Second time we’ve been. This time, we opted to fly rather than take the train.
Flew out on Weds Dec 20 at 0630. Which meant getting up at 2am to get a cab to Gatwick. Hard, as we were somewhat exhausted. But all went very smoothly — though I had to make the cab driver stop half way so I could go to the loo. Pretty good time to travel, of course, with very little on the roads.
Sabrina picked us up from the airport – she’d been driving a holding pattern round and round the pick-up loop. We ran up and loaded the bags and spun off; pretty sensible way of doing it, really. Spent rest of the day in a daze, eating pancakes, chatting, checking out their new house. Simple but pleasing detached place of which I seem to have no pictures. French (no, really?) doors opening up the living room to the outside. Veranda above, and pleasing woodwork on the roof.
We probably went to LeaderPrice, and the boulangerie later on… And I think we walked up to and around the local woods with Tim. All quickly familiar though it had been three years since our only other visit.
Thursday we went into town. We went by tram and Tim and Sabrina met us there (boys were in school). Isa and Sabrina spent most of the time in the 500 ceramic shop which , it has to be said, is rather wonderful. Tim, I and the girls wandered through town, taking in a toy shop or two, then the aqueduct and a lunchtime sandwich shop (where the girls spent an hour choosing their snack). We walked to a nearby square and sat on the stonework near a group of youths and a guy with a guitar, initially sleeping but later playing. Lovely and quiet. Then back to 500 to pick up Isa and Sabrina and back via the Christmas market at the Comedie, where we had vin chaud and perused various crafty outlets. Bought the girls some bracelets, secretly, to give them on Christmas Day.
Friday. Walked through the woods with Isa and Lola, and then, somewhat to Lola’s displeasure, back via the shops. That evening we went to the local ‘spectacle’ down at Place de Europe. Dancing, stalls with vin chaud and sausages, Father Christmas on a horse-drawn trap on which the kids later had a ride. Bruno and his wife, whose name has at present escaped me, were there, and we met a few members of Sabrina and Tim’s community.
Saturday started with waffles, was followed by a trip to the local market, and continued with a walk along the Lez with bows and arrows. Was it this night, or the next, that there were guests for dinner, a young lady called Louise(?) whose family had moved here from Brighton — mother was French, I think — and an older lady, Felicity, who was quirky and lovely. Both known to Sabrina through Church, I think. The older lady had some great stories. Many to do with her romantic whirlwind engagement and marriage to her French husband. I can’t recall the detail. I think he’s a hairdresser in Nice. Or something. And the story of the local homeless lady whom she helped out and then one day found wandering the streets knocking at doors, or something, and she ended up leaving her at the police station, as they said they’d take care of her.
Christmas eve and we went for a walk with Tim while Sabrina was at church: through the local woods to the water tower and then on up through the backstreets of Castelnau, ending up at a park near the boys’ (younger) school. A lovely wander through the suburban backstreets dominated by the slightly quirky but generally not quite inspiring Montpellier architecture and their attendant Scots Pines and pricly pears.
Christmas day mostly at home. Did minimal stockings, had brekky (pancakes?), then walked to the park we went to the previous day. Cooked lamb and chickens and roast veg and gravy. Opened pressies Played Quirkle in the kitchen as the night progressed.
Boxing day and Isa and I headed off into town on our own.
27th and we went off in a hired car to Chateau Montferrand where we walked up the hill (~400m) to the old ruin. Somewhat treacherous up top, standing near precipices in the strong wind, picnicking under walls where the top stones looked as though they might blow off. Though, surely, they would have done so already?
28th and we went to a causeway-attached island between an etang and the sea at the edge of the Carmargue. Super-windy and darned cold in the wind, but quite pleasant on the leeward side. We picnicked in the grounds of an ancient church/abbey that used to be the seat of the bishop. Or something. Full of albino peacocks (the grounds, not the abbey).
29th we flew home at 0930. Train to Victoria; tube to Kings X; train to Cambers; cab home.