This shows some of the pictures from our summer holidays in France.
Andy, Guy, Jasmine and Hugo went to the Manoir de la Bourzaie for our summer holidays to see Grandpa (Monsieur Paul). The pixie door was still there, but even though we knocked and rang the bell, no one answered.
It's as finished as it's ever going to be !
We went off to the beach with buckets, spades and fishing nets. The only thing caught in the nets were some dead crabs. Lots of sandcastles were built and then trampled on.
We went to Vannes to see some of the jazz festival and catch the market.
Pictures 1 | 2 | Harbour | Quayside
Unfortunately someone didn't get a braid in her hair as the braiders ar the market were all closing up.
Jasmine is writing butterfly descriptions at the moment
The boules championship was played out one evening. The early favourite, Guy, didn't live upto expectations - almost knocking over the rest of the fallen down wall. Jasmine showed some promise with an interesting technique. Hugo was a revelation winning quite a few ends (he did some more practising later in the week).
The eventual winner was here.
Hugo and Daddy went off to La Ferme du Monde while Guy and Jaz did something else.
We had a ride around on a train for around 30 minutes to see the whole farm. Hugo had the camera so he took a selection of legs, shoes, fingers and empty enclosures. Plus quite a few signs ! There were quite a lot of animals interested in what was in the train.
There was a childrens farm section which had lots of animals to feed and stroke. Hugo liked the goats the best and even managed to feed one. The fat Vietnamese pig was woken up by the French kids and chased across the field while they slapped its sides, shouting 'Allez !, Allez !'.
The forest of Paimpont covers 27 square miles. Here is Broceliande, which exists in our dreams, but not on any official map. Meet there Morgan, Vivien le Fey, Lancelot, Merlin the Magician, King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. Red schist, granit and quartz, the rock is here over six hundred million years old. Crests of the Valley of No Return, deep woodland or moor, rivers or still waters, the landscape is grandiose.
Merlin, the child of a demon and a mortal woman, inherited his father's power which he used to help King Arthur in his search of the Holy Grail. One day, on his way through the forest of Broceliande, he met Vivien near Barenton. They loved each other. Once she had learnt all his secrets, she kept him prisoner for eternity in a cage of thin air. Vivien le Fey still lives in the deep waters of Comper ; the name of Morgan (who held her lovers prisoners for ever in the depths of the valley) is closely linked to the Valley of No Return at the bottom of which lies the Fairies Looking-Glass. In September 1990, a disastrous fire burnt the Valley of No Return during five days. François Davin's symbolic Golden Tree was created in August 1991 : a gilt chestnut surrounded by five black trees are protected from close approach by a circle of sharp stones.
http://www.francerama.com/en/escapades/broceliande/photo_g_bro7.htm
A previous visit to see the Arbor D'Or was very unsuccessful. This one almost went the same way, due to lack of signs. Guy wishes to point out that you can see the paint flaking off the tree.
We went off to see the font of eternal youth or the Font de Barenton. There was a guided tour there just before us, so we got to listen to the very passionate story of the font - something to do with King Arthur and his Knights fighting the devil in Hell. The water was very clear and cold. Every couple of minutes there were lots of bubbles came up from underground.
One of King Arthur's Knights reawakened - Sir Hugo.
Jasmine and Hugo slept in the car while Guy and Daddy explored Allee Couvert. There wasn't that much too it really, just a lot of rather latge stones. We got lots of huge pine cones from here.
Hugo and Jasmine practised their tennis skills.
Pictures Boing | Boing | Bang !
While Guy did some hard physical exercise.
On a very hot afternoon we went to see the standing stones at Monteneuf and lie under the shade of the trees. There were lots of lizards basking on the flat stones and even climbing to the top of the standing stones to sub bathe.
We went to Josselin in the morning and then later on in the evening. Hugo thought that there was a dragon in the river, so was very quiet and ran around with his sword.
We went to see what Peter Andre had to do with this small town but couldn't find anything. Jasmine was very disappointed. So instead we sat by the side of the canal watching boats go by and people fishing, before going off for a Pardon.
There was lots of wild animals to see in France. Particular highlights were a coypu, a toad and a mouse, carp and cows. There were glow worms and lots of flies, but they didn't have their pictures taken. We went to the Ile des Pies to see kingfishers - Daddy saw two blue things flying away but didn't see them again.
We went to listen to music in Malestroit one night, then went back to see it in the daylight. It was so hot that a Frenchman stripped down to his undies and jumped into the canal for a swim.
What is it with boys and fires ?
Pictures 1 | 2 | 3 | Lord of the Fire | Jasmine watches on
After a very long queue we got to see the tapestry. But it was well worth it. Hugo now pretends to be King Harold instead of King Arthur. You can't take pictures inside so have a look on the Internet for pictures.
Otherwise this is the outside of the building where it lives.
The Channel was very foggy on the way back, so the foghorn went off every five minutes. Someone asked the crew if they could turn the foghorn down as his children were trying to sleep !
