Week 10 2022

 Hello!

Have you ever wanted to improve your French language, and have been at a loss at where to start?  Chateau Destinee is offering a great opportunity to get to grips with it.

Immerse yourself in the French language and culture for the weekend – great way to have fun, learn and laugh.  You can join individual events or all 3, the choice is yours.

You can join the conversation class on Saturday 19^th March, enjoy coffee, lunch and the fun of learning as a group.

Want a lovely night out join our evening of Poetry and music with readings of Eric Bourse’s poems read by Albert Croce, singing by Catherine Cole doing Barbara accompanied by Robert Edwards on piano. Includes a buffet dinner, welcome drink and a glass of wine.

Sunday 20^th March a fun cooking class held in French cook, talk and eat lunch together.

Tickets on sales now for individual events or packages, booking is essential. Please contact Chateau Destinee on info@chateaudestinee.com or phone 0788227731

Whatever you do this week in the Gironde and Dordogne regions, have a great week.

Best wishes,

Helen

notjustfortheholidays@orange.fr

 

Week 10

 

 

Friday 11 March

Saturday 12 March

Sunday 13 March

Coming up...

19 March - fish dish

And finally...

Do you like pizza? Thank you to GD for this local recommendation.

There is a lovely little restaurant in Villefranche de Lonchat called Quilles et Papilles. They do lunch Monday to Friday but more importantly they do a pizza night every Friday night from 7 - 9. It is such a cute little restaurant, like your living room at home but they have a pizza oven and a large selection of Pizzas. They are fab, so lovely to have a pizza and bottle of wine on a Friday night. 

Find them on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/quillesetpapilles

 

Week 8 2022

 Hello!

For those of you who love to roar of  motor engine and the thrill of racing cars, then this weekend is for you with the return of the 8th Bordeaux Classics Car Rally.  Delayed from last year, the drivers will be ready to race!  You can see all the cars together in the centre of Castillon in the morning as they get ready to set off for the time trials.

The route circles around to the south of Castillon this year.

Whatever you do this week in the Castillon, Gironde and  Dordogne regions, keep safe and well and have a great time!

Best wishes,

Helen

notjustfortheholidays@orange.fr

Week 8

26 February

27 February

Coming up...

And finally...

Week 7 2022

Hello!

Can spring be around the corner?  There have been plenty of people reporting the cranes flying over head, heading back north to their summer homes.

The garden too, is slowly waking up, splashes of colour peeping out through the undergrowth.

It's always a challenge to find activities and events at this time of year, so, please don't hesitate to get in touch if you have news of an event and I shall include it in the weekly newsletter.

Many thanks for all your continued contributions and support.

Whatever you do this week in the Gironde and Dordogne regions, keep well and safe and have a good week.

Best wishes,

Helen

notjustfortheholidays@orange.fr

 

Week 7

 

Make a bird feeder from clay

 

Coming up...

 

And finally...

I was in the paper...

 

Not sure how zen I look... more zany!

Week 4 2022

 Hello!

It's such a quite time of year, with the added Covid restrictions, it's difficult to find things to do in the region.  So, I had a look back over the years, and lo... it's nearly the Chandeleur! Hooray for pancakes!

Did you know that the Catholic holiday of Candlemas, on 2 February, is a feast to commemorate the purification of the Virgin Mary and the presentation of baby Jesus. In France, this holiday is called la Chandeleur, Fête de la Lumière, or jour des crêpes.

Not only do the French eat a lot of crêpes on Chandeleur, but they also do a bit of fortune telling while making them. It is traditional to hold a coin in your writing hand and a crêpe pan in the other, and flip the crêpe into the air. If you manage to catch the crêpe in the pan, your family will be prosperous for the rest of the year.  There is also a train of thought that suggests you should keep this well flipped pancake on the top of the wardrobe for the year to doubly ensure good fortune…

Enjoy your pancakes and whatever you do this week in the Gironde and Dordogne regions – keep warm and safe and have a great week.

Best wishes,

Helen

notjustfortheholidays@orange.fr

Week 4

 

Seule L'APRÈS-MIDI EST MAINTENUE, 

la matinée est annulée (désolée pour les 3 endurants).

IL RESTE 1 PLACE POUR L'APRÈS-MIDI ...laissant la possibilité à 1 personne de se joindre à nous au dernier moment.

Pour les petits nouveaux merci de bien vouloir me préciser votre installation préférée : à plat sur une table ou un chevalet + desserte ou tréteau +  planche + desserte.

La pièce sera chauffée pour le confort du modèle n'oubliez pas de vous habillez de façon à pouvoir vous découvrir.

je me réjouis à l'avance de vous retrouver samedi prochain.

Amicalement

Claire SCOFIELD

 

A lovely place to be on a Sunday afternoon...

Coming up...

And finally...

The February programme is up for my pottery workshop in Sauveterre.  Make a plate and decorate it using a sgrafitto technique which involves scratching through the top layer of colour to reveal the white clay below.  

And during the school holidays - that's the last 2 weeks of February - there are workshops to make a birdfeeder to hang in the garden. It can hold a grease ball, or a piece of fruit.

The birdfeeder workshops are for 2 people minimum (4 maximum) and you just need to call ahead to make an appointment and book a session.

It would be lovely to see you.