Gin-Sane In France

17/08/2025

What could possibly go wrong with me, lots of ripe prunes, a tree and a ladder?!

Even Blue’s come over to take a look before the carnage starts…🫣

If no one hears from me for a few days, please just make sure the animals are ok! 🤣🤣

16/08/2025

I know they aren’t everyone’s choice but I can’t help being slightly obsessed with the pigs. They are just so hilarious (you really don’t need a tv here!), each an individual little character.

I keep forgetting not to wear flip flops into the field with the piglets, as slightly concerned about potentially losing a toe. However, they listen if told off and they are learning quickly. It’s also too ruddy hot to be putting boots on. It’s hitting around 50 degrees in the sun, so I’m constantly refilling water and mud baths, whilst melting 🥵

They also have my penguin (not!), Private, who lives with them. I was constantly having palpitations at feeding times, when he was a lot younger, as he’d be gone in one bite. However, they live happily with him and he keeps them all in line. He even sleeps on them when they are snoozing. It’s ruddy adorable and as most of the animals here with an identity crisis, Private does not think he’s a chicken. He’s definitely one of the pigs now! 🤣 💙

I wish I could keep all of them, but i can’t 😪 I know they have the happiest of lives here and are never scared when it’s time to be “processed”, as it’s all done here, with their welfare as a priority - sorry that was the nicest way I could think to say it!! 🫣

However if anyone wants to buy a piglet, to save it going in a freezer, then let me know. There’s a couple who I’d love to find permanent homes for, as they are very special bubbas and will happily fit in with dogs, cats and any other animals you may have!

For now though, I get to spend hours watching them go about their lives and loving every moment of the time they have here 🐖

15/08/2025

Back here for a fantastic evening of karaoke and food. Love this place and having a “down time” day! 😎

15/08/2025

I never have a clue about French holidays, so today was a surprise! I decided to make the most of it and have a day to chill out 😎

Another fabulous meal with Manal and his team this lunchtime. The perfect steak (French Blue for me!) and a panna cotta to die for.

Definitely check out here if you are local; especially for the events which they hold here. Always a great time 🤩

Also, thank you Manal for another fabulous bottle of pouilly fume! 😘

14/08/2025

Well that’s my working week done. I wish I could spend my down time like Reema and Bastian, but I’ve got another working week to finish at home!

10/08/2025

It’s amazing what can still be found in old houses here…this ancient tin was being used as a boite a pêche, and was found in one of my lodger’s new house, which she is going to be emptying and decorating, before leaving here.

The can itself is stunning (going to see if I can research it a bit!) and I love the old packets of hooks. There are still interesting finds to be had if you get your hands on an old house.

Most definitely avoid the market targeting the Brits, as you are going to be paying way over the odds for a property. Find a French agent and you’ll hopefully end up finding a hidden gem, for the “right” price.

Although, be prepared that materials to do up old house are much more expensive here than the UK. It’s actually cheaper to head to Spain from where we are in the SW, to buy things! There are large numbers of so called “P&O Builders” working for the English only speaking communities! They arrive via ferry and then head back to the UK to let the poor people deal with shoddy work.

It seems that quite a lot of people here are so desperate for a good English speaking builder, that they are happy to sell their soul to the devil, no matter how awful a person they are, as long as their work is good; it is bye bye moral compass!

Hopefully, once you find your dream please learn from my mistakes and use french tax paying individuals, whether they are French or not. Especially ones who actually speak the native language, even if you need an english speaker. It helps in the long run with fitting into the French community, and please check their insurance. If you are using a non tax payer, they won’t have the French insurance to cover anything which goes wrong, or should you want to sell your house in the not too distant further, their work won’t be deemed correct for the sale.

Lots of pitfalls, but once you wade through them all, it’s so worth for the life here 😎



EDIT: please also note that using an unregistered builder, will ensure that you are not covered by your own house insurance, should anything catch fire, fall down or drop off. It’s the same as having to ensure that the chimney sweep comes every year, in case of chimney fires…!

09/08/2025

This is what French summer evenings are about, albeit for a short period of time, as I had to go home to put the animals to put to bed.

Last night’s marche des producteurs, in the village. Lots of non shows due to how ruddy hot it is at the moment (please note Blighty, this is real heat, not a couple of days of 30 degrees which leads to the entire country having a nervous breakdown 🤣), but still a great evening with friends. Good company, good food and good wine, what more could you ask for…?

Well for me, I’d ask to remember where the heck I put my two pairs of prescription glasses when I got home. The animals were all safely tucked up, but I’m now wandering around 4 hectares trying to retrace my steps! Yup, definitely a great evening! 🤣🤣

05/08/2025

🎶 Soirée guinguette aux Berges du Chalard 🎶
Vendredi 8 août à 19h, concert folk & country avec Caval Caravan !
Un duo complice, des guitares, des voix, et une ambiance chaleureuse sous les guirlandes. 🌿🎸🎤

🍕🥗🍟 Restauration sur place : pizzas, grillades, frites maison, salades…

📍 Aux Berges du Chalard, Champs-Romain
🎶 Venez passer un bon moment en musique !

02/08/2025

Starting to clear the etang, camping and night fishing…heaven! 🥰

01/08/2025

For me it is this and did I turn the water off? 🤣🤣

🤠🤠🤠

01/08/2025

It’s official, I’ve finally completely lost the plot, as laying here watching the pétanque doublettes, Coupe de France des Clubs 2025.

It is mesmerisingly addictive, as none of these people are what you’d call “sportif” (that might be the understatement of the year!!) and it such a serious “sport” here.

For me, anything which involves people standing around throwing a metal ball at a smaller ball, and then drinking Ricard afterwards, really can’t be counted as a sport!! If these people ran 50 metres, they’d probably have a heart attack.

Garry absolutely loved playing pétanque and had his own pitch/surface (god knows what it’s called?!) in the UK. We also spent many hours playing it here during long sunny afternoons with friends. I feel a bit guilty now for taking the p*e out of Garry for watching it on French tv, whilst we were looking for and then going through the process buying our home here 🤣

However, I need to pull myself together or I’ll be watching darts, cricket or snooker next, and that is never going to happen! 🤣🤣

P.s. the image pretty much sums up the people playing on tv!!

P.p.s. thankfully I have too much to do today to drive make the short drive to Bergerac to watch this live. To all friends, should I ever suggest this, an intervention is needed 🤣🤣

27/07/2025

So this week has pretty much been a right off, what with working 31 hours over Monday and Tuesday, then coming down with a virus at work on Wednesday, followed by 3 days in bed.

However, I did manage to get up yesterday and had a wonderful day in the sunshine with the menagerie. I wandered around looking at the bounty of fruits and nuts available now, and those due…walnuts, hazelnuts, sweet chestnuts, apples, pears, grapes and blackberries.

It’s going to be a good autumn harvest this year 😎