Madness At The Malting: Summer Holiday in France (Fifth Week)

On Monday morning, Lucy and I headed to McDonalds in Ploermel, so that we could use their free Wifi. It was good to make contact with the outside world, and read some emails and messages on Facebook! We then went into Ploermel and had a look around. Our favourite place was a Home shop that Lucy and I spent ages looking at knic-knacks in...

Lucy by the kind of tree I really like. What kind is it??

In the afternoon I headed off with Jack and Tom to check out a couple of places that my satnav had listed as places of interest fairly nearby. The first was the little town of Rochefort-en-Terre. We parked with ease, and had a lovely wander up the main street which was closed to traffic. Very picturesque.

We then went to a Prehistoric Park place, which was set in a nice wood around some old slate mines. It was quite pleasant walking round, and seeing all the models etc.

Jack and Tom, and an ancient dolmen we could actually go inside.

Harry and Dad eating lunch, with Ken for the entertainment! (He was digging up corner stones for his store room, from the foundations of an old chicken shed that are laid there.)

Lucy and Harry spent quite some time sitting in a canoe, reading and drawing, in a rain shower!

Congregating in the kitchen.

Me applying the crepi to Dad's rendering on the brekkie room.

On Thursday morning, we packed up and said goodbye to Dad & Ken, and Bel-Air (in a torrential downpour!)

We drove along the road right next to the Loire river. I didn't realise how shallow it would be in places.

We saw this chateau from the road and decided to stop off and explore. It was in Saumur. We had a lovely time wandering around it, and it was wonderful and warm.

Scott said the kids couldn't pick any grapes, so they were waiting for some to drop!

I loved this view back down the Loire.

The view we had seen from the road.

We then drove straight to Paris, arriving after dark. We saw the Eiffel tower all lit up, and also drove past the Sacre Coeur, which looked beautiful. We were booked for two nights into one of the super-cheapy Formula 1 Hotels on the outskirts of Paris.

The next morning (27th August) we walked to the nearest Metro station and made our way to the Eiffel Tower.

We all walked up to the 2nd floor (the equivalent of walking up a 43 storey building), then got the lift to the top. Some view! This was Harry's first time up the tower.

Ken asked me to take this picture for him...

Our next stop was Notre Dame. We stayed outside for ages, while we had lunch, and the kids fed the sparrows. This was one of their most favourite things in Paris!

We did take a quick look inside!

The Musee d'Orsay where we surfaced from the metro at one point. I love the glass roof bit.

We also walked through Monmarte to the Sacre Coeur.

I love this part of Paris. Climbing the steep streets, watching the artists, and picking out which apartment I would choose to live in... My other favourite bit is the Arc de Triomphe, but we didn't get to see that this trip - you can only fit so much into one day with all the kids.