Happy New Year/Bonne Année

Here's wishing my faithful readers all the very best for 2024. Is it really 24 years since Millennium Day?

See you on the other side!

Christmas continued

To mark the start of the Christmas holidays for the two La Tranche primary schools the town organised two larger-than-life 'creatures' to collect pupils from each school and accompany them to the covered market.

At Sacha's school the pupils entertained their families with a mini-concert in the playground. Sacha is far right in front of a woman in yellow.

A swan-like creature made mainly of white balloons...

...and a very tall person! (Sacha & Matthieu to the right.)

The two parades met by the covered market

Bubble fun...

...and a final photoshoot.

On Christmas Eve we enjoyed apéritifs at Jean & Monique's, along with Cécile & family, and Matt joined us too.

Mr & Mrs Blogger wishing everyone the season's greetings

Just four of us for lunch but Tine did us proud...

...Father Christmas too!

It was all too much for one young man!

Merry Christmas 2023

Sending season’s greetings to my faithful followers. Have a wonderful time with family & friends. This year we’re in La Tranche.

We love coming back to our house to see the Christmas tree through the living room window.

A closer look at the tree with Grandad’s robin to the fore. Sacha’s choice of tree was perfect!

In town everything looks very festive after dark

The street between the cheese shop and the PMU…

…leading to the town square…

…and impressive sparkles above the town hall.

This year there’s a new ‘snow globe’ display at the side of the church

We recently spent a few days down in Figeac

Despite a lot of structural works going on in the town there were still some good displays for Christmas

Follow these lights and you’re nearly at Loulou & Sylvie’s!

I thought you might like this display in an empty shop window

Visiting Les in Hawes

'Old' friend Les had rented a cottage in the Yorkshire Dales for a few days. There was a spare room so would we like to come? It was a definite YES!

The view from the landing window

Tine & Les (not forgetting Bonnie)  in front of the cottage

A walk down into the village...

...past the old cemetery.

I think Bonnie knew the way

These falls are right in the village centre...

...and an old steam engine and carriages, now part of a museum complex.

Old Bingley College friends heading back to the cottage

Here's one for my French followers: a poster in the kitchen explains how to make a 'cuppa' in Yorkshire dialect...

...but we were more than happy to have a glass of rosé. Cheers!

Out out in Bradford

We occasionally go out in Bradford.

A few hours after the City Hall light-show Matt & I are heading for St George's Hall...

...to see Terrorvision, one of Matt's favourite bands from the 90s, hailing from the Bradford area too.

We spotted Starfish summer regulars in the balcony (and met up for drinks later).

Another night we went to watch a show at Bradford's oldest theatre, the Alhambra.

But first a drink in Sunbridge Wells, a whole world under the streets of the city

Cheers!

Onto the Alhambra and a look back over Centenary Square

All ready for the show, a very creative adaptation of the novel 'Life of Pi'

You can't help but be impressed by the old features in the theatre

'Bradford is Lit' Festival

Our adopted UK city gets a lot of bad press but once again they pulled out all the stops for this biennial event.

Matt with a watchful eye over Alfie & Betty on the train from Bingley

Straight to Centenary Square with some fabulous creations...

...even video evidence.

The main show comprises projections on City Hall

Many tell the tale of the city's diversity...

...others its industrial past, the wool trade being paramount.

Don't forget Bradford is a city of film & television...

...and literature...

...and how could David Hockney be missed out?

The finale. Wow!

Alf & Sach don't seem too phased on the train back to Bingley...

...but Betty looks very happy.