To Villa Verriere...

The next morning, in bright sunshine,

 we set off to the nearest village - Langes - to buy some provisions for the next couple of days.

We find a tiny village, a local farmer's stall set up in the square and the local tiny shop - but all the goods on offer were fresh and exciting so we spend a small fortune on goodies...

....my husband can't resist anything edible and I had to practically drag him out of the shop as it was filling up with the locals awaiting their turn patiently.

The young man (a dude) who served us and his mother who owned the shop were most helpful and full of suggestions of things to buy and how to cook them - good business sense when you have an eager englishman in the shop.

We also bought a bottle of the local rose to sample - well, you just cannot can you !! One thing of interest to us was the fact that about a third of the shop shelf space was given over to local wines !! Where else but in France would you see such a thing ?

On the way back to the campsite we pass a wonderful sight - a whole field of bright red poppies so we pull over briefly and get the camera out again. This is a sight that one doesn't see often if at all in Britain these days.


We load up the caravan and head off at a stately pace along the rather narrow lanes over to the Villa Verriere where we are to spend the next 10 days in great comfort I hope !!


We are a little late arriving - having arranged to meet there at mid-day - simply because hubby didn't follow my instructions !! Well, in fact they were rather vague when it came to the difference between roads and tracks and so we headed left along the road when in fact  right down a track was needed.

Anyway, half an hour later after having driven down the longest, roughest, bumpiest track ever we manage to find the house and park up safely. Phew.


The reception committee was impressive - the owner Marie, her sister-in-law and the local lady, Isabel, who was going to be our contact in the area for anything whatever to do with the house. Lots of chat, walking about and useful advice later they left to have lunch before heading off back to Geneva.

The house was originally owned by Marie's grandmother and was only used by the family sporadically now that the children had all grown up and were off having their adventures abroad so 2 years ago it had had a total makeover and was very welcoming.

We decide to have our lunch on the terrace by the pool, open a chilled bottle of rose left us by Marie and tuck into some french deliciousnesses.

Later we start the process of settling in....offloading our 'stuff' from the caravan and dad gets busy collecting firewood from the woodlands around the house and lights a very welcome fire.



At last we have decamped from the caravan and made ourselves very cosy with a fire roaring in the huge fireplace and heaters on in the bedrooms as sadly it is unseasonally chilly in this part of France.

 All that remains is for the younger members of the family to turn up !! Phil has gone to Avignon to pick up our two daughters and partner, and the TGV is apparently running 15 mins late! London to Avignon is about 6/7 hrs, about the time it takes to get from London to Tenby by car.....


So, that is how we got here, to this most most beautiful corner of Provence. Looking forward to a very happy holiday indeed now that we are here and I can start to enjoy the surroundings and am most incredibly excited about our family gathering.


just like the old days ...

I am feeling very weary as it is now 11.19 pm and way way way past my usual bedtime and the family are all just arriving ! Hooray !!


Now I just need to wake up a little .......