Tuesday, June 26, 2007

Memories from France: The house

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We picked up our hire cars from Bordeaux airport on Saturday each family was given (by mil) an Irish flag sticker to stick on the car to recognise it amongst all the other hire cars. Tim and Kathryn went off to a baby shop as there had been a mix up over their car seats and they had to go and buy some. The other three cars headed off to Sarlat. We left first with Joules driving and me navigating using a map and the psp. We exited the airport drove around a roundabout twice then entered the airport because the road the psp said I needed was not signposted. A quick argument look at the map and we were on our way circling Bordeaux on the ring road and life was just peachy.

Then the exit we wanted to take was closed off and we found ourselves on the road heading for Paris. Paris was no where near where we wanted to be heading so we took the next exit, I abandoned the psp and using all the skills I learnt in the Girl Guides I navigated us cross country (a very scenic route) and back onto the motorway we wanted.

Life was great, I could sit back and relax and was just nodding off when we approached the toll. We knew there were tolls and had some change ready but could see no booth to pay at so pulled into an automated machine. There was no sign we could recognise telling us how much to pay or even a slot for money, what should we do? Joules reversed out to try another lane. Luckily for us another car pulled up so we followed it to see what to do. They were ticket booths, we collected our ticket which then allowed us to pay at the next toll.

At the next toll we caught up with mil, fil and sil and we all stopped for lunch before leaving the motorway and travelling through the prettiest of villages on our way to our destination. At last we arrived and the view was breathtaking, chateaux, woods, hills and fields from our balcony as well as a large swimming pool and all bedrooms en suite. The main house was full of character (but the internal floors and walls were very thin) with a good, well stocked (30 wine glasses) kitchen and large sitting room. The other two houses were fine for sleeping in but a bit dark and drab so everyone lived in the downstairs of the main house and we ate our dinners on the balcony looking out at the wonderful view. We could shut the door to the courtyard making the house safe for the younger cousins but it was a bit of a hike to the pool which meant that our children couldn't go up there unless there was an adult available there to watch.

All of the pictures above were taken in and around our house which came with a lot of land including some woods.

33 comments:

Yvonne said...

Wow, well worth the painful journey then! So jealous...

Sabrina said...

Oh, I'm just catching up and it all sounds SO wonderful. Except the swimsuit breast thing. I would totally sue for a free vacation after that episode. Can't wait to hear more!

Anonymous said...

Also jealous!
Glad you had a good time (how could you not, except for the swimsuit, a minor problem?)

Sam said...

I don't know where I got it inot my head that you woud be close to the beach?

Looks great beccy - with that tennis court bet mum iis jealous she couldnt have been there with you

ChrisB said...

I will not make any comment about Jooles and his toy!!!!

Amy W said...

I like the vacation stories as well. And the pictures...

Julie said...

Looks like you had a lovely spot to vacation!

Anonymous said...

Great holiday! Nice pictures.

Anonymous said...

Oh Beccy! It looks absolutely wonderful!!!!!

Anonymous said...

The pictures are wonderful!

frannie said...

I love hearing about your trip! it sounds like a dream vacation!!

Anonymous said...

enidd loves your pictures, beccy. and she's missing france a bit, now.

my4kids said...

Love the pictures Beccy and that baby is so cute! I see she is still in the cast although they were nice enough to not have it all the way down her legs.
I would love to go on a vacation somewhere like that although I don't know if I would want to go with one of our families. We would all be ready to kill each other by the first week!

Anonymous said...

How fun! I'm jealous. Those are some lovely pictures!

Unknown said...

Lovely place, lovely weather, lovely pics.............sigh.

Sam said...

Beccy - what on earth has happened to mum? She has a new bravado. I, too, smirked inwardly when I noticed Jools and his toy but thought I was too well brought up to make mention of it publicly on your blog.

Steffi said...

Wonderful pictures of your holidays in France again!I love it!

laurie said...

great stories. i laughed out loud about leaving the airport and immediately going back to the airport. that kind of thing sounds so familiar.

Anonymous said...

Beautiful views you had! Okay - those stairs looked quite dangerous.

and that baby - adorable. I want to kiss her little cheeks.

M@ said...

Sounds like a great trip.

la bellina mammina said...

wow! Am soooooooooo jealous!! ;-)

Emma in Canada said...

It's breathtakingly gorgeous Beccy!

Pamela said...

beautiful indeed. Hey -- that one picture of the your old man (?) in the pool is quite funny.

Does he know you have him posing with that thing between his legs?

Brooke - Little Miss Moi said...

Dear beccy. the photos look absolutely amazing - how wonderful to be with lots of family in a fun house in a foreign country (that makes wine ahhhh) for three whole weeks.

headless chicken said...

I am sooo jealous...It looks so beautiful!!! What a great holiday. Our holiday this summer will be all of us in one very big tent in Cornwall!!!

FH said...

Beautiful! I need to come back and check it out,still on vacation!:D

Anonymous said...

beatiful!!! sounds wonderful.

Jodi said...

I love the picture of the stairs curving down into the woods... beautiful!

sallywrites said...

Looks lovely Beccy! Sounds like you had a great time. Have the kids finished for the summer, or did they take a break from school? Did your head/s mind?
The pictures are lovely!

Anonymous said...

Gorgeous photos, Beccy!
Looks like you all had a fun vacation.

Anonymous said...

Love, love, love your collages. Just now getting around to visiting your Fun Monday post. Wow ! You even painted them green to match Fun Monday. Thanks for playing the game. I will post my flap jacks soon. Company just left and more is on the way. Whew! Leaves very little time to blog.

Anonymous said...

*Gasp* How lovely!
But where's the kitchen with the 30 wine glasses?

Beckie said...

That looks fantastic!

I love the story too.