2024 October Sue, Rick, Don & Helen

This is it, our last visit to the French House as we hope to complete our sale on 5 November... Read More...

2024 July

New beginnings — we now have a Labour Government (411 seats)... Read More...

American Pilot Shot Down near St Ellier

Beside St Ellier Church and outside our house, a plaque was unveiled to honour an American fighter pilot... Read More...

2024 May

Monday 6 May — Dieppe. It’s a very wet Bank Holiday Monday so the roads to Newhaven were really quiet... Read More...

2023 October

Tuesday 24 October 2023 — weather forecast for the week in St Ellier Les Bois is rain every day... Read More...

2023 May

We once again treated ourselves to the more expensive Brittany Ferries route and a Commodore Cabin... Read More...

2022 Sept

Tuesday 10 September — The last couple of weeks have been quite eventful, we have a new King, Charles III, and a new Prime Minister, Liz Truss. We’ve recovered from our 8 hours queuing to see the Queen’s coffin and are ready to do some jobs at the French House. We thought we would treat ourselves and take the expensive Brittany Ferry route, Portsmouth to Caen. All cov... Read More...

2022 May

Used our Tesco vouchers to go through the tunnel, it wasn't busy and all went to plan but it’s a long drive. Arrived at the house about 5pm after stopping at Sees Intermarche. Although the house has been left since August 2021 it wasn't too bad. However, one of the loft windows had been left open and there were loads and loads of dead fli... Read More...

2021 Aug

France has come off the Amber Plus list which means we don't have quarantine when we get back. We are fully vaccinated but have to take a lateral flow before we leave France and a PCR test 2 days after returning home. Read More...

2020 July

French House Diary July 2020 — Thursday 9 July. Travel restrictions have been lifted for most of Europe as the Covid‑19 virus has settled a bit; the death rate for yesterday was 85 with 642 new confirmed cases. It’s still with us, so it’s with trepidation that we booked the tunnel to France. However, it was a doddle — we left home at 6am and got to St Ellier at 2.30pm British time. The traffic on the w... Read More...

2019 Sept

French House Sept 2019 — Arrived at Saint Ellier on a beautiful day after an overnight crossing. The main purpose of this visit is to fit a woodburner in the kitchen. Rick and Don purchased one on eBay for £200. For a few weeks now Rick has been popping in and out of the garage fiddling with it and ordering bits online. Lots of bird sticks in the fireplace... Read More...

2019 July

French House July 2019 — Friday 5 July. We set off for Newhaven with Don, Helen and a fully loaded trailer: a snooker table, table tennis table, football table, 2 chest of drawers, a corner unit, a wardrobe, a canopy, 2 pictures and a blanket box. Read More...

2018 July

We're in the middle of a heatwave, the World Cup, Wimbledon, British Grand Prix and the Tour de France. It's only 11 days since we returned from France and just under 3 weeks since Rick had his perforated appendix operation at the Argentan hospital. The motorhome is fully loaded with bikes, a wardrobe, cot, stool and various other things for the house. We've even asked Mike and Thyra to bring the b... Read More

2018 April

Picked up Julie for the 10am Newhaven ferry on a glorious day after weeks of rain. Teresa May due to have a hard time in Parliament after the Syrian attack on chemical weapons factories. We were fairly quick settling in, not too much damp — mainly the kitchen door which was tight and needed planing down. Rick bought an Induction Hob at home so we had loads of saucepans and frying pans we could no lon... Read More

2017 October

The project to convert the loft is in full swing. We have returned to the house to finish the partitioning and install the bathroom. Follow this link to read Sue's Diary of our visit Read More

2017 August

The project to convert the loft is about to begin. We are meeting up with George and Caroline. Donald and Helen will be joining us later. Follow this link to read Sue's Diary of our visit Read More

2017 April

We left a very frosty garden on a beautiful sunny morning for a calm Newhaven crossing and a pleasant journey onto St Ellier in our new Discovery Sport. The house looked clean and dry and first things first Rick put a match to the fire that Don had prepared. Within minutes we were coughing and spluttering as the house was filled with smoke.  Read More

2016 December

Don and Helen visited the house at Christmas in conjunction with a visit to their canal boat  Read More

2016 Sept

Got a night crossing with cabin for £217 but had to rise at 3.30 am and travel through thick fog in the dark to reach St Ellier. First time ever that we have opened the house door and been hit by the heat.Its been a great year here as the rest of the family have started to enjoy it:Julie joined us in March Alex, Rachael and Anne came to stay on with Julie after we left George, Carolin... Read More

2016 August

Paul Kate Ivan & Elsie August 2016 The first visit for Paul for about 20 years. This has been a long project!! Read More... Read More

2016 March Alex

We left Newhaven at the start of the storm giving us a choppy journey. Rach was slightly 'ill' on route becoming acquainted with the toilet. After docking in France,despite the rain, the journey down was fine with the French sat nav doing a stellar job. Read more... Read More

2016 March

We set of from Newhaven with Julie and a whole lots of bedding in the roof box all ready for the start of the season at the French house. Lovely smooth crossing, Julie and I even wandered around the deck. When we got on the ferry a migrant was being fingerprinted. There hasn't been a problem at Dieppe before but since our last visit in October razor wire has appeared and there were a few migrants... Read More

2015 Sept

On arrival the house looked in good shape and someone has been watering our geranium pots asthey were flourishing. There is a bit of life in the village and we keep hearing the sound of a cowseemingly in distress. Rick is glued to the Rugby World Cup, big shock Japan beating South Africa.Jen, Hayden and Lydia having their first family holiday in Tenerife.  Read more....... Read More

2015 May

Calm crossing and after driving through several heavy, very heavy showers we arrived at the house in sunshine. We used the Nav Mii app on Rick's phone as it uses GPS and not the internet. It was our first visit of the year and we were expecting lots of damp and mould but it wasn't too bad. I was dying to see our neighbours Pierre and Isabelle so I could try out my” Michel Thomas French Course” phr... Read More

2014 Oct

Friday 3 October What a pleasure to arrive at La Maison to find it warm and clean, that is apart from a few cobwebs and spiders. Rick immediately set to mowing the lawns as rain was forecast for tomorrow afternoon. Even the lawns weren't too bad, the geranium's are still going strong but quite a few weeds have appeared on the gravel – never mind, all is easily sorted. However, my big pot of IndiaYe... Read More

2014 June

The sun was shining when we arrived in Saint Ellier which was looking very pleasant with all the newly laid roads and pavements. Some big weeds had somehow managed to survive my dose of weedkiller but it wasn't long before they were there no more. They've made a brilliant job of the drain on the kitchen side of the house and have planted a flower border alongside the church side wall.  ... Read More

2014 Feb

We met Don, Helen and their two cocker spaniels Poppy and Dexter at Newhaven. It was a beautiful day but a bit choppy whilst at sea. Rick was probably a bit delicate from our previous night with Alan and Sheila at The Star in Petworth. This is Chris' new pub. They have been there a year and we didn't know! It was the first time abroad for Poppy and Dexter and they behaved very well. Download PDF F... Read More

2013 Oct

We took the Newhaven Dieppe route again because it was the most economical and they didn’t charge forthe trailer both ways. We intend to leave the trailer here so it gave us a chance to fill it up with our oldpine table, dresser and chairs. Rick also fixed up his old chainsaw and hedge cutter which also could beleft at the house. Read PDF here... Read More

2013 May

French House Diary - May 2013 Tuesday 7 May 2013 On our way to Newhaven and oops Rick has forgotten the sat nav that he paid a fortune to update,never mind we will have to resort to the old ways. However, I see a divorce on the horizon,especially as I am struggling to see the maps and feel sick every time I look down for too long!!! Read More

2012 Oct

Tuesday 16 October 2012. Our LD Lines Newhaven Ferry didn't depart our waters until 10am which gave us a somewhat leisurely start from usual. It was a beautiful, chilly, sunny day but the crossing was little choppy. The motorway toll was just over 20 euros and we got to the house about 6pm French time. Donald, Helen and some friends had only been there a week before to celebrate Paula's 60th birth... Read More

1998 July 10th

Friday 10th July 1998   Sue, Rick, Jennie & Sadie (written by Sue) We got as far as Sainsbury's when we realised we didn't have the key. Fortunately, Janice met us at Oving with Julie's spare one. We made the ferry with only two minutes to spare. It was a good crossing and at one time we actually sunbathed on deck.   We tried out Malcolm's route from Le Harve but it was dreadful driving conditions (da... Read More

1998 May 22nd

Friday 22nd May 1998   Sue, Rick, Jennifer, Jessica Bradshaw, Donald and Helen   We departed for the 12:30 ferry from Poole to Cherbourg with a trailer piled high with the kitchen table, bed settee, kitchen chairs, carpets, linen and two bikes. Rick was fiddling with the radio and we very nearly didn't make it to the ferry. The ferry journey was uneventful, the boat was quite a bit smaller than we were... Read More

1997 December 30th

New Years Trip 30/12/1997 Helen, Donald, Martin, Brenda and Charlie, later joined by George, Caroline and Rachel We arrived in St. Ellier-les Bois at 17:00 hours. Greeted by Martine and Daniel to be told that the electrics had been completed. We lit the fire and aired the beds. Daniel and Martine invited us over for drinks and told us that they were going away for a few days over the New Year. We l... Read More

1997 October 23rd

Thursday 23 October 1997Rick, Sue, Jennifer, Isobel, Donald and Helen   Set off for the 10:30 sailing to Le Havre with the trailer loaded up with the kitchen units and tools etc. Had a few of Rick's stiff gins and then hit the Casino for a game of pontoon. Donald finished £3 up. Another drink and then to bed at 1:00 am.   Friday 24th October 1997   Woken up at 5:00 am with the complimentary breakfast wh... Read More

1997 August 10th

French House Diary 10th August 1987 Don & Helen 10 August 1997 We arrived at Saint Elier Les Bois approximately 6:00 pm. Devastated to find restaurant was closed for the next two weeks (annual holiday), However, Martine and Daniel were about for a few days before heading down South. We were invited in for drinks before retiring to bed.   11 August 1997 Awoke at 7:00 am, we must do something about th... Read More

1997 June 27th

Don, Helen, Brenda, Martin, Charlie Arrived at Saint Ellier Les Bois approx. 16.45 French time, devastated to find the restaurant closed for the weekend, Martine and Daniel were going away. Somewhat daunted at the thoughts of the works ahead - where does one start! We wandered out to La Roche Mabile and had a drink in a small bar, followed by a small journey into Carrouges to... Read More

1997 May 23rd

Friday 23rd May 1997Sue, Dick, Don, Jennifer and Isobel. 6:00 am Not a good start as Dick forgot to hitch up the caravan and we went aground on the drive. We were lucky that it didn't shear off the tow hitch. Sue and Don were the only adults in the cinema on the boat. Isobel left her Game Boy in the cinema and Don had an embarrassing time trying to claim it as he didn't know her name. This all hap... Read More

1997 May 2nd

FRENCH HOUSE DIARY 2nd May 1997 Sue, Rick, Jennifer Donald, Helen, Ben, Paul George, Caroline, Rachel, Julie, Douglas, Philippa, Alexander, Jessica It started as “The Boat Fund” but turned into “The French House Fund” as French property in the mid 90’s was very cheap. Douglas, Donald and Rick made a couple of fun visits to find somewhere suitable. They still laugh about the cigar incident. I remember... Read More

1995 August Jen's Diary

We went to this old house because my Auntie, my Mummy and Daddy were thinking of buying it. We went to look round it and Daddy videod it. I wanted to have a go also but the battery ran out.
There was quite a lot of cracks in one half of the building so I did not like the look of it. We went into the garden and there were lots of pear trees. Daddy said we could just strim all this long grass down. We went to the caravan site Kristine and I went to catch some grasshoppers and slide down the big hill. Read more...