Back Home with Baby

Mathis and I will be back in the states from the 29th Sept to the 20th Oct. We look forward to seeing friends and family. Do get in touch if you are available to meet up during this period.

Sam's Summer Spectacular

Saturday 29 August - Its that time of year again for Sam and Jez's summer party. With Mathis we weren't able to be as involved in the party as last year but we certainly had a good time. There was an obscene amount of food, Sam's mother made enough chicken wings for thirty people (which was fine since we got to take a load home with us). We had lots of laughs and a really lovely time despite some less than summery weather.

The food at the Market

Sunday 18 August - On our last day in France we knew exactly where we wanted to be, the market in Geurande. We got there early before many of the city shops had even opened. We thoroughly perused the market, picked up some treats like oysters and sausages for lunch and bought some lovely old-fashioned wooden toys for Mathis before heading back to La Baule to have lunch with Jean-Louis and then enjoy the beach.

The Chateau in Saumur

Wednesday 15 August - The day after the "do" we had breakfast at the hotel before heading out. We decided to visit the chateau at Saumur which was much larger and more impressive than the one we stayed in. From there we drove along the Loire to enjoy the chateau and sites of the valley before heading back the La Baule.

A Night in the Castle

Tuesday 14 August - One of the main reasons for taking our holiday at this time was to be part of a large reunion of the people involved with Jean-Louis's student exchange to England. The "do" took place near Saumur in a picturesque Chateau. Ian, Mathis and I stayed in the main castley bit but there were also rooms in more modern buildings as well as in some wooden caravans. There were drinks and dinner and lots of chatting which we enjoyed as much as possible while keeping Mathis quiet and entertained. Luckily there was a nice grassy area and a duck pond which made an excellent walk to push the stroller around. Our room had a window which opened onto the courtyard so we had a lovely view of the gardens and we could hear the babbling of the brook that passed under the chateau.

The Promenade at Le Pouligen

We made time to visit Le Pouligen not only for its market but also to visit the promenade. One of my favorite things to do when we are in La Baule is to walk from one end of the Promenade all the way out to the jetty and back. I love all the little shops and food vendors along the promenade. Walking along the port we always check out all the boats and look for fish. We visited the Promenade twice. Once for a stroll and a preliminary check of the shops, the second time to get some ice cream and make some purchases.

Fun at the Beach

When we got to the beach after what seemed like ages getting all our things together and getting Mathis ready for the beach, we found and amazing sand sculpture being created right in front of us. Mathis tolerated the beach and taking his picture taken for a little while but then he got a bit fussy and we were overtaken by a rain storm and had to run back to the studio with the push chair and an inflatable raft.

Family in France

Saturday 11 August - We took Mathis on his first plane ride for our summer holiday in France. We flew from Bristol to La Rochelle where we got a rental car and drove 3 hours to La Baule. We got in quite late and so did not see anyone until the next morning. The Following morning we met up with Marty, Jean-Louis, Katie and Alexa at the maisonette. Alexa made this lovely "garden" for her nana in the sand dune.

Up Up and Away

Thursday 9 and Friday 10 August - We actually made it to see some balloons at the Fiesta this year. The weather was surprisingly accommodating considering this has been the wettest summer in England for the past 100 years. On Thursday we rushed up to see the balloons from the park above the suspension bridge. The Balloons were already in the air when we arrived, however there were not that many and they stayed low and were not easy to see. The following evening we were better prepared. We packed a picnic lunch and stretched out on the grass to watch the balloons. There was a much better showing this evening and the balloons hung over the bridge for a long while.