This time, we are travelling over 3 days stopping at Issoire just south of Clermont Ferrand and our usual stop at Chartres. This was fortunate as the journey was horrid because of heavy rain as far as Calais.
Issoire is a small town in the Auvergne, just south of Clermont Ferrand. It is just off the A75, the motorway which connects Montpellier and Béziers with Paris, so very convenient for a stop over. We had stopped there on previous journeys, but it is only 3 hours from us and usually, we prefer to drive for longer before stopping for the night.
The symbol for Issoire
The town hall is impressive
It has an imposing church, Saint Austremoine
The Couze river was very full after a period of high rainfall over France.
We wandered around the town and eventually chose a traditional French restaurant were we enjoyed a meal.
This was John's plate with frogs legs
The next day, we drove on through almost continuous rain to our next stop in Chartres where we stayed at our usual hotel right in the centre of the town
The post office
and enjoyed a super meal at Le Tripot, where we had reserved a table.
The rain continued on the following day and only stopped as we approached the Chanel Tunnel.
In the UK we stayed again in a small flat about 20 minutes walk from Helen and Nick for 4 weeks, followed by another week at at Helen's.
This is the view from the window
We were involved in looking after Ernie during the week and soon established a routine: shopping (which Ernie hates so John walks him round the block while Pat rushes around), visits to the park, cups of tea at a local cafe when the weather was particularly bad, visits to our flat by bus, local baby sessions and suchlike. A rest for us while Ernie has his nap,
Tuesday was our day off and we were usually able to have Sunday lunch en famille (including James).
A selection of photos of the little lad: on a swing in Finsbury Park
In the lovely, friendly, children's book shop in Crouch End called Pickled Pepper where you are welcome to sit and read a book.
Ernie loves their cooker; it will so much easier when he can stand up unaided
Swinging. He expected a trip to the park every day for the swings, slides, seesaw, balls etc
Sunday lunch
was usually in a pub
While we were in the UK, we managed to catch up with a few friends in London and managed one meal at our favourite restaurant in Cambridge with our friends Brian and Rachel.
With Nina in Finsbury Park
We went to the new local theatre, The Park, close to Finsbury Park station and also to Shakespere's Globe with old Cambridge friends.
After seeing The Tempest we went on to the brasserie at the Oxo tower. The view across the Thames towards St Pauls is magnificent.
We ate several times at the little jazz club close to our flat.
We also went across to Dalston to eat with James at another favourite restaurant, Mangal.
John's cousin, Sandra, came across from Belfast to see us all and meet Ernie for the first time. Unfortunately, he seems to be suspicious of anyone with dark hair and white skin, so it took a while for him to smile!
We also saw old friends Brian and Penny and Pat met her lifelong friend, Liz who came up from Eastbourne.
John spent some time at our house in Cambridge doing annual maintenance while Pat made trousers for Ernie or otherwise amused herself.
After 5 weeks in the UK, we were sorry to leave the family, but were ready to come home and return to the warmer climate off the south of France.
After so long away, we had forgotten to plan to be away from home when the village fete is on at the end of our small road, so we will be sleep deprived for a couple of nights!
Pat and John on tour