Lavender everywhere

It takes me longer than usual to get going this morning. The hot water in the shower feels so good and the morning is chilly.

Once I get going, all is good. I retrace my steps through the old village and start making my way back to the GR4. There’s a long, gradual climb into the plateau, and then endless fields of lavender, alternating with beech and oak woodland.

The sun is shining, there’s a light wind, the going is more or less flat. Bliss.

Around tea time, the wind picks up and clouds roll in. The forecast says it’ll rain tomorrow. I set my heart on the gite d’étape Chaloux on the other side of Simiane-la-Rotonde, but they don’t pick up the phone and, when I get there, there’s no sign of life.

I continue another kilometre or so towards Oppedette before putting up my tent on a terrace above the path. It’s relatively flat and sheltered, under trees.