We landed in Montpellier and quickly got our car organised and away we went. Drove along the water through the Carmargue – known for its horses, cowboys, flamingoes , riz and salt  and arrived for lunch in Arles.
Arles is on the river Rhone and is friendly, old and excited! There is a bull fight coming to town.  Complete with famous French bullfighter. We decided we couldn’t miss out on the spectacle so bought tickets. I’m in it for the beautiful bull fighters and their outfits. Hope there is not bull killing while I’m around.
Lunch was a beautiful Niçoise salad – something I always order and every time it’s different. This one was just right coming out of a 29 hour journey from Australia.
We walked up the hill and turned the corner and found the 1st century Roman Colloseum. It’s is another reason we are going to the bullfight. It’s in this amazing Colloseum.

We wandered around it and then went to  the remains of the Roman theatre nearby and imagined what it would have been like all those centuries ago.

Our Hotel room. top floor with terrace

After lots of walking we rewarded ourselves with our first gelato and sat in the gardens. Beautiful.
Back to the car and off to St Remy.

First impressions. A beautiful town , winding tree lined streets, our lovely hotel set in the town centre, but well and truely discovered by the tourists. The fashionable tourists. We saw lots of men in very colourful shorts. Red, lime, pink! It’s often the men who stand out in France! Lots of gorgeous shops but I had no girl power so didn’t get to browse too many. Little book club girls we would have had a ball!

St  Remy Hotel de Ville and the first poster of the Van Gogh trail

Stopped at an appropriate tree covered cafe and ordered a drink to settle the dust of the journey and made our plans. Selected a restaurant for dinner, guided by our friend of the hotel and planned our day tomorrow. We are doing the Vincent Van Gogh walk. It’s a kilometre or so out of the town past places and scenes  he used to do his 150 paintings whilst a patient  in the hospital in the town.  He must have been a very busy man!

Then a little rest and off to dinner. Oh my the food was wonderful. My entree tasted like the sea. I’ll try and post a photo. It had sea flavoured foam around an island of fennel, prawns and little flavourings. So totally balanced. It was delicious. Followed up with lamb with little stops of eggplant moussaka and yoghurt herb dressing and dessert was amazing. It was white – blanc! Hidden inside underneath the layers of white yoghurt , ice cream was a rhubarb gel. Yum is all can say.

Home and fell into bed! 

The day started well!

Hello All,

We are heading away for another swimming holiday! this time to France and Greece

Here’s a rough outline of our trip

Thursday 11:    Fly to Hong Kong

Friday 12:         Fly to Paris

Depart Paris:     Fly to Montpellier

Friday 12, :      3 night Hotel Gounod, St Remy de Provence

Sat  13th:         St Remy

Sun 14th:         St Remy

Mond 15th:     3 Nights Hotel Azur Bord du Mer, la Grand Motte
                        Montpellier

Tues 16:           Montpellier: Steve will compete in the World Lifesaving Titles.

Wed 17th:         Montpellier

Thurs 18th :      Fly Agean Air 10.55- 2.35pm A3631
                         Athens: Hotel Plaka (meet Chris, Jill & Sarah Wilson )

Friday 19th:     Agean Air Dep 1.40pm Arr. 2.25pm:  A 37004 to Naxos:
                         Hotel Grotta

Sat 20th :         Ferry from Naxos to Schinousa at 2PM
                       Tour starts 6pm – drinks!
                               Hotel  Iliovasilem

Long corridors of rooms!

Another late start with bird calls and rain softly pattering on the roof. Breakfast with Zepher – our new best friend. Will have to check out his book. Freedom’ s Way by Zepher Bloch.  Sounds very interesting.

We packed up and chat to Lionel about our plans. He was sorry we couldn’t stay on in Paris. He was born there and loves it. He spoke so fondly about the areas he lived in. Both Montmartre and Bastille.  He is very dreamy in a nice way and has a lovely son who prepares breakfast for us. His wife Marie Louise runs the office in the main town place. He said when he bought the castle it was very run down but he had time and enough money to do it up and now rents the rooms to visitors. We were lucky it wasn’t very full so it was quiet, but with the rain we couldn’t sit in the lovely courtyard and enjoy breakfast.

Check out the village we stayed in Noyers in Burgundy. They made a little u tube to promote their music festival coming up soon. You tube – Noyers happy place!


We set off for the car after double cheeked kisses and loaded up and brrrrr nothing. Flat battery! So back to Lional who called the local garage man who arrived very quickly and had us moving along quite quickly.

It rained most of the way to Troyes, a very old town which is home to Pope Urban in the 12 th c. It’s churches are big and old and we saw an old lady at the small office inside the church who had the most amazing old face. Very lined and full of character. I would loved to have taken  her photo but couldn’t be so rude as to ask!

We called into their outlet centre and i can’t get too enthusiastic in places like that ( except when I went to Cabazon in Palm Springs last year. It was amazing, ) but this was not too good and very spread out. I showed Steve into the Hugo Boss store and he managed to find some red ( dull not  too bright) pants, a checked shirt and a lovely blue jumper. Mr fashion statement. I just got to pay for it!

Now in the Qantas lounge waiting for our flight to Brisbane. Feeling vey tired. But home in the morning so i’ll be fine.

So until the next time.  
IN SEPTEMBER!

Fontenay Abbey

We stumbled out of bed to the sound of bird calls. Not too early as the day was grey and a little rainy. We met Zepher for breakfast and planned the day. He was going to see the house again and invited us to go with him. What a treat. I really want to see the place and he was very keen to have us along for another opinion.

Vezerlay