Late May in Normandy

We were in Normandy, France last week on a short break, the latter half with Clare's sister and family in Nobécourt, north of Paris.

Goodbye Portsmouth, I-o-W to the left as we head out to Caen

We stayed a night in Evreux, the Reading of Normandy. This shop 'pays cash for objects' ...

Amiens was nicer: this taken 'through the mirror' near the Cathedral

Clare models in our modern apartment at Nobécourt

The bad news: is it Andy Murray or the first Test at Lord's?

The author at the Chateau de Pierrefonds

Clare in the depths of the Chateau

The prehistoric re-enactment/reconstruction park at Samara, Amiens

A feminist tract to the ghosts of the Romans - as you will hear in the video below

Clare speaks of feminism at Samara, west of Amiens, France

At the end of the video you will see, advancing from the left, a gaggle of French school children who can't hide their amusement at this mad Englishwoman. We had to smuggle her away fast before she became even more the centre of attention. And mockery.

Really Clare, there is little to amuse in the paleolithic lifestyle: it's not like a camping holiday!

OK, now you're taking things too far!

Things I learned:

• The Normans pronounce "Amiens" as "Am-ee-yen", not "Am-ee-yon". If you try the latter you will not be understood. 
• The French have taken to putting their toilets in a separate room from the washbasins. Unhygienic or what? 
• Intermarche and Carrefour sell only longlife-style pasteurised milk. Refrigerated skimmed milk? Forget about it.