Week Three - Tuesday

Tuesday 2nd July 2017

Hot still, 31 degrees by 10 am but slightly less humid.

We've decided our body clocks have retained their UK time settings.  We're up usually about 9am, we lunch around 2 to 2.30, our evening meal is usually about 8pm and we shower at 10 pm.

We were then, still a little sluggish when our Dutch neighbours told us they were off on their bikes, electrically aided I must add, to the weekly market at Cucuron.  Now we've come across one or two markets since we've been here but usually around lunchtime, and just as they are packing up, so we hastened ourselves and set off, in the 31 degrees heat, to the market.

The market takes place around the dramatic water feature in the centre of Cucuron. The bassin is spring-fed and about as big as an Olympic swimming pool, and with huge 200-year-old plane trees all around the square, they provide much needed shade for all.

It was of course a typical French market with great arrays of fresh fruit, vegetables, some of which we'd never seen before, plenty of meat, fresh and dried and of course, cheese. Many items too referring to the lavender trade which just added to the nasal assault you feel as soon as you step out of the car.

Back home by around 2pm, lunch, then our current favourite pass-time, sitting, reading and dozing.

Week Three - Wednesday

Wednesday 3rd July 2019

Today we decided it was time we made a trip to Aix en Provence.  We stopped here very briefly many years ago on our way to Marseille and promised we would return.

Just 21 miles and the now usual temperature of 37 degrees, we enjoyed a pleasant journey into the city centre and quickly found an underground multi story car park.

Perhaps it was less humid but we were moderately comfortable walking the streets, as we like to do. After an hour or so we stopped at a street cafe\restaurant for a beer and a coke then decided we would eat there.The French do some wonderful omelettes so we went for one, plus salad and the inevitable French Fries.

After lunch we spotted many small, 6 seater, busses and, being curious, I asked where they went.  Well, it turned out that they would take us on a circular tour of the city for the paltry sum of .90 cents each.  We couldn't refuse.  It was a slightly death defying ride, through the narrow streets, brushing against the backs of diners chairs in the street cafes, tooting and hooting at strolling sightseers.  For most of the journey we were the only passengers and, given the looks we got, we felt like royalty. All this at what felt like 50 miles per hour but was probably nearer 10.

We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and were quite exhausted when finally dropped off at our starting point.

We slowly made our way back to the multi story, got the car and went home.

Still 37 degrees so we sat in the shade and read.

Week 3 - Thursday

Thursday 4th July 2019

A quiet day today.  Did some washing in machine then put it out to dry.  With a temperature of 27 degrees and a light breeze, it was dried and aired within 2 hours.  Later in the morning we popped out to Super U, in actual fact, 7 miles from here but easy to get to and what has become our local supermarket. Filled up with diesel too and once again, managed to make the car wash work.

Rest of the day is spent sitting in the sun, or, sitting in the shade, or, walking the site.  Site is well set out with a fair amount of trees for shelter from the heat of the day.

There are 70 pitches dotted around the site, almost all of which have some degree of shelter from the sun.  It's also surprisingly green considering the level of daytime temperatures they get here.

Week 3 - Friday

Friday 5th July 2019

We discovered there was a large market, on a Friday, close to us at Lourmarin, some 7 miles away so we set the alarm for 7 am, got up at 8 and were off in the early morning sun by a little after 9am

As early as we were arriving there was no street parking available and we ended up in a field but close to the centre. Once again we congratulated ourselves on getting up and out early.  Already the temperature was 26 degrees and the market, spread over many streets, was just beginning to fill with keen market goers. Click here for Lourmarin Market

I'm not going to waffle on about the typical French market and the variety of vegetables on sale, the olives, a hundred different types of bread, cheese, and the soaps, the meats of course and many French design clothes for ladies, gents, childrens and babies.

Apart from a couple of drinks, our only purchase was a big bag of black olives.




Oh and there was music too....

Back for a late lunch only to discover, after a little detective work, that the inline pressure switch on our water system and started to leak and, being a sealed unit, I'm unable to fix it so we have no water from the taps now for the rest of the holiday. A slight annoyance but we'll survive.

Week 3 - Saturday

Saturday 6th July 2019

Off out to Super U at 8am, they open 8.30, to beat the crowds.  We need a water container with a tap for the kitchen. 24 degrees at 8.30, may be hot again today.  We are moving tomorrow to Macon, on our journey to Paris so there's plenty to do today in the way of packing and generally making ready to travel.

I haven't told you, we have been adopted by a cat named Minit.  She's a poor, terribly thin young mother with three kittens to look after. We bought a packet of cat crunchies and leave some out for her plus a dish of water.

There are a number of regulars here including our neighbours on both sides.  They've been coming to this site for many years and know Minit and her kittens.












and our Hoopoe appeared last night and showed us his crown of feathers.

1pm now and we're pretty much done as far as moving off jobs are concerned. Ready now for the off tomorrow.

Week 3 - Sunday

Sunday 7th July 2019

The alarm went off at 7am sharp and almost immediately we heard a rumble of thunder.  Then, within 2 minutes, we heard the splat splat splat of king sized raindrops on the caravan roof.  Diving into some clothes, we dashed outside to bring in or cover up that which we left out last night, the chairs, the groundsheet, the towels, a small table and the cover off the A frame.

Having rescued everything, all we could do was sit and wait as the heavens opened, the sound of the downpour making speech impossible. This all lasted for about an hour during which time we washed and breakfasted. As our pitch was on gravelled soil, the strength of the rain bouncing off the ground sand blasted everything outside less than a foot off the ground. 

Despite all this, we said our goodbyes to Monsieur and Madam, Minit the cat and our friendly Dutch neighbours at 9.30 am, tired and a little shell shocked from such an unexpected and frantic start to the day. We knew it was time to go when the new arrivals brought with them the youth of today. The peace will undoubtedly be disturbed.

By now the sun was shining and by the time we hit the A7, the temperature was up to 26 degrees with a clear blue sky.

An uneventful journey, nice to have the motorway free of lorries. As usual, a couple of stops and we arrived here in Macon at 3.15pm, 33 degrees and sunny.


Tomorrow marks the start of our final week.  We've two nights here, Sunday and Monday and off to Paris on Tuesday for 5 nights. Sunday in Calais and home for tea on Monday.

We're delighted with the site here despite it being full as far as we can see.  The ablutions are plentiful, clean and bags of hot water so no complaints.

Monday - Our Last Week

Monday 8th July 2019

Second day at Macon and we recharge our batteries.  A little more air about now and the temperature is down a degree or two.  Out to Le Clerc for provisions, quite hot, close on 30 degrees but not as humid as previously.

Had a drink at the bar here then back and sat in the sun and contemplated our rather long journey tomorrow and the somewhat daunting prospect of crossing Paris.

Early night.