Bonjour and a great big bienvenue to all new subscribers – it’s great to meet you.
I missed chatting to you last week but, I was gadding about in Bordeaux, Saint Emilion and then Le Mans – and what a surprise that was! I’ve always known it for the 24 hour Le Mans (who can forget watching Steve McQueen in that classic film – perfect for rainy Sunday afternoon viewing), but what I didn’t know was that it has the most beautiful old centre and a whole lot more to love. Bordeaux was sun-baked (I don’t believe the sun ever goes in here) and Saint Emilion was gorgeous and hilly, though I made light work of the famous central hill by doing a wine tasting first, I shimmied up there like a young mountain goat I can tell you. I went down it more like a tortoise, clinging to the hand railing and praying that I didn’t fall. “It’s like the hill of death” I told my friend from the tourist office, “You’re not allowed to say that when you write about it” she said as we both heaved a sigh as we got to the bottom! You can’t not do it though, it’s a tradition (just don’t wear high heels as I saw one lady do, teetering up and down hanging on to her friends and sliding about on those ancient cobbles).
Back home, the two mystery ducklings have grown huge and they are now eating out of my hands and pecking at my boots. They squeeze through the holes in the fence to come and meet me every morning squeaking excitedly when I open the door and call out “Soleil, Cher” (“Sunny and Cher [darling]”). Though I didn’t really want more birds after the “affair of the 52 ducklings” last summer, I love these two little rascals to bits!
Meanwhile, our new Mayor is continuing with his programme to make our tiny village better for all who live here. He’s having a little football pitch built for the kids on the village green. All this week there have been diggers and machinery pounding away, making my poor little pigsty office shake. Walking the dogs yesterday, Jean-Claude was hanging over his fence staring intently at the workmen, “Stade de France” (the national football stadium in Paris) he said, nodding gravely at them as we went by.
Whatever you have planned, wherever you are, I wish you a bon weekend,
Bisous from France,
Janine
Editor
ps Top photo Saint Emilion last week, basking in the sunshine – and if you love photos of France, you’ll find me posting every day on Facebook and Instagram
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