Ugh!

Well back to rain, this time accompanied by strong winds that howled all night. Went to Malaucène market only to find it barely there. Then for a final lunch at Roaix...inside this time! David’s had the mulberry trees cut already.
And then to SAUR in Ste Cécile to sort out the water contract. All done. Home to think about packing.

Sunny interval

All change! Woke up to bright skies and snow on the mountains! Too good an opportunity to miss so we were off and out at 10 en route for Orange and Rhône.
The Patrouille were out too and gave us a free show all the way.

We wanted to climb up the Ste Eutrope hill behind the Théâtre Antique for the views and monument to the Oranges. They are currently restoring the theatre and Health and Safety has fenced off the château ruins.

From the top we could see most of our near mountains with Sablet at the foot. We’re only about 15 km away after all!

It all looked very fine in the blue sky.

Then to the river and a walk from the Halte Nautique to the three bridges. Half an hour each way. Lovely bright sun and twinkling water. Only one boat - a barge pusher that was positively zooming along. Many herons, a few butterflies, dragonfly, cormorants and two kingfishers.

We spent another half hour sitting and watching for TGVs! Simple pleasures.

Then home via St André and the Ouvèze. Quite full with grey milky water. And a drink outside the Bar. By which time it was greying over and getting chill. Sanctuary at Deb and Gary’s for tea and biscuits

Biblical rain

The view through the windscreen

Started in the night...well actually it never stopped from yesterday. Pouring down. 8 degrees! I spent the morning fully clothed under the duvet after first sprinting out for bread.

Then we decided we had to do something so togged up and drove over to Vacqueyras for the menu du jour. That passed an hour or so. Then it was back home via the Ouvèze to see the water levels. Heating on. Might see if I can catch part 2 of Little Drummer Girl.

Plane trees looked picturesque!

A day of two halves

Grey today but some brightness as we wallowed in bed an extra hour! Adam and I had a walk to Séguret and coffee on the terrasse of Côté Terrasse. All alone though there were other strollers. It was not cold but not exactly warm. A still autumn day with shots rebounding in the woods accompanied by the baying of hounds! Ah...Sunday in France...

this lady obviously forgot to wake up as the hour changed.

Then this afternoon we thought we’d tick off Vaison on Adam’s list. Just as we got into the car the rain started and continued. It was a wet tramp up to the old town. Ventoux totally invisible in the cloud.

We headed down for a drink in the square, once again sitting under an awning looking out at the damp passers by. And then the pitter pat became deafening.

 We scuttled back to the car and home as dusk set in. Only 4.30. Woe.

Winter woollies

Confection at Nyons

It rained in the night. It was still raining as we left for market. Boots exhumed, jumper donned, waterproofs all round. Hardly any of our usual stalls and precious few in the café. It was an inside day! We bade farewell to the ladies for the winter and returned via Gravillas for wine to take back.
Then Adam and I went to feed and entertain Kitkat - a kitten Deb and Gary are babysitting. They are away at a chestnut festival in Collobrières for the weekend.

Then set out early afternoon for Nyons, just for a coffee. It’s the thing to do on a wet day - sit under the awning at the Café des Palmiers and watch the dripping multitude. In the event we opted for hot chocolate. I remembered that the coffee was execrable!

But see who came to town all those decades ago!

Still raining. Clocks go back tonight. End of the world as we know it. Gloom.

Jiminy Cricket!

Not quite so warm but still sunny. However, I overcompensated for being ovedressed yesterday, and went out in shorts. Hmm! Not helped by the fact I am suffering from a bad cough and feeling under par. First stop was Buisson, a picturesque hilltop village the other side of Roaix with good views over the Aygues valley.

 The first time we walked round it years ago we were accompanied by le chien du village, keen to show us the best bits. Today it was le chat du village.

I came across him lapping water from one of the lavoirs, all innocent like. Then noticed the signs hanging above the water saying that fish had been put in the bassin to eat the mosquito larvae and forbidding people to feed them or put anything toxic in the water. Cat was clearly thinking ‘they don’t say anything about not eating the fish!’

As I looked in vain for any poissons I noticed a green cricket stuck on the surface. So I fished him out onto the edge whereupon he shook his wings dry and glared at me most ungratefully.

We were on our way to La Maison Bleue in Villedieu but it was still only 11.30. This gave us time for a stroll around looking at the decrepit houses in the back alleys and an apéritif in the sunny square. Lovely pizzas as always and the waitress actually remembered what Adrian had ordered when we came with Beryl a few weeks ago! She is a sweetie. Then meandered home via the hills and Mirabel.

Gigondas

All calm again today and still warm and sunny. We felt like a quiet day so around 11 set off through Trignon to Gigondas. It takes about an hour, mostly through vines, and is rather pleasant with good views and birdsong along the way.

Got there as 12 was striking and had a look round the sculpture trail - not much cop this year.
This was the most interesting!

Sat in the square watching lucky people eating under the plane trees, patted the village collie, then set off back.

Downhill on the way back thank goodness! We were cheered by the sight of Madame Moulin’s open door at 2 pm. She’d decided not to go home for lunch today. Got bread and cakes for later then had a welcome drink in the bar.

The North Wind doth blow

And how! Ferocious. But it’s still warm and so bright. We went down to the Camargue today, channelling our inner Van Gogh and battling against the gale. The Rhône was leaping all over the place with breakers and spray. When we stopped at the Vallabrègues barrage to take a look it was all we could do to keep our feet - really scary.

The destination had been decided as Les Stes Maries de la Mer, even though it’s half term and busy. We always seem to go there around this date for some reason. Maybe because the weather is always so glorious. All down the Camargue the reeds were swaying and waving about and when we finally arrived we were buffetted mercilessly and sandblasted with beach!

I like the town despite its touristy reputation and it has some interesting buildings, not least of which is the Romanesque church that towers over the rooftops.

We hadn’t realised there was a Manifestation Taurine today...ie a bullfight with full parade.

Crowds were lining the main road round the Arènes but the rest of the town was fairly uncluttered.

Booked a table for lunch in front of the Crin Blanc roundabout then had a walk around the waiting crowds and along the Prom.

By the time we ate, the wind was on full power and the covered plastic terrace was rattling and banging around us.
But we persevered and were eventually joined by more ‘courageux’. Good gardianne de taureau.

After which we braved the wind along the prom again in the hot sunshine. Some people on the beach, even a couple in the sea.

We came back via the Etang de Vaccarès and were rewarded by the sight of flamingoes and coots, egrets and a few ducks and great crested grebe.

The sea here was the colour of the water when you’ve just washed the floor. Grimy grey-brown. But the birdies love it. Bit niffy though! We had intended to go into Arles on the way back but spirits and bodies were flagging. So all we did was have a quick look through the gates of the Alyscamps and decided we didn’t really want to pay! We’ve been to Arles often enough and will go again when we have more time. What a lovely, if long, day.

Took far too many photos, most of which are on the Google album if you want to look.

Calming down

After the trauma of Adam’s journey we’ve had a couple of quiet days. Yesterday lunch at Roaix and a stroll up into the vines. Then evening apéro chez nous for GJLK. Very pleasant all round.

Today we walked along the canal from Notre Dame d’Aubune to Beaumes for a coffee then round the upper town and back. Lovely day.

There was bonfire smoke and robins singing and a couple of crows mobbing a buzzard way up high. The market was small but full of delicious looking fresh produce.

And wild pomegranates along the canal bank.

Rasteau

It’s Sunday, quiet, sunny. Rasteau beckons... but first, pains coing have to be obtained!

Nothing much new to say about the Rasteau walk. It is lovely, airy, colourful. Not taxing but satisfying. The vines are just beginning to turn.

The ones that got away! The air a bit hazy and a fresh breeze every now and then.

Adam phones to say Eurostar coaches haven’t arrived at St Pancras so he may miss the Lille connection! Is this Brexit...or could it be Frexit!

rhône

When I feel like a good day I think of the Rhône. There’s something about walking down the pebble track stretching both ways for ever with the water and the butterflies and the birds. So calming.

And so it was. After I’d sorted out car insurance - earning a whopping £60 cashback it was 11 am. A lovely day with promise of 23 degrees. Shorts on, engine running and away. This time we parked by the river leading down to Châteauneuf at Hers, and walked south along the mighty Rhône. Bombarded by yellow and blue butterflies.

 A few big barges passed us making the water lap deliciously as they went by.

Cormorants galore, a few swans and even a giant heron. But he was up and off before I could get the camera out!














It was far too nice to come home so we decided to get a drink in Codalet, a village across in Gard. We often go through it and were not sure it even had a bar but it’s pretty and worth a go. Parked in a neat square. Well kept houses, as is the norm over there. But no obvious signs of commerce. There were signs to restaurants and we came upon a clutch of them on the edge of the village. Including one that said Bar! Business men were exiting one of the others and we thought it would be too late to get anything to eat. So we went into the dark Bar. Which turned out to be a bustling restaurant with outside terrace at the rear. Food was readily available too, even at 2 pm. Civilised folk hereabouts. Two steak frites salad including wine and coffee, 26 euros.

We returned via another stretch of riverbank near Caderousse and walked up to the three bridges. And were rewarded with loads of TGVs and more butterflies, herons and egret. Perfect.

A cyclist stopped to enquire if we were local and did we know about the Train Phantôme! That’s the second time it’s happened. I was smug and told him we did! And we both then waxed lyrical about how we loved this spot so full of history, economy, infrastructure and wildlife. Nerds united.