Category Archives: Europe

Paris Rendezvous — Part One

It isn’t often that someone will begin a story by telling you that they were forced to go to Paris, but that is what happened to me this past week.

The Australian government has somehow failed to drag itself into the 21st Century, and lovely folks though they might be, they require a face-to-face appointment — a rendezvous — to renew a 10-year passport. My current passport was running out quickly and it’s tied to my French residency card, so the trip was planned and reservations were made.

For the last three months — April, May, and June — the railroad employees here in France have been conducting a rolling series of strikes. It was impossible to schedule a rail ticket to and from Paris as a result, so we were forced to travel by one of those big commercial buses that have wifi on board, usb plugs for your devices, and you are meant to be travelling in air-conditioned comfort for the 5.5 hour trip in each direction. In contrast, the train takes approximately 2 hours, so you can already begin to understand how inconvenient and time-wasting this was going to be. To compound matters, we are currently in the first big heat wave of the summer and the temperatures have been knee-buckling.

Our bus was quite old, the air-conditioning worked about 50% of the time, the reserved seating that we paid extra for wasn’t honoured, and the trip actually took 6 hours. I do plan to contact the company, Ouibus, and find out why the reality of their service from Rennes to Paris is nothing like their rah-rah advertising on their website.

It was after 8 PM by the time we arrived at our hotel and checked in, only to discover that my online requests through Booking.com had been completely ignored. We were not on the ground or first floor — we were up several levels of twisty-windy stairs in a hotel that had no elevator. My note had been quite specific about my current challenges with mobility and balance, but all of that was simply ignored.

In spite of what felt like a deluge of drama, we did manage to get to the Australian Embassy the next day for my scheduled appointment. The staff were charming and I should be receiving my new passport in the mail in about 2 weeks time. So if they’ll send it by post, why do you still need to make a personal appearance? Hmmm…

Here are some images from that first full day in Paris. Enjoy!

This was our view as we stepped off the 42 bus that took us straight from our hotel to this neighbourhood — the Eiffel Tower glistening in the heat against a cloudless blue sky in Paris.

The Australian Embassy in Paris has a lovely art gallery on the ground floor containing a range of works done by Australian artists.

The Bir Hakeim station which is a few blocks from both the Eiffel Tower and the Australian Embassy.

Purchasing tickets in packs of 10 allows you to ride for 90 minutes at a time for several days straight.

A peek-through view of the Eiffel Tower alongside a twisting angle of a concrete veranda section of the Australian Embassy in Paris.

COPYRIGHT
©Deborah Harmes 2007-2018 and
©A Wanderful Life 2007-2018
Please respect the words and images on this page.
All rights reserved.

The Creaking Carcasses at Camaret-sur-Mer

It has been several months since we were in Camaret-sur-Mer, but we had relatively good weather for our trip to the far end of the Finistere in Western Brittany, France. Once a major fishing hub, the seaside town is best known now for the ‘Graveyard of Ships’ that lies directly across from the pretty harbour with its string of cafes and shops.

Nothing like rusting hulls and crackling paint to make eccentric but interesting photos. Enjoy!

Camaret-sur-Mer Harbour in Brittany, France

The boat graveyard in Camaret-sur-Mer, Brittany, France.

Crumbling ships in the boat graveyard at Camaret-sur-Mer in the Finister region of Brittany, France.

Mark taking up-close photos of crumbling boats in the ship graveyard at Camaret-sur-Mer in the Finistere region of Brittany, France.

And just to finish it off nicely — a black and white of one particularly interesting clump of old ships, crumbling into oblivion at the seaside.

Crumbling ships in the boat graveyard at Camaret-sur-Mer in the Finister region of Brittany, France. Black and white. B&W

COPYRIGHT
©Deborah Harmes 2007-2018 and
©A Wanderful Life 2007-2018
Please respect the words and images on this page.
All rights reserved.

Meandering in May in Morlaix

Needing a break from the grim and seemingly interminable winter last year, we decided to meander around Brittany, comparing the lifestyles on offer in each small village and larger town. Morlaix may not have been where we chose to settle, but it had a lot going for it as you’ll soon see.

The undeniable ‘feature’ of the small city is the viaduct, built in the late 1800s, that looms over a portion of the town below. The viaduct carries the train tracks and is even snuggled up close to a historic church. I can imagine that the houses, businesses, and the church all feel the vibrations of that rail traffic throughout the day!

The 1800s viaduct in Morlaix, Brittany, France looms over the town below.

The 1800s viaduct in Morlaix, Brittany, France looms over the town below.

As you walk further away from the viaduct and into the ‘old town’ area, it’s soon clear that the entire city is built on several levels with both residential and commercial areas sprinkled high and low.

The old town of Morlaix is built on several levels.

Along an almost silent street on the upper levels of Morlaix, the violin maker’s shop is now closed and the blinds are drawn down.

Some of the medieval era streets are quite narrow and twisty. Since the doors and shutters for both homes and businesses are sometimes closed tightly against the weather, you’ll need to keep a close lookout for the quirky spots — the tiny shops of interest that are off the main streets filled with glossier offerings.

Blue-painted front facade of a small brocante in a narrow street in Morlaix, Brittany, France.

COPYRIGHT
©Deborah Harmes 2007-2018 and
©A Wanderful Life 2007-2018
Please respect the words and images on this page.
All rights reserved.

UPDATES on Mark’s professional website

Interesting how quickly time slides away — and we’re a bit shocked to realise that after six months in Calvados, we are leaving the house that Mark has been working on since November in TWO WEEKS!

We’re headed over to the other side of Normandy for another reno — but it also looks like we’ll be leaving France in mid-June to have some adventures in other countries. Sooooo — it’s time to update Mark’s online work portfolio with a LOT of pictures.

Gallery 1 has the images from here in Normandy over the last 5 months. And Gallery 2 is full of the pictures from that huge renovation he did on the Mid Century ranch house in Australia in 2014 through mid-2016.

Want a peek? Then go to markharmes.com to see what I’m talking about. DOZENS of photos showing the range of the work that Mark does.

Mark inside the Calvados house from the 1400s.

Christmas Lights in Calvados, Normandy, France

It’s the first week of January in an icy cold winter and we had a short ramble around Saint-Pierre-sur-Dives on a Friday night after Christmas. It was only 8 PM and we were rather surprised at just how few people were out and about. The streets were practically empty — but that did allow me to get some good photos of the Christmas lights.

Enjoy!

Christmas lights in Saint-Pierre-sur-Dives in the Calvados region of Normandy, France.

Christmas lights in Saint-Pierre-sur-Dives.

Christmas lights on the town hall in Saint-Pierre-sur-Dives.

A cold and wintery night outside the medieval market hall in Saint-Pierre-sur-Dives in the Calvados region of Normandy, France at Christmas time.

The only place in the village that was busy on a Friday night — the kebab shop!

And finally — my favourite image — Mark in silhouette as he walks down a narrow street near the market square.

A man walks down a darkened street in northern France in mid-winter.

Marche de Noel (Christmas Fair) in Normandy, France

We have the most glorious place to hold the annual Christmas market here in our part of Normandy — the huge medieval market hall in Saint-Pierre-sur-Dives where the normal Monday market is held.

This past weekend — the 10th and 11th of December — was the annual Marche de Noel and we were quite lucky to have a relatively mild day with lots of sunshine for the two days of markets. Much nicer than a frigid and wet weekend, eh?

Enjoy!

The heart of the Marche de Noel (Christmas Fair) in Saint-Pierre-sur-Dives in the Calvados region of Normandy, France is the medieval market hall in the centre of town.

Just inside the entry, I hadn’t expected to find a manger set up with LIVE animals (and very well behaved ones at that!).

Manger with live animals set up inside the Marche de Noel in the medieval market hall of Saint-Pierre-sur-Dives.

The twinkling lights inside the market hall added to the festive air whilst shopping.

Yummy cheese for sale at the Christmas market.

Each stall in the medieval market hall was doing a brisk business.

A variety of marinated olives on offer.

Personalised wine bottles for various events like birthdays and anniversaries.

More small stalls outside under cover.

The balloon seller waiting for some customers.

A surprising lunch option — sausages and beer from Germany from the town that is ‘twinned’ with Saint-Pierre-sur-Dives.

Inside stalls in the Salle des Fetes across from the Market Hall.

Lovely Christmas ornaments for sale.

The Medieval Abbey of Saint-Pierre-sur-Dives in Normandy

There is no way to miss this impressive abbey from anywhere within the small town of Saint-Pierre-sur-Dives. And it is easily visible as you drive across the Calvados countryside, too. It’s quite wonderful to be living a mere ten minutes away from a place like this.

Founded in 1011 by Countess Lesceline, the aunt of William the Conqueror — the abbey has undergone a variety of extensions and renovations over the subsequent centuries and those renovations continue right into the present day. Here’s a small photo essay of this truly gorgeous abbey.

A glimpse of the medieval abbey towers of Saint-Pierre-sur-Dives can be seen all throughout the town and from several miles/kilometres away as you drive across the landscape of Calvados in Normandy, France. Founded in 1011 by Lesceline, the aunt of William the Conqueror, the abbey has been enlarged, rebuilt, or renovated several times over the following centuries.

Exterior view of stained glass-filled chapels at the Abbey in Saint-Pierre-sur-Dives.

Chapel containing the grave of Lesceline, the aunt of William the Conqueror and founder of the abbey in 1011.

The gravestone of Lesceline, the aunt of William the Conqueror and founder of the abbey in 1011.

The main altar area of the abbey.

A side aisle in the abbey.

A rather curious set of stairs to nowhere.

Abbey interior.

Lovely angles and arches.

A drawing of the original layout — much of which on the outer perimeter facing the gardens is being restored at present.

These are the buildings along the outer part of the Abbey complex — the ones that are facing the gardens in the illustration above. The French government sold these buildings off after the Revolution and they have gradually been repurchased. Some of them are in perilous condition and are being properly renovated now.

Simple chairs against a lovely metalwork enclosure near the main altar.

The ever-present candles.