Day 2. As expected, the blinds in the bedroom were terrible. Thankfully I took my sleeping mask, I’ve gotten used to one recently and it’s a blessing for rooms without black out curtains. Matt again was up at the crack of dawn and keen to drag me out of bed, only after 10. When I asked why he’d had breakfast without me he said ‘you were asleep’ – that is the right answer!

Job 1 – take the teeny tiny car back and swap for a little car. A slight tour around the houses later (after a timely reminder that we needed to fill it up) and we were at Toulouse airport. There was even a trolley nearby – winning!

60 meters later we were at the pick up point for the next car, ok, maybe we could have managed without the trolley after all but I was still glad of it. Possibly only 30cm bigger it felt larger and had four doors so much easier with all our stuff. It was already 11:30 so time to cross our fingers that we could find an open supermarket nearby or our dinner may be crisps.

Bingo! LeClerc (think French Walmart) is open despite the advice of Google. Having sauntered round the shop to get some more cheese, ham, pate and of course wine they had announced that we had to leave. We still hadn’t got the mop and bucket that Matt wanted or the baguettes (which for some unknown reason were the opposite side of the place to all the rest of the food). A slightly maddened dash in opposite directions was a little worrying, not least as I had the shopping and no wallet on me, but I seemed to find the bread and Matt weirdly close together.

Time for lunch…

Ok well lunch isn’t so great on a Sunday anyway but during lockdown it really doesn’t have too much to offer. We tried to get take out but drive through only which amused me. Big Mac meals with coke and fries all round as it was the easiest thing to say; it was still fun watching him somewhat panicked and flustered by the whole experience despite their best attempt at English.

Matt did choose a nice spot facing a roundabout in the car park for the greenery which was nice!

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Next stop Marignac (well Cierp-Gaud but close enough)

Ooh, quick drive by of the house

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Checked into our accommodation. Les Deux Rives, done up by an English couple we have been speaking to online and hopefully some good compatriots as we move forwards.

Rang mum.

Time for our third attestation and a walk to ‘our’ house, it’s just 1.1k from here. Looked at a house we had been around before, doesn’t look lived in yet but then many don’t.

Then slowly walked around the first side of the property pointing at various things and looking in great detail at the hedges etc. Definitely not sure about the large nest at the top of this tree. Matt thinks it may be hornets and possibly Asian ones (apparently that is a big concern around here and would be managed by the Marie – [Mayor]). I just want to know if it is our problem or not as wasn’t there in Feb and could maybe be paid to remove by the vendors – will check tomorrow!

Matt was sure we were being watched. Turns out after a brief grilling that it was the current owners.

At the back of the house and a neighbour is out doing some gardening. Said hello but clearly he wanted to know why we were so intrested so stopped for a chat. Apparently he’d looked at it before buying the plot behind. Seems like a nice chap so look forward to getting to know him more, he’s clearly a gardener so we have something in common. We did have a chat about the new trains though and he thinks that they may only be delayed to 2022 which would be good, it would make access/egress to/from Luchon great for skiing (and drinking) as well as providing the final train connection to take you from King’s Cross almost to our door.

We may have to work not just on our French but generally coming across as open and friendly!