French Life 4: bits and bobs

Although in worse condition than most, there are many similar buildings scattered around this part of Calvados in Normandy. They are made from local stone (Pierre) and in this case patched up with some form of modern concrete block - not quite up to Bury's conservation area requirements! Most roofs ripped of by the Boxing Day storm in the 90s have been replaced, but obviously only where it is worthwhile.

Mme Montier (see below) was woken to find her old metal roof blocking her front door, and when we visited that Spring I can vividly remember the sight of endless fallen trees and wrecked roofs, increasing in severity as we drove down the road from Caen.

One Normandy fixture is the weather. In a word, wet. One minute we were sitting happily on this restaurant terrace and the next we were cowering under the canopy. On our way home we encountered the scene below, and were glad to be directed to the "wrong" side of the road to avoid this flood - minuscule of course in comparison with what is happening in the north of England at present.

Well, that's the end of my tales from this year's holiday. Thank you for sticking with it.