On the edge.

The countryside is on the doorstep of this small town and wraps itself around the buildings.  One part of it here…

 Cows in a distant meadow

 Horses by the River Thinte

 One of the roads out of town where a little blue bridge crosses the river...

cows to the left, horses to the right.

It was good to get out into the sunshine but it was surprisingly hot so I was grateful for a bench on the mill path and was able to sit and enjoy the view.  Later a quick rest on our bench outside the house before I could face the stairs and a welcome cuppa! All worth it though.

Under siege! Part 1.

The last weekend in September is the time for the Fête Patronale…which means the funfair is coming to town.  Not just to town. But in town. Right in the centre.  Centre ville.  Filling the squares and roads which lie in front of and beside our corner house.

Friends have asked how we stand it - but the tradition has been going on here far, far longer than we have.  It’s the way it is…c’est la vie.

Of course it takes a long time to set up a funfair with all its stalls, rides and other attractions.  They don’t just breeze in for the weekend. Oh, no.

Day 1.  Wednesday, 23rd September 2015.

A notice from Monsieur le Maire is wrapped on each car’s windscreen wiper…

All cars to be cleared from the area from today until next Tuesday.

Parking spaces will have to be found somewhere else in town.








The first fair vehicles arrive…and I take photos from our first-floor side and front windows…

It has begun!

Day 2. Thursday, 24th September 2015.

The chaos spreads with more vehicles of all shapes and sizes and power lines snake across pavements and roads.

Ron walks carefully to avoid cables!

Cables on the pavement outside our front door.

For a while we escape to the peace of Lac de Paix - the home of the family business 

There, the anglers are happy - they are catching many good-sized fish and the sun is shining on this beautiful and peaceful spot.

On the way back, the countryside looks lovely...

Back in town we are delighted to find our parking space is still available and take the short walk from it to our home for a welcome cuppa to celebrate.  As the streets continue to fill up, this may well be our last outing in the car for a few days! 

We decide to “shop local” - open the side (garage) door…

Facing the open door.

To the left - no room to walk on the pavement this way!

Good job we wanted to turn right!

…and walk past other “attractions” being set up.

On the way back from the shop, we gawp and hope we, nor anybody else living in centre ville, have need of emergency services for the next few days!

To be continued…

Haraumont.

Friday 19th June.  At the highest point of Haraumont very tall masts seem to scratch the sky.  They house communication dishes - and where would we all be without those nowadays! - but, even under grey clouds, which haze the distance, the surrounding countryside is breathtaking.

Panorama from left to right…

Forests...

...and farmland...

...too close to photo the full height of the red and white structures...

...but maybe on some future clear day, we'll return to get a distance view of these giants!