Northern France, 16th - 18th of October 2026

Second thoughts...

Both of us had a decent night's sleep, but we hit a low point when Sophie went to have a shower and said there was no hot water. We'd already had issues with the loo and the lack of a decent flush, so this was the final straw. We had already mentioned the possibility of going home early because of the weather, and I said that if we didn't have any hot water, we'd be heading back over the Channel.

Luckily, after twiddling about with the control, hot water gushed through, and we were both able to have a decent shower. Outside, the heavy grey cloud and low mist had gone, to be replaced with towering storm clouds and showers. Occasionally, the sun would peep through these clouds, so we decided to change our plans and try to visit a museum.

While Sophie was showering, I Googled local art museums and found an interesting one in the town of Cassel, about fifty minutes away. The Museum of Flanders specialised in Flemish art, so it sounded very interesting and useful for dodging the showers!

Market Day in St Omer

It took me two attempts to manoeuvre out of the driveway, and Sophie had to stand in the road to direct me. It wasn't ideal, and I wasn't looking forward to driving back onto the driveway this evening, when I planned to reverse in.

As I found it better to turn left, I had to do a series of left turns and rejoin the road. Outside one house was a "body" encased in black plastic hanging from a window. The French seemed to be mad about Halloween!

Back at our starting point again, Sophie put directions into Jeeves and our journey took us onto beautiful country roads, with the occasional small village. The sky was very interesting indeed, with brilliant sunshine one minute and heavy rain the next. As we neared the town of St Omer, we decided to stop for a coffee. It was market day, but we managed to find a space in a large car park, just a short walk from the market square.

The town was bustling with people shopping in the market, and we found a lovely little brasserie for a coffee. Some of the locals, including three jolly women of a certain age, were indulging in glasses of wine already! We both ordered a café allongé crème, but the dairy came in a little pot, not hot and frothy as we'd hoped! It was still heaven to sit and relax and soak up the lovely atmosphere in the café. There were also delicious smells wafting about!

After paying the bill, we wandered around the market, looking at all the different foods on offer, including one stall selling a vast array of sausages. One, I am sure, was horse!

Strolling away from the market, we stumbled upon a gorgeous wine and spirits shop. It was a delight to peruse the shelves, and I picked out a red Sancerre, rarely seen in the UK, and a wine from a village - St Pourcain - where I used to stay with my parents back in the 1980s. Again, I have never seen it in the UK.

We also splashed out on a sparkling Vouvray and a bottle of beer for Keith. The owner was very chatty and gave us a box for the wine so we could transport our bottles back to the car safely. St Omer was a very pretty town, and one we'd been to a few years back with the children on a day trip.

Dining with giants

Back at the car, we headed for Cassel, taking more smooth country roads through mainly arable fields. The village names became more Flemish as we neared the town, and we knew we weren't far from the Belgian border. Ahead we could see a forested hill and realised this was Mont Cassel, with the town perched on the top. The road wound up steeply, and we followed signs for parking near a chapel. As we got out of the car, we were treated to stunning views across the countryside; it reminded me strongly of Montreuil-sur-Mer with the ramparts and cobbled streets. What a find!

We strolled to the centre and looked for somewhere to have lunch. One restaurant looked full to bursting, while Sophie said another hadn't received good reviews. We walked over to another eatery called La Terrasse des Géants and had a look at the menu. As we were reading, it started to rain, so I suggested we go inside. Sophie wasn't happy, as one of her favourite things to do is study menus, but it had great reviews, and I was hungry!

It was a great decision, and although the interior was a little basic and there was a giant television screen opposite our table, the food and service were tremendous. We ordered smoked salmon and toast to share as a starter, followed by a beef Flemish casserole, with chips and salad. The food was delicious, and the chips were the best I have ever eaten! And I don't say that lightly! We ordered a pichet of red wine to accompany the meal, and it was equally delicious.

The woman who served us was lovely - very motherly and friendly - and we were very glad we'd chosen to eat here. Towards the end of our meal, a group of eight men came in for lunch, and we suspected they'd either been fishing or farming, as the aromas surrounding them were very earthy! They were friendly, though, and they all said hello as they took their places at their table.

We had no room for pud, and it was only as we were walking out that I noticed the chocolate fondant on the blackboard... uh oh! I'd broken the law!

What is that?

Our bill came to a highly reasonable 60 euros, and we found the meal extremely good value for money. The 500ml pichet of wine was 9 euros... try getting two large glasses of wine in the UK for this price! We bade the staff a fond farewell and walked across the road to the museum. Imagine our delight when we were told that the entrance was free, as there was work going on upstairs.

The rooms containing the art were very dim and dark, highlighting the gorgeous paintings. We saw a painting by Rubens and one by Pieter Bruegel the Elder. But it was the art by Hieronymus Bosch that really caught our eye (if indeed it was by him). Very weird and nightmarish, to put it mildly. Below are details of the paintings we saw:

This was my favourite... it resembles me looking at John Mayer...

What's with the screaming face?

Creepy!

A  bit more conventional

Topless creepy nun?

It was lovely wandering around and gazing at the art. It wasn't busy at all, and at first there was only another group of people having a tour, so it was quiet and peaceful. I just wish we could have gone up to the next floor. We will be back!

We were able to go outside and admire the stunning views and the architecture of the building itself. I love the crenellated roofs and the beautiful brickwork.

Outside sculpture

Between showers!

Sophie bought a couple of postcards, and we emerged into the pretty square. Before heading back to the car, we called into a patisserie to buy a couple of cakes for later in the evening. The young girl serving asked me to hold a pane of glass that was part of the cabinet, while she attended to an alarm further in the shop! Her mother came out and said it wasn't going to fall, but I didn't dare risk it! 

A little indulgence!

We left Cassel via a cobbled road, and we later learnt that the town has been occupied since Roman times and some of the ancient roads still exist. The views back down were beautiful, and it's a town we'll certainly return to again.

Before heading back to the house, we decided to drive to Bray-Dunes, right on the coast, and apparently the northernmost town in the whole of France (including its territories). Sophie was in the middle of reading Atonement, and one of her characters died in the town. It played a big part in the evacuation of Dunkirk in the Second World War.

Interesting skies!

The journey was extremely pleasant, and we passed through pretty villages and along straight roads. We managed to park near the front and walked the short distance to the wide promenade that stretched on either side of the town. It reminded me a little of Houlgate.

We spotted a café and went into its warmth as it was windy and quite cold. I was glad I'd brought my coat! We took seats next to the window and ordered two hot chocolates with frothy cream and a little treat, a glass of Grand Marnier each. Bliss!

For both of us, this was the highlight of our little break, and it was heaven to sit and chat, people-watch from the windows, and enjoy our delicious drinks.

We paid the bill and reluctantly left to drive back to the house, using the autoroute and its mad drivers. I always find the area around Dunkirk and Calais to be frenetic and the driving crazy. I have no idea why, but today was the same! It was a relief to get off and drive on normal roads!

I tried to back into the driveway of the house, but every time I tried, another car would appear. We didn't know why this road was so busy! In the end, I drove into Ardres again, turned around and approached from the left, driving in as normal. Sophie would have to help me get out again in the morning!

We lit the pellet burner and had a very relaxing evening, watching two game shows on French television that were originally from the UK - Family Fortunes and the 1% Club! Amazingly, I managed to get a few questions right on the equivalent of the 1% Club! We also spotted a couple of pheasants in the garden and other guests had mentioned deer in the field next door.

Halfway through the evening, we enjoyed our platter of meats and cheeses and the rest of the tabbouleh, accompanied by a couple of glasses of red wine. The cakes we'd bought were delicious as well!

A few more photos of gorgeous Cassel:

Old cobbled streets

Northern France, 16th - 18th of October 2026

An unpleasant journey...

Sophie and I were both up at about 3:00am, and showered, dressed and ready to go by 4:00am. Outside, it was raining, not something I really wanted. The rain was set to be a feature of our little break, and never really left us for the whole weekend!

Keith got up to say goodbye, and we set off into the dark, taking our usual route of the A14, M11, M25, and M20. It was great to take Celine on a longer trip, and I loved driving her, although the behaviour of some of the lorries on the route wasn't great. One veered into my lane as I was overtaking it, whilst I was being overtaken myself. We were mightily glad when we reached Folkestone!

We opted to take our chosen departure and went into the terminal to use the facilities and buy a UK sticker for the car. We also took advantage of the Duty Free deal of a bottle of Gin and Vodka for £24, which was a bargain! What wasn't so good, though, was the zip on my handbag breaking! Drat! I think it's time to get a new one!

Back at the car, we enjoyed our flask of coffee and Keith's sausage rolls that he'd made for us yesterday. Unfortunately, delays at passport control meant we missed our slot of 8:15am, so we took the next at 8:45am. We were diverted to the lane where the steering wheel was swabbed, and it took us ages to rejoin the queue for the French passport control. We weren't in any hurry, though, and couldn't check in until 5:00pm, although we had been sent the key code for our house in Brêmes. We were hoping we'd be able to get in a bit earlier!

Rain, rain, rain!

We had a pleasant crossing, but we were in for a shock when it was time to drive off the train. I couldn't put Celine into "drive" and, worryingly, a battery icon flashed up on the instrument panel. We tried not to panic, and nobody behind us started getting impatient, and after what seemed like ages, but was probably only a couple of minutes, we managed to restart the car and put it into "drive" so we could move away. I had no idea why this had happened, and Sophie suggested it was because we'd put the keys on the phone charging pad. That's something I won't do on the return journey! There are so many gadgets on these modern cars, with so much to go wrong!

We headed for Sangatte and the coastal road, and we stopped in a layby in the town to convert the miles to kilometres so I knew what speed I was driving at. We were both still a little shaken up, and I realised that on this break, I'd really be getting to know my new car!

It was a cloudy day with the promise of rain on the horizon. We wanted to stop at our usual little café/restaurant in Audinghen, and on the way we saw several groups of gendarmes by the beaches. This was the first time we'd seen any police presence in the area, so were they looking for people trying to get to the UK by boat?

At Audinghen, we parked and went into the restaurant to find no tables in the small bar area. A local was enjoying a beer, and a member of staff was counting a huge tray of coins. We ordered a small La Goudale Ambreé each, paid ten euros, which I thought was a bit steep, and took a table outside, next to a jolly group of Belgians with their dogs.

We sat, relaxed, and discussed the car problem, both of us mystified about why it had happened. It started us off on a worrying note, and I dreaded the journey back in case we had problems again!

As we sat and enjoyed our cold beers, it started to rain. The Belgians returned to their two cars (they had been lovely and chatty), and we moved under cover to finish our drinks. I called Keith to let him know what had happened, and he was perplexed as well.

Halloween decorations were big in France!

After using the facilities, we returned to the car and carried on to Wimereux. By now, it was raining hard, and we looked at the leaden sky in dismay. Neither of us had brought an umbrella, and Sophie didn't have a raincoat with her.

In Wimereux, we managed to park easily, and we took a quick walk to the front and to our usual restaurant, Les Oyats. We took a table inside and chose our lunch - Sophie decided not to have a Welsh, and opted for mussels in a garlic cream sauce instead, served with chips. I fancied the turkey in a pepper sauce with salad and fries. We ordered a pichet of Chardonnay, a bottle of water, and sat back to relax.

We couldn't decide whether the tide was coming in or going out, and the weather didn't change. People arrived looking drenched, but inside it was warm and cosy, and the food was fantastic as always.

We found room for puds - chocolate mousse for Sophie and a chocolat Liégeois for me. Delicious!

After paying the bill, we decided to go back to the car and abandon our plan of exploring the shops on the High Street. It was pouring, so we ran back and headed for the Carrefour on the outskirts of the town to stock up on food for breakfast, snacks and some treats.

Those who wander aren't lost...

In Carrefour, we bought pastries for breakfast over the weekend, Cracksters, our favourite salad and tabbouleh, wine and a bottle of beer for Keith. I looked in vain for an umbrella, but the only ones available were expensive!

When we got back into the car, Sophie contacted the Airbnb host to see if we could get in a bit earlier. By now, we were tired and longing to get unpacked and settled. Unfortunately, he said the house was still being cleaned, and he would let us know when we could get in. We filled up with petrol, and I suggested we go to the house anyway and see where it was. If nobody was there, we could get in.

We headed for the autoroute, and I had a shock when a driver pulled out in front of me on a roundabout! This set the tone for the rest of our day, and the driving was most unpleasant. And there was me thinking that driving a French car would win me over with the locals! 

We took the autoroute for about three miles, and then turned off into the countryside. We had hit school run time, and the roads were busy. Following Jeeves' expert guidance, we took a series of roads leading to Brêmes, which was a small village near Ardres. The last part of the journey was quite complicated and took us along a road parallel to a canal, which I eyed warily! Luckily, there was a barrier, but the road was quite narrow, and this was where our house was. We drove past and saw a car parked on the driveway, so we knew that the cleaner was still there. There was a tiny bridge leading to the gravelled area in front of the house, and this crossed a narrow ditch filled with water.

We had no choice but to carry on driving, so I suggested we go to Gravelines, a town we had intended to visit tomorrow. It didn't take us long to get there, and we eventually managed to park in a square outside the town hall. It was still pouring with rain, and we ran to the nearest bar, which was full of locals enjoying a coffee or a beer. We took a seat and didn't know at first if we had to order at the bar, but a friendly woman took our order for hot chocolates and brought us two tiny chocolates with the drinks.

I watched in fascination as several people bought scratchcards, completely absorbed in seeing if they'd won anything! The bar had embraced the season of Halloween, and cobwebs and spiders adorned the walls.

We paid for our drinks and decided to have a little walk. Sophie spotted a shop selling bags and shoes, and I treated myself to a new bag for 40 euros. There was no point in walking about as it was so wet, so we returned to the car and headed for Grand-Fort-Philippe, where Georges Seurat had painted.

The journey was horrible, and I had another driver pull out in front of me from the right, on a side road. It looks like this bizarre rule is still alive and well in this part of France! By now, I had really had enough, so I said we were going to go back to the house, no matter what! We had been up since 3:00am and I wanted to relax and enjoy the rest of the day!

Sophie guided me back over the canals and bridges, and when we arrived, the cleaner's car had gone. I realised it would be difficult to turn in from the right, so I drove into Ardres and turned around. Turning in from the left was better and gave me more room, but I dreaded getting the car out tomorrow morning! The road outside the house was narrow, and then there was the steel barrier and the canal beyond... The photos of the house hadn't shown this entrance, and when Sophie Googled the house and went onto Street View, it didn't really give a true impression. A previous guest had knocked down one of the brick pillars that lined the small bridge, so it was obviously an issue.

And... relax!

We unpacked the car, put our clothes and food away, and explored the house. Although there was a flight of stairs, the door at the top was locked, which was a bit creepy. There were three double bedrooms, a tiny loo, a shower room, and an open-plan kitchen, dining area and living room, all on the ground floor. 

If it had been my house, I would have made some major changes. The lawn and flower borders at the front would have been replaced by a wider driveway where you could turn around and drive out. I would have ripped out the old-fashioned and tatty kitchen and replaced it, adding a peninsula with bar stools. I would also have added another loo in the bathroom and put lots of storage in the hallway, and somewhere to keep clothes in the bedrooms. The only place to store our clothes was in Sophie's bedroom, and there weren't any hooks for coats or bags!

I would also have added Netflix to the television! We had to put up with French TV! However, the one thing we loved was the pellet burner, which had been put on for us before we arrived, so the house was lovely and cosy. The long L-shaped sofa was comfortable, and we poured a glass of wine and relaxed. I even had a nap! We were delighted to find a small platter of meats and cheeses with a bottle of French sparkling wine in the fridge!

Outside, the bad weather didn't let up, and we played cards before having the salad and tabbouleh at about 8:00pm. After eating, we found a programme featuring the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra and a concert taking place at Schönbrunn Palace in the summer, which was lovely! 

Need I say we were in bed early? We were shattered!

Almost the weekend!

Today was my last day of work this week before our trip to France tomorrow. Sheila came in and fiddled about with the computer as she'd changed the settings yesterday, so I had to prevent Liam from taking up residence! She was in the office for a fair while, bless her, and helped me with a couple of queries, even though she wasn't being paid.

Luckily, the day passed quickly, and I managed to get a lot of things done before I left at 4:00pm. Keith sounded a bit croaky when he picked me up, and it sounds like he has the beginnings of a cold... We drove home and I did some jobs before Sophie arrived. She busied herself with packing the car, and I tried to apply our magnetic UK sticker to the back of Celine, but it wouldn't stick! I should have tried it before, so that means I'll have to buy one at the Shuttle terminal tomorrow!

With the car packed, we relaxed and had dinner, but we were facing an early night as we'll need to be up at about 3:00am. Ugh!

And then there were two!

I worked with Sheila today, and we managed to get a lot done! It was so helpful that we decided to meet once a month to review problems or issues that need to be tackled. She brought in a box of handmade biscuits, which were most welcome!

Gina came in again, and as she couldn't sit in our office, Sheila showed her a possible place to sit in a small room that I never knew existed! It was behind our Dance Studio and was really a staff room. This building has a warren of rooms that I had never seen! When I first joined, Nicola showed me around, but she certainly never brought me up to these rooms!

When I finished at 4:00pm, I sped over to Kettering to see my Mum briefly. She was sitting in the dining room eating biscuits, and although I only stayed for half an hour, she was pleased to see me.

Before dinner of cottage pie, Sophie and I watched A Place in the Sun from the Dordogne. At the end, we were sure that the end recap was filmed at the chateau of Monbazillac!

Exploring!

I had more music today outside our office, but the volume was turned down a little, so when I shut the door, I could hardly hear it. As our upstairs is completely open, anyone working or coming through reception can also hear the music playing. A manager from another centre was in the office with me today, covering for Dan. Mercifully, she was lovely and quiet!

I went into the very interesting projectionist's office today and peered through a small window to see the film playing in the auditorium. It was fascinating! There are still parts of this building I've never been into, despite working here for nine years!

Back at home, I did some housework for an hour and started thinking about what I wanted to take to France with me this weekend. The weather is forecast to be mixed so I think warmer clothes and a mac!

We had an easy supper tonight, and Sophie and I went upstairs to watch A Place in the Sun. We're just watching programmes that feature France, and some of the houses are certainly very interesting!

What a row!

This morning came around far too fast, and I could have done with another day off! Just after I arrived, a painter and decorator arrived to paint the walls outside the office and brought his radio with him, which he switched on loudly! It was a bloody good thing that it wasn't payroll week; if it had been, I would have had a few words to say! Liam came into the office this morning, and I steeled myself for more pen clicking, but he didn't make a sound, thank goodness. He did have a few loud meetings, though, and by the time I left at 4:00pm, I was yearning for peace and quiet!

Back home, I vacuumed again and then caught up with writing this! There's always something to do! Sophie came home and made a start on the beef stroganoff after packing up two more parcels again. She had posted a couple more on her way home, and we decided to end the current listings for the time being.

After a delicious and spicy dinner, Sophie and I went upstairs to watch a new drama on Sky, called War. It starred Samuel West and Sienna Miller. It looks very promising indeed!

Busy Sunday!

We have managed to cram a lot into today, and it's been busier than a normal laid-back Sunday! Last night, we sold a few bits and pieces on eBay, and Sophie packed them up so we could post them today. 

We went to Milton Keynes because Sophie needed to go to M&S for a new sports bra, and I wanted to visit The Perfume Shop to recycle a whole bag of empty perfume bottles I'd been collecting and couldn't bear to throw out. It was the first time I'd taken Celine onto the motorway, and she drove beautifully, something I couldn't say about some of the other drivers who thought it was acceptable to sit in one lane and stay there, oblivious to all around them. I turned on the hybrid part on the first part of the journey, but switched to electric when we turned off the M1.

Parking outside M&S was difficult, so we headed to the multi-storey and parked on the very top level where there were loads of spaces. It must be about six years since we visited, and definitely not since covid, so I was interested to see what changes had taken place. 

Well, Debenhams had gone, and H&M had moved, and some other shops had also changed locations, including Levi's. We headed for M&S first and had difficulty finding the sports clothes. When we eventually located them, Sophie picked out a lovely T-shirt to wear, and then we returned to the first floor to get her a sports bra, which she tried on, just in case. She was pleased with her choice and jumped about a bit in the changing room to make sure nothing jiggled about!

Being in M&S brought back a flood of memories: shopping in there for the children's clothes when they were small, meeting friends for coffee, Christmas shopping and enjoying lunches in the café. I also loved shopping in the Food Hall, especially choosing items for Christmas hampers for the grandmothers. Perhaps we'll go over a bit more often!

We decided to walk to John Lewis and have lunch, depositing the perfume bottles on the way. It was busy, but not uncomfortably so, and it didn't take us long to get to John Lewis, stopping briefly in the Bath and Body Shop on the way to see if I could get a replacement car air freshener.

John Lewis was stuffed with a huge choice of clothes, homeware, shoes, handbags and cosmetics. It really was a shopping-lover's dream, and we marvelled at the items on offer, including special tableware for Halloween and Christmas. We saw Christmas trees on the ground floor, and it won't be long before the festive season is really making its presence felt!

We took the escalator up to the top floor, where the café is situated, and made a beeline for the soup stand as we had fond memories of their Moroccan chicken soup. Sadly, they had changed it to a creamy, coconutty chicken laksa soup, accompanied by a crusty bread roll and butter.

The café wasn't busy at all, and there were lots of free tables. I chatted to Sophie about how we used to visit to buy school uniform for her and Mike, which was near the café, but they don't seem to be selling uniform anymore. I think the standards have slipped a little; there were no napkins, the cutlery was grubby, and trolleys full of dirty trays stood waiting to be emptied. The soup was delicious, though, and filled us up! When we finished, we walked back to the car, visiting a busy Waterstones on the way. It was a good trip, and I enjoyed visiting again after such a long absence. We'll definitely have to go again!

We headed back to Northampton and made a detour to Moulton to send off our parcels, which was very easy. We even managed to get rid of a parcel with Royal Mail as they had a locker, too. From Moulton, we drove to Kettering to see my Mum and stayed with her for a chat. I feel a bit guilty that I haven't spent much time with her lately, but I've been so busy with work and life! It's her birthday next month, so I will try to spoil her then.

Back home, it was time to relax, and Sophie asked if we could have breaded chicken for dinner with salad rather than the planned beef stroganoff. I readily agreed! It had been a busy day!