Montreuil

Last Thursday, 18 September, we headed for Montreuil in Pas de Calais for our favourite cheeserie, Caseus, and the Wine Society's own store in the Hermitage. There's an aire we know of which is in a car park next to the bowls pitch, whatever it's called. We've been loads of times.

The northern weather was lovely so we decided to walk the ramparts to the citadel.

This fortified city is ancient. The citadel has been enlarged and strengthened through the centuries; first as a defensive stronghold against the English Plantagenets, much later by Vauban contra the Germans/Austrians and finally to house the British Expeditionary Force Intelligence and Information Centre in the First World War.

The sky that afternoon was superb and the views splendid from this military vantage point.

There was an exhibition of the 'Great War' in Montreuil in "The Casements", an underground bastion which had been the communication HQ for the BEF.
Above is a poster placard on which it was the French that intrigued us - use of 'jamais' in the positive mode.

There were photos of the concert parties performing to pass the time in that time-honoured British tradition of military men pretending to be women.

Before the Second World War the district had attracted artists following the new wave of Impressionism. Above, we learn about Katherine Alice Hawden, another Slade School past student.

We prepared to leave Montreuil for the Tunnel Départ on Friday morning. When I arose I found the gas was off so the first thing I had to do was change the bottles. It never gives out at a convenient time. We set off at 7 a.m. in France and were back in Walsden at 2 p.m.
As we were unloading the van, the handle came off the kitchen sink tap! It'll be £49.99 just to buy a new one. What's next on this Jonah?