For anybody that ever wants to escape to France for a weekend and revel in the real heart and soul of the country, this is the village to do it. Somehow my mates and I stumbled across this little gem on our Easter break, and…Read More

For anybody that ever wants to escape to France for a weekend and revel in the real heart and soul of the country, this is the village to do it. Somehow my mates and I stumbled across this little gem on our Easter break, and loved every moment that we were in it and wished that we had stayed for an eternity. Imaging driving all day to randomly call off the motorway to find some sunset shots and be met by a village abuzz with the Easter spirit. Cafe's with Alfresco dining... its what dreams are made of, and I'm sure at the time, we all thought that we were imagining it. The french sitting back, relaxed chatting away oblivious to the our camera's clicking in the background and the flashes lighting the sky... if only we had found it earlier in the day. The excited cries of children as Mum says "yes" to going on the merry-go-round, lit up and sparkling in the settling sun... ah what a place to find.. Close

Ok... Easter 2006 set to be a memory that will last forever in my mind. Three mates and I decided to hire a car from London and drive the unlimited kms to Le Croisic, France. Arrived to collect car to realise that ah…Read More

Ok... Easter 2006 set to be a memory that will last forever in my mind. Three mates and I decided to hire a car from London and drive the unlimited kms to Le Croisic, France. Arrived to collect car to realise that ah maybe you need to book a crossing pass in advance, for the Ferry or Eurotunnel; this was the first of our forward planning mistakes. We were delayed for 2 hours at the Folkstone Terminal waiting for our train passage under the English Channel. Hitting the French motorways behind schedule, but still laughed at our earlier antics as we passed through numerous beautiful little villages and some amazing big cities, winding our way into the night, and eventually arriving at our destination for a well-earned rest at 1am Saturday morning. Morning arose and brought with it the beauty of finding a little sea-side village abuzz with villagers going about their daily business and enjoying the Easter break. Little yatch's moored in the harbour created perfect photo opportunities, and the language barrier between English and French proved to be the challenge that I would face over the next 3 days, like staring a farm yard ram in the face. A windy trip further along the roads in search of some of France's finest vineyards brought us deep into the vineyard country, with their little plots of gold shimmering in the sunshine, only to miss opening times of the tasting wineries by half an hour, though all forgotten with the ever photogenic French countryside always happy to smile right back at you. Easter Sunday brought about the Bunny as we stepped outside to see out hire car covered inside and out with Easter eggs... anything to realise that the travel group that you now call family is truly that! Back on the road again, exploring our way up the coast towards Vannes and Lorient, and diverting across the back roads on our way back to Rennes in search of a little chalet, hidden away by the vast surrounding farmland, and somehow finding ourselves in the backyard of a farmhouse, ponies, carriages and all, a friendly wave from the host, a smirk knowing that we were lost. But the travel all worth it... a chalet on a pond, just waiting for the princess to appear from within, to give us a simple wave... ahh, stuck in a fairly tale... almost a dream. Traveling further up the coast... along the beaches of Normandy... round the castle of Cruelly, and into the depths of the Fountaine de Henry township, to the top of the hill to find the gem of our trip, the Chateau Fountaine de Henry; an amazing building, again hidden of the motorways and well worth a visit. Again forward planning would be a bonus. Missed opening time by 1/4 hour and rubbed into our faces by the family driving their remote control car right up to the gates to us, and turning it in the dust back to them. Oh well, memories are made of this. Coasting again along the motorway, journal writing, sun setting, a diversion to a little town to get some sunset shots... Honfleur....oh my god.. if there is ever a town that you must see, go off the beaten track to this little gem. Al fresco dining, amazing atmosphere, with the well-lit mini merry-go-round setting the scene from the boat harbour across to the river in spectacular fashion. Ah, it's amazing what you see when you lease expect it. It's as if nothing else could add to our "impromptu" trip of a life time. Sleep called at about 3am, and being Easter with no accommodation, the comfiest that we got was the car with sleeping bags. Alas, the early morning rise the next day saw us on the edge of Lille and experiencing the changes of scenery and city life. On the road again and back to Calais... espresso coffee in an Irish pub... eyes awake in preparation for the ferry crossing home... driving the city filling in time, again the most amazing architecture that you could see. We somehow managed to find a huge red brick building in the middle of town, just like a dolls house, with hundreds of windows out overlooking the town... beautiful flowers adorning the base. Boarded the ferry for our crossing, now we have been above and below the water line. There was amazing scenery as we pulled into Dover harbour at the white cliffs, and this time the UK smiled back at me as the camera clicked away. Well now I'm home, it seems almost like a life time ago... oh so quickly you settle back to work... but those memories of two and a half thousand miles are with me forever.Close