FRANCE AFTER THREE WEEKS

We took a trip to Port Louis for our first time, with Gail. It's just across the estuary from Lorient. Port Louis was the home of the "East India Company" which traded with the Orient in the 16th Century.

There is a beach against the old city walls and the locals are out taking advantage of the perfect spring weather.

Note the old changing sheds along the wall - 110 of them! Not used much today I wouldn't think.

Back to the house for another stint at rendering the bedroom wall in what was once the roof space.

POUL - FETAN (The pool of the spring)

We met a French couple Gerrard and Muriel at a Paella function in Guemene. They invited us out for a day and took us to this restored village about 40km away. It has been very well done and re-enactments were taking place.

Grinding of plants (Don't know what for). Watch out kids! It looks lethal to me. The horse was going round and round attached to a big harness which is directly linked to the grinding mechanism.

Then the kids were given a go without the horse.

The wash pool where the women were doing a wash and spreading gossip at the same time much to the amusement of the crowd.

Cathy and Gerrard studying old photo.

Apex now fully rendered. Our old neighbour Norbert told us the stone jutting out was to rest your cider tankard on. So we have followed custom.

Very interesting I'm sure! This is a picture up a chimney which has just been brushed. We are getting ready to install a wood burning stove in case any hardy souls fancy coming here in the winter! Actually we could have used it for quite a few days this visit as it was down around 14 deg C.

A view up the Northern side of the back house. It has been necessary this trip to remove more of the cliff to allow person access for drainage. The wall was not in a good state when we bought the house as the trench was backfilled with crushed material up to the threshhold of the door seen at the top. The material had turned into soil and retained moisture so the wall was green with mould on the inside.

THE MAYOR

Cathy waylays the Mayor, Christian Perron, and the local newspaper photographer, our friend Patrick Zappa. She saw them dissapear into our garden. Apparently there are plans afoot to upgrade our end of town. We are guardians of a 16th century wall in the garden.