France

Lodeve
Seven nights in the house with the non matching crokery and rushing river suitable for a inflatable tyre. The group swells with Vins arrival. Roquefort in the cellars eleven stories high. Our first and certanily not last tasting of the blue stuff. Crossing the worlds tallest bridge at Millau an impressive feat of engineering. Swimming in the surprisingly cold waters of Cap D Agde with a second dip in the brownish waters of Lac du Salagou. Provences finest Roman ruin in Pont du Gard, great vews as we swam below. My second visit to Avignon, a tough place to park a car then some absent mindness as we leave our bag in the square. Picturesque Languedoc countryside but a tough place to taste some wine. A hidden gem in St Guilhem le Desert and its quaint monastery. Final day driving through the stunning Tarn Gorge. Tight roads, breathtaking swim at St Chaly du Tarn and Tartiflete at St Enime. A bit more of a sedate drive through the Jonte gorge direction Lodeve for the final time.

Nice
More company as Adeline and Rob arrive and then finally Grant. Warmer mediteranean waters shame about the pebbles. Time slot for the markets and a few winding streets in Nices old town. Day trip to Monaco for the prologue and the start of the Tour. A rather characterless place with plenty of ugly apartments. Pigeons attack our lunch as we cool ourselves in the sea.

Bandol
What a find small seaside village near Marseille. Hotel overlooking the sea and our first authentic meal of Moule Frite.

Montpellier
Side trip to Arles for a stage immense heat but some sights in the impressive Colloseum like Amphitheatre and Theatre. Our return to Montpellier for the TTT. Sleepy sort of town with quite back streets the Chateau d Leau and enormous Roman Aquaduct.

Carcasonne
Our first ill fated taste of camping, what I thought was a blanket proved to be a pillow. However the two second tent lives up to its name. Allez les Kiwis is born.