Another scorcher! After market duties and farewells to café and yoghurt lady we drove off to the valley behind Malaucène known as Le Terroir de Cerise. Beyond Beaumont du Ventoux there is a hidden valley on the lower slopes of V. It should be gloomy but because it runs East to West it gets lots of sun. And here they grow cherries on an industrial scale, but in a most rural environment of scattered hamlets and farmsteads
But we were waylaid in our progress by a new resto in Beaumont. People were sitting outside so we joined them. Not entirely sure it was a good idea! Service was good but food appeared slowly and all the while it was getting hotter and hotter. There was a group of adults with three very young children (2 girls, sisters and 1 boy) at the next table. Exemplary parents who actually enforced some discipline. "Quand je dis 'non', c'est fin d'histoire. Il n'y a pas de 'pourquoi?' " Applause! But inevitably enfants got bored so were given crayons and paper to play with on the occasional tables. And this is when the true evilness of little girls manifested itself. Eldest girl wanted boy's crayon. He said no and while the argument went on, younger sister sneaked up behind him and grabbed it. Much wailing. Girl ordered to sit on naughty step (chair) for five mins all the while denouncing her little sister and the boy.
Good entertainment.
Eventually we got our walk in the orchards and returned in that lovely stillness of a late autumn afternoon when smoke is rising, birds are softly twittering and the light is golden.
