Our French Adventure

The vision I had of France before travelling there was very different to how it is but in no way was it disappointing. I envisioned driving through old fashioned villages with cobbled roads, some still are but you can see the modern seeping in. The history there is very interesting and you feel a sense of gratitude to walk the same roads as royals, to stand where soldiers stood and to see views that have been enjoyed for years.

My idea of France is one from books, films and Pinterest who I lay a lot of the blame for my expectation of it all. So the France I imagined wasn't what it really is but like I said it did not disappoint, it's so peaceful and quiet, the roads were quiet no-ones rushing to get to the same place as everyone else and the food O.M.Goodness is amazing.

The baguettes are delicious we basically had one everyday for lunch, I could have had a whole one but I was nice and I shared with Nick and Mia, also everyone seems to have one a day as well. I didn't think I would but I actually saw a chap on a bicycle with a baguette sticking out of the back of his backpack, I could not believe what I was seeing and I was so happy to see it and the cheese is good enough just to jump back on the ferry and buy a trailer full and come right back.

We crossed on the ferry on the 12th and I had been so excited to go on it, I had been raving about going on this I'd never been on a big boat, I have been on a small boat that takes you from Marazion to St Michaels Mount when the tides in too far you can't walk across. So I was excited, I was ready then what happens I started to turn a shade of green literally, I get seasickness the kind that in the kitchen next day on dry land you felt like the kitchen was swaying.

On our way to where we were staying we noticed there was maize in every field, maize everywhere and it was actually really nice to see and Julie (M-I-L) told me it was the year of the corn, which I believed until the moment I asked to confirm this fact. Let's just say she had my leg and she well and truly pulled it. Haha.

Le-Mont-Saint-Michel

This was our first proper outing we had originally planned to go to St Malo but we changed our minds and it was beautiful and huge, compared to St Michaels Mount, the size of it far away is how St Michaels Mount is standing next to it. It was heaving with people but the atmosphere was great. We walked up through the main street between the many gift shops and restaurants that lined the street where I had to pick up some postcards. Mia and I walked around St Peters Church which had these lovely stain glassed windows, one depicting the slaying of the dragon by archangel Michael, she then went straight for the lit candles. From then we made our way up to the Abbey when a very kind French couple warned us about the many steps leading up to it, the warning was much appreciated as we had the big buggy, so Robyn and I walked up to the Abbey entrance. They were not wrong there was a lot of steps.

I did manage to stack it walking into a shop where I gained and sported a nice bruise on my knee cap for a while. We also while driving around were surprised to find French radio stations that play music played on our stations so we enjoyed the likes of Bieber, Charlie Puth and the Chainsmokers while out driving around. I got extreme flashbacks when Avril Lavignes - I'm With You came on the radio.

We had a mishap that was our Mia falling out of bed luckily she never got hurt but it shocked her into wide awakeness at 3 o'clock in the morning which led to Julie and I having to spend 3 hours watching Zootopia and Finding Nemo (fun times), Julie lit a fire and I did manage to dose off but not for long and as we started to fall of our feet asleep Mia casually curls up on the couch and falls back to sleep. RUDE!

Bagnoles via St Genevieve

On our way to Bagnoles we stopped here at St Genevieve for lunch, we sat in Johns (F-I-L) campervan and ate then walked around this little chapel where around it sat benches and tables among the trees totally made out of stone, it was a beautiful peaceful little place to sit eat and enjoy the view.

From St Genevieve we went into Bagnoles where we parked on the side of this lake with beautiful flowers around it, ducks and swans swam on the lake and the swans even came to where we were standing. We crossed this bridge that was covered in flowers, on the other side of this bridge was paddle boats that were tempting but I could not convince Nick. Many of the shops were shut for lunch so it was quiet and as we admired the items in the window it dawned on me that I would never own any item. They were incredibly expensive. The clothes, jewellery and chocolate.

This chocolate shop had chocolate handbags, macarons, chocolate bark and even Karma Sutra chocolates which to be honest I wouldn't feel comfortable eating, they were a tad detailed.

Julie and I walked up to the church in the town that was very art deco, The Church of the Sacred Heart. It was lovely. I love stain glassed windows and this church had amazing ones, we must have walked up 30 odd steps and back down. Bagnoles is definitely one beautiful town.

Our journey to St Hilarie Market, St Sever, St Malo will be all in Part 2