Vannes

Although we came to the Vannes area years ago we never really visited it until the other weekend whilst stopping with 'Er from Brittany. What a beautiful town, which made me think of York with a waterfront!

I'll let the pictures tell the story here

Guy, Tine & Isabelle

The old wash house

Now, isn't this York-like, the top floors almost touching?

Weekend in Brittany

I can hear it now: 'They're always travelling!' Yes, once again we hit the road and headed north to visit 'Er from Brittany but this time taking our good La Tranche friends, Guy and Isabelle.

Who'd have believed we'd be eating breakfast outside on 1st October?

Obviously there is a price for everything - here Tine and Isabelle are weeding away whilst the men's barbecue is just about ready to light.

Another meal outside and a very pleasant experience: sparkling red wine, all the way from Vendée.

I'd better not comment too much here but a brief glimpse of She Who Must Not Be Named alongside your faithful blogger and Isabelle. We're still swimming in the sea in October!!

A few shots of the bay at Port Navalo, Isabelle with her wrong leg crossed!

And our reward, a refreshing beer before hitting the road back to G's.

Last stop in the South West

Of course we couldn't do a visit to the South West without calling on Anil, Anita & Arun in Dordogne, especially as we hadn't seen them in a year. The weather had improved by then even if the nights were still cold.

Firstly Arun at 14 (ok, nearly 15) - how big is he going to get?!

I know AAA are fed up with living in the mobile home but it really is a little palace and Anita rustles up some wonderful meals there.

There is only one word to describe the new house - HUGE! Admittedly others have helped but most of the graft has been done by AAA and we are very proud of them.

Look at all the solar panels, each one extremely heavy and laboriously positioned. The mobile home is dwarfed by the new building!

We ate in their new kitchen/dining room on the first night, decorations still up from a big meal they through for their neighbours. Of course you have to imagine all the units and furniture!

Here is the view of the house from the vineyard just up a track from their property.

Tine went a-wandering with the camera and came back with these two fabulous photos. Frogs and chestnuts, anyone?

We had a walk near to their local town of Vergt and spotted this beautiful stained glass window in the church there.

Back to the house, and please meet Annabel the hen who popped out to see us one day. Sadly her sisters have all been tasty morsels for a local fox.

And final, AAA with A(stier) after we'd been out to celebrate my impending birthday.

Figeac & Aurillac bound

Those who have been paying attention will know that our niece Caroline has been applying to train to become a nurse. For selfish reasons we'd have loved her to come to La Rochelle (where she was accepted), but in fact she chose Aurillac just over an hour's drive from her parents in Figeac.

We took the opportunity of our drive down to the South West to stay a couple of days in Figeac, driving over to Aurillac to inspect Caro's fantastic apartment. It's just a few minutes' walk from the college but a steep climb up from the town. She's already made friends and seemed very happy. Great!

No pictures of Rémi but what about these profiteroles, made by his own fair hand? Impressive stuff and a particular favourite in our family!

This time we stopped at Loulou & Sylvie's in their new converted cellar but of course we called on Francine, arriving just as her friend Christiane rolled up.

A surprise phone call announced that six of our La Tranche friends were having their picnic lunch by the river in Figeac so we naturally had to find them. What a strange coincidence!

Family wedding in the South West

The weeks fly by and I've got quite a lot to share with you, firstly cousin Loïc and Cécile's wedding back in mid-September. The weather was disappointing but we all had a beautiful day, the happy couple doing it 'their' way.

Madame Elusive, alias Monique, avoiding having her photo taken!

Onto the 'vin d'honneur' with a very tasty food hedge-hog and plenty more excellent nibbles and copious champagne.

Cédric, Julie, Christian, Annie, Loïc, Cécile, Jean-Pierre, Catherine, Philippe & Laeticia

Tine and the 'other' Cécile, both looking very glamorous 

The meal and party took place in an amazing chateau, perched on a hill top, where we ate SO well and danced the night away.

Cutting the traditional French wedding cake (pièce montée made with choux pastry) we have Jean-Pierre, Loïc, Cécile, Jean, Monique and Catherine, the other two couples celebrating their wedding anniversaries that same weekend!