Nov 22, 2012 - Vraignes-en-Vermandois

We set off yesterday in the rain for Vraignes-en-Vermandois, a journey of about 2½ hours and it rained non-stop. We crossed another great viaduct – this trip we had to pay two tolls; the first was €12.20 and the next was €8.60 so they mount up! We found the campground easily and when the rain eased we went for a short walk to check out the surroundings. It’s a tiny village, nothing here but a few houses – no shops or pub! Today we had a nice sleep in and a leisurely brunch – we’d ordered fresh French bread the night before. After that when...

Aug 19, 2012 - Newfoundland Historic Site and Amiens

Newfoundland National Historic Site and Amiens Once a year there is a massive flea market that takes over all or central Arras. We, of course, stayed to look at it but bought nothing. The most exciting thing was watching a car that was left in the main square being winched onto a truck and taken away. Imagine what the owners thought when the went out in the morning and saw no car and zillions of market stalls! We finally and reluctantly left Arras and headed on back roads to Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial National Historic Site. This...

Aug 14, 2012 - Chantilly, France

Chantilly, France August 14 We went to the Chateau and the town of Chantilly for the whole day. As there were 400 people from bus tours in the Chateau itself in the morning, Grammar and I explored the grounds and town. The original formal gardens were designed by Le Notre in the mid 17th century. There are very good signs in town put up by the Tourist Bureau. We found out that the first fine porcelain was produced there in 1732. This was another area, like Sevres and the German states, where people were trying to copy the Japanese Kakiemon...

Jun 22, 2012 - Back to France

Another day in the WW1 battlefields, this time in the area of the Somme. It is a bit strange to drive through villages and see the Australian flag flying. Visited the village of Bullecourt, just outside the town is a large Australian memorial. The first assault at Bullecourt resulted in one of the Australians greatest losses - The 4th Brigade suffered 2,339 casualties out of 3,000 men. One of the casualties at Bullecourt was my great uncle Benjamin McFarlane. We were able to visit the Villers-Bretonneux Military Cemetry near the village of...

May 28, 2012 - France - Pozieres

21st May 2012 (Bed No 34) Today we are making our way towards the region of Somme, a very small village of Pozieres. Where on the earth is Pozieres you may say, and why would we even what to go there. Well, a few years ago Arthur watched a documentary on the 1916 battlefield of the Somme area in France which caught his interest. In this area over a four month period the Australians suffered 23,000 casualties and lost 7700 lives in these battles. This event was not forgotten by the people of Pozieres. They commemorate this occasion each year...

May 15, 2012 - Day 16: Family obligations

Many months ago, I was discussing my great uncle's grave in France with a distant relative, Shirley Hahn. She suggested that I should go to Aveluy, near Albert when I next travelled to France and visit his grave. This was one reason for my trip. So, Michael and I planned a day that could take in the great gothic cathedral at Amiens, the town of Albert, where my mother's uncle had been critically wounded in March 1917 (and where he died on April 1 1917), and Aveluy where he is buried. These are all in Picardy to the north of Paris, where the...

Mar 20, 2012 - The French Connection

The gambling crowd moves closer and screams out in anticipation as the coins spin high in the air before landing. Arms go up and they cheer at the result before another round frantically begins. This is “two-up” being played on ANZAC day in the northern French town of Villers-Bretonneux. The atmosphere is buzzing. Men and women are gathered outside Le Forum Cafe drinking beer, playing two-up, kicking footballs, cheering and laughing. We squeeze past and continue to the bar to order a couple of Australian beers. Green and gold ribbons line...

Dec 16, 2011 - Amiens

Today we traveled to Amiens, northern France. Weather is definitely not kind to us today. Squally winds and rain all the way. Good day for sightseeing by car. The trip takes about 3 hours of freeway driving. Not a very interesting drive, but given the conditions probably the most sensible way. By the time we get to Amiens and find our hotel, The temp has dropped to about 4 degrees, the wind is near gale force, and the rain is freezing. Still, we're only here for one night, so decide to make the best of it and do a flying visit to...

Apr 25, 2011 - A special Anzac Day

Up at 3.30 – into our little van and we find our way to Villers-Bretonneux for the dawn service. Thought we were early however hundreds of cars already parked and we have a bit of a walk. The service very special. The various speeches were so good and even Kevin Rudd is to be commended. The music was an Australian school band (cannot remember which school – there were so many there) and the singing lead by a young service woman. Approximately 5,000 attended the service. During the service the temperature dropped from 13 to 6...

Apr 24, 2011 - A trial run

We head out in the morning to do a trial run for the dawn service. We don’t have a good city map so it is a case of trial and error to find the best road out of Amiens to Villers-Bretonneux. That done we visit the memorial itself and after lunch the permanent Museum set up in the Villers-Bretonneux Primary School. The hall was actually built by Australians using Australian timbers etc. This whole village has so many connections to Australia and looking into the classrooms the kids obviously do many projects on various aspects of Australia....

Apr 23, 2011 - A footy match to remember

We head off into the French countryside. The best word to describe the scenery is ‘pretty’. Most of the crops are up, the canola is in flower and the trees are in bloom. Left and right through the country roads, little villages every couple of kms and very few people to be seen. Looking through the gates in the villages we can see huge farmyards housing tractors and all sorts of farm implements. Many of the tractors are out tilling the few bare paddocks or spraying some of the crops. There are no fences, everything is so neat and there are...

Mar 27, 2011 - Opal Coast

I think I'm going to sack the photographer, we've not had a single photo taken for days. Right, the Opal Coast. I'd read an article in the travel pages saying that the coast around Bolougne and up to Calais was a hidden gem, but seriously, does that sound likely? As we were heading that way, we thought we'd give it a go, and came back to the coast a bit south of Bolougne at Fort Mahon Plage. It wasn't looking promising, as this is like a French Blackpool, without the excitement of a tower. I haven't seen so many shell suits, well, since...