Nearly - but let me explain!
Chateau Sauvin or, as we know it, - "Chez Kelly" - figures quite a bit in our lives over the last three years at Meilhan. It is owned by two delightful blokes who run it as a luxury B and B and through various social events, they become friends of ours as with many other local people. It is a natural choice for pool parties, firework nights and other festive occasions - often initiated by them. Their expensive birthday present to me for my 70th - two 40 pint home-brew beer dispensers - is just typical of their generosity and "joie de vivre".
Chateau Sauvin is a perfect location for friends who threatened to visit us as part of their holidays. Its grand gardens slope down to our canal allowing us easy access by barge, the convenience of which, as all safe car drivers would testify, we often take advantage.
Then, Oh horror ! We are appalled at the news! An obviously very rich Russian buyer (an oligarch?) makes an offer which the owners, the Kellys, can hardly refuse and they sell the place within weeks. All bookings are cancelled without notice. For the Blairs and other friends with confirmed bookings as well as us, it causes a great deal more research and stress, at this late stage, before an alternative venue is found. In the middle of the season - everywhere is full. The Blairs seriously suggest cancelling the whole of their holiday.
Typically, Sophie and Steve set about seeking alternatives - urgently - and with their "www" skills to the fore - they finally come up with the answer - they rent a lovely house near Lauzun, with swimming pool and all that young families need. They insist on us joining them for the week. We are unlikely to refuse. One might say it was a sort of holiday within a holiday for us. I take my piano too. The house turns out to be as good as expected and offers every facility that one could possibly want- excepting, in our case, a fridge large enough to house our drinks - the pool is gorgeous - large enough to properly swim in and, at the same time, play with the smallest of children without fear of accident.
So, firstly, a week's camping at Meilhan which included a Jazz Concert in the port, a night market in the village, a visit to an inland beach at the pleasure park in Casteljaloux and a trip to Fontet on Body and Soul where we all swim in the artificial lake with its fountain, rather green looking water and where we build sand castles with the imported sand. Body and Soul takes us back to Meilhan in the evening.
The Blair's second week is spent with their friends in Agen whilst Lucie and I relax into a dreamy summer at the port with occasional visits to and from friends.
Whilst they are in Agen we are invited to Stephen and Janet Campbell's beautiful Manoir near Montflanquin, -(first met them in Wiltshire where I played piano for their birthday party)- A picnic in the garden followed by dinner for ten people and a stay over night. It's a kind of castle with its own tower and man in armour standing guard at the bottom of the classic round tower stairs. An almost medieval atmosphere. Wonderful to meet up again with family Nicks (My Niece), Alex (and their children Emily and Lucie) The weather remains fantastic. I explore the "Moat" with glee...dogs go bonkers with such space to be free. We picnic again for breakfast, talk and laugh a lot before our departure for the rest of the holiday at the rented house..
A pre-70th birthday party for me with a super dinner/barbecue. Lots to eat and drink and fun with the two littles. Sweet of Sophie and Steve, our hosts, to set this up. Cheers! Yet another memorable evening. The weather is good although we have one day when I insist on swimming in pouring rain. It's gorgeously warm in there, despite it. Memorable indeed.
Sophie and Steve grab the opportunity to take a look around this beautiful area of South West France - the Dordogne and Lot-et-Garonne as they have now decided to move to France as a family.. and to meet our friends Caro and Charles Lamb, who joined us for a family barbecue and bring their daughter Zoe and her two lovely children Collie and Grace. Lots of useful information is gleaned which may useful as three weeks of holiday has confirmed the urge, though there are potential dangers when one has two children who have just started school - a dog and cat to bring and a house to sell - in a slack market too. (It really ain't all plain sailing, y'know!) Living in England whilst trying to find the right property in France can be a bit of a nightmare.
We all conclude that it might be better to rent a property in the right area first, say for an exploratory year, in order to get a better understanding of the facilities and options available - schooling etc ...but it doesn't stop them finding an agent and viewing some lovely properties, whilst on holiday, just to get a flavour of what is available. We will see......
More fun back at the hired house
Check out the "Hols with Sophie and Steve" - the Blair holiday album near the top of this page in the left hand column or try....
http://tillersandtastebuds.typepad.com/photos/hols_with_sophie_and_stev/index.html