having an a-MAZE-ing time

'That's near enough,' you can hear them say.

Shame the dinosaurs weren't real-life size, but they WERE very well behaved!

Lots of menhirs once again...

...good enough to jump off...

...or pose next to.

C'mon, Nicole, name this butterfly!

We didn't do the Pirate Trail but popped in to their model pub where Maddie was very frightened by James' head suddenly appearing!

And two more odd pirates saw us safely back to the car.

A highly recommended visit, and thanks once again to Steve for many of these photos.

SS&M come to stay

We had a great week with Steve, Sue & Maddie, here for their second visit, but there's lots more to see and do so fingers crossed for many future visits.

Thanks to Steve for all these photos.

Isn't the Madster a little young for a half pint at Matt's bar?!

No, don't take a photo when I'm tidying up!

La Tranche or Abbey Road? Off to the beach

Maddie loved playing with her shells in the garden...

...whilst the oldsters prepared the barbecue

Next time Steve's stopping in the cheese shop

Maddie helps Sue read the music

The man himself with Maddie...

...at Cynthia's ice cream parlour

European Cup at the Starfish

Matt has pulled out all stops at the Starfish to make this year's European Cup a big success, and boy has it worked, with all nationalities enjoying the three tv screens (sometimes showing two different matches simultaneously). As I type this both England & France are warming up for tonight's matches. Fingers crossed! These photos were taken on the night France & England drew one all.

The bar is all trimmed up (and whose is that art in the foreground?!!)

La Paillote regulars Hughie & Jeanne with a good view of the match!

The girls getting their faces painted, Nico looking on enviously?!

Matt, Cynthia, Tine & yes Steve, before resuming part of his Max & Paddy role on the door with your faithful blogger

At 3€ a pint from kick-off until the first goal there's plenty of buzz, plenty of people arrived later and customers are staying way into the night!

ps WE WON!!!!!!!!

Garden activities

As requested (that's you, LCA!) an update on our garden.

Firstly welcome back to our bright green friends. I saw two together one day, but a week later...

...we counted four different creatures in the garden, including this fat (pregnant?) one  

The poppies are amazing this year...

...and Lindsay's hard work with the pansies has paid off. The iris were magnificent but have now all faded.

In the vegetable garden there's radish, red cabbage... 

...strawberries...

...beetroot, French beans, tomatoes... 

...pumpkins & courgettes. 

In the fruit department one of our cherry trees is very heavily laden (and very popular with the blackbirds)...

...plus plums...

...and of course, apples & pears.

Back to Morbihan & a 'Right Royal' occasion

We finally caught up with 'Er in Brittany to celebrate her ??th birthday, a couple of months late but who's counting? The first couple of photos were taken on a lovely walk around her village.

We took the ferry over to the Ile aux Moines to explore and enjoy a lovely bistro meal 

Back in La Tranche, jubilee celebrations with new friend Dave, daughter Vanna & son-in-law Simon (not forgetting their lovely friends)... 

... and look, some special friends dropped in to help things along!