The end of the summer.......

Summer here at Vue de Duras is finally over. So here is a quick round-up of our activities and visitors.

The Tour de France passed close by - in the pouring rain!

 It is our intention to have a weekly day out - this is one of the few we managed this year!

It was beautiful, included a lovely lunch and is less than an hour away. This company provided the waterlilies for Monet's garden.
Closer to home, we had the Loubes-Bernac Grand Prix. Hugh's thinking of entering next year (but only if there is a stock car version!)

 Duras Medieval Fair

 We helped celebrate Roger and Sally's thirtieth wedding anniversary...

and the wedding of Andrea and Simon

An afternoon tour of Grand Pierre vineyard, just up the road, thanks Nick!

Duras had a range of 'pop-up' shops this summer. Find Lesley's painted furniture on Facebook- Atelier du Lezard

We had visits from family and friends....

Alex and Sarah

Nicole

 

the vide grenier in Seyches yielded a nice little haul, immediately transformed - just like old times!

 Ellen and Dave

We managed a trip to Bordeaux with Ell and Dave

and a walk around the Lac du Escourou

 As well as Mandy and Dave, Beth and Jane

The pool was in good shape this summer - with guests swimming right up to the end of October!

     

We had several petanque matches

 This one went on into the darkness....thanks to Graham for the 'floodlighting'.

The Merlot vines at the bottom of the garden were harvested, starting in the dark and finished before coffee time - looking forward to tasting what should be a good vintage.

Our logs for the winter arrived when the weather forecast looked like this....

Thanks to Dave, Ellen and John for the help stacking them.

We managed a couple of weeks in Corsica, where the weather, wine, food and island itself were gorgeous

 

And a selection of photos taken over the summer....

 An extra place setting needed at the table!

 

 Summer produce...

 From the top of the tower at the Chateau de Duras

A misty morning ...

and a beautiful, autumnal sunset

Another day, another public holiday!

The sun is shining today for France's Fete National. Hopefully clear tonight for lots of fireworks.

A busy year so far and we must be doing something right ....our lovely guests have said such lovely things about us that Tripadvisor have awarded us this certificate.

Quite a lot to live up to, so no slacking this summer!

Over the last couple of months we have had some surprise additions to the hen house.

Our broody hens absolutely refused to give up their vigil, but I didn't really think they would hatch. We ended up with five chicks, none of them genetically linked to the broody hens. Four of them may be pure Lemon Cuckoo Orpingtons and one I suspect is crossed with the little brown hen - who is totally unimpressed by the chicks. They are now four weeks old and doing well. After a little hiccup with the first one, (slipped back into the nest once the others had hatched) the two Welsummer hens are perfect mums, caring for the chicks with no intervention from us. Fingers crossed that at least some of them are hens!

The flower market at Levignac was a bright and sunny day - plenty of plants to be bought and entertainment to be had.

Levignac flower market

Music and dance at Levignac

 In May we had a visit from Rob, Susie, Orla and Lucas with Susie's mum, Pauline. We had gorgeous weather and a lovely time, can't wait for the next visit.

One of our days out was to the rose garden at Boissonna. It was beautiful, we were inspired to create our own rose garden - still in the planning stage, and likely to be at that stage for quite a while longer!

We had another great evening with Dale Blade and the Roommates, this time at Domaine Gourdon.

This Friday they are at Monteton as part of a tour, fingers crossed for good weather.

We have had two clutches of Black Redstarts this year.

Four chicks in the first lot

and five in the lot that have just fledged

The latest chicks are still around the house being fed by the adults from time to time. 

A couple of weeks ago we went to The Naked Vigneron for lunch with my cousin Mary and Gary who were staying for the week.

We had the most fantastic, long, leisurely lunch accompanied by their lovely wines. Thank you Amanda and David for a lovely afternoon.

We've certainly had some 'weather' just lately. Scorching sunshine, hot and sticky one minute and cool and showery the next with amazing thunderstorms.

This is the forecast for the coming few days..

Hopefully more settled for the rest of the summer. Come and join us! The gite is full until the beginning of September, but we have some vacancies in our guest house.

See you soon

         Fiona and Hugh