Tuesday 25th June 2019
Not a bad nights sleep despite the Jackdaws roosting above us and noisy well into the darkness then the frogs took over, croaking through till the early hours.
I told the guy in reception we were going to move on, further south, but would stay the two nights to cover the deposit we had made. He was happy with that and gave us a bottle of wine as we would not quite use all our deposit..
So now I got on the internet and looked for sites not too far from here. Eventually found one that sounded like it may suit us so gave them a ring, spoke to Monsieur who said he had space and we would be welcome to come and take a look.
In the afternoon we took off to check out the site. It was just 27 miles away and a little more off the beaten track but it ticked all our boxes, even down to Wi-Fi from the pitch. Told Monsieur we would see him tomorrow.
Back to Salon de Provence and,once again, we begin the process of preparing to move. We're beginning to feel like Gypsies.
We had begun to like the site and were sorry to be moving but it was the ablutions that swayed us.
First day in Cucuron
Wednesday 26th June 2019
Laid in to 7.30am and missing our morning showers. 23 degrees out and bright again.
Although only 27 miles to go today we left at 9.55 and arrived at 10.50 with no hiccups, delays or wrong turnings. 32 degrees on arrival and again, unbelievably humid. Decided to put the awning up later this evening, after sundown.
Just sat down in the shade, with a cool drink when we had a visitor. We haven't seen a Hoopoe since we stayed at Sorede, near Argeles, close to Montpelier many years ago.
With much laughter, some tears and an enthusiastic offer of help from our Flemish neighbours, we finally got the awning up by 10pm, ish. Not fully pegged down as it was still so hot but I don't think it's going far tonight, there is a distinct lack of air here right now and what there is is HOT, in every sense.
Laid in to 7.30am and missing our morning showers. 23 degrees out and bright again.
Although only 27 miles to go today we left at 9.55 and arrived at 10.50 with no hiccups, delays or wrong turnings. 32 degrees on arrival and again, unbelievably humid. Decided to put the awning up later this evening, after sundown.
Just sat down in the shade, with a cool drink when we had a visitor. We haven't seen a Hoopoe since we stayed at Sorede, near Argeles, close to Montpelier many years ago.
With much laughter, some tears and an enthusiastic offer of help from our Flemish neighbours, we finally got the awning up by 10pm, ish. Not fully pegged down as it was still so hot but I don't think it's going far tonight, there is a distinct lack of air here right now and what there is is HOT, in every sense.
Cucuron - Day 2
Thursday 27th June 2019
Up at 7.30 to try ad beat the heat. Beautiful morning, 25 degrees, bearable. Did some more to completing the awning but by 10 am it was just too hot, again.
Had a light lunch then out to a Hyper U supermarket at Pertuis, some 7 miles from here to stock up on provisions. Also managed to get a car wash.
Saw this fellow and his three mates just outside our window last night.
Sleeping is difficult. Night time temperature is around 26 degrees with little of no movement of air
Up at 7.30 to try ad beat the heat. Beautiful morning, 25 degrees, bearable. Did some more to completing the awning but by 10 am it was just too hot, again.
Had a light lunch then out to a Hyper U supermarket at Pertuis, some 7 miles from here to stock up on provisions. Also managed to get a car wash.
Saw this fellow and his three mates just outside our window last night.
Sleeping is difficult. Night time temperature is around 26 degrees with little of no movement of air
Day 5 second week
Friday 28th June 2019
10 am and it's 27 degrees out there. Worse than that, it's 31 degrees in here. We're off to Avignon today. I suspect our sightseeing may be curtailed by the heat, we shall see.
Just under 50 miles from home here it was a pleasant hours journey despite getting progressively hotter as we entered the city. We found underground parking and surfaced only to find the temperature had risen to 44 C and, as we later found out, we were just 16 miles from the hottest place in France that day and that was a close 45.6 C
We wandered a little, saw the pont d'Avignon. Too hot to give a rendition of the song remembered from childhood.
Found a bar, had a drink. Later found an outdoor restaurant where we had lunch. A little more wandering in the heat of the day then gratefully, back to the car and the air conditioning.
10 am and it's 27 degrees out there. Worse than that, it's 31 degrees in here. We're off to Avignon today. I suspect our sightseeing may be curtailed by the heat, we shall see.
Just under 50 miles from home here it was a pleasant hours journey despite getting progressively hotter as we entered the city. We found underground parking and surfaced only to find the temperature had risen to 44 C and, as we later found out, we were just 16 miles from the hottest place in France that day and that was a close 45.6 C
We wandered a little, saw the pont d'Avignon. Too hot to give a rendition of the song remembered from childhood.
Found a bar, had a drink. Later found an outdoor restaurant where we had lunch. A little more wandering in the heat of the day then gratefully, back to the car and the air conditioning.
Day 6 of our second week
Saturday 29th June 2019
Not a lot to tell today. Needed to replenish food stocks and hoped to get a fan, move the air around a little.
With our, "we're retired" heads on we totally forgot it was a Saturday and were, pathetically, surprised at how busy the roads were and what a struggle to get a parking space at the supermarket. DOH!
Another scorching day so were grateful for the cool of Super U and probably spent a little more time in there than needed. Did however manage to get a fan, last but one of the size we wanted. They were flying off the shelves so we were obviously in good company.
Nothing more of note today, SATURDAY. Sat in the shade, mostly, and read.
Not a lot to tell today. Needed to replenish food stocks and hoped to get a fan, move the air around a little.
With our, "we're retired" heads on we totally forgot it was a Saturday and were, pathetically, surprised at how busy the roads were and what a struggle to get a parking space at the supermarket. DOH!
Another scorching day so were grateful for the cool of Super U and probably spent a little more time in there than needed. Did however manage to get a fan, last but one of the size we wanted. They were flying off the shelves so we were obviously in good company.
Nothing more of note today, SATURDAY. Sat in the shade, mostly, and read.
Last Day of Second Week
Sunday 30th June 2019
With it being so hot and humid here, we thought today we would head for a higher place.
Speaking to our man, he suggested Mont Ventoux, nicknamed "The Beast of Provence" having become famous, if not infamous, for its regular inclusion in the Tour de France. At 1,909 metres or 6,263 feet, it's the largest mountain in the area.
Some 76 kilometres or 47 miles from base camp here, the drive took us across the Plateau de Vaucluse with its kilometres of straight, tree lined roads and the switchback of its winding roads as they climbed to the plateau, often with sheer drops on one side and sometimes on both. It took us through remote iconic French hamlets and villages, many of which appeared neglected, abandoned even, until you caught site of washing on a line or a fairly modern automobile parked inside a tumbledown shed.
With a temperature of just 26 degrees at the summit and a moderate breeze, we could have stayed there all day. We did however have a return journey of 47 miles to complete, and no roads other than those we came on so it wasn't going to be quick.
Back by 7pm which wasn't a problem as we're not eating our evening meal until 8 or even 9pm.
That's it for our second week, half way through for us now. Another week here then a week in Paris and we'll be home. Time will fly.
With it being so hot and humid here, we thought today we would head for a higher place.
Speaking to our man, he suggested Mont Ventoux, nicknamed "The Beast of Provence" having become famous, if not infamous, for its regular inclusion in the Tour de France. At 1,909 metres or 6,263 feet, it's the largest mountain in the area.
Some 76 kilometres or 47 miles from base camp here, the drive took us across the Plateau de Vaucluse with its kilometres of straight, tree lined roads and the switchback of its winding roads as they climbed to the plateau, often with sheer drops on one side and sometimes on both. It took us through remote iconic French hamlets and villages, many of which appeared neglected, abandoned even, until you caught site of washing on a line or a fairly modern automobile parked inside a tumbledown shed.
With a temperature of just 26 degrees at the summit and a moderate breeze, we could have stayed there all day. We did however have a return journey of 47 miles to complete, and no roads other than those we came on so it wasn't going to be quick.
Back by 7pm which wasn't a problem as we're not eating our evening meal until 8 or even 9pm.
That's it for our second week, half way through for us now. Another week here then a week in Paris and we'll be home. Time will fly.
Week three - our final week in Provence
Monday 1st July 2019
Just one of those quiet, lazy days although we did pop out to Super U for a little stock replenishment..
We fancy it's marginally less humid today and managed a couple of walks around the site here throughout the day. As I write this, it's 6.30 pm local time, 30 degrees C outside in the shade and 33 degrees here, inside the caravan. What is nice though is that we sit out until it's too dark to read, then go for a shower.
I don't think I've mentioned the lavender fields we've seen since we arrived in Provence. Blossoming from the end of June until early August when it's harvested, you can't go far without spotting a field of purple flowers, in long straight rows. Here's a couple of pictures of one we stopped by and picked a few blooms to fragrance the car.
Just one of those quiet, lazy days although we did pop out to Super U for a little stock replenishment..
We fancy it's marginally less humid today and managed a couple of walks around the site here throughout the day. As I write this, it's 6.30 pm local time, 30 degrees C outside in the shade and 33 degrees here, inside the caravan. What is nice though is that we sit out until it's too dark to read, then go for a shower.
I don't think I've mentioned the lavender fields we've seen since we arrived in Provence. Blossoming from the end of June until early August when it's harvested, you can't go far without spotting a field of purple flowers, in long straight rows. Here's a couple of pictures of one we stopped by and picked a few blooms to fragrance the car.
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