The turret (3)

Floor done over the shower-room...

...and over the doors to the East Wing

New beams to support the floor

Old vs new

Insulation in place: ready to start the cladding on the ceiling

Nearly there

Walls awaiting the plaster-board

View from the side window: we can just make out the sea and the Île de Ré on the horizon

Windows in, and the view from the down the garden

The turret (2)

Just to prove they aren't always blue-sky days in La Tranche...

...the new tiles go on (view from the main road) on a blue-sky day of course.

Matt took this shot climbing the ladder to the new front window whilst we were back in the UK: old ceiling/roof below, new above.

Another of Matt's sneaky shots showing new roof but original beams still in

And here's the new look, windows not in yet

Above the East Wing shower-room/toilet...

...and above the door to the East Wing

A Psycho moment above the shower?

Looks like the floor is to be laid soon - yellow glow from plastic sheets at the windows!

The turret (1)

On the day that we celebrate the 8th anniversary of moving into our home in La Tranche I'll share with you our last 'big' project.

A few months after moving in we got planning permission to convert the garage into extra living space, soon nicknamed the East Wing, including a very low mezzanine with mattresses for extra visitors if necessary.

This year we decided to raise the roof of the East Wing creating more sleeping space but also somewhere for me to try and be arty. Phil soon named this last project the Turret.

I'll share photos with you over the next few posts, so hold on...

The side of the house (former garage & potting shed)

The mezzanine:

not much headroom...

...but at least now clear!

Off they start, on a beautiful day in April

You can make out where the door to the potting shed was, now a shower room/toilet for visitors

What to do with the old roof tiles? A bit of landfill of course, around the well!

The walls go up

More visitors

We've had lots more people recently, not all stopping chez nous, I hasten to add!

Our lovely French niece Caroline (with ultra-short hairdo) & Jo spent a week at Jean & Monique's earlier in the month...

...and were more than happy to make acquaintance with Sacha, and us to get to know Jo a bit better. I think we all approved!

We also had British niece Vics & Ste for a few days after their jaunts in La Rochelle & Nantes. Here Ste is showing off their sand-sculpture on 'our' beach

Happy Hour fun at La Paillote with Dutch friends Simon & Monique, alongside Essex Simon & Vanna. I was just making up the numbers!

And what about THIS visitor, found on the beach at La Terrière? I'm afraid I can't credit the photo but merci, Monsieur Facebook!

Summer fun

A couple of days later than intended, another dose of our life in La Tranche, which in summer seems to revolve around the pool and the Starfish!

The Essex girls came over for a meal one day: here's Tine & Shan...

...and your faithful blogger with Shan too!

Vanna & I couldn't resist a bit of bubbly in the pool

The weather has been so hot that it's been lovely for the youngsters  to come for a dip when they want.

Sacha loves his new dinghy...

...and splashing with Mamie...

...and riding the dolphin!

He also enjoys helping his Papa at the Starfish. I promise you it's only water!

And look who payed a surprise visit the other week: Sally, Stephen & Lois, with Matt getting in on the act

Les Floralies & Ragondin cycle

As I type this post Nadine, Simon & Alfie are due to fly back in 10 days' time and we are counting the days...

One day we cycled to Les Floralies for Alfie to feed the goats.

Alfie loved giving the goats our home-grown outer cabbage leaves

Some goats are very aggressive...

...but look, their bigger friend will sort them out!

Alfie & Mamie inspect Sacha's tree 

Another day we cycled along 'la route des ragondins', sadly there were very few to be seen

Some of the waterways were totally parched...

...whilst others had a thick layer of 'lentils' (algae) on the surface

Alfie loves riding on the back of the bike

Three typical Vendée landscapes: straight roads...

...waterways...

...and good farming land.