Fun times with the grandchildren & exploring at Le Phare beach

It's lovely having Alfie, Sacha & Betty together even if there can be a bit of friction from time to time!

In TV watching mode, Papy distracting them of course

Three in the bath: one to blackmail them with in later years!

A bit of outdoor art anyone?

Matt comes to lunch and winds the kids up (of course)

Betty's creative toe covering for Papy ... and who can blame her?

The three monkeys on the carousel in the town square

It's exhausting having all this fun

This time on the beach at Le Phare

And look what we find here...

...full inspection from the Hills!

Explore a bit in the rock pools and there are ancient fossils to be found

Back to Marie's and lots of rows

Marie's beach bar is a great place to meet: friends, drinks, sea, sand & sun. What more could you want?

Nadine, Tine and your faithful blogger joined by Isabelle & Guy. The shadows say it's evening but still beautifully hot.

Alfie & Sacha have their own friends too. That's G&I's granddaughter Zoë second right.

Alfie & Sacha not squabbling!

Betty in her own world

Papy with his two favourite grandsons

Earlier that day I realised there were lots of rows to be seen!

Catamarans lined up to go

Sandals off whilst their owners go rock pooling!

I love this collection of surf boards on the way to the jetty

Thanks to G&I's daughter Marion for several of these photos.

Rockpooling

Alfie is still creature-mad and it looks like Betty's following in his footsteps.

Alfie & Nadine at low tide, with lots of pools to explore...

...now joined by Mamie & Betty. Of course you haven't noticed the outfit changes!

Et voilà, a fine crab specimen (don't worry it was returned to the sea safe & sound)

There were many hermit crabs to be seen...

...here rushing back in the rising tide.

Alfie wanted to catch a lizard: you'll never manage it, said I

Perhaps I was right...

...it looks like the lizard caught Alfie!

Ragondin walk +

To give Nadine a break from single parenting we'd sometimes take the children out.

Brave Papy took Alfie & Betty on the ragondin walk...

...obviously a bit much for Betty.

Success: two ragondins (coypus) spotted, just as we were leaving the waterway

By this time we were all getting a bit tired but Alfie braved a smile to welcome us back into town

Betty making the most of a picnic lunch

It looks like my three womenfolk are about to hit the beach

Betty's sleep pattern wasn't so good but it allowed me to see a beautiful sunrise one day...

...and the moon at the end of another day

Betty's sleeping better since her return to England but she's still an early bird, apparently.

Pool fun

Once again we were blessed with excellent weather for most of the summer. You can guess where Alfie, Sacha & Betty wanted to be most of the time.

Papy with Sacha, Betty & Alfie. Good wet fun!

Nadine looks pretty happy here too...

...and Betty's proving to be a water babe, just like her brother & cousin.

And here's the proof!

Look at that face!

I'm sure you can imagine the photos after this one

Sometimes it's good to have a bit of 'me-time' in the pool...

...even enjoying a glass of wine as the night descends. Watch out for mosquitoes!

With the Essex Gang at Marie's

We all soon settled into summer mode and it was great that our Essex friends were here at the same time, Vanna & Simon staying for a whole fortnight!

Our beach bar of choice is Marie's of course, here in the morning before she opens

Big Dave & Vanna were already in situ when we arrived...

...and Alfie reacquainted himself with Immie...

...growing more and more confident in the sea.

Marie's is ideal for afternoon drinks with social distancing built in

The Three Musketeers: your faithful blogger with Big Dave and Simon... 

...not forgetting lovely Shan, queen of the hugs but not this Covid year sadly.