France

Day 1
The ferry from Portsmouth to Caen, and then Mont Saint-Michel.

Stunning Mont Saint-Michel

**Even Senna seemed to enjoy the 6 hour crossing**

Day 2
Château de Fougères on the way to C & B's.

Château de Fougères

**Fascinating history of defensive innovation**

Day 3
Lunch at Le Lac, epic 2-stroke karing at Circuit de Karting du Val d'Argenton, the to the vintage car event at Le Puy-Notre-Dame for the evening

**Hanging out with family in France**

The 2-strokes karts were an amazing experience

Day 4

The Grand Prix Rétro du Puy Notre Dame association organised its first historic hill climb

**Multiple timed runs up the hill into the town**

some lovely vintage machines being pushed

Day 5
Fair bit of driving, as we covered several hundreds of kilometers as we headed across France - staying in the heart of nature in Corrèze-Dordogne Valley in a chalet overlooking the lake in the woods.

Day 6
Slow day, walking in the woods, swimming in the lake, and seemingly having this whole large estate just to ourselves.

**Senna is getting more and more confident swimming**

**Such a quiet and chilled place.**
Couldn't figure why we were the only ones here

Day 7
Another day covering a lot of distance across France's mellow roads, stopping in Lyon, before arriving at our cottage in Le Chatelard with stunning views of the Bauges mountains.

**Taking the funicular up to the Lyon bassilica**

"Dog only allowed if carried" !

Across Lyon

Day 8
Hiked all the way to the top of Dent de Rossanaz - a pretty challenging hike, with staggering views, and paragliders playing just above (and below) our heads.

Day 9
Popped into Swizerland to visit CERN, and managed to get on the guided tour.

Day 10
Tour de France (Femmes) came through Le Chatelard - amazing to watch these pro riders power up the hill (and the circus that precedes them)

Tour de France (Femmes)

Switzerland

Day 11
Up to Lake Geneva, and exploring it's coastline, and incredible vineyards. Then heading deeper into the Swiss mountains, before getting to our chalet in Blitzingen with its stunning views from the balcony.

Day 12
A day of cable cars (Moosflet) and walking and picnic'ing with stunning views of the Aletsch Glacier.

Day 13
Visited Bellwald, then more exploring up Eggishorn for more breath-taking views, before dinner over the fire-pit with striking views down the valley.

Italy

Day 14
Took the BLS car-train through the mountain as we entered Italy.Swimming in Lake Maggiore on our way south of Turin to our cottage nestled in the vineyards of Neive

**Lake Maggiore picnic and swim**

Senna loving lakes more than she does the sea.

Day 15
Waking and breakfasting in the vinyards.
Got lucky, and able to tour Dante Rivetti (one of the regions best vineyards - 4 generations)

**Dante Rivetti is based 500m down the road**
We got so lucky and got on a tour.

**Turns out they would close for 2 weeks from tomorrow!**

4 generates of the Rivetti family

Day 16
Taking the pace down and chilling out as the temperates rose to the high 30's.

PANORAMA The view from above our amazing cottage in the heart of Piedmont's vineyards.
(click fullscreen on the left)

**Early morning walks, ahead of the heat of the day**

**Shopping for provisions**

So many choices of pasta!

Day 17Enjoying where are staying, and immersing ourselves in the cadence of the days here. Enjoying the early morning cooler breezes, along with the farmers who start working the land at 6am, and then everything stops from 1pm to 4pm.

Nieve

**The pears fall off this tree with a thud throughout the day.**

Jack trying the grey car.

Day 18
Turin.
Starting with the challenge of trying to find a gas station that was open on a Sunday.
Enjoying the city of Turin at its quietest (a Sunday, and in the middle of the day)
Then visiting two of the key spots from the Italian Job (1960s movie)

Turin

**The iconic rooftop they drive the minis up in the Italian Job**

**La Pista 500**

The former test track on the roof of the old Fiat factory building (also in the movie)

Day 19
Slow time.
Trying the Sun tent to see how much of the day we can stay outside for (3.45!)
Games and reading.

**Figs fresh from the tree**
Hard to believe they are the same fruit - so good

**a little work catchup, and quick call**

sketching and yoga

**the best sunsets**

every day we've been here

Day 20
Visiting some of the old towns.
Playing Xia

**Vineyards as far as the eye can see**
in every direction

**High 30's made eating gelato a race against time**

Day 21
Long drive up to Lake Garda
Popping in to Mille Miglia museum

**Our house way up on the hillside had loads of space, and lovely views down to lake garda**

Day 22

Jack’s results day.A A A A and offer from Cambridge University confirmed to study CS at Queens College. Dinner out to celebrate.

**Moments after getting the email confirming A*A*A*A* !!**
and then confirmation of acceptance from Queens College, Cambridge University

**Harmano kindly arranged for us to access a nice hotel just down the road&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;nbsp;**

**Celebratory dinner at a lovely restaurant overlooking Lake Garda**

Day 23

Hiking down to the Lake side, swimming in Lake Garda.

**About an hours hike down to the lake**

then perfect to go swimming - Senna loved it too

Lake Garda

Day 24

Driving up the shoreline of the lake, then up into the Dolomites. (Some pretty stormy weather)

**sunsets have been glorious from here**

perfect for a coffee and slow breakfast

Lake Garda

**We've certainly loved this proprty**

Loads of space, and peace.

Day 25

Up early and the 10km hike around Tre Cime.

Tre Cime (three chimneys) was in very fine light this morning, and we were keen to enjoy it before the storms might arrive

Day 26

Leaving Italy, and taking the epic twisty roads of Glossgrocker as we headed into Austria.Eventually arriving at Rapfen Alm, which was our favourite part of the 2018 trip.

Day 27

Rapfen Alm - mostly sitting and gazing out to this most glorious of views.Probably my favourite place in the world to sit. We also enjoyed a stroll nearby - the same one as last time.

7 years on

**The same spot at sunset, from our 2018 trip, 7 years ago almost to the day**

Day 28

Rapfen Alm - with storms forecast we made the most of the views, and then were treated to a very 'dynamic' weather environment - which was pretty cool to watch.

**Even in poor weather the views are engrossing**

Day 29

Big mileage day, covering a lot of Germany on the busy autobahns.Then arriving at Auersbach Castle - which was effectively just ours for the night. Opening up the big gates to let ourselves in after hours.

**Letting ourselves into the castle via the locked main gates was an interesting first.**

PANORAMA The views both from, and of, the castle are stunning

Auerbach Castle

Such a dramatic place for the penultimate stay of the trip

Day 30
Climbing up to the top of the castle turrets to see the sunrise was pretty special, then on the road again - coving the rest of Germany, popping through Luxemberg, and then into Belgium, and Dinant for our final stay of the trip (including our vet appointment for Senna's mandatory stuff before going back into the UK)

**Early morning stroll around the castle, and watching the sunrise from one of the turrets, was pretty amazing**

Day 31
Slow morning for the last full day of the trip, then strolling the 5km down to Dinant -
birthplace of the inventor of the Saxphone, and very cute Belgian river town.