Sunflowers - Tournesol

Planted in April and this is the result. Yes the sun does shine in Brittany so hence these cheery flowers are almost double my height and I am 5ft 3"!

Abbaye de Bon Repos

As night fell on the borders of Morbihan and Cotes d'Amor, a scene was set, an audience waited patiently for an annual performance for which I believe they were not to be disappointed with.

Each year there is an open air illuminated production in the wonderful Abbey grounds. This year told of how the Abbey came to be built and the historical events surrounding its life from 4000 BC and how it fell into ruin.

What a fabulous production and the moon just happened to rise moon above the setting which added to the ambience. Some of us even thought this was too much of a coincidence and in light of the fact the technical side of things was so spot on, we thought it may have been a projection!


400 cast/1200 costumes/40 horses/30 or so hunting hounds

Light projections onto the Abbaye were perfectly positioned to fit the Abbaye outline

Fire eaters - rather them than me.

I was quite amazed at how this produced. So much so it really is hard to explain. I suggest you look at the website to get a better idea of what it entails. The producer must be one of the best as how to co ordinate adults, children and animals with safety issues of fire and rehearse this slick production bearing in mind it is all done in the dark with only limited floodlight and natural fire light for the cast to see their way. The music was wonderful and I am looking to see where I can get a disc of the eerie, calming, inspiring, emotive and stimulating sounds.

I was fascinated how it all came together. Hats off to the team, it was truly brilliant and my husband felt it one of the best pieces of theatre he has ever seen. I tend to agree and I have seen plenty.

If you are ever this way in August, and this appeals to all ages, I recommend this as a total MUST SEE but take a blanket. It starts at 1030 at night or thereabouts and at 1 a.m it can get a bit chilly on the extremities!

The proceeds of this production go into the funds for restoration. And very rightly so!

Brittany Birthday

Some dear friends and ex neighbours from the village where we lived in the Minervois came to visit to see the 'project' and happened to be here for my birthday. A great present indeed.


They decided to camp in the hangar. Offers to stay indoors were kindly refused incase visits to the salle de bain were required in the night via the ladder and after much vino this may have proved a little dangerous!

We whizzed them around Lorient, Larmor Plage, Auray, Carnac and Vannes. The weather stayed dry thankfully and we had a couple of bbqs, attempted hula hooping and swing ball, volleyball over the washing line and attempted to catch fish in the Blavet with wine in hand of course and, played 'their version' of rummy into the early hours. A full on couple of days.

My birthday gift was this 5 litre vrac of wine from Pouzols cave, the neighouring village to where we were. They thought I maybe missing the local hooch. 95 cents a litre.!! The white disc you can see was a gift from the bar owner of the village. Alka Seltzer!

I did make sure they tasted wine from this region but realise we did not even have a drop of cider!

It was too short a visit really and was so sorry to see them leave but they will be back for longer next time. Maybe more than 5 litres will be required!!

Leave of absence

Life has been mad mad busy so le blog has gone by the wayside for a while.....

Roof repairs

I had a ??? birthday with visitors from the South camping in the hangar

Family visits - installed in gites near Pontivy.

Back repairs... too much work on the garden!

Sun deprivation,, the weather has been just dire. This rainbow was a welcomed colourful sight though one day! Somewhere over it there maybe sun?????!!!!!

Monsieur Hugo - looks a bit strained!

Recently spending 6 days in my island of beauty, Sarnia Cherie I thought about Victor Hugo and his connections with the island. Here is a bit of info about him. Did you know...................

Guernsey’s living history book begins with Neolithic Man and a burial mound called the Les Fouillages possibly the oldest manmade structure in Europe.

The islands formed part of Normandy from 933, forging a link between Britain and France that survives locally in Norman Law, surnames and Guernesaise, the local language. Guernsey sided with England in 1204 when King John lost Normandy to Phillippe Augustus of France. There was a castle built called Castle Cornet to repel a French invasion. In the summer the midday gun is fired. A cannon but no balls!
In light of he is French, lived in the island of my birth, that a Britains Got Talent contenstant chose a wonderful song from the musical created from his work written in the islands, here is a little info on this talented and interesting man……………………

Victor Hugo left France in 1851 for an exile that would last 19 years. Following a short period of time in Jersey, Victor Hugo went to Guernsey and was instantly captivated by the island. Anyone who has visited will know why!
During his fifteen years on the island he wrote some of his most famous works. Here he completed many of his masterpieces, including La Légende des siècles, Les Misérables, William Shakespeare, Les Chansons des rues et des bois, Les Travailleurs de la mer and L’Homme qui rit.
Victor Hugo's home, for most of his exile in Guernsey, was Hauteville House, which remains today as it was left.
On 16 May 1856, thanks to the success of his Contemplations, Victor Hugo bought Hauteville House in Guernsey, a large white building with a garden overlooking the sea. An enthusiastic collector of secondhand furniture and bric-à-brac, he brought back a profusion of chests, sideboards, carpets, mirrors, crockery, figurines and other objects from his excursions around the island. He put his boundless imagination to work on the house, spending months overseeing a major conversion on a medieval pattern, which gave this unique building an inner force and mystery. Hugo lived in Hauteville House until 1870, when he returned to France after the fall of the Second Empire, but he stayed at Hauteville again for a year in 1872-73, for a week in 1875 and for four months in 1878.

Et voila! A little bit of French history linked to my birth home.

Finally moved in!!!

Yes, we are in the project! First couple of days sans loo and hot water but had the fridge up and running and used a makeshift tap out of the wall and a bowl to function with! . Ham sandwich for dinner and a glass of rose! All rather dusty and make shift but it is home! Shower and loo now working hidden behind what appears to be a salubrious brown curtain!

Work is non stop! Where our bed is located ( note kitchen bathroom bedroom and lounge all in one room!) we wake up to the view of the river and the cows in the field beyond.

We were lucky to have a friend come with all the whizzy equipment to chop down trees down the drive so they were cleared for France Tel coming to install the line. Will be taking us a while to chop them all up but how very lucky and fortunate he helped. Hoorah phone and internet. A climb by 2 ladders to access them and our clothes but no matter.

It is amazing what one takes for granted like turning on a tap and getting hot running water and being able to jump in a shower,

It is wonderful to listen to the bird song and look at the vista and it is really useful actually to be camped out here to get a better idea of where things will eventually be put.

I was very excited to retrieve the furbabes who had to be in a cattery for a couple of weeks. They are yearning to go out and will be doing so once a 2nd gate has been installed. However the male has managed to bag a bird which must have flown in from eaves!.

Aching muscles, hands to be scrubbed til they are sore, a list of jobs goes on and on but it is wonderful to watch progress. A magic wand maybe good sometimes but maybe less satisfying. Friends are planning to visit so looking forward to that.

So, enough of this blog for the day, I must get back to the list. More soon!

Wedding in the Minervois

Well it has been a mad time and I have been without regular internet access or time to update le Blog! 3 days back in Brittany after a trip to Guernsey then 10 hrs on the French railway system to head off for the Minervois to see my husband after 16 days of separation and to attend the wedding that I have watched develope and assisted with along the way.
It was perfect weather and a wonderful day and it went just all according to careful planning for the young and charming couple. Set in the grounds of Chateau Agel it was very romantic indeed. The bride was on red bull towards the end of the meal to maintain stamina for dancing at the fabulous disco!
The last guest was returned to their accommation at 0545 a.m. We have to admit defeat at 4 a.m!
The weather was wonderful and reliable but 120 degrees farenheit is rather exhausting to function in.
Luckily our friends have a lovely pool to cool off in. I caught up with as many people as limited time would allow. A fun but exhausting time that would set to continue on our return.......

Off to the Minervois

Whilst the timing is not ideal, it is also very good. I am off South on the French railway to a wedding which I have been involved with helping organise with various things throughout the year. Cannot wait to see it all come together and the lovely couple have a wonderful day. So excited for them!
A wedding fit for a Princess indeed it will be!

I plan to get some much needed fun and relaxation with friends, staying in the village of Mailhac where we used to live before dashing back here to move into the Hameau finally within 2 days. We have a deadline that cannot be shifted!
Who says that having no bathroom, stairs, bedroom blah blah blah is necessary to make a comfy home problem?!!

Will have no net access very soon so posts will be scant for a while!

Bon weekend, wish me luck ! I will be wishing the bride and groom luck. Ah, a good wedding is so good for the soul!

Cidre – a plenty in the North

I am occasionally trying the Breton cider which accompanies crepes and is traditionally served in ceramic bowls/cups. There are many local ciders here and they tend to have a smooth creamy taste in my limited tasting experience. Anyway it depends which one you try of course. I have been doing a bit of research on the production. Here is some info………………..

Until the mid-20th century, cider was the second most-consumed drink in France (after wine) but there was an increase in the popularity of beer and this then displaced cider's market share outside traditional cider-producing regions.

We have a cider press in one of our buildings. I think it was built inside as cannot see how they got it in through the tiny front door. This is a shame as would love to have it as a feature in the garden. ( will not be producing own cider yet) Not high on the list of things to do however.

Breton cider making employs the technique of keeving (from the French cuvée). In keeving, calcium chloride and a special enzyme are added to the pressed apple juice, causing protein in the juice to precipitate to the top for removal. This reduces the amount of protein available to the yeast, starving it and therefore causing the cider to finish fermenting while sugar is still available. The result is a sweeter drink at a lower alcohol level but still retaining the full flavour of the apples, without dilution.
I never knew that! Interesting , better informed yet?

Doux is a sweet cider, usually up to 3% in strength. 'Demi-Sec' is 3–5% and Cidre Brut is a strong dry cider of 5% alcohol and above. Most French ciders are sparkling

Here endeth the reading lesson on cidre for the moment. Get out there and try the tastebud test!. Breton and Normandy cider wins hands down over a Strongbow but the West Country, well I am not sure what they would have to say about French cider over their wonderful Scrumpy. There is room for more than one good cider in the world of course!

Lack of comms

Dear FOLKS
So sorry no blog update. Work on the project has taken priority and by the time we drag our bones back it is very late at night. We did have 3 hrs off 2 weekends ago and collapsed at Lamor Plage.
We do now have underfloor heating laid and a concrete floor on top, and found a roofer to come and finish that. Wow, feel like progress is being made. Cannot wait to get in there!
We then have moved temporary accommodation and had no internet access or phone!
I am off to Guernsey next week so will be busy there but will see what I can do with the blog!! So there we are a quick update indeed and I will back with chat very soon!!
A bientôt xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx