Midge Lake

So that you don't feel it is ever so romantic and that you are missing out, I will say right away that the Lac du Der was beautiful, completely calm, balmy warm, and swarming with midges. So tonight we went to feed the midges.
It was simply an excuse to get out of doors, and where better to go than the largest lake in Europe. There were lots of camper vans at the part we visited, but not many people by the lake itself. We took a walk and found out why. Still, it was too nice to not walk so we simply kept moving!

Nice on arrival

Boats at rest (no wind!)

Sun just set

After glow

When we arrived, the sky was lovely. And the boats pretty with their reflections in the water. Then as we returned to the car, the sun dropped below the cloud and turned everything blood red. Even after it had dropped below the horizon, the reflection of the red clouds persisted for many minutes. Even the midges seemed to stop and take a look.

Paris Hillsongs

It's Sunday and we pop in to Paris again for the evening. Hillsongs church are hosting Brian Houston, their founder from Australia so we thought we would make the effort to come from Vitry.

Brian Houston

The traffic was ok and we arrived in good time. In August there is free parking in Paris so the only problem was to find a free space. All the main streets were full, but the side road that cuts through the huge cemetary in the area had several spaces. We strolled the few hundred meters back still in time to be too early to go in. So a strong French coffee in a nearby bar at Parisian prices was in order. 

Having been the week before, we were greeted by people who recognised us. The church is actively friendly and people will speak to you just because they don't know you. Coffee and a welcome is available before and after the services, always with a smile.

Hillsongs Paris

The pictures attached are not from the day, but official Hillsongs images. But the stage was just as you see it. This is a church in a theatre, and it feels like it. The worship was very joyful and Brian was exceedingly encouraging, explaining from Psalm 65 that God is for you - 'His anger lasts for a moment but his blessings for eternity'. He explained "Because people consider that they need to please God to get his favour, He becomes difficult to approach, but the reality is the opposite. He wants to bless and promises to do so".

The church is 80% full, even though this is the 3rd service this particular Sunday, and I read that the theatre holds 1000. You can read more on the news link by clicking below the photo above/link below, or more on the leader through the link under his picture/link below.

The service was expertly translated into French by 'Isobelle'. This poor lady was teased by Brian who, after complementing her talents, then said "as my father used to say 'is-a-bell essentail for a bycycle?'" which, of course, she could not translate. That apart, the young lady quickly and accurately converted Australian into French even when the sentences were very long and convoluted. Since I have tried to do this in the church at Vitry, I suppose I was particularly impressed.

It felt like a lot happend in the service, but in the end only a short time had elapsed, so we were able to pop into the Luxembourg gardens for a picnic tea before the drive home. Again we found a free parking space just by the park, only the toilets being closed spoilt the perfection (this is clearly a concern only of the English ). The park was full of joggers and much less hot than last weekend so that our stroll was far more pleasant, all be it short.

Links

Pic Hillsongs Paris: "France Sees Rise In Evangelical Churches"

Pic Brian Houston url http://myhillsong.com/senior-pastors-eldership 

Champagne Ardenne

Saturday, at least for the last couple of weekends, is market day in Chalons en Champagne. Chalons has a large, partly covered market that has plenty of biological products but you need to go early.
This Saturday we got a good start to the day, so after our purchases we stopped in a cafè for breakfast. One of the large houses in the square is being renovated (it must be the season- see previous post!). Here is a picture of the building, spot the cat on a ledge.

Simulated Frenchmen

The square is quite jolly so I took a wider view for you too.

Chalons en Champagne town square

It was cool but warm enough for the English to sit outside. All the French we saw had, for the most part, retired indoors with their coats on.
On the way home we were reminded of the reason for the town's name. Here is probably the largest bottle of bubbly you will ever see.

Champagne advertisement

Open day soon

For now this new, and huge shopping complex has just been completed and is still to open. All of the building in the upper picture has been going up over the months, but now it appears to be ready.
We don't know what they will serve in the serving bays at the bottom of the bottle, but we can hope! Perhaps when we visit, I will post another post for you.
Until then, you watch this space, and we will be watching Chalons en Champagne.

Scaffolding

We have scaffolding!
Long ago our landlady told us the outside of the house would be decorated, "probably", she said, "in July". So by the end of August (which it nearly is) we had forgotten this possibility.
Then Friday morning there was a knock on the door. The last time it was the postman, but not today. "I am the painter," he announced. "I don't want any," I thought.
As it turned out he had been commissioned to paint our house, and this wasn't a cold call looking for business after all. "We want to put some scaffolding in your back garden", he said, "had we heard he was coming from the landlord?" Actually we have only ever dealt with the landlady, and we had not heard, but were sort of expecting him - but in July; especially since all of France is on holiday in August. So we gave our permission and his men duly arrived and set to work. They brought the scaffolding round and then put it up.

Our new outlook

Since then it has blown a gale, and the scaffolding makes rigging-like whistling noises, which is quite fun, even at night. They are due to return on Monday to start work on the house.
Mean while I had a call from our landlady at lunchtime. "Is it ok if the workmen start on the house on Monday?" she asked. "They already started" I replied. She seemed surprised so I explained they just put up the scaffold. She wanted to be sure that they wash the house before painting (which they told us they were going to do), and would June check on them to be sure they do the work properly?
I assured her we would take a keen interest. She seemed satisfied with that.

The wall could do with a wash

If I remember rightly, the colour will be cream.

Luxembourg Gardens, Paris

Today we visited the Hillsongs church in Paris, rising early to do so. By the time we came out, the temperatures were soaring.

A panorama of the Luxembourg Gardens

Now we had parked in a Vinci underground park, and I was surprised to see it so empty. At the church, a local told us that street parking is free in August in Paris. Wanting to be certain, I checked a ticket machine on the way back. Free Sundays, holidays, and in August, it said. So I recovered the car, and with only a little difficulty, we found a free space next to the Luxembourg Gardens. The panorama above was stitched together automatically by my phone camera - with an error as you can see. The flowers were a riot of colour but hard to see in the above shot. If you come to Paris, the Luxembourg gardens are some of the nicest there are, so be sure to see for yourself.

We set off through the park, and quickly sought the shade. It was blisteringly hot, even the wind, what little there was, was only a slight relief since it too was hot. We found a café with outrageous prices. I am afraid we walked out before ordering. A second some distance away was very busy. The waitress squeezed us in between 2 other couples on the street. You had to move the tables to get in and sit down. It too was reasonably pricy, and after salads and drinks the sun had moved to start heating up the back of my neck. 

So we paid up and walked slowly back to the car; which reported 41°C. It felt like it. Thank heaven for the air conditioning for the 2 hour drive back.

Hats against the sun in the Market
at Chalons en Champagne

Here also is a picture of us wearing our hats for the first time (on Saturday as it happens, on the way to market).

And here is a warning from the France 24 news on line. In 2003 thousands of (mostly elderly) people died in the France canicule.
france24.com weather heat-wave