We are busy at the moment giving our holiday gîtes a deep spring clean and making sure that everything is perfect for the season. Everything is moved , cleaned, checked and replaced if necessary. We are proud of the standard we maintain here and are sure that our guests won’t be disappointed or have any unpleasant surprises.

When we go away we choose holiday accommodation ranging from hotel rooms to bed and breakfast to self catering lets. We do really prefer the latter as it gives us flexibility and a lot of space for our money. More and more of us choose our holiday venue and accommodation from the internet but what looks good in pictures on websites doesn’t always match with the reality. But whatever we choose there are some things I don’t want to find.

1. Mould

Cleanliness in general is a big issue for me and there is no excuse for a dirty, badly maintained property. I always check out the bathroom first when we arrive at our holiday accommodation . Refreshing the mastic around sinks and baths is very easy and there are a range of products that will help keep it sparkling white. So why do so many places,including good hotels, look like this?

The bath/shower we recently paid €100 a night for			Our 7 year old shower cabinet ready for guests

2. Poor quality beds and bedding

If you own the property yourself I suggest that from time to time you sleep in your own beds. Often the mattresses are past their best and don’t get me started on pillows!. Mattress and pillow protectors are a must as these can be removed and washed and avoid your guests having the experience we recently had where pillows and mattress were badly stained. We replace any less than perfect pillows each season and supply several so people can decide for themselves how many they want to use.

Comfortable,plump,clean pillows

3. Other people’s property

I don’t want to find left over shampoo and deodorant in the bathroom or half used stock cubes in the kitchen. In self catering accommodation it is great to have basics provided in the kitchen and bathroom but these should be well presented, up to date and complete. Hotels do usually get this right and it is a treat to use the little sachets of bathroom goodies – no reason at all that self catering and B and B’s can’t do the same.

4. Nowhere comfortable to sit

Often hotel rooms fall down here but it is more disappointing when you have chosen an apartment or villa for that extra space and flexibility to find that those chairs/sofas that looked so good on the owner’s website are impossible to sit on for more than a short while without suffering possible permanent injury. Dirty furniture too gets the thumbs down. If you are an owner do spend an evening in your property and you’ll know how your clients feel.

Would you like to sit on a chair that has no padding			Or sink into one of our comfy sofas

5. A miscellany of equipment

This applies mostly to self catering properties. I hate it when there is only enough crockery and glasses provided for the number of people booked – there should be at least double i.e. 8 of everything in a property for 4 people. If glasses break they should be replaced with the same item or taken away – things should match. If you rent a self catering property you probably are going to cook at some time during your stay so sharp knives and good quality pots and pans are essential.

Our experiences on our own holidays – mostly good but some bad – have helped us when furnishing and equipping our own holiday cottages here at Peyrenègre. We don’t want any of our guests to be disappointed and we are pleased that the most common feed back is that the accommodation ‘exceeded our expectations’. So as we wake the cottages up from their winter hibernation we will be making sure that everywhere is clean, fresh and well equipped ready to welcome old guests and new for the 2010 season.

I’ve always disliked February. Winter days are much easier here than they were living in the UK but still when February arrives I am ready for Spring and getting tired of indoor based activities – I need a break. We decided to take a short road trip with Barcelona as the end destination. Although it’s only just over 5 hours drive to Barcelona from here we wanted to break the journey and a look on the map showed Carcassonne about halfway. Having read about this medieval town but never having visited it was an easy decision to include it on the trip. For the return journey we took the advice of a friend and added Collioure to the itinerary – this little seaside town is just over the border back into France south of Perpignan on the Mediterranean Coast.

Carcassonne

Leaving the A62 we only had a short drive before the turrets of the medieval cité of Carcassonne came into view. The sight really did take my breath away and you can see why Carcassonne was chosen as the set for several scenes In Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves.

The fairy tale turrets of Carcassonne			The narrow,cobblestoned street winds its way up to the chateau.			Looking out from the castle walls			The castle at night

Carcassonne is split into two parts – La cité which is the fortified upper part and down below the Bastide. Strolling through the medieval city to the chateau didn’t disappoint – small narrow,cobblestoned streets leading to the impressive chateau and cathedral. Apparently Carcassone attracts 3 million visitors year mostly in the summer so our cold February day visit wasn’t marred by too many other visitors. Interesting audio guide tour of the castle – we especially liked point number 12 which explained how Carcassonne was subject to cold winds blowing from the Pyrenees and asking us if we had noticed them – as this is the coldest February since our arrival in the South of France 8 years ago we certainly had!

After a hot chocolate to bring back the circulation we made our way down to the Bastide lower town and meet up with a Twitter contact. Sally and her husband Josh are renovating part of a very interesting old house and will be offering chambre d’hôtes later in the year – great to swap holiday accommodation and renovation tales with them.

A view of the lower Bastide town			Interesting downpipes on all the houses			In the main square we’re not the only ones feeling the cold			This pretty wall cupboard hides the shower room

We stayed the night in a charming chambre d’hôte in a converted distillery (perfect for us!) just outside the city walls and strolled up the cobbled streets again to have a Valentine’s evening meal at La Cotte de Mailles – good food but the service and ambiance were excellent making it a great evening.

Barcelona

A visit to the main square in the Bastide lower town and a coffee before leaving Carcassonne and heading south. We arrived in Barcelona to be met by our friend Paul who with his wife Nicky spends the winter on his boat in the marina right by the city centre. In March they will be heading back to their berth in Calvi,Corsica where they also rent out a holiday home.

After sharing a few (!!!) glasses of Spanish red we set off to find our apartment. Situated just off the Las Ramblas the apartment was in a very good central location – unfortunately the location was the only good thing about it! Still exploring the city was easy on foot from here and we spent the next morning strolling around Barri Gotic the old town of Barcelona admiring the cathedral and the 14th and 15th century buildings and visiting the the Picasso Museum. Later Paul and Nicky took us to the Boqueria market which dates from 1217 when tables were erected to serve meat. It was a kaleidoscope of food – piled high and looking delicious. A wonderful seafood section,small snack bars crowded with locals eating mysterious but tasty looking snacks and great quality food and veg -this lively bustling place just off Las Ramblas is a must see. Then they took us to a bar where a range of snacks were presented – all of them appetising and irresistible – Paul and Nicky explained that we would be charged per cocktail stick and suggested we didn’t get seduced by so much lovely food or we’d regret it when the cocktail sticks added up. Then a late lunch in a superb , inexpensive restaurant with great food and a very relaxing atmosphere. It was great to be with someone who knew the city as we wouldn’t have gone into either of these two places on our own.

Exploring the old town			The tapas bar			Hot chocolate to die for

We love Barcelona – of course there is a lot more to do but we were only there for two nights and we had visited the Gaudi highlights on our last visit. We enjoyed the visit so much – thanks Paul and Nicky.

(P.S. the other thing I loved in Barcelona was the hot chocolate which really was a cup of melted chocolate – mmmmmm)

Collioure

The next morning we head out of Barcelona and north back towards France. We stopped for lunch just outside the last village before the border and also stocked up on some olive oil (15 litres) and spirits which are much cheaper in Spain. Leaving the motorway we trickled our way down to the delightful small town of Collioure – a kind of French St Ives. This little village ,like Carcassonne, gets crowded with visitors in the summer so a good place to visit out of season. We had booked a night in a small hotel right in the centre and from here we took a stroll down to the shore. We had finally found the sunshine or it had found us and we sat in its warm rays drinking a beer watching the children enjoying the beach and listening to the gentle sound of the waves. We ate at a seafood restaurant by the shore in the evening – perfect.

Time for drink by the seaside			From the beach at Collioure			Views of the Pyrenees on the way home

Our little road trip to shake us from our hibernation and get us ready for Spring seems to have worked and we are busy again in the garden feeling refreshed and rested – we also have a couple of additions to our family vocabulary (I ‘m sure we aren’t alone in having our own words created from shared experiences). So now for us – number 12 will always be our code for strong icy wind and keep an eye on the cocktail sticks will mean we’d better not get carried away and forget the budget!

A la prochaine.

For the 5th year running a poll run by International Living magazine puts France in top spot. Reporting this result France 24 also comments that ‘The result seems to have split French public opinion: what do you think?’ Well here’s my contribution to the discussion..

This is our 8th year living in rural Lot-et-Garonne and here’s why, for us, moving to France was the one of the best things we have ever done.

Space

We live in a large farmhouse part of which we have converted into 2 holiday cottages. The property sits in 3.5 hectares of land (@8.5 acres) consisting of 2 fields, a large garden and a veg plot where we also keep chickens. It’s all manageable as we bought all the right equipment when we moved in and have a sit on mower, serious strimmer, shredder and the icing on the cake our beloved Massey Ferguson. We also have space for a pool and have heated it to keep us in the swim from April to October. The views from the property are spectacular over farmland and orchards – and it is incredibly peaceful.

Far from the madding crowd				Spectacular views

Climate

The climate here is very similar to the UK but better! We still have distinct seasons which give a structure to the year and we still have green lawns and lush gardens – but we are more likely to have long hot summers and shorter winters. Notice I didn’t say milder winters – it can get very cold and does snow but not for long. Spring comes suddenly and from January we are teased with warm sunny days and before we know it we are outside again most of the time. May and June remind me of the best of English weather, July and August are hot and dry and warm days continue until the end of October. When winter comes along we light up the log fires and snuggle up until the temperature rises again.

Plum trees in blossom in April				Walking in local woods in autumn

Pace of Life

In the official guide to the Lot-et-Garonne it says ‘ The people of the Lot-et-Garonne take the time to live’ and we have found this to be true. People have time for each other and take the time to be with each other. Meal times are unhurried and are about the conversation as much as the food and wine (although a lot of the conversation is about the food and wine!). We love being directed by the seasons and following this natural rhythm is a very rewarding way of life. Growing our own veg, making our own aperitifs (nut,peach,cherry wines) and keeping chickens are all things we never found time for before.

Food,wine and good friends in winter…….				…. and in summer.

Health Care

Well what can I say – this is one of the areas that puts France regularly at the top of quality of life polls. If you work in France you do have to pay considerable contributions for health care but the service is outstanding in our experience. Both of us have had to have short stay treatments in hospital and what amazes us is how quiet the hospitals are. You do need to take a small white van with you to pick up any prescriptions as there is always a sack full no matter what’s wrong with you.

The countryside

We once had a guest staying here who kept commenting ‘It’s all around you’ at random – it made us laugh but actually that about sums it up – it is all around us. We love the distances you can drive without passing through any major towns and we love that even visits to the supermarket involve a drive in the countryside – lifts the spirits every time. This gently undulating landscape comes alive with splashes of colour from the blossom of the fruit trees through to the ranks of nodding sunflowers. It is great walking and cycling country and we love having it all around us.

Wheat harvest				You can see for miles and miles – whoops kilometres

Being together

This was our main reason for making the move – busy, stressful jobs that left us too exhausted to enjoy our private life. We have had to work very hard to build our holiday rental business here and renovate the property and ‘real’ work has been ongoing involving travel back to the UK and further afield, but with a good internet connection (which always amazes me when I consider how deep in the countryside we are) and good transport links this has been perfectly possible. We love working in the garden together and preserving what we grow. We both love cooking and entertaining and have met some great friends who share our love of good food and wine and are happy to give us local recipes and share their expertise. We recently made sausages and saucisson for the first time on our own without out neighbour overseeing the task – and it was fun.

Walnut wine bottled and ready for storage				The fruits of our labours

This is not meant to be a France v UK comparison just our reasons for enjoying our life in the part of rural France we fell in love with but when I watch the TV programme ‘Escape to the Country’ I can often be heard screaming at the prices people have to pay to live the good life in the UK – I don’t think we could ever have afforded the life style we have here in England.

We have a high percentage of people in this area living to a ripe old age and we hope to join them.

I love our wood burning fires – the look, the smell, the cosy feeling. But nothing comes without a price and using wood means work. This is a fuel that heats you more than once.

First the wood is delivered and has to be transferred to the wood store. For the first time in years we had the abri tidy and cleared for the delivery. We take half chestnut and half oak – the chestnut is cheaper but spits so has to be used in a closed woodburner. We also have a lot of poplar as a friend of ours harvested his field last year and he only sells the trunks so all the branches were up for grabs – free wood can’t be bad

Then the wood has to be cut to size. We have a circular saw but sometimes still have to use more traditional methods to do the splitting

Wood burning stoves need their chimneys swept regularly – some people do it themselves but we prefer to use a professional so Monsieur Caudron is an annual visitor – he doesn’t leave a speck of soot behind him.

Finally we have to move the wood into the house ready for burning. So by the time we sit down in front of that cosy fire we’ve already been warmed by that wood a few times.

We came to France with the main purpose of spending more time together but of course we were happy to meet new people and make new friends. One of our friends is a member of the local Kiwanis and he suggested to Kevin that he may like to join. Never a group joiner Kevin was reluctant but I encouraged him pointing out that he would improve his french and as it was an activity just for him where he wouldn’t be able to fall back on my support. We are both so happy that he did as this has become a group of very special friends united to work to raise money to benefit children but at the same time having lots of fun together.

Last year in addition to the normal calendar of events someone suggested a ‘Salon du Chocolat’ and the idea was embraced by all. It was a huge success and last weekend we held the 2nd – exceeding the number of paid entries by 1200 to welcome 9,500 visitors to the event. Kevin is in charge of ‘La Buvette’ and I am one of his willing helpers. It is exhausting but such fun and we ended on Sunday night with all the club members and their wives sharing a meal together.

Chocolate fountains galore	A wide range of stallholders

We learned from our experiences and this year had a much bigger space for our stand – selling tea, coffee, soft drinks and beer we did a roaring trade. We kept being asked for a ‘demi’ which I think is a beer with a squirt of peach syrup in so we explained that this stand was being manned by an English couple and putting fruit juice into the beer was a crime for the British! Of course we had to sample the goods ourselves – just to show willing – my favourite was crêpes made with hazelnut flour and served with chocolate sauce – yummy

Ready for the public	Full house

Into Autumn and we’re still harvesting and preserving. First we picked leaves for peach wine and Guignolet (a cherry liqueur). You soak the leaves in wine for 2 weeks then strain and add eau de vie (distilled alcohol) and sugar and bottle up for yummy aperitifs by Christmas.

Pumpkins are the veg of the moment and we love them – roasted , added to curries and used in soups they bring a great taste to so many meals. We’ve also been preparing garlic – we separate the cloves, soak them in water so they are easy to skin (a tip from our chimney sweep) and then we put them in coffee jars – fill up with olive oil and you have garlic ready to use whenever you need it.

We had 3 great American boys with us on a helpx homestay and they helped us with the walnut and chestnut harvesting. Walnuts have been dried in batches – we just put them in a roasting tin and leave on the kitchen Godin (our French version of an Aga). The chestnuts are boiled, peeled and then some have been made into purée (I used it in an ice cream recipe) and the rest frozen for using in cooking – home made chestnut stuffing for Christmas

We have a had wonderful weather all year and October has stuck to the pattern – glorious sunny days and the swimming pool in use ever day. Autumn gave us a bit of a nip the last 2 days to remind us that the warm days are bound to come to an end and we have started the log fires today. The sun is still shining though and it is wonderful walking weather.

New boots ready to go	Walk around the village
The gite garden still in bloom	Our neighbours

I haven’t posted here for a while as we have been away with our French neighbours who have been a great support to us since we arrived and have shared many tips for living life in the French countryside. Annie and Christien were dairy farmers all their lives and so holidays have never been on the agenda. Now they have retired and encouraged by their children they are planning to spread their wings so when we suggested a trip to the UK they were more than ready to leave the Lot-et-Garonne for the first time.

I see no ships	Petanque à l’anglais	They loved the tiny cottages

We agreed that we would take a few provisions – home made jam for breakfast for example but when we arrived to pick them up Annie had enough paté, jambon roulé, rillettes and saucisson to feed an army. We were very glad of it all on our picnics but we still planned to introduce them to some English specialties. They tasted local beers, had pie and mash in York, fish and chips in Pickering and afternoon tea in the Yorkshire Dales. Home made lemon curd was a revelation – it always amazes me that our French friends who make jam from everything and anything and who have glorious lemon trees don’t make a conserve of lemons.They tasted a range of cheeses and of course one day had a traditional English breakfast.

Annie doesn’t look too sure	Christian eats his mushy peas	Afternoon tea Annie’s favourite

The Yorkshire weather was glorious and the scenery breathtaking – I think Annie and Christien thought they were going to Siberia as they had packed for antarctic conditions but we hardly needed our winter warmers. They were fascinated by the farming landscape, amazed at how green everywhere was, charmed by the architecture and the tough Yorkshire stone so different from the mellow golden stone used here. It was an absolute delight to show them our heritage and we were pleased to be able to start them on what I hope will be an adventure packed retirement!

On Thursday I had to go to Bordeaux to the hospital where I am having teeth implant treatment (that’s another story). I’m always loathe to leave the house on the hill and drive myself to the big city. I do know the route well now though and feel rather proud of myself as I deal with the traffic and head towards the centre. I do have to keep my wits about me – as in any city the residents nip in and out and forget there may be poor country peasants up for the day!

I head down the Boulevards – I try to remember to stay on the left so that I can use the subways and miss the traffic lights – hey I am driving like a native! Now to turn left and I’m nearly there – mais quel horreur – the road is closed!!!!!!! I feel a short moment of panic then set of to drive around the block – let’s hope my sense of direction doesn’t desert me as the Déviation signs stop after the first left turn! Bravo – I’ve done it – what a relief – and the icing on the cake I drive into a parking space at the hospital where people are usually parked 3 deep.

So treatment over I head home – the round the block works fine again but it’s late in the afternoon and everyone is heading home – I am stuck in the traffic.

What a bonus this turns out to be – a chance to look at the great buildings with their amazing doors,wrought iron balconies and wonderful stone work. Can you believe how many chemists and insurance agents and bakers and flower shops there are in France? I pass a serene half hour – this is being stuck in a traffic jam like never before – is its because there is so much to see? Is it because I am just not stressed living here? I watch the cyclists weaving in and out carefully maneuvering their handle bars around the cars. I smile at the young lovers. l wonder what is in the mysterious packages I see people leaving shops with. I chuckle at the students fooling around as they wait for the bus. In fact I have a great time!

I finally leave the city and find myself on the A62 – ‘our’ autoroute which takes me away through the vines in the evening sunshine, past the last few fields of sunflowers and back to the house on the hill.

Find out more about Bordeaux here - it’s a really lovely city – even better when you aren’t going there to visit the dentist!

In July and August we are delighted to invite our gite guests to dine with us on Wednesday evening. Table d’hôte , literally meaning the host’s table is a set meal which everyone eats together. We usually serve 4 courses with a few glasses of local wine and then we play games which the children love – nothing sophisticated just good old family fun.