Christmas in France

It's been a few weeks since we've written a post; it's been Christmas (hope you had a lovely one)

The best reason to visit France. This might not look much... but just you try it. 

We've been very much in 'home' mode, and we've also both been busy doing Gwynne-Gibbons and personal work too since we got back. But we thought you might like to hear a little about our trip to France and some other bits and pieces.

An interesting antiquarian bookshop in Saint-Malo

A painter-artist in Dinan

We decided to spend Christmas by ourselves this year, just because we hadn't done so before and we thought it'd be lovely to spend some time in our little flat just cooking, eating and relaxing! We also planned to do a few practical things while we were there too, sort of justifying our trip with those, but mostly they were just excuses for going to France and eating lots of nice bread.

For once, we got our ferry on time in Portsmouth (although we were late back to our car - all the others had boarded the boat and we ended up getting searched by security - getting the boat never goes too smoothly for us!) and arrived safely in France. For the second time, because nothing stays open late in Brittany, we ended up having our first 'meal' in McDonalds! It was really awful, but funny all the same and we needed to eat before the 2-hour drive to Dinan. It was great to walk into the flat though when we got there around 12.30am and see that everything was fine with it - nothing broken or damaged at all which was a relief as we've had some holiday guests in there this year so we didn't know what to expect!

Who says lard is rubbish? 

The first few days were really relaxed just getting ready for Christmas and doing our favourite little walks around the town and the port on the river Rance down the hill. There's a walk we always do down from the flat, through some woods down the hill and along the river to the port - it made us feel really at home and almost like we'd never left. The weather was really warm for the time of year too - about 10 degrees, and it almost felt like spring. We found some nice holly to bring back to the flat to put towards the christmas decorations, which apparently is called 'gui' in Breton and was similarly used spiritually by the celtic peoples as our holly was here and in Wales and Ireland.

We also gave ourselves the mission to visit the two other 'Emmaüs' in the area we hadn't got to before, with the main point being to find some nice old cast iron pots and whatever old random stuff that took our interest! In the first one, near Saint-Malo, we found a beautiful photography book and some other bits, and in the second one on the way to Rennes, we found two fantastic Le Creuset pots for a grand total of 4€... just amazing. We have quite a collection at home now but luckily we love cooking and they all get used a lot. The Emmaüs are such amazing places to just wander around - people give away unbelievably good stuff and it's generally sold for incredibly low prices, particularly in the ones outside the towns. The charity is set up to help adults with various problems relating to social inclusion and in return for helping out working at the depots, they can live on site. There always seems to be a nice community spirit about the places.

In Rennes... 

For our christmas dinner, we actually bought some belly pork - not that traditional, but so much tastier than turkey and a fraction of the price too. We cooked it so that the fat on top was really crispy and tasty, and slow enough for the meat underneath to be melt-int-the-mouth... mmm. It was so nice just getting up, relaxing, eating, opening a few presents, and not having to rush between family places all day like normal christmases! We just stayed in, and had a walk in the afternoon to stretch our legs. It was like a warm spring day in Dinan on the 25th - the sun was shining and it was quiet, warm and still.

We still have never managed to actually send postcards when we've been away - this time we got as far as writing them! Next time...

Schwarzwald

The view from the front of the Bauernhof

To see trees densely, wildly growing; trunks thin from the crowding and competition of the others, some whole and others snapped and bent - undulating lines of fir-tops hung with white mist blending seamlessly to sky: that is what awaits the traveller to the Black Forest.

Another view from Bauernhof

Travelling to a place where for a miles and miles trees outnumber humans by a significant margin is an inspiring experience. Small hamlets nestle comfortably in the green valleys, overshadowed and surrounded by the pines by day and under the immensity of the Milky Way in all its glory by night. It isn't a foreboding overshadowing though, and nor is it a bewildering sight of our galaxy. The people here, especially in the traditional Bauernhof where humans and their livestock live under the same roof, live in place. Martin, our host, replied when asked if he travelled much, "I feel well here. My children, yes - they like to travel much; but I... I feel well here." 

As he might. Every Friday, Martin and his wife Elfriede bake 200-or-so loaves in a centuries-old oven, and are collected by local villagers. The smell of bread lingers in the air much like the mist does in the trees, as Martin bakes engrossed in his work. Inside the kitchen, Elfriede cleans and puts away the dough and bread-making equipment and continues her day cooking lunch and then going outside to tend her small kitchen garden. I can't stress enough the simplicity yet fullness of life at Jocklisbauernhof. 

The Milky Way over the Bauernhof roof

The Moser Family's Bauernhof is well known
in the area

Martin with his little helper for the day, Sophia

During our stay we visited festivals in Schiltach (during a pilgramage to find fantastic Black Forest Gateau), Wolfach, and Baden-Baden. Each had its own character - the Schiltach version was a Wild West fest, with men in pink cowboy-suits doing very strange dances, and another dance-troup that we ended-up taking part in. The Wolfach festival was a night affair, with tables laid out through the main street, all the cafés and restaurants open and with stalls, and two live bands! As with all these things, people of all ages were out enjoying themselves. We really noticed that in Germany, people seem not to only want to be eternal teenagers - people seem very comfortable in their own skins.

Schiltach "Wild West" festival

We also found the most beautiful bookshop I've ever seen, "Das Freie Buch", in Schiltach. It was decorated in warm, deep reds and dark greens, with a woodburner and gorgeous traditional rugs, and the most perfect couple of reading-chairs in traditional German style. Though we didn't want to buy anything, the co-owner was happy for us to simply sit and read for a while. Unfortunately we only had the cameraphone with us, but here is a picture of Ellie in the comfy chair, reading. It doesn't do the place justice though.

Cooking outdoors near Gutach

The wonderful Elfriede at home in her kitchen
garden at Jocklisbauernhof

We travelled back through Belgium and France, stopping for a few days in the Arndennes National Park; visiting Dinant in Belgium, hope of Adolphe Sax and the best chocolatier we've ever been to - Neuhaus, where we sampled incredible hot chocolate, pistachio gelato and handmade chocolates. Another place we much get back to at some point! There was really far too much to this trip to fit into a little blogpost like this. Suffice to say, we recommend the Schwarzwald to everyone interested in travel and getting a taste of a surprisingly different culture. It really does hold a special place in both our hearts and we hope we can return soon, for a longer time.