A two hour drive in brilliant sunshine brings me to Quillan where Rosemary Bailey, the author of the book named above,is giving a talk. Living in the area herself and clearly loving it,she has managed to obtain both written and oral testimony of the war years,the refugees both from Spain fleeing the civil war,and those desperately trying to escape from the Nazis, those who guided Allied airmen and others over the mountains, and wartime life in a small village in the Aude..The book abounds with tales of heroism and betrayal,of life lived on the edge,and of those who simply just kept their heads down as most of us would surely have done under the circumstances. This is still a very tender period of French history and the author has approached the subject with the sensitivity and the delicacy that it deserves.Readers have commented on it with unanimous approval on the Amazon website.

The castle of Arques

Driving back across country surrounded by the castles that sheltered the Cathars during their tragic uprising, I was reminded how lovely the Aude is, which I had forgotten.

“If Aude acquaintance be forgot….” Oh no, no, no!

The Priory of St.Michael of Grandmont stands on a bluff high above the town of Lodève with stunning views across the plain to the sea.

Successive civilizations have left their mark from a neolithic ritual site (3000-5000B.C.),Gallo-Roman remains,Visigothic tombs(600A.D.) to the  Priory of Grandmont itself, built in the 12th century.

The founder of this order was Etiennne of Thiers(1046-1124) canonised 60 years later as St.Stephen of Muret.The order he founded was the strictest and most austere of the Middle Ages there being no hierarchy, no archives, no heating, no shoes and perpetual silence.It was in 1125 that they settled in Grandmont.By 1772, no doubt due to the severity of the regime, the numbers had reduced considerably and the order was dissolved, and in 1791the Priory was sold by the State to a merchant in Lodève.

The buildings were restored and the chapel used for storage of wine,this being the Languedoc.It was completed towards the end of the 12th century and the excellent acoustics make it an ideal venue for concerts which now take place here.

In 1980 the Priory was classed as a historic monument and is now used for exhibitions,concerts, wedding receptions etc.

In the grounds may be found an ancient ritual place believed to be used for,one trusts,animal sacrifices to the gods.

Also a dolmen called the”Coste Rouge” because of the colour of the local rocks containing red iron oxide.It is believed to be the only dolmen in France to have retained its unique oven door entrance.The slab of stone on the top is estimated to weigh four tons.

Although I love the heat of summer,this is a glorious time of year when everything bursts into vigorous new life and the valley breaks out into fresh verdant colour.

My neighbour’s cherry tree which fortuitously overhangs my garden is heavy with blossom.Last year a heavy rainstorm tore all the blossom from the trees,and the luscious cherries which are one of the main fruit crops of the valley were in very short supply.We must keep our fingers crossed.

Behind the tree in the background rears the mighty Caroux,apparently one of the oldest slabs of granite in Europe,although how one knows I have no idea.It is possible for the young and energetic to climb up the gorges to the plateau above. Those “of a certain age” as the French so delicately put it,can drive up to one of the villages , and enjoy a relatively benign walk to the edge from which the views are breathtaking.

One of the most remarkable features about France is the way in which the  tourist authorities of the regions promote their advantages and facilities. None does this better than the department of the Hérault.I have just been given a  memory stick(Can you get one of these that you plug into your brain? Maybe not quite yet.) which gives details of the department and the  major events in the Hérault throughout the year to come. Hotels,campsites,leisure activities,cultural events,markets,vineyards etc. they are all there.Not only that but they produce throughout the year a whole series of  publications of the highest quality, presented it would appear regardless of expense, describing almost every aspect of life down here.I strongly recommend that anyone interested in the area should visit their website www.herault-tourisme.com

Shopping down here is a bit of an adventure because opening hours tend to be ,shall we say,flexible.Most supermarkets are open during the week from 9 a.m. until 8 p.m. but some shut for lunch from 12-2.p.m,as do almost all other shops. Some shops are closed on Monday having been open on Saturday,which is quite reasonable,but which ones? Almost everything is shut on Sunday,except of course the baker and the paper shop, even though few people go to church.

In a nearby village there is a shop called Huit à Huit which would suggest that it is open from Eight until Eight. But come on,this is the Midi! It actually of course is not open from 12-2 as is usual down here,  and closes at 7.15 pm.Oh la belle France!

Today for the first time this year we sat out on the terrace,just a group of good friends, enjoying the sunshine ,the companionship, the stunning local landscape, a cool glass of white wine to hand. Then we went in to a delicious lunch of duck breast and our host put on a disc the first track of which was “The best is yet to come” and I wondered,do I really believe this? It’s going to have to be pretty good!

I seem to be the only one among my friends,none of whom I must emphasise are right wing racists,who is against the idea of banning the burka. There are of course respectable arguments on both sides. However I am deeply suspicious of governments dictating what people should or should not wear.It is often argued that women should be freed from the burden of wearing the burka. But has anyone done a survey of how many women wear it because they are forced to, or  on the other hand because they have always done so and feel comfortable wearing the burka? I have yet to see the evidence. Within the bounds of what passes for public decency  I strongly believe in live and let live, and believe that if this ban is made law it will stir up a lot of trouble.

March 21st is officially the first day of Spring, and also my daughter’s birthday. It has been a long winter,a time to curl up with a good book in front of the log stove, or take bracing walks along the deserted beaches or over the hills, admiring the magnificent landscape that surrounds you on all sides.

The mimosa usually flowers in mid-February,the first  sign that the end of winter is just over the horizon. This year it has only just broken into full flower,a month late,but nevertheless a welcome sight with its chrome yellow flowers and soft  boudoir scent.

For the first time for many months I took a bike ride along the former railway track that leads down the valley.The great advantage of former railway tracks is that they don’t do hills:neither do I if I can help it! The valley is awakening from its winter slumber. Tiny shoots are appearing on the trees.The vines will soon burst out in bright green  profusion. It is a magical time of year.

If you’ve never stood on the bridge of a ship in a force 9 gale you can  do it in Montpellier! The “Mare Nostrum” aquarium has perhaps the biggest aquarium pool in Europe and  one of the highlights of a visit is to step onto the bridge of a ship as it  ploughs through ever mounting rough seas. The bow falls into the troughs,the horizon rises,the water smashes onto the bridge,the windscreen wipers start and struggle to keep the windows clear.If you are prone to sea sickness this part of the visit is best avoided!

The aquarium itself houses many species of fish of all sizes including sharks and sting rays.A journalist friend of mine went to the Press day before the aquarium opened.”How do you know the sharks won’t eat the smaller fish?” he asked the guide”Because they have promised no to”said the guide,crossing his fingers. Well,they have kept their promise and the aquarium is well worth a visit.

Last week the plumber came around to  see to my central heating boiler.As is the custom here I held out my hand to shake his. Unfortunately his previous job had meant his hands were dirty  so he offered me his elbow which  I shook.The normal exchange having been achieved,he got down to business.This also happened when I called on my neighbour when she happened to be doing the washing up.If a hand is not available shake an elbow.”C’est normal”

Then there is the vexed question of kissing.On meeting for the second time you would normally kiss a lady. But how many times? I have it on good authority that in Montpellier you kiss three times,and in Béziers twice. What do you do if you live between the two? There seems to be no rule.

The saving grace is that the French are extremely tolerant of us foreigners who don’t completely understand the nuances of French etiquette and make no fuss if you get it wrong.