Friday 2 May 2014

Janice in Caunes is back in Caunes

We have always flown when we have come to the house in France. I have even blogged about the surprisingly good service we have always received from Ryanair.
However, this time…..facing our 3rd summer in Caunes, we decided to drive from Yorkshire. The plan was to stop off to see family in Surrey, to locate a family ( Mark’s great uncle Donald) war grave in Cambrai in northern France, drive across the Millau bridge and to arrive in Caunes  with a car full of “stuff” that has never quite fitted into our Ryanair hand luggage allowance.

Saying goodbye to the grandchildren involved some fishing in Carole's pond
So, last weekend, following a busy park run and breakfast meeting with all the children and grandchildren and a last minute farewell visit to the Overgate Charity shop in Hebden Bridge ….we set off.
We spent 2 nights with Mark’s sister and family in Reigate in Surrey. Niece Erica, has recently returned from world travels, and we spent time chatting about our favourite spots in Australia and New Zealand, as well as hearing about some of her adventures in Vietnam and Thailand. Mark’s sister and husband have just come back from Costa Rica and the Galapagos islands….so there was lots more travel talk to be had there.


As well as travel discussions and hearing about nephew Mark’s up and coming wedding plans ( wedding to be held in September in a French chateau near Bordeaux ) we managed to fit in a lovely walk through a park in Reigate, past bluebell woods and a delightful lake.

 
 
Anyway, we finally left family behind and headed across the channel via the Euro-tunnel, intending to be in Cambrai in time to search out the memorial to Mark’s Uncle Donald, who died there in 1917, aged 29.

We failed miserably…..The motorway junction we needed was closed, the diversion was miles long, so we decided that Uncle Donald, having waited this long for us to visit, could wait a little longer, and we will endeavour to find him when we drive back at the end of October.

We headed south in torrential rain, and began to feel that Ryanair would have been a better option. However, I am particularly anxious to have my car with us in France for the next 6 months. I don’t like driving our large French people carrier, and it has always felt marginally criminal to be leaving my car sitting outside our Hebden house for 6 months of the year. ( Having 2 cars in France will also mean I don’t have to drive Mark to the golf club…and back, and then have to repeat the journey 5 hours later when he has finished his round. )

We were pretty tired after a day’s driving, when we arrived in Vichy, where we decided to stay for the night.
Sheltered walk around a main square in Vichy
What an interesting city ! Before its infamous past as the base for the war time Vichy government, it was…and still remains, a major spa town. The  Belle Epoque artchitecture is gorgeous… and if it hadn’t been pouring with rain, we would have wandered around for hours. 
Dome over one of the spas.....attached to our hotel
We did manage a stroll after breakfast the following morning, and loved it.

We had a further 5 or 6 hours drive before getting to Caunes, and took a spectacular road through the Auvergne, and across the Millau bridge.
Millau
The rain stopped, and as we got closer to Caunes, the sun came out. The temperature rose from 11 degrees to 22 degrees……….and finally, we arrived home in Caunes.
 
Our house in Caunes
The garden looked great. Many of the flag irises are past their best, and I have missed the almond and lilac blossom, but the vines look healthy, the sages we planted last year have grown and are starting to flower and all the trees, including 2 new cherry trees look to have survived the winter well.

Healthy vines.....amongst the weeds.
The weeds are pretty amazing, and the vegetable garden will need some serious work….but everything looks wonderful…..and it is lovely to be back.

Within minutes of arrival we received an invitation to lunch with friends in a nearby village in a couple of days time. The internet was up and running, the gas and electric turned on with no problems. We briefly thought we were going to be without hot water for a while as a particular switch had jammed. ( Something to do with a small dead animal found in the electricity junction box), but a friend who has overseen work we have needed doing here, arrived within 20 minutes to fix it.
First trip to the bar for a quick lunch in between cleaning and weeding sessions.
So, we are back. We have made out first forays into the village, and have reintroduced ourselves at the bar and our favourite restaurant. The dusting and the weeding have started. Setting up furniture under the pergola, opening the pool, and getting around to inviting people round will happen soon......and  it seems our neighbours have acquired a new addition to their family while we have been away.
Our neighbours now have a goat.
 

27 comments:

  1. Lovely photos Janice and a more interesting journey than your previous trips, in spite of the rain. What a lovely long summer you have to look forward to in that beautiful garden. And just a personal note of thanks from me, as you will see I mention no names on my blog, but your support has been tremendous and I am
    eternally grateful...Lots of Love L xxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It is a little strange... this double life we lead. I didn't want to leave Caunes last October, and I was sad to leave Yorkshire this time. However.... the sun is shining and the prospect of a whole spring, summer and autumn out here does feel good. Jx

      Delete
  2. A Goat!?!?! wow cool!!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yup..... a very pretty one at that. xxx

      Delete
  3. I did wonder why it seemed to take you so long to arrive - but hadn't known about the lovely, chatty stop in Reigate and the overnight in Vichy...ah, ha! Doesn't Vichy look amazing too! I remember watching a programme about the building of the Millau bridge....I would have been terrified as a passenger and totally unable to drive across it myself. An incredible piece of engineering and architecture though!
    Your house looks most happy to have you back and has proved itself if you can just walk in and start living in it all over again after a period away. I'm sure you'll have it all sorted very soon and have a wonderful summer there. Look forward to the next post!
    Axxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The Millau bridge was spectacular Annie... architecture and art combined...fabulous... and it felt absolutely safe to drive across.....honest. I'm not good on these things, but this really did feel fine. However, I know Jess would have had her eyes closed the whole way across. Jxxxx

      Delete
  4. Helen Devries2 May 2014 at 17:20

    I did see the photograph of the back of your car and wondered how much that lot would have cost on Ryanair!

    Neighbours not called McGinty by any chance?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Michael O'Leary would have loved us to fly with him this time...taking all the rubbish we could cram into the car...he would have loved it. Must add that we recently booked a Ryanair flight for a friend..... booked it in the wrong name, and were able to change it with no charge, even though we discovered the mistake several weeks after booking it. Their new customer service department was excellent !
      The goat is gorgeous by the way, I'm pretty sure he thinks he is a dog.... he plays with the other dogs in the street near our house.

      Delete
  5. It's great to know you've arrived safely, Janice, after what sounds like a very enjoyable journey despite the rain. But gosh, it's a long way - nearly twice what we drive to get to the north coast of Scotland and that feels like a long journey. I visited Vichy as a teenager when staying with my penfriend and loved it - such an elegant place, if a little shabby.

    I know all about that thrill of arriving and opening up the house and I'm glad you found things in good order and already feel at home again. Think of the weeds as ground cover and take your time getting rid of them. :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Your ground cover comment has made me laugh... and rethink my strategy...... I am certainly not going to do as much weeding as I did 2 years ago, and made Mark do last year ! Most of the weeds are very attractive anyway.

      Delete
  6. So pleased that you have arrived safely Janice - you have lots of time to sort yourself out, travelling can be very tiring.
    Do tell me has that tree behind you on the photo been painted?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. yes .... the tree has a huge hole in it, and last year, some enterprising soul nailed ( yes... nailed) a piece of painted sheet metal to it.... everyone who visits the bar for the first time loves it.

      Delete
  7. Hi Janice,
    One of our hopes when buying a house was to have two distinct set ups and be able to travel light between the two. We regularly managed it with our Alpine apartment, either flying or driving out in Tim's mid-life crisis. There always seems so much to take, and there are some items eg chainsaw, that one doesn't necessarily want to have two of!

    Travelling 'heavy' just encourages more to be packed and taken just in case! It's nice to be able to take favourite clothes but when I take more I often bring them back unworn!

    In July we shall be travelling out for a four month stay but I'm determined to travel as light as possible, which probably means that in May we'll be packed to the gunnells (sp?).

    Anyway glad to read that you've arrived, and are settling back into life in Caunes. I look forward to reading about your adventures. Xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I had great trouble fitting all the clothes I have brought with me, into the wardrobe..... the guest bedroom wardrobes are working as overspill at the moment.
      Until this road trip, having always flown between homes, we have been very good at ensuring we had what we needed at both houses....now I am very confused...do I actually have any clothes left in Yorkshire ???? I'm not sure anymore !

      Delete
  8. P.S. In 2008 we very nearly bought a chalet in the mountains between Vichy and Roanne.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Phew - I've just watched Sarah Lancashire in "Happy Valley", set in Hebden Bridge, Sowerby Bridge etc. A fantastic but grim new BBC drama and anyone watching it might think you have good reason to zoom back to beautiful Caunes!
    But I know it's not that grim - and I'm off to Mytholmroyd tomorrow.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We managed to catch Happy Valley through I Player yesterday Nilly..... what a miserable picture it paints ! It is interesting watching such familiar scenes though... all filmed very locally....a bit like Last tango in Halifax, without the feel good factor. ( They are written by the same woman...as well as both starring Sarah Lancashire... who, will forever be Raquel from Corrie to me !
      Hope Mytholmroyd was good....

      Delete
  10. Sounds a great trip - Your family are amazingly well travelled.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It does sound as if they get around doesn't it ! My sister in law and her husband retired last year and are determined to see as much as possible....and I think their children caught the travel bug at the same time.

      Delete
  11. Lovely to be back with you in Caunes Janice.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Maria... hope all is well with you both. Jx

      Delete
  12. Sounds like an awesome trip.....nice to meet up with Family and they sure are a well travelled Family. I love listening to stories about other people's travels......Your place sounds wonderful in France and how lucky you are to travel just by car and see the country.
    My daughter might be going to Brighton to school for 2 years so I'm excited that when I visit I can travel some.....but extremely sad that she's so far from Toronto. :-(
    Enjoy your time and will wait to read your posts on your Caunes adventures.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Brighton is a very interesting town Erica.... I'm sure your daughter would find it fascinating...and close to London of course.

      Delete
  13. All tucked into Caunes now, Janice, you will surely settle into your routine there soon. Well, actually, it sounds like you already have. What a wonderful feeling it must be to feel right at home so quickly. I've enjoyed reading about your journey, all the photos (especially of the grands) and, oh my, how deliciously lovely your house and gardens look.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. yes.... the mild winter here, with plenty of rain, and now plenty of sunshine means everything is going crazy..... fabulous growth... plants....and weeds ! Its going to be fun playing with the garden this year.

      Delete
  14. Hello Janice,

    What a wonderful way to travel with so many delightful diversions on the way. Yes, a long time but when one is not in a desperate hurry it is so good to take time and potter along at a relaxed pace.

    It is funny how you say that when one is in one place one is sad to leave and then it happens all over again when one leaves the other place. We can so totally identify with this. Perhaps it is just that one is happy wherever is home and that is how it should be.

    And, you are already settled in. The months ahead will be so good. Time to recharge and live life in a different way. That is so refreshing we find!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. For me, coming to terms with "home" being in 2 places was what made me love our current way of life so much. If I was just visiting either place, I would not feel content. Travelling and visiting are wonderful, but I have discovered that for me to feel happy and content, I need to be quite settled and feel some roots...however shallow. Thanks for your comment J& L.

      Delete