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:
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| This was my favourite... it resembles me looking at John Mayer... |
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| What's with the screaming face? |
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| Creepy! |
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| A bit more conventional |
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| 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.
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| Outside sculpture |
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| 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!
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.
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| 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:
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| Old cobbled streets |
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