Ready for our first trip of the year to Brittany in March As 2012 draws to a chilly close I thought that it was time to reflect on our first full calendar year of ownership of Ty Hir.
Between us, Andy and I managed to visit Ty Hir seven times this year. Less than we would have liked but more than we originally thought we would manage.
Most our visits were for pleasure but there was also a lot of hard grafting, particularly during our first visit in March which is now, fortunately, a distant, if a somewhat painful, memory...
Between us, Andy and I managed to visit Ty Hir seven times this year. Less than we would have liked but more than we originally thought we would manage.
Most our visits were for pleasure but there was also a lot of hard grafting, particularly during our first visit in March which is now, fortunately, a distant, if a somewhat painful, memory...
March 2012
During the winter break of 2011/2012 our lovely caretaker John worked hard on our gites. By the time we arrived in March he had installed a new shower in the Petit Longère, started constructing a new shed, laid a new gravelled terrace and had moved a few tonnes of earth!
During the winter break of 2011/2012 our lovely caretaker John worked hard on our gites. By the time we arrived in March he had installed a new shower in the Petit Longère, started constructing a new shed, laid a new gravelled terrace and had moved a few tonnes of earth!
After an overnight trip from Portsmouth via St Malo with Brittany Ferries, we had intended to put our feet up when we arrived at the gites and start work on the garden the next day. Of course, neither of us are ones for sitting around so, after a quick lunch, we joined John in the garden, picking up plastic which had been mysteriously buried all over the garden and a never ending supply of rocks. Soon Andy had a cheery bonfire going to get rid of some of the piles of rubbish.
Thus began 10 days of hard physical labour - I thought that you were sent to the colonies for that!
The main task to be completed by the end of our visit was the installation of a boundary fence by Andy and John. I mainly picked up stones, and some more stones, and then some more stones with a bit of plastic thrown in from time to time for a bit of light relief. Buried under the nearly flatten earth there were what seemed like miles of blackberry and nettle roots to be removed - you'd tug at one end only to have to get a pick axe to dig up the hidden mass beneath - boy do I know how to have a good time!
We also needed to get the gites ready for the new season so I did an inventory of each house and worked out what needed replacing. The shopping trips were a good excuse to get away from my job as stone picker upper and root grubber!
By the time each evening arrived we were wearily shuffling around like a couple of old codgers - our friends were lucky that they hadn't been able to join us for our "holiday"! Fortunately we had just enough energy left to light the wood burner and open a bottle of wine - phew!
The main task to be completed by the end of our visit was the installation of a boundary fence by Andy and John. I mainly picked up stones, and some more stones, and then some more stones with a bit of plastic thrown in from time to time for a bit of light relief. Buried under the nearly flatten earth there were what seemed like miles of blackberry and nettle roots to be removed - you'd tug at one end only to have to get a pick axe to dig up the hidden mass beneath - boy do I know how to have a good time!
We also needed to get the gites ready for the new season so I did an inventory of each house and worked out what needed replacing. The shopping trips were a good excuse to get away from my job as stone picker upper and root grubber!
By the time each evening arrived we were wearily shuffling around like a couple of old codgers - our friends were lucky that they hadn't been able to join us for our "holiday"! Fortunately we had just enough energy left to light the wood burner and open a bottle of wine - phew!
I have to confess that we did actually manage two afternoons off. On the first afternoon we spent a relaxing time in a bar in Châteauneuf-du-Faou on the banks of the Nantes-Brest canal listening to the Good Time Jazz band with a mixture of locals and ex-pats. They appeared at Fest Jazz later that summer.
On our last afternoon in Brittany, after hastily planting what is to become our laurel bush hedge (we hope!) we managed to get to the Pink Granite Coast. It is extremely picturesque as the name suggests. La Cote de Granit Rose, which is about an hour and a half drive from Ty Hir, is a 30km stretch of rock strewn beaches. I say rocks but think huge boulders, shaped into all manner of strange things by the sea and wind.
On our last afternoon in Brittany, after hastily planting what is to become our laurel bush hedge (we hope!) we managed to get to the Pink Granite Coast. It is extremely picturesque as the name suggests. La Cote de Granit Rose, which is about an hour and a half drive from Ty Hir, is a 30km stretch of rock strewn beaches. I say rocks but think huge boulders, shaped into all manner of strange things by the sea and wind.
The following morning we set off early, both looking forward to a rest on the ferry crossing back to Portsmouth, though satisfied with the work we had done, and hoping not to have to experience another "holiday" like that in the future!
Domaine de Trévarez, Finistere, Brittany April 2012
Andy spent a week with his parents at the gites in April. It was the first time they had visited them and it was nice for him to be able to show them around.
They visited the imposing pink chateau of Domaine de Trévarez in the nearby Montagnes Noires, somewhere I am yet to visit. I am hoping to go there this spring as the display of azaleas and rhododendrons looked beautiful in their photos.
Andy spent a week with his parents at the gites in April. It was the first time they had visited them and it was nice for him to be able to show them around.
They visited the imposing pink chateau of Domaine de Trévarez in the nearby Montagnes Noires, somewhere I am yet to visit. I am hoping to go there this spring as the display of azaleas and rhododendrons looked beautiful in their photos.
Concarneau, Finistere, Brittany They also visited Concarneau in southern Brittany, a town of two parts with the charming old walled town, Ville Close, lying on an island facing the new town. It is linked to the mainland town by a bridge.
The old town, with its quaint narrow streets has plenty of restaurants, ice cream parlours and souvenirs shops and the Marinarium laboratory museum.
There are also number of lovely restaurants lining the harbour where you can sit outside and watch the world go by.
The old town, with its quaint narrow streets has plenty of restaurants, ice cream parlours and souvenirs shops and the Marinarium laboratory museum.
There are also number of lovely restaurants lining the harbour where you can sit outside and watch the world go by.
Manoir de Saint Pol Roux, Camaret On one of their last days out they visited the ruins of the Manoir de Coecilian near Camaret-sur-Mer on the Crozon Peninsular. The poet Saint-Pol-Roux built this house in 1904 on a magnificent headland overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.
On the night of 23rd June 1940 a Nazi soldier broke into the house, murdered the housekeeper and raped Saint-Pol-Roux's daughter. Saint-Pol escaped and fled with his daughter to Brest.
When he returned he found that all of his manuscripts had been looted, damaged or burned. Utterly dejected, he collapsed in grief died on 18th October 1940. During the Allied liberation of France in August 1944, the house fell victim to a bombing campaign, leaving it in the ruinous state that we see today - a sad and brutal end to what was once a vision of peace and blissful innocence.
On the night of 23rd June 1940 a Nazi soldier broke into the house, murdered the housekeeper and raped Saint-Pol-Roux's daughter. Saint-Pol escaped and fled with his daughter to Brest.
When he returned he found that all of his manuscripts had been looted, damaged or burned. Utterly dejected, he collapsed in grief died on 18th October 1940. During the Allied liberation of France in August 1944, the house fell victim to a bombing campaign, leaving it in the ruinous state that we see today - a sad and brutal end to what was once a vision of peace and blissful innocence.
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