Loir et Cher, Centre France

Travelled:162km
Stay: Les Roches l'Eveque- aire,free parking, free service point, picnic spot on the river. N47.777721 E0.891900
Visited: La Fleche, Roman ruins, Troo, Les Roches l'Eveque

After breakfast we said our farewells to Jeanine with promises of a longer visit next year. We are also looking forward to seeing each other again in November in Melbourne.
We had a stop in La Fleche in the Loire Valley.  We parked in the aire and had a stroll around the town center. We had a look in the church and strolled along the streets then over the bridge with a view of the mills. 

Back on the road we travelled via Le Lude with its impressive castle 

and then towards Vaas, where we stopped to have a look at some Roman ruins.

We then walked up to the lookout in Troo before driving through Montoire sur le Loir to Les Roches l'Eveque. 

We decided to stop the night here and after an early dinner we explored this cave-dwelling village.

Family in Angers France

Travelled:169km
Stay: Family Angers

It is always hard to say goodbye... we farewelled Marie and then Pascal and Jacqueline before heading to Angers to meet my cousins from my fathers' brother Eugene.
We firstly went to my Auntie Jeanine's home and spent a lovely afternoon together. Later we went to visit Didier and his family and then had an impromtu dinner at Crystelle's and Regine came over too. It was a wonderful night and we so appreciate everyones efforts in welcoming us. We are truly blessed to have such a beautiful family. Luckily Jeanine and her daughter Regine and husband, Fred are heading to Oz so we can return the favour!

The family farm

Stay: La Bouexiere with family

After a walk around Pascal's farm and a coffee with his wife Jacqueline we went to visit Cecile at her house they built. 2 years ago it was incomplete so we were excited to see their finished home.
We then went to the farm where my dad was born and grew up. It is still in the family, as my cousin Annick and her husband took over from her mother Maria, my auntie and the eldest daughter, retired. The original house was built in the 1500 and there was a time it was used as a monastary as one of the barns had been a chapel. Through out the years when they dug the fields they unearthed many relics. The walls are 1.2m thick but there has been some modernisations and extensions done since then! It is said that the fire place was so large that my grandpa lead a horse into the house dragging a large log to burn. We enjoyed listening to some more family stories around the table eating another delicious lunch including freshly picked mushrooms and a duck from Murielle (my cousin's daughter).

Later we went to visit Murielle and her family at their home. We then returned to Annick's and said our goodbyes.

A day on the farm

 Stay: La Bouexiere with family

We had another wonderful day with family. Today we were at Pascal's and had another delicious lunch with Jacqueline and their daughter Cecile' s family.
Later in the afternoon we donned overalls and gumboots and went to feed the cows and we even helped a little with the milking. They milk about 90 cows twice a day taking about 2.5hrs each time. They get 2,300 litres of milk a day. They also have calves that need hand feeding. They sell off the males at 2 weeks for €100. The cows life is about 10 years. They grow corn to feed the cows especially in winter and the whole plant is mulched and about 500 tons is needed each year. We really enjoyed this experience.
Later we went into town and enjoyed a gallette at a lovely restaurant.

Visiting family in Brittany

Travelled:
Stay: family in La Bouexiere

We will spend the next few days visiting family in Brittany. Today we had a delicious lunch with my cousin Patrick and my auntie Marie. It was great to catch up again.
We then went to pay our respects to my grandparents and uncle at the cemetery in La Bouexiere before going to Marie's for a yummy bbq dinner.