Monday 7th october (2002)

Church clock starts chiming again at 6. (Many clocks in France chime each hour TWICE. The one at Chooz used to continue all through the night - quarter hours too - but after complaints it was silenced between the hours of 11 and 6) The school bus leaves at 7 to take the older children to Charleville and at 8.30 the square fills with cars as and pedestrians as parents bring the younger ones to the local school.

Jay goes for a run but I have a leisurely shower and then walk across to the shop for some toothpaste, biscuits and yoghurt. When Jay gets back we have a bowl of vanilla tea - water boiled in a saucepan as no kettle, and difficulty lighting gas with damp matches - and go into Givet.

We wander round the small town refreshing our memories of the quaint little streets, the river and the imposing Fort on the hilltop, do essential shoppng at the supermarket and check out train times to Charleville. They are not convenient so we go by car.

Re-explore Charleville, try lots of bars for coffee and go for a walk by the river before climbing the steep roads of Mt. Olympe. We have to kill time before we can go and see Claudine and J.Y. because they don't get home till 8. They have lots of info but we are both rather too tired to take it all in. Leave about 9.30 armed with lots of papers and a long list of things to do tomorrow.