At the 'Moulin et Chateau de Villeray' Restaurant

Sorry for the dodgy exposure. Thankfully the place was much, much better at feeding us than taking our picture... Yum!

Tamarisk, Hawthorn and all things nice

We have been staying in the Parc Naturel Regional du Perche, at L'Esperance, Dorceau. The site, Forest View, named by a pair of Yorkshire exiles that run it, is so called because of the (above titled) trees surrounding the lake we are camping beside (you can just make M out, sillouetted againt the sun reflected off the water). A lovely place to spend our last few days in the country.

The journey from Sainte Foy La Grande was by far our longest yet at 340-odd miles, but the kids did really well, passing the time with reading, watching the changing scenery (went from shouting 'grapes' to 'wind turbines' and 'cows'), time on their DS's of course, some times-table practice (what task masters we are), a movie and, finally, going a bit nuts.

After exploring the stunning area (that may be familiar with readers of Proust? No? Me neither, not yet anyway), for example the village of Combray ('Remembrance of things Past'? Apparantly..), our last night, tonight, has been spent at the fabulous restaurant Domaine de Villeray - a fine (though expensive) way to end our hols!

Tomorrow we head for home turf, and whilst it will be lovely to be back to creaure comforts (and a house that doesn't have scaffold on it anymore - hurrah!), we know we will miss France, even after over two-thousand miles. The kids favourite locations involved body-boarding in the sea (the boys, Soulac sur Mer) and the pools (M, at Versailles and Sainte Foy la Grande). Ours was certainly the Pyranees, defined by amazing walks and the views early and late in the day. Incredible.

We feel we've got to know a few spots of the country and look forward to our next trip. However K reminds me that Spain is on the list, and we've had a couple of calls to Italy and Switzerland, then there's Wales and Scotland... Which reminds me, we'd better get Rosie in for her 160,000 mile service!

Will post a few more pics later.

A much needed cafe stop...

It is, phew, quite warm here. After the Grand Theatre, the Grand Place and a few other grand this and grand that in Bourdeax we take a much needed liquid break. To get the coffee the way we like it (i.e. not as fiercely strong as the French have it), we ask for two espresso with "plus de lait".

We will soon head back to Rosie (and we hope we make it out of the 2m-height-limit underground car-park with our sun-roof intact!).

Cooling off at Place de la Bourse

Of course the boys proceeded to start a full blown water fight... oh well, at least it was warm enough for all of us to walk around Bourdeax in wet clothes!

In the last few days we've spent most of the time chilling by the pool at the gite. Whenever we go anywhere, the boys have got into the habit of saying "what are we doing next?", after every site, as if there is some grand plan, and M has asked to go home to be reunited with the rest of her cuddly toys (we brought three or four - if we brought them all they would fill Rosie).

Rosie is a squash and a squeeze...

K again demonstrates some fantastic parking ability, this time in Bourdeax, having to negotiate an additional dimension this time. The only sacrifice, other than jangled nerves, was having to move our fire-wood into the cab temporarily.

We eat in fine style in Saint-Emilion

Hello Sainte Foy la Grande...

Temperatures have shot up since we've been in the south, so we were very happy to find a pool at our gite (we're giving Rosie a rest)... It's now late and M says "I'm tired, can we go now?". More later.

Goodbye Pyranees...

K has some peace...

The rain must have taken the clouds with it because it has been clear blue all day today. K provides us with some very subtle hints that she needs some alone time so it's time for an outing with Dad for the afternoon. This involves a trip to another 'cirque', this time 'de Trounouse' I think. Rosie manages the big mountain road hills despite the heat. We find a beautiful spot by a snow-melt river that just so happens to also have some old shack selling ice-creams - yum - much needed today. The kids spend ages chucking stones into the water, and by the time we return mum is sane again and all is well. Tomorrow we heat north again...

Can't climb...

...any further than this on a road bike! It was early, so I think I was the first up this popular road climb. At the top, the Cirque de Gavine, a series of high-drop waterfalls arranged in an arc (you can just about see some of it in the top of the picture), looked stunning in the early sun. Legs are tired, time for breakfast...

The weather closes in...

The walk today was great, involving spotting a lot of unusual grasshoppers, flowers, a stream and a snake (picked up by a chicken!). After a lovely day, in the evening the clouds close in and the rain comes down, so we go out for food. After a lot of pizza and ice-cream, the kids go slightly stir crazy in the van... now we are off to a rather damp camp site - 'Uno' anyone!?

The highest crepes in the world...?

Great after the hike (a mile at most!), as was the cup of tea!

We go for a hike

The best site ever..?

Possibly... this spot just ouside the village of Gedre is certainly up in the top three with these incredible panoramic views from Rosie's 'doorstep'. And after being greeted with a smile, this heavenly view, and a glass of home-made sangria each, last night we were ready to call it the best yet. I'm glad because it was quite the trek from Soulac-sur-Mer. This is the sort of place that makes one want to stay forever... (though I suspect the winter would be harsh and the kids rate the beach sites higher).

Quote of the day was M, sitting beside the campfire, deep in thought and then suddenly asking "what happens when fish fart?". A classic. Of course almost equally funny were the ensuing suggestions, from "they make more bubbles" to "they swim faster".

Tomorrow we'll be finding a M friendly hike, oh, and of course, finding out what the local culinary delights are...

Approaching the Pyranees

French side more lush than what I remember of the Spanish side...

Hurrah!!

Why the victory cry!? Why because we have found a garage that has the french to ACME LPG adaptor so we can fill our gas tank. The photo poorly captures this match made in heaven. It is satisfying victories like this that make no sense unless one runs a contraption like Rosie...

About 100 miles to go to our Pyranees site, and the terrain is certainly starting to present some challenging hills for Rosie to climb. Not that the kids appreciate it: "Can we go on our DS's yet!? Pleeeeeeeeease!?"

Last day of sea, sand, boarding and ice-cream (OK, maybe not ice-cream) - so we make it a good one, playing frisbie, yard-ball, castle-building and pulling Mae at high speed across the waves on a body board (hilarious). We stayed at Soulac-sur-mer 2 nights longer than originally planned, but it was well worth it.

The only mishap so far is that the french lpg adaptors don't work on Rosie (should have bought the adaptor in the UK - doh!) so we have to run the fridge on the battery - but this is fine with the new solar charger (so cool) - and cook outside on the camping-gaz outdoor cooker (so nice).

Food: As well as sampling French ice-cream (a lot), we've been enjoying some lovely grub from local markets - incredible fruit, cheese, bread and veg (stuffed olives to die for) - though we don't always agree, for example a Gouda that I thought was a bit like some English cheeses Sam declared "Uggh! So NOT like cheddar!!"

Next stop, the Pyraness...

Time for ice cream!

After a long day body-boarding and building sand castles, it's time for ice-cream (and waffles etc)! Today was a hot one!

Chic in Soulec

K and M go shopping, and we find the perfect backdrop for a photo shoot...

When in France...

...park like the French. Check out K's fantastic efforts with Rosie in Soulac-sur-mer. We only had a small falling-out in the process too...

Camping right beside the beach here is fantastic, or to quote T, "I'd like to stay here for ever". Unlike Noirmoutier-L'ill, which was facing east and therefore very calm, Soulac is facing west, so one feels fully exposed to the Atlantic elements. That said, we are pretty south now, so the breeze is at least warm.

Yesterday, after the drive down, the boys ran down to the sea to be buffeted by the waves. Today we are on the hunt for a body-board, but after stopping for some more, very strong coffee, ice-creams and crepes, we have just had a very loud band march past us. M says "Mum, are they too loud, do they need to keep the noise down!?"

Mum, keeping up with the regular swim

The new sea defences

Seaweed is the new eco-building material, having the benefits of both adding structure and being widely available.

...boys will pass hours doing stuff like this...

Bliss...

We've just had a coffee and some ice-creams. The sun is out and the boys are busy building some huge structure to hold back the sea, mum is reading (and laughing out loud to) Jo Brand's 'Look Back in Hunger' and I'm trying to remember how to sketch. Mae has just declared: "I just want to sit and chill...". No really.

Bliss...

"Oooh, star fish! Let's make an aquarium...!"

...this within minutes of arriving at the campsite. We really are that close to the sea!

It was a long drive today - partly due to sat nav's poor efforts - firstly the route that had to wait for the tide, then a bunch of dead ends... but the kids declare the beach-site worth it, just.

We have to wait...

The sat nav says we have less than half an hour to go, but the sea is in our path... A great excuse to stop for some ice-cream...

You know you're on holiday when...

...your four year old daughter spends about 45 minutes observing and chatting about a ladybird that's crawling over and between both her hands, and you have the time to watch it all...

T had something to add to this: "Dad, did you know that ladybirds only fly when they get to the tippy top of the thing they're climbing?". I didn't.

A great day.

Tomorrow, after enjoying some pastries of course, we will jump in Rosie to head to Noirmoutier de Ill (or something like that) on the Atlantic coast.

'Chillaxing'

...as Lizzy would probably say under these circumstances...

After a hectic day, sat by the pool, eating ice-cream, drinking some (very, very strong, French) coffee and playing a spot of table-tennis, K just needs to wind down.

OK, we like the Eiffel Tower, but can we just go to the pool now...!?

Camping at Versailles

Very nice spot it is too - though there was a bit of rain last night. After some lovely pastry this morning we are on our way into Paris now...

Whoaa! Stag beetle!

This certainly made washing hands more interesting...

After a lot of travelling today, we are at Versailles. Tomorrow, the train to Paris! The boys have requested a visit to the Eiffel Tower - how could we refuse?

Learning French?

You know when you're in France when you enter some traditional toilets. Both boys, together, as we walk in: "Eeuuurgh!"

As well as experiencing some, ahem, culture, we've also tried the language, or at least Kay did when she said 'Bonjour' to the toll attendant. After listening to half a CD's worth of Collins Basic French, the kids were duly impressed with Mum's mastery of the lingo and much congratulations followed. Less than an hour to go to Versailles...

Ready to board the ferry!

Farewell Blighty!

Getting ready for departure, T minus 2 days to France...

We are heading to France in Rosie - the international vehicle of camping - for three weeks! Yippee!!

Other than some very pleasant weekends, mostly at Isle of Purbeck and Isle of Wight, we haven't been away for a long break in Rosie since last year in Cornwall (when it rained. A lot).

It's been an exhausting few weeks recently, what with house renovations, work, school, visitors and so on, and so we're ready for our hols... We depart Sat morning, therefore we have to pack tomorrow therefore we are writing our list tonight... See pic. Itinerary will be Dover to Calais, Paris, a few beach side spots down the Atlantic coast, the Pyranees, then a villa in the Dordogne for a week, followed by a few stops on the way back to Calais. I have a feeling these posts will be short (but hopefully sweet).