Neighbours - The Cast

As time goes on we are meeting more neighbours in Perron and seem to have given them nicknames to differentiate between them.

"The Ladies" live at the house above us. Madame Lespine and her daughter Cristel. Mme's husband died when he was 30 and she was left on her own to bring up her daughter Cristel. When Cristel was old enough to work they left here and went to live in Mont de Marsan keeping the house here for the future. When Cristel learned to drive they were able to come back here at weekends and over the years they renovated the house. Three years ago, when Cristel was 55, they came back here permanently. Cristel has never married. They are both charming.

Across the road from them we have Dominique - "diggerman", wife Christine and 2 children a boy aged 15 and a daughter aged 13.

Opposite us are Sophie, Phillippe - Phil the fireman - and 2 children, Anna just over a year and Thomas, 11.

At the back of them are Phillipes parents Alain - tractor man - and wife Christine.

The house below us is occupied by Doctor Anaethetist who, apparently, is not often seen. I have got as far as waving to him when he passes in the car but we have not yet met him.

Further down are Michel - Beret man- and his wife. Michel is the oldest person in Perron at 84 years old but he is still very active. He drives a tractor, cuts down trees and operates a chain saw. He and his wife have a huge vegetable garden opposite our front garden. He has been here all his life and owns a lot of the surrounding land which is now let out to other farmers.

Then there are Jean-Marc - quail man- and Pascale his wife who is president of the music school of Castandet. Jean-Marc is from another farming family in the village and he breeds quail, ducks and farms a large area of land around the village.

Finally there is Bernard - mole man- who tells me he lives in the house with the pointed roof, down the road on the left. As most houses have pointed rooves I am at a bit of a loss as to which one! He is apparently very good at trapping moles and has promised to come and take care of our moles in return for a whiskey!