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Oo la la

Combles, Picardy, France
Sunday, April 15, 2012

Nice Peugeot! Brand new car - does 130km/h without you noticing. I had no problem driving on the other side of the road as I've done it several times before. We drove 100km north to our home for the next three weeks.

Orchard Farm was recommended to me by a fellow motorcyclist and on first glance I knew I was going to be very happy here. It is owned by Kate and Martin Pegler who had moved to France 6 years ago from UK. We occupied the Hayloft which (surprise surprise) is a converted hayloft. Two double rooms with a large dinning, kitchen, lounge so that we can cook for ourselves and kick back and relax in our own space. The Combles area was the scene of many battles during WWI and Kate has dug up relics in the orchard behind the house.

After crashing for a short sleep, Steve and I went exploring. Combles is a quaint, typically French village - completely shut up on a Sunday. We found two war cemeteries and had a good poke around before the biting wind sent us retreating back to our warm cottage.

Lazed the afternoon away and Kate made us a delicious dinner of cottage pie. Couldn't keep my eyes open any longer and retreated to bed before the zombie emerged.

Orchard Farm

Orchard Farm - main house

The Hayloft

Some of the war junk from the fields

A few shells

Tulips are out

Combles village

Memorial to the children?

Comments:

This is a literal translation - the French call their fallen (civilians and soldiers) the 'enfants' or children of France. 'France' being seen as paternalistic and thus your 'father'. (It is also very sexist still in that a wife/female partner doesn't exist in legal parlance! I have to take the 'man of the house' with me to some meetings!) From Orchard Farm, on Apr 29, 2012 at 06:31AM

Ahhh, I was wondering about that.
It didn't make sense that a memorial to children would be so militaristic. From Jacqui Kennedy, on Apr 29, 2012 at 07:42AM

Combles church

Back of the church

Not just one condom machine...

but two!!!

Comments:

Two, yes, but I have never seen anyone actually buying any! From Orchard Farm, on Apr 29, 2012 at 06:32AM

I trust somebody is checking the use by dates then... From Jacqui Kennedy, on Apr 29, 2012 at 07:44AM

Ahh! - maybe that is why the primary school numbers keep swelling...! From Orchard Farm, on Apr 29, 2012 at 12:14PM

Maison Rose

Comments:

This house is owned by a very enthusiastic collector of paperwork and photos from the Great War and had his own exhibition a few years ago which was fascinating (even though most of it was in French, of course). From Orchard Farm, on Apr 29, 2012 at 06:33AM

Petite Maison Rose

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