Day 15 Another day another chateau. This time into the country side to Chateau de Concrecheaux (I think).... Stop in the little village for brunch - fresh sandwiches of half baguette filled with jambon et frommage for moi and similar with salad for Chris. Super crispy and fresh and nice. Into the chateau and must have lust had a train arrive -guessed it, lots of people and queues. Parked the car and got organised and by the time we got to the ticket office all the crowd had gone - and our sandwiches as well. Yum. Great gardens and off we go again. This castle has a chequers history, wife, mistress who took over and lots of illegitimate and legitimate bastard children - sounds like Home and Away...... After 2 hours we call it quits and ... read more

Day 13 Out of our B&B and off to Mont Saint-Michel. Well organized tourist site - big car park with Free bus transport to the island. And better still - no queues. Just lots of steps up to the Abbey. Finally in and with our Audiologues we walk the abbey. Beautiful day (28 degrees) so the steps have got the sweat happening. In the Abbey it is much cooler. We sand outside and then the bells start to peel - Mass is about to start. 4 or 5 monks and 7 nuns start the mass with lots of singing - really impressive sounds - sorry Mike Mc, but they can really make the singing in this huge abbey sound fantastic.... The tour takes us through big halls, little rooms that are built to hold up walls ... read more

Day 11 Early start for the train to Paris, along with all the workers who commute (just like the Geelong train I reckon). We got good seats and the train only stopped at 1 other station so we reckoned we were good - haha - not to be - the carriage was full after the 1st stop. Ticket inspectors got another one so we have been good by buying and stamping our tickets appropriately.... Into Paris and then onto Charles de Gaulle airpor to pick up our new car. Off without a hitch and we are now proud owners (albeit for a fixed time) of a brand new Renualt Megane 2 door Sports Coupe... Really slick looking unit and even got a hot bum from the heated seats while being given the run through.... Had to ... read more

Day 9 We leave Paris this morning. Our apartment check I'd some at 0600 so we can get the bond back and have time to get to the station for a 0728 train to Amiens where we then go on a 2 day tour of the Western front WW1 battlefields (Somme, Poziers, Villers Bretenoux, etc.). We get to Amiens without a hitthe wait outside Subway (sandwichery as they call it here) for our 0930 pickup. 0945 and start to wonder - 0955 and making calls to tour group - bugger, that is 1800 in Sydney. Try again and they offer an emergency line but as I am about to hit the buttons, a man that Chris had noticed standing on the corner comes over - our contact who had been on the corner he usually meets ... read more

Day 7 Second last full day in Paris. What to do? Sleep in sounds start good start. Visit a newly found butcher shop just around the corner - amazing what you find when you go for a walk....... Decide to go separate ways - me to get phone card and Chris to Musee d'orsay. Tick phone card and then off to book TGV tickets for Reims tomorrow. Tick tickets and then decide to walk back through streets to meet Chris. Chris has a good day at the museum and no real queues to speak of. We are going to visit Norte Dame to look at the inside (which we missed by 30 mins the other day) after a well deserved Heinekien and Cafe Late (guess which is mine). Guess what - queues and rain - no ... read more