“One last adventure” – James, Iggy and Frida take on final French roadtrip

Donegal photographer James O’Donnell wasn’t sure if he would ever have the opportunity to take another adventure with his two beloved dogs, Iggy and Frida.

Iggy had, over the last few months, faced many health difficulties that any owner of an older dog would be familiar with.

At the start of this year, she suffered a stroke – and while she was on the recovery path, Iggy was then diagnosed with vestibular disease.

In April, James launched an online fundraiser solely to help with Iggy’s veterinary costs – and any and-of-life costs that may have been incurred if vets decided that the best thing for Iggy was her to be put to rest.

While facing these setbacks in Iggy’s health, and also making sure that energetic young Frida got the care and attention she deserved also, James’ dream of taking his two best friends for one last roadtrip in France also seemed to be taking a back seat.

“I always loved to bring Iggy over to France and particularly Paris, and then at the early stages of last year I realised that with her health changing and work keeping me busy with trips to America, finances and everything else I would let (the idea of another trip) go,” he said.

However, all of that changed thanks to a surprise once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, provided by a Donegal woman who was living in the north of France.

“In December of last year a lady called Donna Harkin, who lives in a small town called Domfront in Normandy, put out a post looking for someone to dogsit for her there as she herself was returning to Ardara.”

“I asked for more details so I could share her appeal – but when I was out walking Frida (later that day) it was an idea that was niggling in the back of my head.”

“It was a spur of a moment thing, I hadn’t planned – I had only heard of the opportunity an hour before but I decided to go for it.”

James was then faced with the task of getting himself, Iggy and Frida from Donegal to Normandy – that was when he reached out to Brittany Ferries.

Within two hours, their communications department had reached out to James and he secured a sponsored sailing on Brittany Ferries to and from France – the star power of Iggy and Frida proving more than enticing enough!

With the sailing sponsorship secured, and some extra funding provided by long-time sponsors of James and Iggy’s adventures – the Shamrock Lodge in Falcarragh – he loaded up his white Wolkswagen van (lovingly dubbed “Gallivant”), and set sail for an unforgettable few weeks in France with the girls.

According to James there was no set plan for the trip.

“I like the freedom of just driving around in the van, pulling in where I want to, and not being tied down by dates.”

For James, this was not simply a holiday – he saw it as living in France for a month, and being immersed in its culture – rather than “doing little and chilling in a deck chair,” this trip would be as close as he could get to a truly lived experience of the country.

This also was far from a cash-splashing holiday – as James put it, “it was very much on a budget!”

After the ferry arrived in Roscoff, the trio first would set off on a journey across Normandy, with plans in place to visit one of Iggy’s favourite places along the way for one last time – the city of light, Paris.

Their first stop along the way included visiting two other Donegal expats in the town of Montanel, Normandy – just twenty minutes away from the iconic Mont Saint-Michel.

“We started our tour making a B-line for Montanel, to meet with Martin and Marie Carr who are originally from Glencolumbcille.”

They all stayed in the Carr’s Bed and Breakfast, Château de Chambres, before being introduced to the village’s Mayor and then making the journey to Mont Saint-Michel.

Being based in Domfront, they would make daily trips across Normandy and Brittany for the next week, visiting historical landmarks, the region’s many beaches and even celebrating James’ own birthday!

Week two would then see the trio set off for Paris – where not for the last time, they would get some help from more than friendly locals.

A chance encounter saw James meet a Parisian family while on his boat from Cork to Roscoff – and one of them, a young lady called Maé, took up his request to be shown around Paris!

After skirting through traffic at the iconic Arc de Triomphe roundabout, and finding out just how hard it is to drive around France’s capital, James, Iggy, Frida and the van made it safely to the Notre Dame Cathedral to start their informal tour.

After a trip up the Champs-Élysées and a quick stop at the Eifel Tower, they headed off to Montmartre, where James had planned for the group to meet with an Irish fan of Iggy’s for a visit to the iconic Basilique du Sacré-Cœur.

With there being so many parking restrictions in place, it was tough to get the van parked in a convenient spot – until a helping hand again shone through.

“I had been around the edge of the restricted area as much as I could looking for any space to park, and all of a sudden I pulled up and his lady was beckoning me towards a space.”

“I wondered how she knew I needed a space – and it ended up to be the woman who was Iggy’s fan! She was up there waiting and had held a spot for me right at the base of the steps (leading to the Basilica).”

After their incredible experience in Paris, including a visit to the Palace of Versailles, the trio spent the next few weeks continuing their journeys throughout the North-West of France.

They once again found a Donegal connection to the north of France in the town of Vannes in Brittany.

After another chance tip-off from a Kilcar resident, James was given the address of two very important people, Monique and Loulou. They were the two people who had been responsible for the twinning of the nearby village of Séné with Ballyshannon in County Donegal.

Never the one to be afraid, James took the van to meet them unannounced  – and after a few awkward bonjours and an explaination in broken French of who he was and where he was from – he was welcomed with open arms.

“I went over and knocked on the door, and of course my French isn’t (great), he must have been wondering who the hell I was!”

“But when I told him (who I was), his first question was then wondering how I knew where his house was. I was able to explain to him, he had warmed up and the next thing I had a five course meal at their house!”

Even though Iggy was facing her health battles on the trip, the van created a “home away from home” for her as James and Frida would go off exploring.

“The reason I took the van was to create a mobile home for her, she did very well even with a few hot days and got to meet plenty of people even if she isn’t very mobile now.”

“That was always going to be a part of the experience – almost like taking care of an elderly relative – but I was really determined (for her) to have one last trip.”

After this amazing trip, it was the impact that dogs and owning a dog have in breaking all kinds of language and cultural barriers.

“This has happened so many times – having a dog has opened up so many conversations that may not have happened.”

“It’s sad in a way, but when Iggy does leave us it will (also) almost be a rebirth to the energy I had with her back in the day through Frida.”

“Everything now is a case of ‘Is Iggy okay? Can I take Iggy here? We can’t go too far away from Iggy.'”

Indeed with the state of Iggy’s health, James won’t be making his annual trip to Wisconsin in the US for a number of years due to her complex care needs day-to-day.

But still, the once-in-a-lifetime trip which concluded almost two weeks ago was simply summed up by James in one way:

“Iggy’s last roadtrip couldn’t have worked out better.”