So skip hire in Lyon – when you need to renovate a flat. I guess you have to do it like this – with une grue and une benne.

But there is another way- put la benne at the top of la grue – et voilà.

That should save some time!

I bought one of these:

And went for my first swim since the summer in the Piscine du Rhône.

Here’s to a few more in the coming weeks.

While in Switzerland we went to visit a couple of interesting places.

Gruyeres – the home of the cheese – is a very beautiful hill-top village where there is a lot of fondue on the menus.

We ate a cheese-based lunch and then bought some cheese and some clotted cream.

We then visited Vevey – on Lake Geneva – and the home of Nestlé.

It was also home to Charlie Chaplin in the last years of his life so Charlot is everywhere.

And there was also this:

Apparently the eight metres of stainless steel reflect the serenity of Lake Geneva.

The 27th wedding anniversary is marked by sculpture so it seemed fitting.

Especially this one – les amoureux.

To celebrate our 27th wedding anniversary we went to Montreux in Switzerland- which I had read was a romantic city break.

Of course, as it’s on the shores of Lake Geneva – au bord du lac leman – it was beautiful.

And this fellow was very much in evidence.

Queen recorded a lot of their albums here and Freddie lived in Montreux.

Montreux is in Switzerland and so there were some differences.

This is la quittance not le ticket.

And plugs look like this:

So we had to buy another adapter.

After 26 months my time at Euronews has come to an end.

I went in for my last day – which was the same last day for quite a lot of my colleagues who are not moving with the company to Brussels.

There was a strange atmosphere and I headed off at lunchtime with my friend Javier, who is leaving the company after 23 years, for a drink and a bite to eat. I said goodbye to some colleagues as I didn’t think I’d return.

We headed to Place Bellecour and the weather was kind so we sat outside.

We shared a drink to say farewell to the Green Cube.

And I left something behind in my office for whoever comes next to enjoy.

One last time – a view of a kayaker on the Saône.

I’m sure you’re going to miss this.

As I prepare for my last day at Euronews here are some pictures of my work home of the last two years.

Last Easter Sunday, Cath and I were flying to Guadeloupe. But this year we were in town for the whole weekend so were able to attend the services.

On Good Friday I did my first ever confession in French.

Bénissez-moi mon père parce que j’ai péché

The opening to a French confession

I did the Act of Contrition in English and at the end the priest wished me a happy Christmas!

On Sunday we went to Mass at the Grand Hotel Dieu. We often go to the Saturday evening Mass in English. It’s fair to say there were a few more there today.

The Creed was sung in Latin – one of my favourites- so I was able to join in – especially with my favourite line: In remissionem peccatorum.

The communion hymn was C’est toi Seigneur le pain rompu- which is sung to the tune of While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks by Night – an Easter song in France, a Christmas carol in the UK.

According to the sign outside the butchers I imagine lamb is a traditional Easter meal in France.

We went instead to Epona for a delicious meal including this desert:

And then of course to finish off – some chocolate.

Who’s this looking at me from inside some scaffolding?

It is Louis XIV – the sun king. He normally sits on top of a horse in Place Bellecour but the statue is being renonvated at the moment so I spotted him and his horse at more close quarters.

There is some information about the statue on the hoardings around the site so I learnt that the original statue was built in Paris and brought to Lyon by boat. Then after the French Revolution all royal statues were ordered to be destroyed and Louis XIV in Lyon was melted down and turned into canons.

With the restoration of the monarchy, a new statue was made and that’s the one that is now getting a facelift.

Should look nice when it’s finished.

Cath has made a gigoteuse for her soon-to-be-born great niece Iris.

It is like a sleeping bag for a baby, popular in France. Cath has been working on it with help from her sewing teacher.

It is now awaiting Iris’ arrival – which should be any day now.