Vive La France

Our first night in France I woke in the middle of the night to a big rain storm - a summery night, a breeze with the storm, I was in a room with huge ceilings, big shuttered windows and had absolutely no idea where I was! Was it Australia? Was it Sweden? (It certainly wasn't Iceland any more). Eventually it dawned on me that we were staying chez Baptiste & Fany in their new home (which is in fact an old and very grand home) in Jargeau. The house is great - Love it - and there is so much they can do with it too. We're looking forward to the changes they make as they make it their own, (it has 4 levels!!)

It may look small - but inside it's definitely not.

Baptiste, Marie-Françoise, Sacha & Sylvain in

Sacha's room! The perfect room for a child (or anyone really)

Here we've been catching up with family - eating loads of French delicacies, and occasionally swimming. Unlike the Icelanders, The French are TERRIIIIBLE with their lane etiquette. Firstly they don't use lanes most of the time, and this has resulted in at least one French woman being almost concussed by me at speed in the pool as she meandered out of a straight line. And a few near collisions with a man swimming with his glasses on, but obviously for no good reason. I could go on - but I will save that for another time.

The Goumand Estate... an escape from the everyday.

Our nephew Sacha has grown even more and today took his first few very tenuous steps on his own (I have photos! - Ed. see below) I expect independent walking within the week. I've been taking it easy back here in France - it's like home away from home, and I tend to do less photography and general traveling stuff.


Tomorrow we start our journey home. I'm normally looking forward to it by this time away - but I'd be quite happy to continue.