French Revolutions: our Pyrenean tales

5th April

2010-04-09T09:31:00.009+01:00

Last day of skiing at La Mongie Bareges for the 2009/2010 season.

Steve and I decided to go skiing on Easter Monday and were pleasantly surprised at the quality of the snow, we had a good mornings skiing followed by a long lunch down in the resort of La Mongie, sitting outside looking up at the pistes and snow capped mountains. Beautiful!

Spring has sprung and there are flowers everywhere. The primulas on our lawns were beautiful and I didn't want Steve to cut the grass, he held off as long as he could but he cut it on Monday afternoon when we arrived back from skiing and before we went out for a ride on a tandem that we had borrowed from our friends Patrick & Claire. Steve said that the grass was getting too long and he couldn't leave it any longer but he did leave me a circle of primulas on the lawn in front of the hot tub, so I still have a pretty patch of flowers.

We have a weekly Line Dancing class being held in our games room led by Sylvia. It was decided it would be a good form of exercise for body and brain. It is a lot more energetic than it looks on the TV and I have trouble remembering which dance is which until we start dancing,it is coming and we can do a few dances reasonably well now. But we all fall about laughing when we start a new dance as we think, No way will we be able to do all those steps.

MARCH 2010

2010-04-06T17:00:00.006+01:00

We have had some really nice guest to stay over the last couple of months from different parts of France. Solene & Ash from Paris were staying with us on my birthday and although they had come for the skiing which wasn't very good they were quite happy doing some mountain biking, I took them up the Lesponne valley on the mtb/vtt route to Chiroulet, the weather was perfect for the ride and on another day Steve and I took Solene & Ash over to the Lourdes valley and we rode on the MTB/VTT route up and then down either side of the river, the ride was enjoyed by all.

On Steve's birthday we usually go skiing but this year it had to be the day after on the 9th, we had a great day's skiing.

FEBUARY 2010

2010-04-06T15:37:00.006+01:00

Steve and I managed to get some skiing in up at La Mongie Berege especially when our friend Jon Lucas arrived with son's Tom & Ollie for 4 days skiing over the half term holidays. It was great to see them again even though Jane wasn't with them on this visit but as Jon, Jane & Ollie were over the last week in October for 5 nights, Jane had here French fix then.

January 2010

2010-04-06T11:19:00.005+01:00

'DEEZARK' is fully booked for the week of Sat 17th July - Friday 23rd July which is the ETAP & TOUR DE FRANCE week.

ETAP du Tour Mondevelo
Pau - TOURMALET Sunday 18th July

STAGE 16 - Tuesday 20th July
Bagneres de Luchon - Peyresourde - COL D'ASPIN - TOURMALET - Aubisque

STAGE 17 - Thursday 22nd July
Pau - TOURMALET

FLIGHTS - It is great that we are getting more airlines flying into the Pyrenees.

RYANAIR - Stanstead to Pau Jan-Dec
Bristol to Pau April-October
Stanstead to Lourdes (Ossun) - Dec-April
Luton & Birmingham for the ski season
Biarritz to Stanstead - Dublin - Birmingham

BMibaby - Edinburgh to Toulouse - April-October
- Manchester to Toulouse - April-Oct
2010 - Manchester to Lourdes (Ossun) April-October

EASYJET - Bristol & London Gatwick to Toulouse

In the middle of January Steve had to make a mad dash driving up through France to go and visit his parents after an emergency telephone call from family members. After a 36 hour journey he finally arrived. Spending the next 4 days assisting his parents.

I flew over to the UK days after Steve's mad dash to the UK, to visit my mother who had been in hospital for 2 weeks just before Christmas. Although she wasn't as well as she had been when I visited in November she was a lot better than I had expected.

On route from Stanstead to the north I called in and stayed the night at my cousins Katherine & Bill's just outside Cambridge. They were both very hospital as usual and it was good to see them both again.

OVERVIEW 2009

2010-04-06T11:09:00.007+01:00

After a very slow start with both the B&B and Steve's building business. We put it down to the economic climate. People were just hanging onto their money and not committing to new projects or holidays. Things picked up by the beginning of June and we ticked over quite happily till the end of the year

.

PARTY FUN

2010-01-19T18:51:00.005+01:00

NEW YEARS EVE PARTY 2009

2010-01-19T16:34:00.002+01:00

The Theme for our party this year was 'A Hoedown'.

We had a couple of practice nights for the line dancing, which was more difficult than it looks, I thought that when you had managed to put the steps together into a routine you were almost there but that was before you had to put the steps together with the music that the problem started. I am sure that lots of practice is necessary before everything comes together. The practicing was hilarious thought.

We had around 70 guests all of which had dressed up as either Cowboys, Cowgirls, Indians and Liz and I as Saloon Girls.

Steve had organised some games for the evening with a western theme which got very competitive at times which made them very funny to watch.

We welcomed in the New Year twice both French & English time.

It was good to celebrate the coming of the New Year with friends but it was just a bit sad that all our friends in the UK who used to come to our New Years Eve parties over the years weren't there to celebrate with us.

HAPPY NEW YEAR
To all our friends and family who are reading our Blog.

DECEMBER 09

2009-12-31T10:16:00.002+01:00

La Mongie/Bereges ski station opened on the 5th. Steve and I were at the lifts waiting for them to open at 9am. We were pleasantly surprised at the amount of snow on the slopes after the high temperature at the end of November. We had a great mornings skiing.

Steve and I along with friends Astrid, Barry & Norma have managed to get up to the slopes about half a dozen times since the beginning of the season.

CHRISTMAS DAY - As usual we skied with friends Astrid, Barry & Rick till about 1pm then Steve, me, Rick & Kali went to Astrid & Barry's for Christmas dinner and games. It is the first time we have celebrate Christmas with friends and not family and it was very enjoyable.

BOXING Day - Astrid and Barry came to us for Boxing day dinner and in the evening we played pool. I didn't play as well as I did on our games night earlier in the year but Steve and I were playing as a team and we just beat Astrid & Barry 3 games to 2.

Steve had a bit of a tumble over the Bereges side of the mountain on Sunday the 27th and broke his right index finger in 2 places. He had an appointment with the surgeon at the hospital on Tuesday and he said that it was very unusual 'for someone of his age' to had already started to heal. Steve has always been a quick healer as all our friends can confirm. He has had lots of practice healing from one injury or another over the years.

I picked up my friend & hairdresser Wendy, husband Ian and daughter Liddie from LOURDES, OSSUN airport on the 30th. They are staying with us for 1 week. We are going to introduce them to skiing and other snow activities while they are here.

NOVEMBER 09

2009-12-30T23:04:00.003+01:00

On the 1st Steve and I went up to La Mongie to buy our ski season passes and were sitting outside a restaurant in the sun having a coffee looking up at the mountains which were completely bare of snow. The following Sunday the 8th we were lucky to get up the mountain to La Mongie, the snow ploughs were out clearing the roads and anyone who didn't have good snow tyres on there car had to put snow chains on if they wanted to get up to La Mongie. The mountains were completely covered in snow and it was still snowing. We sat inside the restaurant and had coffee that day.

On the 14th I returned to the UK to spend a week with my mother while my sister Wanda and brother in-law Carl went on holiday. It was good to see my mother and brothers & sisters again. It had been 6 months since I was last in the UK.

Unfortunately while I was in the UK Steve phoned to tell me that the temperatures were up in the high 20's and the snow was melting fast. Catastrophe!

I picked Steve up from Stanstead on the 21st and we did our usual whistle stop tour. We stayed the night at our friends Jon & Jane in Owlsmoor. The following day we drove down to visited Andrew in the New Forest for the morning before driving up to see Gary & Eli in North Camp. We stayed the night with our friends Jeanette & Ian in Caddington, before driving up to Grantham the following morning to visit Steve's parents. Steve's mother joined us for a very pleasant lunch at a nearby restaurant. We stayed the night at a very nice hotel near Stanstead for our flight back to Pau the following morning.

OCTOBER 09

2009-12-30T22:57:00.002+01:00

On the 8th we drove to FREJUS on the Mediterranean coast to stay with John who had stayed with us over the summer. We were there for the ROC d'Azure VTT events last week-end. Steve and I couldn't believe what a big event it was and thought it would be great to see a team from 'BOB' mtb club there competing.

SEPTEMBER 09

2009-12-30T18:49:00.002+01:00

On the 5th our friend Fiona flew into Toulouse from Edinburgh and on the 6th we drove to the Atlantic coast, about 20k north of Biarritz, for a weeks holiday at Seignosse le Penon. The couple who bought Steve's parents house in Bagneres had an apartment there an they were kind enough to let us use it. The apartment was only a 10 minute walk from the sea front, which was very handy. We enjoyed our holiday and had great weather.

On our return home we had 1 day to prepare for the arrival of a group of cyclists from the Exeter area who had stayed with us before. 'DEEZARK' was taken over by them for 4 days and it felt very quiet after they had left.

Fiona left on the 19th and Steve's sister Shirley and husband Peter from Australia arrived on the 20th for 4 days. It was great to see them and once our cyclist guests had left we could give them our full attention until they left on the 23rd.

AUGUST 09

2009-12-30T18:46:00.002+01:00

It was quite a busy month for both the B&B 'DEEZARK' and Steve's building business.

We went out to dinner a couple of times and on both occasions curry was on the menu, they were both very tasty and welcome as it is very difficult to get a good curry in or around Bagneres.

JULY 09

2009-12-30T13:22:00.002+01:00

'The Tour de France' week was very busy and Steve, Graham (a friend) and I rode up to the Col d' Aspin and 1 km beyond, to watch the riders climbing up towards the Col from Arreau. It was a brilliant day and boy did we enjoy the ride down on our bikes, passing the traffic jam of cars all trying to get through the bottle neck at St. Marie and on towards Bagneres. It was well worth the effort of the ride up.

Our friends Mary & David from Hebron Connecticut, (who we first met in Dunstable, when our first children were born 28years ago) arrived for a very short visit, only 3 days. We took them on a walk via the Tourmalet up to the Pic du Midi, the views were spectacular, the last part of the walk from the old observatory up to the Pic du Midi was quite steep and hard going but the satisfaction when you got to the top made it all worth while. Mary and David were also lucky to be in Bagneres for 'Bastille Day' there is always a big firework display so we booked an outside table at the Casino for dinner that evening and after a very nice meal, sat in comfort with our drinks and watched the fireworks. It was a really enjoyable evening.

JUNE 09

2009-12-30T13:06:00.003+01:00

I managed to go walking in the mountains with Mary & friends from Ireland. We walked to the reservoir just below the Pic de Pene Blanque. We had a lovely day with a picnic by the reservoir.

Steve and I also managed a mountain walk at the Cirque de Toumouse. It was very beautiful, we haven't done a lot of walking in the Pyrenees but have vowed to do more as there are so many beautiful places to walk, or should I say more like hike.

I also managed to do another mountain walk with my my friend Franki, we walked up to the 'Signal de Bassia' and walked along the ridge before descending to the 'Col de Beyrede'. The weather and views were beautiful.

MAY 09

2009-12-30T13:02:00.002+01:00

On the 11th I had to return to Poland via the UK (cheapest way to get there) as my father had died and I had to go and attend to the paperwork for his cremation. On returning to the UK I spent a week with my Mother in the north before visiting family and friends up and down the country before returning to France.

APRIL 09

2009-12-30T12:57:00.002+01:00

Steve and I went to Biarritz (easy driving) to pick Andrew up from the airport, he came for a week during the Easter half term holiday. We were back in Bagneres by lunchtime, quick lunch and 25min drive up to La Mongie for an afternoons skiing. Andrew didn't bring his snowboard with him this time so we were all skiing. Andrew flew from Birmingham to Biarritz and loved the fact that he was in the UK in the morning and skiing by 1pm the same day,

MARCH 09

2009-12-30T12:51:00.002+01:00

As usual the snow was great for Steve's Birthday on the 8th and we spent the day skiing and had lunch sitting outside in the sunshine at a mountain restaurant over the Bareges side of the mountain. What can I say, for the 5th year running a Great Day!

We also spent my Birthday on the 24th skiing with Lunch outside in the sunshine over at Bereges.

FEBRUARY 09

2009-12-30T12:38:00.002+01:00

On arriving back from Poland & the UK, it was good to see there was still plenty of snow on the slopes and we were able to get back on the slopes at La Mongie/Bereges again.

The nice thing about where we live in Bagneres de Bigorre is we are still able to get out on our MTB & road bikes during the winter months.

We had a 'games night' with 12 friends, which was GREAT FUN and I was most surprised and pleased as I actually managed to play American Pool quite well and get the balls down the holes. I am usually hopeless.

I went racqueting for the first time with my friend Frankie, who is a old hand at the sport. We set of from Payolle and walked up to the 'SIGNAL DE BASSIA' and back down via Col d' Aspin. I thought that I might have trouble with the racquet's and have to walk like a duck but I was pleasantly surprised and really enjoyed the new experience and getting to see the mountains from a different aspect.

JANUARY 09

2009-12-30T12:27:00.005+01:00

Steve and I managed to get in quite a bit of skiing at the beginning of January before I left for Poland, via the UK to visit my father. On my return trip I managed to spend time with my mother up in the north.

I picked Steve up from Stanstead for his 4 day visit and we caught up with our sons, Steve's parents and our friends. It is hard work driving all over the country trying to visit everyone in such a short time. The weather didn't help as the snow hit the UK and it was a difficult journey to Stanstead for our return flight to France.

DECEMBER 08

2009-12-30T12:14:00.002+01:00

Steve and I drove to pick our son Andrew up from Birritz airport on the 20th, for a 10 day stay. We arrived back in Bagneres about 12pm, had a quick lunch and then went up to La Mongie for an afternoons skiing. A great afternoon!

Christmas Day, we did our usual, skiing in the morning, back home by 2pm to put the Turkey in the oven, for a 6pm Christmas dinner. A perfect day!

Steve and I held a New Years Eve party for about 60 friends, the theme was black and white and everyone got into the party mood, some of our friends really got into the party mood and came in fancy dress. A good time was had by all.

We missed all of our friends back in Berkshire, who came to our New Year's Eve party's year after year when we lived in the UK.

NOVEMBER 2008

2009-05-17T21:47:00.001+01:00

The weather so far this month has been changeable with quite a lot of rain, which of course means we have lots of snow up at La Mongie and the ski resort is opening on the 29th Nov, which is 2 weeks earlier than usual.
People have been going up the mountain with their cross country ski’s, so it looks like we are going to have a good season this year.

We have also had some lovely hot and sunny days as well. I have been out on both my MTB & road bike 4 times in the last 8 days. Steve and I drove over to the Lourdes valley on Sunday with our mountain bikes and spent a lovely day riding up the valley next to the river where there are some nice single tracks running parallel to a cycle path which is a disused railway track and has been developed for cycling, walking, skating.

This is a pic that I took just past Argeles-Gazost.

There is a new Ryanair flight going from Stanstead to Tarbes/Lourdes starting on the 20th of December (20 mins drive from Bagneres) flying from Saturday to Saturday for the ski season. Hopefully if there is a good demand for the route it will continue during the summer.

Andrew is flying with his snowboard from Luton to Biarritz for 10 days over Christmas, arriving the day before his 25th Birthday. It is an easy drive from there. Steve prefers driving to Biarritz rather than Toulouse, although it is further it takes about the same time to drive.

Gary was made redundant at the end of September, the company he had been working for the last 4 years went into liquidation. He is working for an agency he has worked for in the past as a Landscape gardener, temporarily, until he can find another permanent job on a similar salary that he was earning in his last company. Both Gary and Eli have both got part time jobs at the local Leisure centre to help supplement the shortfall to their income. They both seem very positive and Gary has a few irons in the fire as far as a permanent job is concerned.

We will have to get our ski stuff this week and check it out for the start of the season on the 29th. I can’t believe how quickly it has come round.

Steve and I were up at La Mongie bright and early on the 29th Nov for the lifts to open at 9am. Steve and I had a great day skiing. We managed to go skiing about 8 times before picking Andrew up from Biarritz on Sat 20th Dec and we still managed to have an afternoon on the pistes. Andrew enjoyed being back on his snowboard again.

It was Andrew’s 25th birthday on the 21st Dec and you can guess where we spent the day. Yes! That’s right on the pistes.

Luckily we only had a few guests during Andrews stay so managed between Steve and me to take Andrew snowboarding most days. Christmas as usual was spent skiing/snowboarding with an early evening Christmas dinner. A perfect day!

We had a New Years Eve party with about 50 guests. The party went very well and everyone seemed to enjoy them selves. Sorry for all our friends back in the UK who used to come to our New Years Eve parties every year, you were all missed.

From New Year’s Eve for the next week we were very busy everyone was here for the skiing and the weather was great.

OCTOBER 2008

2009-05-17T21:46:00.001+01:00

Steve went back to the UK to visit his mum and dad on the 18th for 5 days. He popped into his cousin Colin and caught up with all Colin and Jane’s family news before making his way to North Camp to spend the evening with Gary and Eli, taking them both our for a meal at a new local Nepalees restaurant for a curry.

Sunday he caught up his old drinking buddy Bill and guess what they had for dinner, that’s right yet another curry.

On Monday he drove up to his parents spending 2 days with them, he thought that they both looked well, his mum couldn’t wait till she could get the plaster off her leg and she could get about under her own steam again.
Steve drove down to Bedford to meet Andrew after he finished work and they went out for dinner, catching up on all the news before leaving late that night to get to Stanstead for his early flight on Wednesday back to Pau. He had left his car in the long stay car park, which was reasonably priced for 5 days and it meant that I didn’t have to drive him to Pau and pick him up again. He was pleased to be back in France.

SEPTEMBER 2008

2009-05-17T21:45:00.001+01:00

My French lessons started again at the beginning of the month. I think learning French will be a life long endeavour for me. I definitely know more French than I did before I started the classes, including a lot about the French culture.

We had managing to keep another 3 nights clear of bookings and we went camping again for another 3 nights but this time to the Med, just south of Perpignan at Canet Plage, we had a great view of Étang de Canet from the front of our tent and could watch the flamencos and herons on the lake.

We enjoyed time exploring the area and spent time on the beach. Steve also did a little fishing. One evening Fiona and I were going to do a little shopping while steve fished from the harbour before dinner and out of no where it suddenly started to rain, then there was a tremendous storm, thunder and lightning & torrential rain, everyone was caught unaware and got completely soaked. Fiona and I sat out the storm in a café drinking coffee and Steve sat waiting for the storm to pass so that he could fish, but by the time it did finish it was too dark for fishing.

We visited Carcasonne on our way back to Bagneres. We had never been there before and will definitely return, you could quite easily spend a whole day there. We were pleasantly surprised that the price of eating out there seemed reasonable, with a good variety of food available. We were quite surprised that there were several places that you were charged to enter, rather than just one entry charge. There is enough to walk round see and without paying for entry into the other areas for a first visit and that is what Steve, Fiona & I did, as we were only there for a couple of hours.

We arrived back in Bagneres on Friday, Steve had to take friends to Toulouse at 5am on Saturday morning and Fiona was flying back to Edinburgh from Toulouse on Saturday, late afternoon. We had a quiet relaxed Sunday as you can imagine.

When we have guests it can be a bit of a struggle, as I have French lessons Mon, Tue & Thur mornings in Tarbes and I have to leave home about 8.20, and Steve has his building work, luckily he is working in town at the moment which makes things a little easier.

Steve went off for a golfing weekend with a group of Brits and French from Bagneres golf club, for a competition between the two groups which started last year and looks as if it is going to be an annual event.

I went to the UK on the 19th to spend a week with my mother while my sister Wanda and brother in-law Carl go on holiday in the sun for a week. As usual I have tried to fit everything in while I am there. I arrived in Stanstead and drove down to Owlsmoor where I have a dental appointment for a check up. Stayed the night with Gary & Eli and Wendy (my hairdresser for the last 10yrs) cut my hair on Saturday morning, before I drove up to the north stopping at Newport Pagnell for lunch with Andrew. Arriving at my mothers on Saturday afternoon. I was able to catch up with my sister Louise and brother William and old school friend. Nina. The following Saturday afternoon I will drive down to Gt. Gonerby just north of Grantham to visit Steve’s parents, his mum has broken her leg and is a wheel chair and being looked after by Steve’s father. They seem to be happy to be back living in England after almost 2 decades living abroad in Australia and France for the last 2 years. I flew from Stanstead to Pau on their 6.20 flight on Sunday the 28th.

AUGUST 2008

2009-05-17T21:44:00.001+01:00

Steve and I were both quite busy this month but managed to have a few days away camping at the beginning of the month to the Atlantic coast where we thought we would have a surfing lesson, wow! Hard work, we will probably hire a board some time if the weather conditions were good but won’t be taking it up seriously. At the end of the month Fiona arrived for her holiday, she flew from Edinburgh to Toulouse for the first time and found the flight quick and easy.

We went camping for 3 nights on the Atlantic coast just a few miles north of Hossegor & Cap Breton, we explored further up the coast and went to Léon on recommendation and loved it there, there was a large lake with water sports available, we hired a 3 man canoe and spent an hour exploring the lake. There are easy cycle paths all over the area, we couldn’t believe the number of people on bikes. The beach is only about 10 mins away, so you have the best of both worlds. We will definitely by going back there.

We had to return to Bagneres for the arrival of guests we were expecting for 5 nights.

JULY 2008

2009-05-17T21:43:00.000+01:00

BOB members from the UK Clive Ely and Paul Howard (our web master) arrived for a 2 week stay over the ETAPE & TOUR weeks.

Sue Frazer and her boyfriend Michelle stayed with us for the 3 nights of the ETAPE weekend and Steve dropped her off at Pau for the ETAPE on Sunday.

We watched the ETAPE group going past our house on route for the Tourmalet and cheered on both Sue and Nicky and acted as their water & loo stop. We were very impressed that they completed the ETAPE ride in weather conditions that could have been better.

The Tour de France had a finish stage in Bagneres down by the river on the 13th July and on the following day the 14th the TOUR passed by our house ‘DEEZARK’ on route for the Tourmalet. On the second day Steve, Clive & Paul all rode further up the mountain to see the Tour and found a great spot looking down the valley with views of the riders as they made their way up the mountain. On the other hand I watched the TOUR go past the house in comfort from the roof of our garage with Adrian (Radders) & Claire (his future wife) along with a couple of Ozzie guests,
who are living in Wimbledon for a while, Clare & Clive table, chairs, wine and a great view.

If you have EURO SPORT you would have seen our house DEEZARK on the right just as the TOUR was leaving Bagneres. Shirley (in OZ) saw the house but didn’t see us on the roof of the garage or all the BOB club tops that I had laid on the slopping part of the garage roof. I thought that the helicopters might spot them as they followed the TOUR out of Bagneres. It was all very exciting.

Paul arrived home with piles of TOUR goodies, Steve and Clive didn’t manage to do quite as well as Paul on the goodies front.

JUNE 2008

2009-05-17T18:56:00.004+01:00

Jan and Nick came to stay for a couple of nights at the beginning of the month before I went on a short visit to Nysa in Poland to visit my father and cousins. It was great to see everyone again; it was 8 years since my last visit. My cousin Jeryz and his wife Ada made sure that I was well looked after and I would just like to say a big thank you to my cousins for looking after me so well, Derek his wife Theresa, Jan and wife Annya, Kasia and son Robert (13) who acted as interpreter during my stay. Robert and Asia (Derek & Theresa’s daughter) had grown so tall since the last time I saw them and I met Jan & Annya’s 2 children for the first time.

I arrived back from to find a new Specialized Dolce road bike in front of the fireplace. (Father Christmas came early) Steve and I found the bike in a bike shop in Tarbes the week before I left for Poland. I always have problems finding bikes to fit with me only being 4ft 10ins tall or should I say small. That afternoon Steve and I went for a ride to see how I would get on with a road bike instead of a mountain bike and I can tell you it is very different.

A week later I rode up Col d’Aspin for the first time ever.

We have had guests this month from OZ, SA, NZ and of course France and the UK.

MAY 2008

2008-09-15T15:30:00.002+01:00

The weather has been very changeable this month, not as many sunny days as usual for this time of year.

We had BOB member Sue Frazer and her friend Nicky staying with us for 4 days as a pre ETAPE training trip, they did really well and rode all the major cols they had intended to and feel better prepared for the ETAPE in June.

Andrew and his girlfriend Bibi came out for five days during the half term at the end of the month they seemed to enjoy their break and on their last night in Bagneres our niece Hayley arrived with her boyfriend Brendan, they were staying with us for a week as part of their WORLD TOUR from Oz. Andrew would have liked to have been able to spend more time with them while they were here but their dates didn’t match up but they are going to manage to get together again in the UK before Hayley and Brendan head back to OZ via Hong Kong.

We also had friends Jan & Nick visiting from the UK, they were house sitting for friends who live about 40 mins away and called into see us a couple of times when they came into Bagneres.

APRIL 2008

2008-07-25T12:09:00.007+01:00

Steve and I managed to fit in a few visits to La Mongie before the end of the ski season and had a couple of good days skiing with our friends Astrid & Barry who live in Labassere about 10mins outside Bagneres and have a couple of Gites.

Steve's parents flew back to live in the UK on the 8th April and after packing up all their belongings into a van, we couldn’t have fitted another thing in the van it was so full. (We did manage to fit some wine behind the seats in the cab to take over to the UK for Gary & Andrew thought) We set off early on the Thursday morning, arriving at Caen to catch the overnight ferry that night.

It was a very smooth crossing, which was just as well as Steve and I were both unwell and spent all night in and out of the bathroom but we were both relieved that by the morning we had both recovered and were ready to continue our journey up to Lincolnshire.

We stop in Biggleswade as we were passing, to have a look at the school our son Andrew is teaching at.

We stopped for something to eat and arrived safe and sound at Steve’s uncle Victors house around 2pm. Steve’s cousin Sharon took us over to the bungalow Steve’s parents were moving into and we started unloading, his father and uncle arrived and it wasn’t long before the van was empty. The bungalow is very nice light and spacious overlooking a small green with fields behind it in the village of Gt. Gonerby. I am sure they will be very happy there, in the area to keep there is quite a lot going on to keep them occupied.

I drove up to Castleton to visit my mother and family for a few days while Steve drove to Oxford to pick up more of his mum and dad’s furniture that our friend Paul had brought over in his van the weekend before.

I arrived back at Gt. Gonerby around lunchtime on the Monday and then Steve and I said our goodbyes and were off down to Bedford to meet Andrew and his girlfriend Bibi. We spent a pleasant couple of hours with them and handing over the 6 bottles of wine we had brought over from France for them and were off again to Owlsmoor, where we live for 19 years and stayed a couple of nights with our friends Jane and Jon. We arrived just in time for Steve to attend the BOB annual meeting that evening while I chilled out with Jane.

Jon borrowed a mountain bike for Steve and he and Jon went out for a ride in Swindley forest going over all the old ground we used to ride and admiring all the new trails that BOB club members Colin and Alan had spent such a long time making.

After a quick shower we went to visit our son Gary and his girlfriend Eli in Northcamp. Since they have re-organized the space in their living room/kitchen with the help of Steve coming over in November and fitting a new kitchen it looks really good and looks much bigger now. We gave them their wine and then had to rush of for an Indian meal with Jane, Jon, Richard & Louise in Kaber’s in Crowthorne. It was a belated birthday meal out for Richard, who celebrated his birthday on the 3rd. We had a great meal and really enjoyed the food and the course of company.

We set off on the Wednesday morning for Portsmouth and the overnight ferry back to St. Malo that evening. We arrived in plenty of time and had lunch and did a little bit of shopping at Gun Wharf Keys, which isn’t far from the ferry port and spent a very pleasant afternoon there.

We had an easy drive down from St Malo to Bagneres arriving a back at 5.30pm. Steve had estimated that we would drive about 3,000 kilometres and he was only out by .5 of a kilometre with his estimation. We were very pleased with the trip and everything went according to plan. Although we were very happy when we arrived back in Bagneres.

This is a picture I took on Sat the 26th when I was riding up to Chiroulet on my bike, it took me 2 hours to ride up to Chiroulet as I stopped to talk to friends and take lots of pictures but it only took me ½ an hour to get home again.

I was riding up to St Marie de Campan on Friday and managed to get a pic of this squirrel, which very kindly sat on a branch to have its photograph taken.

Steve and I had lunch with our friends Martin and Lorraine who have a Grange in the Lesponne valley, which is on the way up to Chiroulet and were sitting in the garden having a glass of wine and I am sure I spotted a Lannergeier vulture flying around the mountain on the opposite side of the river, Martin doesn’t think that it was as he said they are very rare but I was looking through the binoculars and it was a very large bird which was a salmon colour on the underside and a black/dark fan like tail. I am 95% sure it was a Lannergeier. Unfortunately I have no don’t have any photographic evidence.

2008-07-25T12:04:00.002+01:00

MARCH 2008

It was Steve’s birthday on the 8^th this will have been the 3^rd year running that we have spent his birthday skiing. We had lunch at the Auberge on the Berèges side of the resort sitting outside in the sun and had a great days skiing.

Steve’s birthday happened to be on the same day as our friends Liz’s birthday, it was the big 40 this year and her husband Paul had arranged a surprise birthday dinner party for her, there were about 20 friends there to help her celebrate. Friends Dom & Liz hosted the evening and prepared all the food, which was delicious. The evening was a great success and Paul earned loads of brownie points from Liz for arranging it all. It really was A BIG SURPRISE.
Unfortunately the snow wasn’t as good for my birthday on the 24^th.

FEBUARY 2008

2008-03-05T16:59:00.009+01:00

We have been having very spring like weather in Bagneres for the last couple of months (which is great if you don’t want to ski) but there has still been skiing 25 mins up the road at La Mongie/Bereges. Any of the predicted snow seemed to disappear before it reached us.

The Snow arrived yesterday Tuesday the 4^th and now the slopes are completely covered in the white stuff and there is still over a month of the ski season to go. YES!

Steve’s mother and father have decided to return to the UK to live after 3 years living in Bagneres and a further 15 years in OZ. They are going to live in the Grantham area near Steve’s dad’s 2 brothers and their families.

Only 4 days after I returned to Bagneres from the UK Andrew and 3 of his friends arrived from the UK. Andrew and Sam drove Andrew’s new (18yr old) VW people carrier through the night from Dover, while Jan and Ian had to keep the drivers awake. They arrived safe and sound in Bagneres around 4pm on Sat the 9^th and stayed till midnight the following Saturday.

Luckily they had arrived the week before the French holidays so the slopes weren’t too busy.

JANUARY 2008

2008-02-23T20:16:00.010+01:00

Steve has been kept busy with his building projects and I have been busy looking after our Chambres d’Hotes guests and my French lessons but we have still found time to do in a bit of skiing and get out on our bikes.

On the 26^th I flew to the UK to spend a week with my mother while my sister Wanda and her family all went for a holiday in the sun. Mum and I enjoyed our week together and I cooked her all her favourite foods and reminisce over old times.

I managed to spend time with my eldest sister Louise and both of my brothers William and Stasick, which I don’t often manage to do unless there is a wedding or social gathering of some kind.

My old school friend Nina (nee Miller) had her 56th birthday (No! we can’t be that old, surely) while I was there so we celebrated over lunch in her new (to her) house.

On the 3^rd Feb I drove down south and stayed for a couple of nights with Jane & Jon Lucas in Owlsmoor. I visited Gary and Eli to admire their new kitchen and as usual I had made appointments with my dentist & Hairdresser while I was there.

December 2007

We ended the year with more skiing and a busy Christmas & New Year for the Chambres d’Hotes. We didn’t have any family or friends visiting us this Christmas but kept busy with our guests, skiing & festive gatherings.

Pictures I would like to share with you all

2007-12-15T12:43:00.000+01:00

Steve enjoying skiing for the 1st time this season

Kasia's 1st Ski of the season

Skiing opened at La Mongie yesterday 14th December.
Steve and I spent a great day on the slopes.
Thats a snow covered Tourmalet at the top right hand side
of the picture.

The village of Beaudean
With snow capped mountains behind
Beaudean is where Dominique Jean Larrey Napoleons Surgeon
was born. He is well worth reading up about.

A view of the Pic du Midi

Taken from a small habitation just south of La Mongi

Bagneres Golf Course - 9th T

The Picture doesn't really do the views justice

lAC BLEU

It takes about 3 hrs hike from Chiroulet,
only 20mins drive from Bagneres de Bigorre

December 2007 Update

2007-12-10T18:39:00.000+01:00

Hi there to all our friends & family,

I thought I had better sit down and give you all a brief synopsis of what has been going on with Steve and I in Bagneres over the last year.

We wish you all

A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS
and
A HAPPY NEW YEAR

We are really excited as 'Le Tour'comes to Bagneres next year with a stage finish on the 13 th. July and a second visit on the 14th. The week before, the 'etap' also comes through town on 6th. July, the spectacle of close to 10,000 cyclists hammering past our front door should not be missed. SueFrazer is riding the etap and is staying with her and a friend for a few days. Clive Ely and Paul Howard are coming for both the etap and 'Le Tour' followed closely by Adrian Radenbury and Jerry Mc'Gill arriving on the 11th. July. We are looking forward to seeing them all.
As I write this on 10th. December the snow has at last been falling at the ski resort, I have repaired and edged our skis and given them a coat of wax (amusingly fart in French) so we are ready to go as soon as they open the lifts hopefully on Wednesday 12th.
Steve has got to practice his slalom skills as he has entered a ski/golf competition which is run over two days with a downhill and slalom on the Saturday and a round of golf on the Sunday, bizarre!!
Our son Andrew and a group of friends are coming over for snowboarding in February and we are looking forward to seeing them as well.
DECEMBER
We are patiently waiting for news that the ski slopes are opening and hope it will be at the week end. Steve has been busy edging and waxing the skis in preparation and he is like a little boy checking the snow report about 10 times a day, hoping that the weather is turning cold so there will be more chance of snow up at LaMongie.

We aren't expecting either Gary or Andrew for Christmas this year, so it looks like we will be skiing Christmas day and having Steve's parents over for Christmas dinner in the evening and the same on Boxing day. We have guests staying but as we are only B&B that isn't a problem, we have given them a telephone number of a restaurant inBagneres for them to book up for their Christmas dinner and we will put the wood burning fire on in the games room for the evening and make in nice andcosy.

NOVEMBER
Steve went over to the UK for a week to put a new kitchen and ceiling in Gary & Eli's flat. They had a flood from the flat above in October last year. It took till the end of October 2007 for the insurance companies to pay out. Once again Steve couldn't get back to Bagneres fast enough, he was hoping to come back to the ski slopes being opened but no such luck.

I am still enjoying riding my Gary Fisher Tessa Jara and Steve and I have only just started to wear our leggings.

OCTOBER
I flew back to the UK for my niece Tara's wedding to Gary in the north east of England on the 6th Oct. The day went very well, Tara looked lovely and the weather was hot and sunny. I went prepared with all my winter clothes in preparation for the cold weather but they didn't leave my suit case for the whole trip, I couldn't believe it. Weddings are great for catching up with all the family you don't manage to seen very often.

We organized our season ski passes and can't wait for the pistes to open.

I started French lessons, 3 hrs a day Mon/Tue & Wed mornings. I need structure and routine and although I am finding it hard going. I have my French books to hand and pick them up whenever I have the time and I definitely know more now than when I first started the lessons. I didn't learn French at school so don't have any foundations to work from. I have to keep going over and over everything and hope that it will sink in. The Teacher doesn't speak any English which makes it hard, luckily Kim (a friend) is in the same class and her French is better than mine so she helps me out.

SEPTEMBER
Fiona from Galashields came again for her 2 weeks of rest and relaxation. We went camping for 4 days over on the Atlantic coast at Hendaye, just south of St Jean de Luz. We walked the cliff path into St Jean de Luz and back. Went belly boarding in the sea and explored the area. Hendaye is only 5 mins from the Spanish boarder, so drove into St. Sebastian for the day. We also by chance arrived at the 'prettiest village' in France for their Fete which included a cattle and sheep show. I think the sheep had all had a shampoo and blow dry.

I had Fiona riding a bike round the local villages, horse riding and walking in the mountains. Perhaps next year I will organize a parachute jump for us, I have never been parachuting before.

AUGUST
Steve's sister Shirely and brother in-law Pete from Australia, along with Pete's mother from Wales stayed with Steve's mum and dad for a week. We drove toAinsa in Spain as Pete had never been to Spain before. It was great seeing them again as it had been at least 5 years since we last saw them.

Andrew and his girlfriend Joy flew out for a 6 days break. Andrew had been working all summer since he left Uni and wanted a break before the start his first teaching job in Biggleswade where he went for his first teachers practice last September. Joy was very nice and fitted in well with the family.

We also had Jerry, Georgie & Archie staying at the same time. Archie (18mths) was sooo cute and was very good. Georgie and I went on a 3hr hack up from La Mongie, it was more like a nature ride and it would be a really good way for people who are quite happy to sit on a horse but can't walk very far to get up into the mountains. We had the option of a gallop at the end of the ride which of course we took up.

July
We were still busy over the ETAP and Tour de Fance weeks even though the Tour didn't take in either the Tourmalet or Col d'Aspin this year. On Bastile day Steve and I sat outside the Casino in Bagneres with drinks in comfort and watched the firework display which were fantastic.

JUNE
Steve and I started playing golf. Steve had only played golf about a dozen times in total about 20years ago and I had never played before. Our friend Kirsty, who I help with her horses was just starting to play and Steve suggested that as I had always wanted to play golf it would be a good time to start.Kirsty and I enrolled at Bagneres-de-Bigorre golf course with Academie de golf with our Pro Philippe Jeanclaude . The course ran over a 3 month period which included use of the golf course. I can now hit a golf ball, generally straight but the distance is sometimes better than others and my putting isn't bad. The views are to die for and I always keep a camera handy, the mountains are spectacular. I don't think that I will every be very good at golf as I am always getting distracted by the views and the birds and of course I like getting out on my bike as well as helping with the horses to say nothing about having to look after ourChambres d'hotes & guests.

Steve on the other hand is doing really well, his handicap is getting lower all the time and he has won a few prizes in the competitions. I don't think that people believe that he didn't play golf in the UK.

Steve's Father is playing golf with Steve once a week and is enjoying it and is doing well especially when you think that he is 83.

May
Steve's parents went to the UK for 11 days to visit family near Grantham in Lincolnshire. They enjoyed catching up with family but found the roads very busy, the weather wasn't good and I think they were quite happy to get back toBagneres.

APRIL
At the end of the Easter holidays our mountain biking friends from Owlsmoor, back in the UK, Jane,Jon & Oli Lucas came out for a weeks holiday and managed to get in a last bit of skiing before the end of the season. It was great to see them and I think they felt well rested after their visit.

At the end of March we hosted a very successful 'Curry Evening'.
I met a couple, Aishe & Paul while shopping in Lannemazon.They were running a business cooking Indian food and hosting dinners in your own home. It is very difficult to get a good curry around here so we thought we would see if we could get enough people interested and give them a try. At 17 euros per head, which includedpopodoms & pickles, a starter, main course with nan bread, desert and wine, we thought it was good value for money. We rang round all our friends who might be missing a good curry to see who would be interested. The response was excellent.

We set the games room up with tables to seat 26 people with Indian background music, Aishe & Paul wore Indian dress and colorful saris to put over the white table clothes. It was very effective. Along with the pre-prepared food which they heated up just before serving, they also bring their own crockery and cutlery.Aishe and Paul served the food, cleared away after the meal and did all the washing up at the end of the evening. Great! that is the worst bit about having a party.

Everyone had a great time and had the opportunity to meet people they hadn't met before.

March
At the end of March my niece Amanda, her husband Ed and their daughter Molly who was only two and a half years old. We all went skiing, they were all beginners at skiing and did very well. Ed probably progressed the most but 10 out of 10 for effort for Amanda and Molly was unbelievable, we thought that being so young she would get bored after a very short time, but that didn't happen we spent all day on the slopes, even having a picnic lunch on a blanket on the snow. I think if Molly lived here she would become a great skier, her balance was great, and she was quite happy to ski down a slope for some distance from Ed to Steve and then go up on the button lift with Steve and come down between his skies. Molly would do some skiing then have a rest and take in her surroundings then wanted uncle Steve to take her skiing again. She has no fear. We went sledging at Payolle, she was going down quite long steep slopes by herself on the sledge and loving it. They enjoyed their stay and the opportunity to ski and I am sure they will be back again.

February
The second week in Feb Andrew and his old school friend Hennie came over for a weeks snowboarding. The snow was good enough for them to get some off piste snowboarding in and the weather was great. They both bought helmets which I was very pleased about.

Unfortunately the last week of the month our Mitsubishi Pejeros engine died. It was cost effective for Steve to go back to the UK and bring back an engine than buy one in France. Needless to say things in the UK didn't go smoothly and Steve was happy when after 4 days away he arrived back in Bagneres again.

Kasia & Steve

Andrew graduates, just enough snow for skiing, Kasia gets a new bike!

2007-01-22T21:13:00.000+01:00

We would like to wish all our friends and family a HAPPY NEW YEAR for 2007 and if we didn't get to call in and see you all when we were over in the UK at the end of November for our youngest son Andrew's Graduation Ceremony we are sorry! We did try to fit in as many visits as we could during the many miles of driving we had to do from arriving in at Newhaven on the 22nd to leaving from Dover on the 29th November. Everyone knows where we live and if you haven't been to this part of France, as we hadn't before we came to look at properly here, it is a lovely part of France and well worth a visit.

Andrew at his Graduation Ceremony

The day we arrived back home from the UK Steve came down with pneumonia and was in a bad way. We were a bit shocked as we thought that it was only old, sick or very young people who got pneumonia. As usual Steve recovered quickly and is now fit, healthy and working hard again.

Andrew came out for 6 days just before Christmas and had hoped to get some snowboarding in but for the first time since we have lived here there wasn't enough snow. He is coming back during the February half term. So fingers crossed. Steve and I did manage to ski on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing day but haven't been since.

Steve on Christmas Day at La Mongie

Kasia on Christmas day

Our eldest son Gary and his girlfriend Eli came over on Sunday 14th January for 8 days and had hoped to get on the ski slopes but unfortunately it is Wednesday and there hasn't been enough snow so far. It is predicted that we are due for a good fall of snow on Sunday/Monday. Too late for Gary and Eli unfortunately.

I have just had a delivery of a new GARY FISHER Tassajara Disc GS 2007 women's specific mountain bike as an early birthday present (March 24th). For any of you women who are looking for a new bike but not pay too much money it feels great. My bike is a 13". As you all know as I am only 4ft 10ins tall getting a mountain bike to fit me has always been a problem but with this one being women specific and with only a little tweaking it fits perfectly and is a lovely shade of blue as well. The only thing is my BOB clothing doesn't co-ordinate very well. Oh well you can't have everything can you. This will be my 4th GARY FISHER bike, the first 3 where sponsored bikes through MOUNTAIN TRAX when we used to compete in all the GORRICK and Southern Area mountain bike races. Steve has also converted my old GARY FISHER HOO KOO E KOO for road riding and I am very happy with it.

I look forward to seeing some of you who haven't been to see us yet visit the Pyrenees in 2007.

Lots of love to you all
Kasia & Steve