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![]() Our first night, we stayed at La Grande Maison, near Saumur. What a place! |
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![]() Our room |
![]() Fellow guest, historian Alex |
![]() The house had its own standing stone. |
![]() Nick in the garden |
![]() We got a meal with wine tasting included. |
![]() The old pigeon house is used for wine tastings. |
![]() The system of underground caves and cellars runs under the house and all the way into the next town! |
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![]() Breakfast at La Grande Maison and the market in Saumur |
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![]() We bought our year's garlic from this seller. |
![]() And organic tomatoes here for preserves! |
![]() This is a supermarket display in Saumur |
![]() Fête du Pain in St-Père-en-Retz |
![]() A cute reveller |
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![]() The castle in Pornic |
![]() A volley ball player |
![]() Our friends' lovely farmhouse in Bazoges, where we've spent many happy summers, including this one |
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![]() Lumière du Marais was a music and firework spectacular retracing the 1,000 years of the history of the abbey. |
![]() We followed the spooky monks into the abbey and watched the spectacle. |
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![]() At the labyrinth. This is the last photo taken with my beloved camera before it crashed to the ground and broke. |
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![]() One of the first photos taken with the new, replacement camera |
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![]() Trying out the new camera |
![]() Garden pears were preserved in wine. |
![]() A market seller in Fontenay |
![]() The woman who sold us our apricots for jam in Challans. Sunset on the beach. Baskets on display |
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![]() The market in Challans, a riverside picnic and another market seller. |
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![]() Advertising in France never looked so good. Sexy man with glasses, the Vendée heart, and a poster for the Catholic church |
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![]() Some of our exciting food back at the farmhouse |
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![]() Interesting light, Nick playing Frisbee, and looking at bats in the garden |
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![]() This woman entertained us with stories of fairies and giants beside the streams and water mills at L'Aubonniere, near Chaillé-sur-les-Ormeaux. |
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![]() We always see at least one bride and groom in France on our holidays. |
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![]() Sunset photography. We had the beach to ourselves! |
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![]() Scenes from the market, a lake we weren't allowed to swim in, and playing Backpacker, a card game we love (George has the coveted penguin card). |
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![]() An ancient church near the Mervent forest |
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![]() Great macaroons are to be had here! |
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![]() Read about Salt Boy here. |
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![]() On our way to Noirmoutier. You can cross the causway at low tide. |
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![]() We found a food market at Fromentine |
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![]() Vouvent, sunrise in the garden, and making sun-dried tomatoes. |
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![]() Ben Cohen has nothing to do with Clisson - just a nice photo. |
![]() The streets of Niort are guarded by a dragon. |
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![]() Getting plums for jam could be dangerous! |
![]() Back home with all the preserves we made. georgenick.co.uk Click HERE to see our 2007 trip to the Vendée |