Thatch

Thatchers arrived yesterday having driven through the night and immediately erected the scaffold! Today they made a start and have already made excellent progress, getting reed on about a third of the front pitch and a backfill layer on the rear pitch. The weather is set fair for at least a week so hopefully the house roof will be completed before the next spell of poor weather. It's great to see the house with it's original thatched 'hat' at long last.

Meantime I've made a start with the laying the hedges to the barn.

There was an Englishman, a Frenchman and a Czech..

The Czech lorry driver returned this morning and I went to meet him at Castet. His lorry was 10 - 11m long, far too big to negotiate the corner in Castet d'Aleu. After greeting him in impecable Czech, I asked him how he was "Jak se mate?" Obviously thinking I spoke fluent Czech he immediately launched into a long response. I'm not too sure of the exact content but reading between the lines I think he said something like..."I waited here all bloody day yesterday and you didn't show up, so last night I had to sleep in my cab and it was f***ing freezing mate, to make matters worse I am travelling with my ex-wife's 60 year old father who has a 50% share in my truck, I hate him and he has terrible flatulance at night and he has the top bunk"...at which point I interupted him with "Mluvite Anglicky?" (do you speak English?). "No only Czech" he replied (in Czech of course). I think he then realised I didn't understand a word he was saying.

After some hopeless sign language in Franglais I returned home to fetch my trailer. I knew it would be too small for even 1 of the 18 bales of reed which I needed to collect, each of which was about 2.5m long by 1m diameter and weighing close to 300kg. After visits to locals I was unable to find a larger trailer at short notice but Paul in Aleu suggested I asked at the shop in Castet for directions to Monsieur Durand who had a lorry. I tracked him down and he came on his bicycle to look at the load to be shifted. He agreed to help.

The driver and I unloaded the lorry into a layby whilst he swore at his father-in-law who had the job of freewheeeling the lorry forward as we rolled the bales out of the back of the trailer. I bid 'Bonne Voyage' to the driver, ferried the ridge tiles and thatch fixings to Quelebu in my little trailer before returning to meet Monsieur Durand. Fortunately he had a forklift to go with his 1950's Saviem lorry (both about the same vintage). His lorry could just take 3 bales and managed between 5 and 15 mph on the steep hill upto Quelebu. It took until after dark (6.30) to shift the final load but at last they're all here. There's snow down to about 1200m at the moment and it was pretty cold today so I was glad to finish.

Chaume

Today I was in St Gaudens all day getting my car serviced - meantime the reed and fixings for the roof arrived with a Czech courier (4 days early). He didn't fancy the tight turn to Aleu so has retreated to St girons for the night. Tomorrow hopefully I can marshall him around the tight corner and help him unload the 18 bales of reed. A good chance to practice my Czech - Ahoj! Jak se mate? Mluvite anglicky? To je hrozne pocasi!

Climbing

After way too long I went rock climbing with Ian and Nina this afternoon at a crag near St G. Climbed 4 or 5 routes at 5b and just as we were getting back into the swing of things the heavens opened.

Bad weather for the next few days but the good news is that the thatchers will arrive Thursday pm with the reed arriving the next day - so hopefully I'll have a roof soon.

This years jelly

Apple and Chillie with a bit more 'kick' than previous years.

Legs are a bit stiff after yesterday.

Pic de la Lesse, Pic des Trois Comtes, Pic de Puntussan

Etang Garbet

An early start in dense cloud from about 6km upstream from Aulus les Bains this morning. By the time I reached the Etang Garbet I had climbed above the cloud but it chased me up the mountain. At the Etang Bleu everything was frozen and I left the path behind as I struck up across the mountainside to reach Pic de la Lesse.

The view of the route ahead from Pic de la Lesse - On the right Pic de Puntussan, in the middle Pic des Trois Comtes (partly hidden behind an unnamed pic on the ridge climbed on the way).

Some pleasant scrambling (in the sun briefly) lead to Pic des Trois Comtes and by 2.00 I was on the top of Pic de Puntussan. There was plenty of snow on the ground and a fair bit of verglas on the rocks. On the Pic the cloud finally engulfed me.

Atmosheric conditions produced a Brocken Spectre.

The long descent in difficult pathless terrain, zero visibility and light snow then heavy rain proved very difficult and several times I had to reascend steep slopes and ravins to keep on track. By 5.30 I was still high on the mountain and not certain of my position and benightment seemed a distinct possibilty. Eventually after 4 hours of exhausting descent through rocks, bilberry and tussuck grass I reached a path (the first since early morning) and as twilight fell I reached the top of the Cascade d'Ars. (NOTE : I would not recommend this route either in ascent or descent and certainly not in poor visibilty).

I just managed to descend to the good piste before dark and a long trudge back to Aulus and then the 6km back to the car in pitch darkness saw me safely down. A long and trying 11 hour day with over 2200m of ascent and about 23km in all.

Thatching

After breaking my balls all summer to build the barn and re-roof the house in less than 10 weeks, some of you may be wondering what has happened to the thatching or rather the thatchers? Well you and me both! After managing to be ready for the agreed 'start date' of mid-September, this has been pushed back to early October, then mid-October and the latest is first week of November! Meantime winter approaches and I freeze my nuts off living in a house with only felt for a roof and no insulation. If the snow arrives early I'm done for.

The staircase for the barn was poured today (concrete steps on top of stonework). The living room curtains are 3/4 finished (one more to make) and this years batch of Apple and Chillie Jelly is ready for boiling and bottling.

The autumn high pressure continues with crystal clear skies, so tomorrow another day in the mountains probably Puntussan and the Pic des Trois Comtes.

Pic de la Pale

A longish day in the mountains today, we planned to climb Mont Valier from the Col de la Pause via the Port d'Aula but ended up stopping just short at the Pic de la Pale and found a nice knife edge ridge to a little peak with stunning views.

In the video clips below, Dommy talks to his camera about what kind of person would run along the ridge before I join him on the summit, then we head back to the Col and lunch.

Cascade d'Ars, Etang Guzet

On Tuesday a local walk and a huge trawl of mushrooms - enough to make wild mushroom risotto and yesterday a middle mountain walk to the Cascade d'Ars...

...and the Etang Guzet amidst fantastic autumn colours.

Pic Seron (2)

Dommy and Jon are here for the week and as the weather was beautiful today we did a mountain walk, completing a circuit above Guzet including an ascent of Pic Seron. The Etang d'Aube was a surreal washing-up liquid green.

The jinx is lifted

Now the Judds are safely out of french airspace the weather improves and the day dawns clear. Here's the view you never saw - photo taken this morning.

Wendy and Matthew visit.

Wendy and Matthew having been staying for a few days after their holiday on the Canal du Midi. The 'Judd jinx' manifested itself as bad weather, and despite staying here for three days they sadly only got glimpses of the view. Nethertheless, we didn't let the bad weather spoil the time together and we went to Foix, the Riviere souterraine de Labouiche (Europes longest underground river), St Lizier and few scenic walks and drives nearer home. Although they left this morning it's still raining!

Chateau de Foix

Autumn

Today had an autumnal feel to it. The leaves are beginning to turn, I harvested the maize and carrots (a mouse beat me to about half of them!) and although it's still warm the day was cloudy and in the late afternoon a thunderstorm. As the roofs are finished, I began work on the stairs to the barn - digging out the clay and then assembling the stonework. It doesn't have to carry any load or be watertight so it's fairly easy compared to the barn walls.

We have a good apple crop this year so the pigs get plenty to eat. The field had some parasol mushrooms in it today so I had plenty to eat too.

Recent works

The house at Pont de la Taule now has electricity and some lighting too...yippee!
Fields 3 and 4 have been invaded by ground thistles which have smothered the brambles and allowed grass to start growing...hurrah!
The roof has had it's final stones placed on the very top of the gables...huzzah!
The chimney is rendered and has a new hat...tophole!


The table has new lights over it which don't dazzle you and give you third degrees burns...magnifico!
A blog reader dropped in to see me...bonzer!
The front door is now red...halleluja!
The rayburn now has a light over it so I can see to cook...brilliant!
I have curtains in the living room to keep it warm at night...cool!

Boeuf

For the past few days I've been working at the house at Pont de la Taule. The electricity is due to be connected tomorrow and I needed to install a fuse board and earth. This morning field No 2 got its autumn 'short back and sides' then for lunch I went to Massat where there was a steer roast - free for all the inhabitants of the Canton. The boeuf was enormous, enough to feed the 500 or more people who showed up. Most had come with plates, cutlery and copious side dishes. I turned up with two slabs of buttered bread! The cow sandwich was delicious. Met up with Justin and Emily and a few friends.

And for dinner tonight? Boeuf Bourgignon.

Morning Alpenglow

Snow

The clouds stayed low today, but Pic de Lasirouge showed itself briefly...here's the view from the house.

Cold spell

Temperatures have dropped, this morning 6 degrees. There's a decent dump of snow above 2000m and over the next few days snow is forecast down to 900m (I live at 800m). The thatchers are now due in about 3 weeks time so things could turn cold in the house. Today I brought some logs into the house and lit the Rayburn for the first time this autumn.

Books

Yesterday was another big clear up day with a bonfire and trips to the dump plus some farmwork.

Today it's been overcast and drizzly, in fact it never seemed to get light. So I built two sets of matching bookshelves (one in each corner of the bedroom). At last I can get rid of the bookcase at the top of stairs which robbed the bedroom of light and space. Also I can now bring all my books into the house (some were in the workshop). It's great to have space back in the bedroom.

End in sight

A beautiful day today. The sun shone but it was never too hot (perhaps 20) and with the fantastic clearness that occurs as autumn approaches. A big clear up in the morning, stacking wood, loading rubble into the trailer and stacking the old roof sheets - then finishing the roof battens. No jarring power tools just me a saw and a hammer - bliss. Three or four more days of mostly leadwork and the roof is ready.

Snake!!

The weather dawned clear and Meteo France revised it's forecast to thunderstorms in the afternoon and then rain and strong winds tomorrow (Tuesday) morning. The tarpaulins are pretty ropey in strong winds, so I decided to attempt to fit the ply for the lead gutter to the last gable, then strip the roof and insulation and fix the new felt and battens today - hoping that the rain would hold off until the evening.

Halfway through stripping the insulation, as I tore out a big piece of fibreglass (vile, horrible stuff, should be banned), I realised there was a snake in it! A black and yellow Western Whip Snake - Mrs Whippy I think, perhaps 3 feet long. I don't know who was more shocked! She slid onto the ridge beam. Everytime I tried to reach her with a long stick she disappeared into the recesses of the roof between felt and ceiling boarding. Hopefully she found a way out - otherwise I might have company tonight, a duvet being the next best thing to glassfibre.

Just as the roof was ready for felting the black clouds rolled in and the thunder started. In a race against the weather I managed to staple the felt to the roof (rather haphazardly) before the heavens opened, though with strong winds and the felt flapping around, I didn't manage to escape some water ingress. Eventually the rain eased and working in wet weather gear I refixed the felt and every other batten before nightfall.

Chimney flashing

After three weeks of good weather it's going to be showery tomorrow. Today I built the solution to the chimney flashing problem. It was one of those jobs where there was nowhere to stand, no room to swing the hammer, nothing to support the required construction and impossible to measure for the piece of wood or ply you needed to cut. English expletives echoed across the Pyrenees but the job is done. The flashings will require a bit of lead burning - it's been a while since I did any, but Claude says he has an Oxy-Acetylene torch so hopefully I can get it done later this week.

Angle grinder grinds to a halt

My Ryobi angle grinder which has worked it's guts out cutting the Aleu microgranite of the hearth, chopping through the wall for the rayburn chimney and all the work on the barn and house gables cutting slabs, blocks and concrete has died - or at least the bearing has gone, fortunately just as the last slab was cut! Hopefully it can be repaired.

The dell printer also packed up but I've managed to mend it.

The Bosch drill thats been back to Bosch twice already is also knackered but I'm gonna give up on that one - Bosch isn't the same since they started fabricating in Hungary.

Play of light

A tremendous view this evening with light playing on the mountains.

Mont Rouch

A magnificent day on Mont Rouch. It has a reputation for being a tough day out. 2000m of ascent from the nearest access in France, the barest trace of a path (not actually true) and unremittingly steep all the way. Plus it's higher than Mont Valier and Pic Certescan, in fact the highest Peak in the Couserans.

Yes it was a tough day, about 8 hours including lunch - but in fact Mont Rouch is a fantastic mountain and deserves to be better known (it's rarely climbed). The views are immense and interesting as it stands on a southerly kink in the chain, so the views are often of the spanish side of the neighbouring frontier peaks. The walk is scenic and the terrain varied with some lovely ridge scrambling.

I climbed from Salau, following the Ravine de Leziou, before crossing Les Clots de Dessus and gaining the Crete du Laquet which was followed to the French summit (2888m) in about 3 hrs 45 mins. A scramble across the 150 deep notch put me on the Spanish summit (2888m) and lunch before more scrambling took me to the Point Geodesic (2848m). A steep descent to the Col de Servi completed the horseshoe and little before Pic de Moustiry I scrambled down to the scree slopes which descended steeply to Les Clots de Dessus once more. Amazingly I saw one other person, the restauranteur from Col de Latrape with his dog which managed to follow him just - here he is on the French summit viewed from the Spanish summit.

Windows and chimneys

Yesterday I finished the third gable and opened up the last one. It's difficult to do much until I work out how to flash around the chimney. The thatcher is looking at it at the moment (via e-mail).
So today I installed a tiny window for the mezzanine bedroom and to allow some cross ventilation in the main bedroom, now I've lost the dormer.

It took all day to bash through the foot thick concrete filled concrete cellular blocks which make up the wall...and now the house is full of concrete dust (again). When the last gable is finished I'll render this wall - I've always hated the blockwork but knew it would have to wait.
Tomorrow, weather permitting Mont Rouch.

Cows

Another beautiful day. Third gable coming along nicely, some more scything of ferns and the cows have arrived.

Pic des Trois Seigneurs

View along the ridge of descent to Trois Seigneurs (the peak on the right)

Etang d'Arbu

My promised day off arrived and the day dawned clear. So off to Pic des Trois Seigneurs. Though only modest in height it has the reputation for the most spectacular views because it stands north of the main chain. It didn't disappoint. Just under 2 hours and I'd climbed the 1000m to it's summit and with not a cloud in the sky I absorbed the view for an hour whilst taking brunch. Descent was via the long ridge leading to the Port de Lhers.

Looks like the thatchers will be a couple of weeks late starting due to delays on other jobs, so I can take things a bit easier and take advantage of the good weather with a few more walks over the coming weeks.

Voila!

Half the house is ready for thatching.

So much for good weather

Weather was forceast hot and clear until at least Wenesday - fat chance! Today dawned cloudy and rain threatened all day. The battens due for delivery today didn't arrive until 4.30 so I've been playing catch up. With rain now forecast for tomorrow morning I worked until dark to try and get the roof covered with felt (it's currently open to the elements). Finally it's covered with a combination of felt and tarpaulin. My day off tomorrow will have to wait until Wednesday and hopefully better weather. My thatcher seems to be incommunicado, which is starting to become worrying.

Demolition

The dormer window (chien assis) was demolished today. I lose my view of the mountains from the bedroom but the house looks so much better without it, somehow more solid and grounded. Photos on Monday.

Before and after

Before

After

The worst must be behind me now (I hope)! Both of the front gables are restored and on Monday the battens arrive so I can demolish the dormer and felt the roof. Work on the back of the house will start shortly after though I've already raised the chimney by half a metre. The sun shone today.

New pas d'oiseau take shape

The newly constructed steps are nearly finished but strong winds are threatening to tear the tarpaulins off!

Still hot

Claude and I have our l'apero interrupted by paperazzi (Sophie with a camera).

Another very hot day and just another three steps completed.

Guests

Frank and Sophie and the kids (Ollie, Louis, Dylan and Daisy) dropped in for the night on their way to Barcelona from Bordeaux. They'd been camping for a week close to Bordeaux near Europe's biggest sand dune.

It was good to catch up. I took the kids mushroom hunting in the evening and though we only found half a cep and a pied de mouton they seemed pleased enough and delighted in eating what they'd found.

A succession of visitors - Claude then Philippe and Sophie reminded them that remote doesn't necessarily mean isolated. Claude took great pleasure in talking to Sophie in Spanish and Catalan (Sophie grew up in Argentina).

The weather for last few days has been hot (36 in the shade and humid) and it seems summer has finally arrived. Very hot working on the roof and progress is now reduced to early morning and late evening. Three new steps built on the north gable - another eight to go.

Health update

Corbett seems right as rain this morning, obviously his healthy lifestyle and diet have given him a strong immune system.

The chinese kango hammer did it's job impecably and the gable is now removed back to the underlying blockwork. A new oak rafter is cut and tomorrow hopefully I will install it and start on the lead 'secret gutter' and rebuilding the pas d'oiseau.

Sick as a pig

Poor old Corbett is not well today. He was fine this morning but very lethargic at lunchtime, slept most of the day looking sorry for himself and barely touched his food (for a pig that's most unusual). Spoke with some fellow pig keeper's for advice...he's under observation and if he doesn't perk up in the next 24 hrs I'll have to give him some antibiotics.


Yesterday as it was raining I cleaned the Rayburn outside and in, flues and all, and gave it some cosmetic repairs to chipped enamel, etc.



Today I worked a bit on the second gable before the rain started again. Like most most french DIY it was built with masses of concrete (instead of mortar). My vision of it falling apart with one blow from a lump hammer where sadly incorrect - in fact after two hours of pounding I'd managed to dislodge three stones and one slab. It's so badly built I've got to take a lot down, the 'builder' obviously had a vague idea of building and inserted a DPC between the end of the blockwork and the start of the stonework but unfortunately he put it in the wrong place and its directed all moisture and rain ingress onto the rafter against the wall which he'd wrapped in insulation. Of course it's rotted away and in fact there's virtually nothing left except dust. Decided the demolition would need a 'kango' hammer if works are to stay on programme (particularly given the current inclement weather). Hiring one proved v expensive but Mr Bricolage (the local B&Q) had a special offer machine for just £40! Made in China it's very unsofisticated but has a whopping 1500W motor. No brain, lots of muscle sounds perfect for demolition.

Snow

As if to underline the crap summer it snowed on the mountains last night, above is the view from the window this morning.

Netherless it was warm and dry this morning allowing me to make a start on the second gable. The first is nearing completion.

Its raining

This weekend was the Fete d'Aleu. Boules events during the day and a disco in the evenings. The village is full during August as most of the houses are second homes. The fete seems to be mostly for them. I think most of the people who live here all year round (I think about 27 of us) aren't so enthusiastic - but l'apero after Sunday mass is well attended. Apparently the mass was taken by the padrey from St Cernin the Cathedral in Toulouse - as he was on holiday in the neighbouring village of Soulan. I met a few new people and afterwards Dede and Mizou (both about eighty though you'd never guess it) invited me for lunch with their grand daughter and her boyfriend. A veritable feast that lasted 3 hours with plenty of alcohol. Desert was taken in the neighbouring house with their neice Annie and her daughter including some prune schnaps which Annie's husband made in 1945! Very nice indeed.

After some more work on the roof today it's now raining and is set to rain for the next few days. So far it's been a poor summer - perhaps we'll have an indian summer?

Pas d'oiseau

After a few steps back with the 'pas d'oiseau', at last some steps forward. Things are beginning to shape up and details are being solved. The slabs now follow the pitch line of the roof 300mm above the level of the battens.

Several slabs and their supporting blocks had to be replaced. Moving 30kg blocks of granite or a huge flagstones high on the roof was both difficult, exhausting and dangerous - calling for extreme care and concentration! There aren't too many to replace thankfully, I've started on the gable in worst condition.

Hot, hot, hot

Blisteringly hot today and with the house roof facing south-west, by 2.00 it was too hot to work. Most of the concrete is now removed and the rafter repaired - and after some measuring the task seems more manageable now - weather permitting. The roof is now under wraps as a thunderstorm is due tonight and tomorrow.


In the late afternoon I painted the inside of the barn - with no insulation on the roof (the thatch will provide this), polythene covering the window and door openings and the building drying out it's like a sauna.

Saw Mr Whippy again today (the Whip snake) about a meter and a half long and beautiful yellow and black chequered markings.

Open roof

After carrying the scaffolding and ladder up from the barn and re-erecting it against the house I finally started taking the roof off. My nightmare scenario is realised and the job's 'a biggun'. The 'pas d'oiseau' (stepped gables) are in poor condition and like most most french buildings they have been bodged with plenty of concrete and flashband. The rafters (about the size of telegraph poles) are at about 3 foot centres and as one clashed with the old concrete chimney a foot long section had been completely removed leaving the two free ends suspended on skyhooks! I've stripped one line of roof sheets against the front gable wall, removed the mineral wool insulation and removed the old concrete chimney which was exceedingly heavy. Then off to St G to get a tarpaulin to cover the hole (rain forecast for thursday).

Tomorrow I'll get out the measuring tape and take stock of the works necessary over the next 4 weeks.

A full day

This morning I capped the walls of the grange with mortar laid to falls. then finished the internal linings, fixed the eaves fascias and generally tidied up - just painting internally to do but that can wait for a rainy day. then Sophie arrived with her son Pierre and I gave them the tour of the animals and grange (they were last here in February). Next I replaced the oak cill of one of the windows at quelebu which was rotten with wood left over from the grange window, before repairing the scythe (a tear in the blade), sharpening it and heading over to la maison de la miande to help Philippe (sophie's husband). I cleared all the bracken and brambles around the house whilst Philippe was busy with the chainsaw. Back to Quelebu to feed the pigs before heading over to Claudes for l'apero. Then dinner with Sophie and Philippe who are house sitting for John and Sandrine. On the walk home a blood curdling and incessant growling turned out to be huge hedgehog by the side of the road. Amazingly bright glowworms lit the last part of the route home.

Tomorrow I start on the roof!

Last few days

A mixture of farm work and barn work over the last few days (which have been warm and sunny). On the farm fences have moved, fields have been scythed and vegetables tended to. On the barn the oak tilting fillets are in place on the roof, the insulation is fitted in the walls and the floor is varnished. Another day or so of work on the barn then it's time to 'mothball' it until the thatchers arrive and press on with the house roof and gables. Not sure what I'll find when I open up!