La Bloggerie

Oops! Over a month since the last post. To be honest I’ve been updating our Facebook page more often, but really must get down to a bit of proper blogging.
We’re still cracking on with decorating and pool maintenance and gardening in readiness for the new season, but every job seems to uncover two more. Hence a simple decision to paint the hall, stairs and landing in the Maison de Maitre has led to me having to learn how to plaster, and frankly I’m not learning very quickly.
It always looks so easy on DIY SOS.

Back to France after a 2 week break in England and in our quest for the ultimate travel experience between Calais and Chalais we decided to cross the Channel early in the evening, drive for two hours and then stop in a hotel at Rouen. The onward journey can then be completed in about six hours.
We have often used the B&B Hotel chain in Le Mans where for about 35 Euros you get a comfortable, clean room and a good night’s sleep. Breakfast is also good value at 5 Euros or so.
But the B&B Hotel in Rouen was a massive disappointment. We were perhaps unlucky in that we were allocated one of the four rooms, accessible only from the exterior, that appear to have been converted from storage or office space in order to squeeze a few more clients in and a few more Euros out.
The room was a decent size but still had the ambience of a garage. We had asked for a non-smoking room but were given a room where clearly the no smoking policy had been ignored, and whilst we would admit to being ultra-sensitive to cigarette smoke this was pretty disgusting.
Then from 6.30 onwards the room resounded to the scraping of chairs in the restaurant, which effectively cut short our night’s sleep and meant that we headed off on the final leg of the journey feeling no better for the night’s rest.

By all accounts we were extremely lucky. We sat in bed at 3am listening to the howling winds outside, never for one minute thinking that 40 miles away on the coast the storm was claiming many lives.

Our position below the chateau in Chalais means that we are protected from the predominantly westerly winds, and the little damage that we suffered here bears no comparison to the pictures filling the French news reports today.

Monsieur Sarkozy will be in the region tomorrow taking control of events, but this was the force of nature showing who is really the boss.

Lots of weather reports are suggesting we’re in for a battering in the next 24 hours so we’ve been out securing anything that looks vaguely like it could catch the wind.

The storm that passed through a couple of days ago wrecked the two remaining gazebos and had managed to rip a satellite dish out of the wall, so we’re hoping for a quieter night.

Out of the blue a huge thunder and lightning storm appeared this evening. Rushing around closing shutters meant that for a few brief seconds windows were wide open, and in that time we were both drenched and pelted with some pretty painful hail.

There is some weird weather going on at present. In the space of a week we have gone from very cold to unseasonably warm. But with the end of February in sight spring is only just round the corner.

In fact we have seen our first flock of cranes fly over (is it a flock?) so they must reckon the cold weather has finished. Can’t think I would choose to spend the summer months in Scandinavia though.

One project that has taken a fair amount of time in recent weeks has been the re-fitting of the kitchen end of La Sècherie.

We started out simply looking to put right the stone wall in the living room which, for whatever reason, has been a constant source of crumbling dust. That job led us into replacing the drafty old door with a new double-glazed window, which in turn meant we were able to re-think the layout of the kitchen.

So a one day job became a 10 day rush, as we had long-term tenants arriving who would quite reasonably be expecting it to look pristine.

The before and after photos

The biggest problem with trying to keep a blog up to date is that when we have lots to write about we’re too busy – when we have the time to write we’re not doing anything worth writing about.

But a Monday in Chalais is market day, so with brother and sister-in-law for company we took a quick look around the market this morning, though those who have been here during the summer would be surprised by how much the market shrinks during the winter.

We have been ‘enjoying’ a very cold spell over the last week and stall holders have to be made of pretty stern stuff to cope with standing behind their stalls for 4 hours on a morning like this one.

But the warmth of Le Flore, the bar by the bridge, proved an irresistable attraction and they were doing brisk trade. Nothing beats a large hot chocolate with a fresh croissant when you’re frozen through.

View of part of the lake - 11 January

There was a time when the words ‘lake’ and ’side’ meant a trip to Essex’s favourite shopping centre – oddly not something that I have missed.  Recently, however, it has meant a very pleasant three quarters of an hour out with the dogs walking around the edge of a very well-kept secret. 

We know of people who have been told by locals not to tell others where this lake is, so desperate are they to keep it from becoming too popular.

I was first shown this lake the day before we took over the Tannerie by the previous owner.  We were out taking rubbish to the dump and on the way back Liam decided to take a detour to show me his ‘favourite place.’ 

Now, no disrespect to Liam, but I expected it to be a bar at the very least!  But no – through some winding country lanes we eventually pulled up beside a peaceful stretch of water surrounded by hills and trees.  Total silence was all you could hear, and I got the impression as he gazed over the water that Liam had brought me so that he could take one last look.

Five years on, and with the excuse that we needed somewhere to walk the dogs, we eventually found the lake again round the back of the village of Rioux Martin.  Still as peaceful,  the footpath winds its way around the edge with steep paths up into the woods for the more adventurous. 

The dogs, of course, love it.  Any mention of the words ‘in the car’ and they leap up, desperate to be off.  Much like me leaving Lakeside.

One of the streams feeding the lake

The lake - with much of it frozen over

The dogs at full speed

More photos can be seen on the La Tannerie Facebook page

La Tannerie in the snow - 6 January 2010

We may have missed out on the last round of snow that brought England to its knees, but we woke to a good covering this morning.

Because it’s a pretty rare occurence in these parts there don’t seem to be many gritters about.  So whilst coming down into town this morning had presented few problems for shoppers, it was a different story for those trying to get back up the hill on the Aubeterrre road.

However, during the afternoon there was a noticeable rise in the temperature and by dusk there was little snow left.

Maddi snorting snow

Minty confused by ice

The start of the school term, and a new ring tone for the lesson change bell.

Anyone who has stayed here during term time will be aware of the rather novel approach the Chalais school has to school bells.  Not for them the ring of a standard bell.  We have had electronic hooters, military music, and for the past year some strange twinkly music that one of the teachers told me would be instantly recognisable by the students as music from a popular film.  Not one I have ever seen.

And now, for some bizarre reason, we have 2 and a half bars (not 2, not 4) of what sounds like an accordion waltz crossed with a Cossack dance.  I can’t wait to find out which film that comes from.