French

I bought this charm in Carcassonne last year when we holidayed in France in September. The background is a book we borrowed on the South of France ready for our holiday this year. The picture is a field full of lavender (see my sister Mollymay’s blip).

I’ve spent most of my life being forced to take my Summer holiday in July or August when all the schools are out and all holiday destinations are crowded and noisy. It was a relief, last year, for the first time, to be able to book a holiday in September when all the school holidays were over. We booked our crossing with the intention of being on the water when all the bells were ringing for the start of the new school year. We waved goodbye to England and went to find the restaurant to enjoy nice quiet breakfast. Far from being quiet as we imagined the restaurant was full of groups of pensioners all having a joyous and noisy time. We discovered a few years ago that the Spanish call pensioners ‘jubilados’. Now we know why!!!

Despite our illusions of peace and quiet being shattered we are off on the ferry again this September. We sail to Bilbao, spend a night there and then drive to the Pyrenees. After spending five nights there we move on to Uzes, near Nimes and Avignon. We’re taking our bikes with us and hope to get in some pleasant riding. After that we’re going to visit my sister in-law near Poitiers before taking the ferry back home.