Week 17 2025

 Hello!

I finally got a good showing of peonies this spring.  It's one of my favourite flowers and its always uncertain if the flowers will open before the rains destroy them.

The rest of the garden is turning into a jungle, so that's where you'll find me when I get a moment or 2!

It's still school holidays here for another week.

Whatever you do these coming weeks in the Gironde or Dordogne regions, have a lovely time.

Best wishes,

Helen

notjustfortheholidays@orange.fr

 

Week 17

 

 

25 April

26 April

27 April

 Coming up...

 And finally...

We might have reached the end of winter, but we had penguins in the studio last week...

 

Week 16 2025

Hello!

This weekend we celebrate Easter. Pâques (Easter) is celebrated with a plethora of chocolate, including eggs, bunnies, chickens, ducks, fish and bells. 

Hmmm… fish and bells?  Well, apparently, the fish are carried over from the 1 April which often falls on or around Easter weekend and tradition dictates that mischievous children stick paper fish on the backs of unsuspecting adults – who reward them with chocolate fish!

The bells - Cloche volants – Flying Bells have a religious significance, because on Good Friday all the bells in France fly off to the Vatican in Rome taking with them the grief of those mourning Christ’s Crucifixion.  The church bells in France are then silent until Easter Sunday when they return and ring out to celebrate the Resurrection of Christ.  They also spread chocolate and decorated eggs over the gardens of France which the children collect when they hear the bells.

So, chocolate fish and bells – who knew? 

 

 

Whatever you do in the Gironde and Dordogne regions over the Easter week, fingers crossed for good weather and have a great time.

 

Best wishes,

Helen

notjustfortheholidays@orange.fr

 

Week 16

 

https://www.cinema-eden.com/

https://www.cinema-pays-foyen.com/

 

 18 April

 19 April

 

And the big Easter Fair comes to Castillon! The stone bridge is often closed, and the Monday market still goes ahead!

20 April

 

 Coming up... It's the school holidays for the next 2 weeks.

 And finally...

As I mentioned at the top, there are fish to be found round and about in April, and we had plenty in the studio - little tins of sardines.  They are wonderful!

 

 

 

Week 15 2025

 

 Hello!

We're having some wonderful mild weather and now’s the time to set your hornet traps.  They are easy to build and amazingly successful, just don’t empty them out, top them up with more bait, it’s true, nothing seems to be more effective at attracting another hornet, than a trapped one!  Though the first traps should be laced with a mixture of beer, dry white wine and syrup (grenadine flavour is good, but any sweet syrup will work).  The beer and syrup attract the hornet and the white wine will repel the bees. 

However, there are some effective ready made mixes now available in various shops and supermarkets 

And how about this for a big scary poster... please get building those hornet traps.

Many thanks for all your continued support, whatever you do this week in the Gironde and Dordogne regions, have a lovely time.

Best wishes,
Helen
notjustfortheholidays@orange.fr

Week 15

https://www.cinema-pays-foyen.com/

 11  April

 12 April

So many of these events listed are over the weekend, so check the dates. 

 

13 April

 Coming up...

And finally...

I'm busy throwing bowls in the pottery workshop.  These will become the ever popular 'Moustiquaires'. For now there aren't so many pesky mosquitoes, but when they arrive... we'll be ready! 

I love the magic that this dark grey clay becomes white after firing.

(Don't look too closely at that giant pile of clay waiting to be recycled! 😵)