Vacances en France – 2018 – Lochnagar, Australian National Memorial and Amiens


Having travelled up from Troyes to Achiete le Grand, we settled in to spend time with Gerry’s brother and family who live in France.

Living as they do in the middle of the Somme department, they are surrounded by many memorials and graveyards dedicated to the soldiers who lost their lives during the 1st World War.

Our first trip out took us to the crater formed by the Lochnagar Mine


The Lochnagar mine south of the village of La Boisselle in the Somme département was an underground explosive charge, secretly planted by the British during the First World War, ready for 1 July 1916, the first day on the Somme. The mine was dug by the Tunnelling Companies of the Royal Engineers under a German field fortification known as Schwabenhöhe (Swabian Height).
The British named the mine after Lochnagar Street, the British trench from which the gallery was driven. The charge at Lochnagar was one of 19 mines that were placed beneath the German lines on the British section of the Somme front, to assist the infantry advance at the start of the battle.
The mine was sprung at 7:28 a.m. on 1 July 1916 and left a crater 98 ft (30 m) deep and 330 ft (100 m) wide, which was captured and held by British troops. The attack on either flank was defeated by German small-arms and artillery fire, except on the extreme right flank and just south of La Boisselle, north of the Lochnagar Crater. The crater has been preserved as a memorial and a religious service is held each 1 July.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lochnagar_mine
  • We weren’t the only Brits here
  • Lochnagar Crater
  • Lochnagar Crater Memorial
  • Lochnagar Crater

Amongst the many memorialised, at the crater site, is Cecil Arthur Lewis (29 March 1898 – 27 January 1997). He was a British fighter pilot who flew in WW1, went on to be a founding executive of the BBC (British Broadcasting Company) and also enjoyed a long career as a writer.

Lieut. Cecil Arthur Lewis

From the crater we made our way over to the Australian National Memorial & Sir John Monash Centre, about 30 kilometers away, at Villers-Bretonneux.


The Australian National Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux is the main memorial to Australian military personnel killed on theWestern Front during World War 1. It is located on the Route Villiers-Bretonneux (D 23), between the towns of Fouilloy and Villers-Bretonneux, in the Somme département, France. The memorial lists 10,773 names of soldiers of the Australian Imperial Force with no known grave who were killed between 1916, when Australian forces arrived in France and Belgium, and the end of the war. The location was chosen to commemorate the role played by Australian soldiers in the Second Battle of Villers-Bretonneux (24–27 April 1918).
Designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens, the memorial consists of a tower within the Villers-Bretonneux Military Cemetery, which also includes a Cross of Sacrifice. The tower is surrounded by walls and panels on which the names of the missing dead are listed. The main inscription is in both French and English, on either side of the entrance to the tower. The memorial and cemetery are maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Villers%E2%80%93Bretonneux_Australian_National_Memorial

  • Australian National Memorial

  • Australian National Memorial

  • Australian National Memorial

  • Australian National Memorial

  • Australian National Memorial

  • Australian National Memorial

  • Australian National Memorial

Touring this site was very emotional and the Sir John Monash Centre provides huge amounts of historical information as well as an intense audio/visual experience.

These are some of the signs along the entrance way ……

And then it was time for lunch which was at the Leon de Bruxelles restaurant, Glisy. Here we had Fish and Chips and moules. Yuuumy!!

The afternoon was spent in Amiens, walking the streets and touring The Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Amiens, or simply Amiens Cathedral, a Roman Catholic church and the seat of the Bishop of Amiens.


  • Amiens

  • Amiens

  • Amiens

  • Amiens Cathedral

  • Amiens

  • Amiens

Suitably filled with history and architecture we headed back to Achiete, for cheese, meats and alcohol.

Cafe on the Dam


Took a trip out to Serpentine Dam and had lunch at the Cafe on the Dam. Here are a few of the locals who joined us for lunch ……

Australian Ringnecked Parrot
Australian Ringnecked Parrot
Australian Ringnecked Parrot
Australian Ringnecked Parrot
Splendid Fairy-wren
Australian Ringnecked Parrot

Bin Chicken / Tip Turkey


Bin Chicken / Tip Turkey / Dump Duck. These are all local names for the ubiquitous Australian White Ibis (Threskiornis molucca) 

Apparently the Bin Chicken is widespread across much of Australia. It has predominantly white plumage with a bare, black head, long down curved bill and black legs.

These birds are the subject of a “Planet Earth” documentary ….

And even their own animated series ….

Although they are seen in the wild, they have become a feature of the suburbs in WA.

The picture at the beginning of this post was taken behind the Divers Tavern, Broome.

One can only begin to imagine what kind of “bin juice” this Bin Chicken has been drinking

BBC News: IS brides: Two more mothers ‘stripped of UK citizenship’


BBC News – IS brides: Two more mothers ‘stripped of UK citizenship’
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-47512659

Shadow home secretary Diane Abbott said the child had died as a result of the “callous and inhumane” decision to strip Ms Begum of her citizenship while Tory MP and former justice minister Phillip Lee urged the government to “reflect” on its “moral responsibility” for the tragedy.

No Diane Abbott, the decision to strip Ms Begum of her citizenship is not “callous and inhumane”.

What is “callous and inhumane” is the support that women, like Ms Begum, give to terrorists.

The death of Ms Begum’s child is entirely down to her own personal life choices. The British Government does not need to “reflect” on its “moral responsibility” since these terrorist supporters have shown no moral responsibility.

I am fed up with the constant carping on about how the UK is mistreating or being unfair to wrong doers in general and terrorists and terrorist supporters in general.

As far as I am concerned these people stepped outside the law and, at that time, they relinquished all human rights, in the same way that they denied their innocent victims their human rights.

I have no sympathy for these women and they should not be allowed back into the UK.

Look What They Did – Vandalism


Look what they did to the Bell Tower in Perth. Criminal, vandalism is what I say

After
Before

When the tower was first constructed it was surrounded by park land and fountains. Was visible from all directions and from along the shore line.

This is what one travel blogger had to say …….

This is the hallmark of Australian tourism located at Barrack Square of Perth. Bell tower has high glass spires and it is the largest musical instrument in the world. Here, you can also try your hand at the art of ringing bells. The bells in this tower include original bells of St. Martin in the Fields Church, the Parish church of Buckingham Palace in London.

Read more at: https://travel.snydle.com/10-stunning-places-to-see-in-perth.html | The Gypsy’s Passport

Well not anymore. I guess developer money has spoken.

The poor old bell tower is now swamped by highrise buildings. Gone are the open spaces and fountains. Should you venture up the tower, the only real view is directly across the river. The bells are still ringing but are only audible when you are close by. The loud music from the nearby bars tends to drown out the lovely chimes.

This is nothing but commercial vandalism. Perth City should be embarrassed and ashamed.

Vacances en France – 2018 – Moulins to Troyes


Slept well in Le Clos de Bourgogne. Suitably refreshed we had a nice breakfast although it nearly became a disaster when Gerry went to crack open what she thought was a hard boiled egg. The eggs were in fact raw which is why they were sat in a basket by the egg cooker. Luckily a member of staff spotted what Gerry was about to do and interceded, just in time.

Straight after breakfast we set out for our next stop, the delightful town that is Troyes. We had stopped there before, in fact we were returning to the hotel we had stayed at previously.

The drive was event free and we soon arrived the Hotel Relais Saint Jean. Once again we checked in, had a cuppa before heading out for a walk around Troyes.

I wish I could say that everything about Troyes was as good as it had been on our previous visit. The town and our hotel were just as we remembered. Unfortunately, our evening meal was mediocre. We chose to eat in a restaurant that we had used before. Back then the meal was superb, not this time. I had opted for a burger which, according to the menu, was made from boar. It was actually pulled pork. The bun was soggy, caused by the excess liquid in the pulled pork. The menu said home made buns so I was expecting a rustic bread. What I got was a bloody brioche. So sad to say the meal was a sad end to what had been a great day.

Vacances en France – 2018 – La Calsade to Moulins


We awoke to yet another glorious, sunny morning. Needless to say, we were sad to be leaving the gite which had been our home for the last three weeks. Settled up with our host, had to pay an additional 11 euros for electricity. We had a couple of cold days during the first week and during the second week, one of the electric heaters was inadvertantly left on over night. Oh well, it could have been worse.

With our car fully loaded and one last check around the gite, we set off, leaving Badailhac and travelling up through Vic sur Cere to Le Lioran. Here we entered the tunnel. On exit the sun had gone and the temperature , according to the car, was 8 deg C. Everywhere just looked chilly and grey.

We had a trouble free journey to Moulins. The temperature slowly rose and with the sunshine reappearing the day carried on as it had started. We had made good time and checked into our hotel, Le Clos de Bourgogne, early. We had a refreshing cuppa before going for a stroll through the old town.


  • The Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Moulins

  • Tour Jacquemart

  • Tour Jacquemart

  • The Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Moulins

  • ÉGLISE DU SACRÉ-COEUR

  • The Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Moulins

  • The Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Moulins

  • The Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Moulins

  • The Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Moulins

  • ÉGLISE DU SACRÉ-COEUR

  • The Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Moulins



  • Hôtel de ville de Moulins

  • Tour Jacquemart

  • Tour Jacquemart

With the sun setting we made our way back to the hotel where we made a couple of FaceTime calls back to the UK and family. This was the first time we had any WiFi in three weeks. It was so nice to hear and see our daughters and grand-daughters.

  • Le Clos de Bourgogne
  • Le Clos de Bourgogne

We had opted to eat at the hotel but what wasn’t made clear at check-in, was the fact that there was to be no menu choice. Apparently, on Mondays the hotels restaurant only caters for residents. I have pretty broad tastes when it comes to food. However, Gerry is a little more selective. As it happens, we needn’t have worried. The food was very nice. To start there was Pate En-Croute, followed by a Duo of Fish (Salmon and Monkfish?) in a white buttery sauce with vegetables. The dessert was a fruit crumble (Figs, Raspberries and Apple). An unusual ingredient, for us, in the crumble was Mint. It did seem to work but for me the one thing that was missing was the custard.

Vacances en France – 2018 – Disappointment


Our last day at the gite, before heading up through France to visit family in Achiete-le-Grande. Time to tie up a few loose ends.

On numerous occasions, when heading out to visit places of interest, we had passed a sign with the name “Calmejane”. We always referred to it as Call Me Jane. Never having been down that lane we decided to explore. Turns out that the sign post indicated the name of the family that lived at the end of the lane, a dead end or should I perhaps use the French cul-de-sac ?


  • Association Des Croix

Similarly, we had passed this field with donkeys. On this occasion we stopped to say hello. They were very friendly and curious. Sad to say they were expecting treats and we had none. They were quick to snort their disgust and soon lost interest in us. They were very cute.

Having disappointed the donkeys, by turning up without any treats, we decided to follow road past the donkey field. Just to see where it led. After a couple of kilometers, we found that it led to a small group of private houses. Another dead end, a cul-de-sac. There were some great views en-route though. Disappointed, we enjoyed the same views on the way back to the donkeys.

The Road To Nowhere

We then drove down to Vic-sur-Cere to get fuel and cash in preparation for our journey north, this being our last day at the gite.

  • Rustic
  • Castle Pesteils
  • Polminhac

We had cleaned and packed earlier, so we were basically killing time until we could go to a restaurant for an evening meal. Big mistake….

We should have found somewhere to eat at lunch time. Waiting until 19:00 before approaching our restaurant of choice was a huge fail. No only was the restaurant closed but the hotel, Hôtel Restaurant Beauséjour, seemed to be too !!! Our second choice, Casino de Vic Sur Cère, was open but there was a private function in full flow complete with live band. The restaurant itself was shut. Similarly, several other local restaurants were closed. The only viable choice seemed to be to travel into Aurillac, a thirty plus minute drive. Not far but neither of us really wanted to do that. So it was back to the gite.

In anticipation of our departure, we had run our food stocks down. We had bacon, eggs and cheese and bread. So our Sunday meal consisted of eggs and bacon on toasted french baguette. It was actually very good, but was the cheapest sunday meal and I didn’t even get a tip.

Vacances en France – 2018 – Jou sous Monjou and More


At some point, it occurred to us, that we hadn’t explored the local area surrounding La Calsade. So we decided to go off on a bit of a mystery tour, take a look at where the myriad narrow lanes would take us.

Before we set out we were treated to a pretty display of localised mists in the valleys south of the gite.

  • View From La Calsade

  • View From La Calsade

  • Ronesque, Viewed From La Calsade

We chose to follow a road which took off at right angles to the main road through the village. This road was signposted Jou sous Monjou.

Jou sous Monjou turned out to be quite a pretty little village although the church, L’Eglise Notre Dame de L’Assomption, being built like a brick outhouse was very robust. More akin to a wartime blockhouse.


The church in Jou-sous-Monjou is a fine example of Romanesque architecture and offers an exceptional array of sculptural work that has survived the centuries. Typical of the area, the church is built in volcanic stone and has a stone slab roof and a comb bell tower.

http://www.cantal-destination.com/site/cultural-heritage/jou-sous-monjou/l-eglise-notre-dame-de-l-assomption/tourisme-PCUAUV0150000008-2.html

  • Jou-sous-Monjou

  • Jou-sous-Monjou

  • Jou-sous-Monjou

  • Jou-sous-Monjou

  • Jou-sous-Monjou

  • Jou-sous-Monjou

  • Jou-sous-Monjou

  • Jou-sous-Monjou

  • Jou-sous-Monjou

  • Jou-sous-Monjou

  • Jou-sous-Monjou

While walking around Jou-sous-Monjou we had become aware of a loud buzzing, especially behind the church. The reason soon became apparent. Outside one of the houses, someone had placed two boxes of something sweet. There were hundreds, if not thousands, of bees. The noise was quite substantial.


  • Jou-sous-Monjou

  • Jou-sous-Monjou

The numbers of bees attracted to these two boxes was large enough to create quite a hazard to anyone wanting access to the house.


  • Jou-sous-Monjou

  • Jou-sous-Monjou

Continuing on our mystery tour, we stumbled across Chateau Cropieres


  • Chateau Cropieres

  • Chateau Cropieres


From the 13th to the 16th century, the castle was lived in by the Cropières and Montjou families. Today the castle looks very different from how it did when originally built, that is more military and feudal in design. The original fortress was completely transformed to make a main reception room. King Louis XIV had a very beautiful staircase at the front built for his loved one and this can still be admired today.

http://www.auvergne-tourism.com/cultural-heritage/raulhac/chateau-de-cropieres/tourisme-PCUAUV0150000007-2.html

Our further perambulations brought us to the village of Saint-Martin-sous-Vigouroux. Here we explored the village and visited the church.

  • Eglise
    Saint-Martin-sous-Vigouroux

  • Saint-Martin-sous-Vigouroux

  • Saint-Martin-sous-Vigouroux
  • Eglise
    Saint-Martin-sous-Vigouroux
  • Eglise
    Saint-Martin-sous-Vigouroux
  • Eglise
    Saint-Martin-sous-Vigouroux
  • Eglise
    Saint-Martin-sous-Vigouroux
  • Eglise
    Saint-Martin-sous-Vigouroux
  • Eglise
    Saint-Martin-sous-Vigouroux

  • Eglise Saint-Martin-sous-Vigouroux
  • Eglise
    Saint-Martin-sous-Vigouroux



  • Hotel Restaurant de la Poste – Saint-Martin-sous-Vigouroux



  • Hotel Restaurant de la Poste – Saint-Martin-sous-Vigouroux



  • Hotel Restaurant de la Poste – Saint-Martin-sous-Vigouroux

  • Saint-Martin-sous-Vigouroux

We had a pleasant, leisurely, lunch at the Hotel Restaurant de la Poste before heading out to further explore the region.

We arrived at Pierrefort but didn’t fancy walking around what appeared to be a fairly large town. So we decided to head back towards the gite, but not before taking a couple of photographs on the outskirts of town.

  • Pierrefort

  • Pierrefort

  • Pierrefort

As we travelled towards the gite, I notice a sign indicating a view point. WE had to go and see what was worth a sign. And, after all, it was only a couple of kilometers …… up a very narrow road. So we made the detour to the viewpoint at Videche. Or should I say, BELVEDÈRE DE VIDÈCHE – SITE PANORAMIQUE


Panoramic view on the Valley of Brezons A bird’s eye view of the Valley of Brezons and the Monts du Cantal. 15 min. film about the fario trout swimming up to the head of the river in the Cirque of Grandval. Open from spring to autumn, depending on weather conditions. A 15 minutes video on the life of trouts in the Brezons river (english version).

http://www.cantal-destination.com/site/countryside-heritage/brezons/belvedere-de-videche/tourisme-PNAAUV015V5031F6-2.html

This was a very “posh” viewpoint. At the end of the path sits a small cabin, with windows, curtains, air-con and a TV showing movies about the valley displayed below.

  • Brezons Valley
  • Videche

  • Brezons Valley

  • Belvedere de Videche

  • Belvedere de Videche

Stunning views. I can’t help feeling that such a beautiful viewpoint, if installed back in the UK, would have been trashed or even burnt to the ground.

And so it was back down and on to the bottom of the valley via some typically winding mountain roads. Thru Brezons, where we crossed the river and continued home to our gite.

  • Belvedere viewed from bottom of the valley
  • Brezons