Running a Gite in Brittany

Non stop gardening

Saint Ignace de Loyola

Only one gite to change this week, so it gave me a bit of etra time in the garden. As it was so hot, 29°C, I cleared a load of waist high weeds and brambles from the old bread oven and the wooded area down by the stream. It's nice and cool down there. It made a huge improvement, really lightening up and opening out the whole area.

Once the day had cooled a little, it was back on the mower. I mowed the play field yesterday, but it left far too many grass clippings and looked a little messy, so with much aggravation I fitted the grass collecting bins and ran over it again. I wish the mower manufacturers made it a little easier to add and remove the grass collecting paraphanallia.

Big gardens are alot of work. Now I know why the owners of old country estates used to employ teams of gardeners.

|   11:43:31 AM   Non stop gardening   

Beach day

Saint Juliette

Roadside picnic, beach, surfing, landrover, high tide

|   11:15:09 PM   Beach day   

The happy couple

Saint Marthe

Met up with an old friend and Caroline's ex-landlord from many years ago in Reading. Keith (owner of Tiger Computing and The Linux Consultancy) worked at Digital (then Compaq and now HP) at the same time as Caroline and myself. Keith married Cecilia last Saturday and we picked them up from Dinard Airport (Hugh loved G-JOEY the Aurigny aircraft with the faced painted on the front) during their honeymoon for a quick tour of St Malo, Les Champs Geraux and our House and a very pleasant BBQ. Congratulations and good luck for the future.

|   9:57:24 PM   The happy couple   

Couverture & Charpentes

Saint Samson

The roofing man came round today to give us a devi for the lucarne roofs and the kitchen on the new gites. The only problem being he only does roofs, so we then had to find a carpenter to build the rafters and other bits for him to tile. He said he would give us a devi based on the plans. Considering everyone seems to take all of August off as holiday here, we have been quite lucky to find anyone.

|   10:10:43 PM   Couverture & Charpentes   

Gite renovation to start in October

Saint Nathalie

This morning I finished sanding down the front door of the house and shutters for the windows downstairs. Caroline's has been chasing after me painting each item as I rub it down. Hopefully that is the last of the windows and doors for this year. There are still more to do, but if we just do one gite, or the house each year, we will rotate round. A bit like painting the forth bridge, by the time you finish, it's time to start again.

We had a meeting with the builders yesterday regarding the renovation and conversion of the barn into two new gites. Because of the high price of the work and the withdrawl of most of the grants, I'm am going to do a large proportion of the internal works to save money. The builder wasn't that happy, but c'est la vie. We signed the devi for the major works and he will be starting at the beginning of October 2004, once we are empty. The costs for renovation are much greater than building new. For the money we are going to spend we could just about buy two plots of land and build two new houses. Renovation is expensive. especially when you retain period features (such as exposed stone work and beams).

|   11:18:24 PM   Gite renovation to start in October   

Scythe and sword

Saints Anne, Joachim

To save time on the mowing we decided to leave a couple of areas and let the grass grow long. The goats field and the area around the old bread oven down by the stream. With hindsight this was most probably a mistake. We now have waist high grass, too long for the mower and using a strimmer is hard work because you are always cutting grass you have already cut. So, with my medieval hat on I went and bought a scythe today to try out. It's not easy, but with a bit more practise and technique it should prove useful. The one good side effect is that we now should have a supply of hay for the goat in the winter.

After the yesterdays medieval fete Hugh just had to have a sword. A bit of plywood, a bandsaw and a sander, and a few minutes later, one very happy four year old.

|   9:24:56 PM   Scythe and sword   

Fete des Remparts

Saint Nathalie

Fete des Remparts. Brilliant, involving, friendly, intimate, the best festival I've been to for years. Most of the center of Dinan was closed off and had straw thrown down on the streets, a huge medieval market and four different 'worlds' showing different viewpoints, with the big attraction of jousting.

The whole medieval pageant is set in and around the castle and the walled city of Dinan giving it a real authentic flavour. One of the most refreshing things was the lack of political correctness and nanny state health and safety regulations. If you slipped in donkey muck, or walked into a camp fire with a pot of boilng soup on it, tough luck. I think this alone made it such an involving festival, you really got the feel of 'The Olden Days'.

Dressage and falconery display. The horsemanship was superb and much of the falconery was performed from horseback with the birds flying over the crowds and onto the surrounding castle walls.

Click on the thumbnails for larger images (about 20K)

Part of an medieval encampment, with various trades displayed, such as butchery, calligraphy, cooking, etc.

Click on the thumbnails for larger images (about 20K)

Part of the 'weapons world' was a great sword and hatchet battle, displays of various weapons and the opportunity to have a go.

Click on the thumbnails for larger images (about 20K)

Jousting Tournament. The big spectacular. More of a staged show than the rest, but fantastic. Displays of skill with the lance and sword then a face to face jousting battle with lances breaking and finally the 'good guy (in blue)' facing off to the 'bad guy (in black)'.

Click on the thumbnails for larger images (about 20K)

|   9:18:33 PM   Fete des Remparts   

Clog sabotage

Saint Christine

Hot and sunny all day today, farmers out harvesting again, and more mowing and strimming for us. Only two gites to changeover this Saturday, so we had a little extra time.

First day of the Fete des Remparts in Dinan today, and the reports back rate the event as excellent. We are all going tomorrow and have tickets for the jousting. Looking forward to it.

One of the guests staying in our gites told me the etymology of the word sabotage today. The French word for clogs is sabot and the people who threw their clogs into the machines were then called saboteurs. Looking up saboteur in a French/English dictionary also refers to botcher as an alternative to saboteur but in relation to work.

|   9:10:31 PM   Clog sabotage   

Chateau Le Guildo

Saint Marie-Madeleine

We had a very pleasant day out with a picnic a trip to Chateau Le Guildo and then a short walk along the GR34 coastal path. Just a short trek from the castle along the GR34 following the red and white stripes on the trees we found a deserted sandy beach for the kids to play on. A nice relaxing day out.

A strategic geographical position

Le Guildo Castle is situated on a rocky outcrop surrounded on the north-east side by the Arguenon river and a swampy valley where a brook flows on the east side. The castle stands about twenty metres above the estuary of the river, where a harbour is mentioned since the 13^th century. A ford, situated near the present bridge enables one to cross the river at low tide. The castle, built on an easily defendable site, controlled both the trade on the Arguenon river, navigable at high tide up to Plancoët and a stretch of land, between the estuary of the Rance river and the Penthievre coast.

The origin of the caste is unknown. Le Guildo seigniory appeared very late in the Middle Ages, around 1300. It was bound to the family of Dinan-Montafilant. Today, very little sanding masonry remain from the first fortifications. The general form given to the rock when this castle was built can still be seen in spite of numerous transformations.

An eventful history

At the end of the 14^th century, the castle belonged to Charles de Dinan, a powerful Lord allied with the Duke Jean IV who was fighting against the Penthievre. A large proportion of the building seen today dates from this period. You enter by a drawbridge and portcullis flanked by two towers forming a gate house. A large main building including a great hall, kitchen and private apartments is located on the North side of the castle. The other out buildings are placed around the courtyard or ward.

In the middle of the 15^th century, Guildo Castle was at it's peak. It belonged to Françoise de Dinan, married to Gilles de Bretagne, brother of François I, the Duke of Brittany.

At the end of the 15^th century, it decline began. An open clash broke out between France and Brittany. Le Guildo castle was taken by the royal armies and burnt down in 1488/1489. When Françoise died in 1499, the Dinan family had no more descendants and the castle was left to deteriorate.

Besieged several times during the religious wars at the end of the 16^th century, the castle fell completely into ruins. In the beginning of the 17^th century, repairs were made but the castle was yet again abandoned in the middle of the 18^th century. The ruined builds were used as a quarry and the courtyard used for agriculture until the Conseil Général des Côtes d'Armor acquired the site in 1981.

|   10:37:51 PM   Chateau Le Guildo   

Cute black velvety moles

We have had a bout of showers of the last two weeks and the moles must have multiplied 10 fold. There are mole hills everywhere, I reckon about 50 hills scattered around. In the past I have just scattered the tops of the hills so as not to kill the grass, but now they are getting to be a real pest and damaging the lawns and flower beds. To my untrained pest control eye, I think there must be about 5 colonies, each occupying their own area. One of the guests staying in the gites is helping with the mole hunt by mapping out the hills and then guessing where the tunnels run. I've lent him a spade and he is often out there just standing, waiting, spade poised. No luck as yet.

This afternoon I dug down between two active mole hills and located the tunnel and placed a trap (one I bought in England and never used) in the run. Fingers crosssed. I have had limited success with gassing and poison worms so I hope I have more luck with the trap. Mike, (our guest), is determined to catch one mano-a-mano.

|   7:38:58 PM   Cute black velvety moles   

Two ducklings

Saint Marina

Both ducklings alive and well. One is mostly black with some yellow stripes, and the other mostly yellow with some black. They have both been sitting on Lucy's back.

Caroline is the only person allowed near Lucy. She can handle the ducklings, but anyone else gets hissed at and generally warned off.

Glorious weather today, so we all went into Cancale for lunch down at the port by the oyster beds. Suprise, suprise, but all the resturants served Oysters, lobsters, mussels and specialised in seafood. If you like seafood, I would recommend it, as there is lots of choice.

Afterwards we all went to the beach with me still reading The No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith. I've only read a few chapters, but it seems to be OK so far.

|   8:06:28 PM   Two ducklings   

New swing for the gite play area

Caroline and I installed the new swing today. A huge improvement over the old swing, which is now on it's way to the recycling depot. The kids like the twin face-to-face swing the best.

This afternoon I have been catching up on the mowing. The weather has been very showery recently and today was the first real dry day suitable for the mower. The warm, damp weather is great growing weather for the local farmers, but an extra headache for me, as there are too many grass clippings to be left without collecting.

Caroline got the short straw as she has been stuck with the accounts and a reluctant French accounting package to try and do our TVA (VAT) return. Error messages and telephone support lines are very, very difficult in another language.

|   7:25:52 PM   New swing for the gite play area   

We are a mother

Saint Arsène

Lucy the goose has been diligently sat on some duck eggs for the last 35 days, and this morning they hatched. Caroline went to feed the chickens and one of the ducklings was already out and still wet, with another pecking away from inside the shell. A little later and we now have two muscovy ducklings and one very proud 'parent' goose.

Caroline is very proud too.

|   2:42:26 PM   We are a mother   

Canal cycling

After our usual late Sunday lunch we went for a walk along the canal at Evran and took the children's (4 & 6) bikes. Of course you give all the warnings, 'not too close to the edge', 'not too fast', etc. Well we got away with it but Elizabeth swerved to avoid Hugh and nearly went over the edge and into the canal. A very lucky escape.

It did remind us of a story one of the gite guests recounted about their walk along the same canal. They witnessed a young girl (about 10 or 11) cycling along the towpath when splash, she cycled straight into the canal. Bike and girl underwater and once rescued, absolutely covered in mud.

|   10:57:03 PM   Canal cycling   

Fete de Megalithes

Saint Charlotte

Festival of the megaliths today.

A demonstration of raising an ancient stone, a.la. Stonehenge, but on a slightly smaller scale in Pleslin-Trigavou.

Excellent Breton country fair with loads to do for the children (arts, crafts, face painting, horse rides), along with Breton dancing, an evening repas and Grand Fest Noz.

We really enjoyed it but I think Elizabeths pillow might be a bit of a funny colour in the morning once the face paint has rubbed off.

|   8:46:15 PM   Fete de Megalithes   

Swings and bales

N.-D. du Mont-Carmel

We had a nice family day at the beach in Saint Columbe today with a picnic. Misty at the start of the day but it burnt off after lunchtime and turned out to be a really pleasent afternoon. However, the gites don't run themselves, so on the way back we stopped in St Malo to buy a new children's swing for the play area. We have already got two swings, but the smaller baby swing is getting a bit tired and rusty, so we decided to replace it with a new sturdy wooden framed construction. That will be a job for next week to concrete in the posts.

Once we got back this evening the farmers were out baling the straw from yesterdays wheat harvest. Caroline said that she helped at baling time on a farm when she was younger. Back when they had square bales, not these huge round things nowadays. She did remember tho' that the baling machine was always breaking down, so maybe the round balers are preferred just for this reason.

|   9:38:29 PM   Swings and bales   

Combine gite maintenance

Saint Donald

We seem to be surrounded by combine harvesters today. After lunch two started harvesting wheat in the field at the front of the house and huge tractors and trailers racing around to collect the grain. Last week we had pretty bad weather, with rain and strong winds. Some parts of the field have been knocked flat, and are lost. Now the weather has improved I think they must be taking advantage of the dry spell. I hope this isn't a signal of more wet weather to come. The farmers do seem to be very good at finding the correct weather window to do their work, and once they start, they go at it 100%. Last year they harvested for 3 days solid from 10'o'clock in the morning (I assume after the dew has dried) to about 3'o'clock the following morning. Two hours after finishing the heavens opened and we had a thunderstorm.

Last week someone decided to use our road sign as some sort of target practice with the front of their car. It used to have two vertical posts holding the sign, but the one nearest the road got smashed off as ground level. So a little bit of sawing and screwing with the remains of the other pole produced an arm to hang the sign off with some spare hooks. An unexpected maintenance job, but an improvement I think.

The pond filter was thick with green slime. Now the sunshine has arrived it is struggling to keep the water clear.

Caroline finished painting the downstairs windows on our house. She has done a stirling job. She's already done the windows on 2 gites so far this year. It's as if she has painted three houses.

The children and Caroline went to the Maison de la Rance down in the Port de Dinan. It's a small exhibition and museum of the history of the river Rance and the surrounding area.

I'm still not fully fit, but I slowly getting back into the swing of things. The alcohol consumption is also creeping up during the evening sat on the patio with guests, so I must be making progress.

|   8:50:59 PM   Combine gite maintenance   

Bastille BBQ

Saint Camille

Today is Bastille Day and because it's a public holiday, we all went to a friends house for a BBQ. Well, why not take advantage of the sun. There was about 20 of us there, and of course the obligatory accordian player, or in this case players.

Fête Nationale Française is the day the French commemorate the storming of the Bastille on 14^th July 1789, the start of the French Revolution and the end of the monarchy.

In essence the revolution started due the huge gap between rich and poor. The country was ruled by King Louis XVI and his queen, Marie Antoinette who ignored the poor and starving masses as long as there was food on the banqueting tables. The country was nearly bankrupt and the bourgeoise had no political influence or power. Those that protested were imprisoned in the Bastille.
Marie Antoinette is reported to have said «Let them eat cake» when the peasants complained that there was no bread.

The masses banded together and stormed the Bastille prison. The storming of the prison was a symbol of liberty and the fight against the oppression of the monarchy for all French citizens.

The revolution lead to the creation of the First Republic and the tricolore of blue, red, and white. Blue and red are the colours of Paris and white is the colour of royalty.

Bastille Day was declared the French national holiday on 6^th July 1880 and in 1848 the motto "Liberty, Equality, Fraternity" was reinstated.

|   9:14:59 PM   Bastille BBQ   

Croquet

Saints Henri, Joël

Got the old oil drum BBQ out this evening for a Emily's 4th birthday party. Emily is one of the guests children so all the guests came along. Once the chldren had retired I had a really good game of croquet with Mike, Garry amd Caroline. It's a real fun tactical game, especially after a few glasses of wine.

|   11:02:32 PM   Croquet   

Gite links added

Added Gite Links with various links to gite and France related web sites.

|   1:04:11 PM   Gite links added   

Food glorious food

Saint Benoît

We have got two families staying in our gites that stayed last year, which is really nice. We all know each other, and the children played well together, so it's straight into the holiday spirit this week. I just wish I was feeling a bit better. I had to put my Sunday roast through the blender at lunchtime because I still can't eat very well. Four blobs of mushed chicken, potatoes, carrot and yorkshire pudding does not look quite as appetising.

Caroline and the children went to a school lamb roast and fireworks party last night as part of the school end of term. I dipped out cos I am feeling bad still. Caroline said there was 4 lamb roasts and loads of people. Really good event but nobody got to bed before midnight so the kids are a little 'playful' today.

It was a typical French evening, tressle tables, loads of courses, wine and a late finish. All the kids eat separately on their own tables and have their own party without bothering the adults. It was tough for us all the get the hang of it, but now we all know the form and it works really well. Children are not the centre of attention, as in some cultures.

I went to the library with the children on Friday. Caroline reads the children French and English books before bedtime. Elizabeth came up to me with a book I recognised from England called La chenille qui fait des trous, known as The very hungry caterpillar - by Eric Carle, and just sat down next to me and started reading it in French. I was gob-smacked, and very impressed. She told me they are reading it at school, so I expect alot of it was from memory, but still very impressive. So tonight we found the English version of the book. Same pictures and almost identical story, just a different title, and she read a fair bit in English. The kids are bi-lingual !!!!

I just realised that I'm always writing about food at the moment. I wonder if the tonsillectomy has anything to do with it.

Schumacher storms to Silverstone win. Michael Schumacher holds off Kimi Raikkonen to win the British Grand Prix. [BBC Sport | Motorsport | UK Edition]
Good race and Schumacher had it sewn up until the pace car, but even then he just showed how good he really is. I guess McLaren are pleased with the new car.

|   8:49:27 PM   Food glorious food   

Tour de France at Evran 2004

Saint Ulrich

Tour de France 2004

We had a frantic morning cleaning the gites and missed the start of the caravane but managed to catch the tail end. It consists of a high speed carnival float with cars and small lorries decked out as water bottles, coffee cups, watches, cleaning products, all beeping and playing music etc.. You name it, there is a mobile version of it racing down the street with the roadside packed with people. Most of them are chucking free samples of the products, advertising hats, sweets etc. out the back. It's quite a sight and goes on for about half and hour. The kids were happy as they got some free sweets and liked the silly cars.

We were situated at the end of the main street through Evran just before a 90 degree sharp turn so the caravane and the peloton slowed right down and we had a chance to see some of the riders close up. There was actually a break away group of two riders 8 minutes ahead of the peloton below. It was actually difficult to spot the two cyclists in amongst the gendarmes, TV motorbikes and course cars.

They rush past but it's over in a few seconds and they are gone.

and then comes a stream of backup and ancillary vehicles. The number of spare bikes was unbelievable.

It is quite a sight and there is a real party atmosphere. Well worth a visit.

|   9:39:05 PM   Tour de France at Evran 2004   

(Re-) Cycling fridge

Saint Amandine

Caroline and I will have to work hard to do three gite change overs and get out by 14:00 to see the Tour de France in Evran tomorrow. It passes though Calorguen (the home of Bernand Hinault) and Dinan.

We had to go out today to buy a new fridge to replace one in the gites. One of the shelves in the old one got busted, and it often ices up. It needed replacing, and fortunately we could go Friday and didn't get the bad news on a Saturday. If people tell you about breakages on their way out it does give you much time to replace or repair.

Anyway, the fridge buying route happened to coincide with the route for The Tour. We knew because of all the large fluorescent yellow arrows marking the way. So it was a bit of a blessing in disguise.

Throat is still very sore, but getting better. I'm fed up with yoghurt and ice-cream tho'.

|   11:00:51 PM   (Re-) Cycling fridge   

Permis de Construire

Saint Thibaut

The Permis De Construire arrived yesterday with go ahead for the new gites which is great news. We can now start thinking about planning the work for after September

Back from hospital still feeling a bit groggy. I finished the book Girl with a Pearl Earring and did not really enjoy it at all. I don't know why I struggled to the end; the most exciting thing that happened was when the maid moved a tablecloth without permission

Started Lovely Bones by Alice Seebold, this morning and I should be finished by tonight. A real page turner.

Caroline found this Tour de France web page that details the route via Evran, which is within 5 minutes of the gites, at about 14:00

|   6:18:40 PM   Permis de Construire   

Gone

Saint Mariette

Early start at the hospital and all over by lunchtime. The French anaesthetist had a sense of humour, just as I was going under, he said in English, Have a good trip. At least I went with a smile on my face.

I'm not smiling anymore. If the doctor says it's going to hurt, then he is right. I spent the rest of the day zonked out on morphine, with the occasional waking moment eating a yoghurt. Eight yogurts, is all I've had for a day and a half ! Urggg.

|   6:51:21 AM   Gone   

Surgical weight removal

Saint Antoine

Finished sanding all the windows at the front of the house. On one of the windows part of the window sill and some of the frame in the corner had all rotted away. I bought this 'synthetic wood' (mastic polyester pour bois), brown quick setting polyester resin, to patch it up. Good as new and much cheaper than a new window.

I'm off to hospital to have my tonsils out tomorrow morning. I should only be in a couple of nights but I taking the following books, because there is only so much French television one can watch.

• Girl with a Pearl Earring -- Tracy Chevalier, Nearly finished, and finally the pace is picking up a now the maid has got more involved in Vermer's paintings.
• Lovely Bones -- Alice Seebold, Caroline has read it and recommends it.
• Behind the Scenes at the Museum -- Kate Atkinson, No idea, recommended by one of Caroline's friends. This is my backup emergency book.

Back blogging in a couple of days.

|   9:26:43 PM   Surgical weight removal   

Chicken blues

Saint Florent

Caroline discovered why we were not getting an egg per chicken a day for a while. One of the chickens has been eating the eggs. We separated her from the other chickens for a few days as a test and voila, a full complement of eggs each day. Apparently it is due to a calcium deficiency, so we have put a bucket of sand and shells (oyster shells are best) in the run and hopefully that should sort out the problem.

Schumacher dishes out the blues.. Michael Schumacher continued his record of winning every race he has finished in 2004, and took his 60th victory in Ferrari colours, with another product of pace and strategy at Magny-Cours. [Crash.Net FORMULA ONE Newsfeed]

|   6:27:55 PM   Chicken blues   

Gite change over

Saint Thomas

Gite changeover, empty grease trap, clean pond filter, fix door hook, fix shower rail, clean, clean, clean, watch Formula One qualifying, strimming, mowing, sand window, play football, watch football, drink beer, sleep, c'est tout

Alonso grabs French pole. Fernando Alonso beats Michael Schumacher in qualifying at the French GP. [BBC Sport | Motorsport | UK Edition]

|   8:46:38 PM   Gite change over   

Smart casual

Saint Martinien

At school in Les Champs Géraux some of the classes have been painting murales on the playground walls depicting various scenes to brighten up the school. We received in Hugh's cahier the following note:

Vous invitent au vernissage de leurs peintures murales

A quick scan of the dictionary and we translated it as 'You are invited to varnish the wall paintings'. It was obviously a coummunity varnishing party for the kids murals. So I turned up in my painting clothes and everyone else was dressed normally and Monsieur Le Maire was there to inaugurate the paintings. Rechecking the dictionary showed that vernissage also means 'preview' when applied to an exhibition. The dangers of literal translation are all too obvious. Never mind we still toasted the paintings.

|   8:41:58 PM   Smart casual   

Water economy pays dividends

Saint Thierry

Caroline has been busy painting the windows again today. A lick of paint really freshens things up and makes everything look alot smarter, as well as protection from the elements.

I had an amusing episode with the mower. After each mowing session it pays to get the hose out and clean the mowing deck to remove all the clogged up grass and mud. It cuts better and does throw out 'clods' on the lawn. I normally use the hose, but this time I decided to use the water collected in rain water butts from the bath. All our bathwater is collected and used to water the plants via a pump and hose to save money.

I started the blades turning as usual and squirted the water under the deck into the blades to dislodge all the muck, but this time I got covered in soap suds. Bubbles everywhere, I'd forgotten the kids had a bubble bath a few nights ago and so the action of the blades really stirred it up. At least the mower was clean!

|   8:50:58 PM   Water economy pays dividends