Goodbye June, hello July: summer in France

June hollyhocks in the garden

I’ve always liked June. It is a transitional month that promises so much; spring becomes summer, the days are long and evenings lazy, and there is a sense of pre-holiday mood all around. Normally, the weather is neither too hot nor too cold, although this year proved to be an exception. Now it’s over, I’d go so far as to say I’m glad to see the back of what has been a demanding month, with lots to challenge our routine. 

Sarlat, Dordogne

 

The month of May ended on a high with a four-day holiday in Sarlat, in the Dordogne, cycling, eating and seeing the sights. Covid-19 then reared its head and got a bit closer to home than was comfortable. Adrian’s Mum, in the UK, tested positive and was rapidly put on the new antiviral medication and monitored daily by a team of specialist nurses from her local hospital. Whilst it was worrying she had the virus, the care she received was incredibly reassuring for us and I’m pleased to say, she made a superb recovery. Here in the Deux-Sèvres, Pearl’s parents also tested positive, meaning Ed and Pearl were contact cases and we had to make the tough call to cancel a planned weekend with them. Thankfully they escaped, which was just as well as all this happened within a week of Ed’s planned wisdom teeth extraction. My poor baby had to have all four taken out, under general anaesthetic, in one morning, but thanks to an excellent selection of drugs, was remarkably chatty by the evening. My parents in the UK were also contact cases for Covid-19, but miraculously stayed clear, then my boss at the chateau tested positive. In all the time since the pandemic began, I’ve never known as many people Covid-positive, as in June. It was a timely reminder that it hasn’t gone away despite the vaccination programme and the relaxing of rules and mask-wearing requirements. 

The church in Aubigné

 

The weather in June was a real challenge, swinging from an officially categorised heatwave, that resulted in weather warnings severe enough to cancel indoor and outdoor public events, to storms that wreaked havoc. The local village of Aubigné, which had one of the prettiest churches in the area, was struck by lightning. The resulting fire felled the spire and caused major damage to the steeple. The local news was full of articles about storm and hail damage to houses and cars, as well as sunflower fields in the Charente and vineyards in Cognac and Bordeaux that were flattened by hail the size of tennis balls. Many areas around Angoulême suffered flooding from rain that once it started to fall, seemed never to stop. 

 

The thermometer has fluctuated from crazy highs of 39°c to lows of just 7°c, resulting in bike rides that have been hot and sweaty or so cold my nose hasn’t stopped running and my fingers have turned a deathly white from the Reynaud’s that normally only hits over winter. Some days at work I’ve been wrapped up in three layers, glad I’d packed my emergency vest, other days I’ve walked barefoot on the cool flagstone floors while the rooms at the top of the tower have been a stifling 46°c. 

 

If this isn’t a wake-up call to climate change and the damage we are doing to the planet, I don’t know what will make people take note and act. 

 

We tried our best throughout the madness of the weather to stick to our rule of only using the car for journeys over ten kilometres, but flooded roads and rumbling storms forced me into the car twice, which did nothing to improve my mood. 

July sunflowers and a return of the blue skies

 

July has begun with a promising start, in that there was no sound of pouring rain to accompany my first waking moments on Friday. However, at only 10°c it was a chilly cycle to the chateau for work and I abandoned my summer dress for jeans and a jumper. The Tour de France is now underway and this year we get a full month of the best of French road racing, three weeks for the men’s tour followed by one for the inaugural women’s tour, and I can’t wait. We will also have the excitement of Le Tour 79, our local professional cycling stage race, coming through our village before the final stage finishes in Chef-Boutonne. July will also see a return to village summer outdoor events, many that haven’t taken place for the last two years. Covid-19 numbers are rising here though, and masks are once again being advised, so I can only hope that the weather and the virus allow these planned events to go ahead. 

The July edition of The Deux-Sèvres Monthly

 

The blog might have been a bit quiet recently, but in the July edition of the Deux-Sèvres Monthly magazine (that you can read online here) you will find my top five tips for enjoying a visit to the Chateau de Javarzay, as well as my usual five-hundred-word column.

 

I’m also delighted to share that I’m one of the writers who has a short story published in an anthology that is available now on Amazon. I’ve Got Something MORE to Say: Transition, by Women’s Voices Southwest France, is a collection of short stories, poems and art from 45 women, on the theme of transition. You can read more about this inspiring group of women in this excellent blog by local author Harriet Springbett, who was at the launch party last weekend. Much as I would have loved to be there, work at the chateau would have meant making the ten-hour return drive in a day, and I’d rather have taken my time and gone by bike. 

 

Here’s wishing you a fantastic July, we all deserve one and I hope France will feature somewhere in your plans, even if it is just watching some stages of Le Tour de France on TV, or escaping to France in the pages of a book. Here are some links to my last book reviews if you need any inspiration:

Summer at the French Café

The Italian Job (it’s over the border but it is set in a chateau)

The French for Murder

Daisy’s French Farmhouse

Five Dead Men

  

La Fête Nationale, 14 juillet

14th July fireworks, Parc de Blossac, Poitiers 2019

Last year our 14^th July celebrations for the Fête Nationale seemed to go on for days, a stark contrast to this Covid-constricted year where nothing is as normal. 

Ed in Melle

Ed had been playing the guitar at a live gig in Melle on 12^th July, the street outside the kebab shop closed to traffic, a ‘stage’ at one end and tables and chairs filling the space at the other, where homemade burgers and chips were served all night to an appreciative crowd.

 

Our village celebrates fête nationale, 2019

Our village has always held its buffet and disco on the evening of 13^th, allowing plenty of opportunity for everyone to head off to neighbouring towns or villages to continue celebrating on the 14^th. Having eaten well, laughed with friends and then danced the night away, I was particularly looking forward to the 14^th.

 

Filling the bin with the patriotic paper tablecloths

First was a bit of clearing up, followed by an apéro with other community-spirited friends, timed to perfection just as the village bell struck midday. Then it was off to the bar over the road to help them celebrate their second anniversary of opening, with more food and music. Although it promised to be a good afternoon, I had to leave early to collect Adrian from Poitiers airport. He’d missed out so far, but with Ed’s flat empty, this gave us the perfect opportunity to enjoy a bit of big town celebrations for the first time. 

 

Parc de Blossac, Poitiers

As dusk began to fall, we headed to Poitiers Parc de Blossac where there was a free live music concert, followed by fireworks. Security was tight, with all bags being searched at the gates and a no alcohol policy strictly implemented. The refreshment tent sold only 0% beer or soft drinks, but it meant there was a friendly and family-focussed atmosphere in the crowd. We found ourselves a space and sat happily people-watching as we waited for the fireworks to begin, and boy were there plenty of people to watch. It didn’t take long before every bit of grass was occupied, and those trying to pick a route through the bodies had to watch for fingers, feet and children, as they found somewhere to squeeze into. For someone used to village life and events of around eighty people, suddenly being one of thousands was rather daunting. The fireworks were fantastic, set off in time to music played so loud the ground vibrated as well as the air from the explosions and light show overhead. It was an amazing experience, but we both agreed, not one we would be in a hurry to repeat as it was a bit of a sensory overload.

 

Breakfast in Poitiers

The morning of the 15^th saw us at an outdoor café in Poitiers town centre enjoying a coffee and croissant, before we headed off for a bike ride and then enjoyed lunch at the most beautifully decorated Moroccan restaurant situated on the cobbled street of Grand’Rue. The interior is a riot of colours, mosaics and lights, a feast for the eyes as much as their tagine plat du jour is for the stomach.

 

#KTTinyTourer carries flowers for picnic

We were back home to enjoy an afternoon bike ride on the 16^th, for Adrian to catch up with the sunflower fields, followed by an evening of free live music in the local village of Pouissay. We met up with friends, folded our bikes, unfolded our tables, opened our picnic hampers and wine bottles and had a fab time. I’d even managed to carry a vase of flowers on the bike to decorate the table, and at the end of the evening we cycled home as the full moon was rising. These five days proved that whether in a big town like Poitiers, or just a small rural village, France certainly knows how to put on a show. It was community events like these, and the joie de vivre they give, that I feared we would miss out on in this extraordinary year.

 

14th July bike ride

This year Ed is with Pearl and her family, experiencing his first French family fête nationale celebrations and having a great time. With no village ‘do’ on the 13^th in our calendar, we almost forgot about celebrating the 14^th completely. We took the bikes out for a 43km ride in the afternoon, a warm and sunny ride that took us through fields of sunflowers, shady tunnels through woods, past an old cart reclining under a tree and stopping for a rest in a waist-high meadow, where I celebrated 2000km cycled so far this year. The evening ended perfectly with friends coming over for apéros in the garden, where the conversation and camaraderie certainly made up for partying we had missed out on. 

 

Back at the village bar for music night

Last night we ventured back to the village bar for our first music night post lockdown. The weather meant we could all safely distance in the garden and all the usual friendly faces were there, just the hugs and kisses that were missing. The music was lifting, we laughed, chatted and sang along, and it felt good, a small return to normal.

 

With many holiday makers from France and elsewhere hitting the west coast for their holidays, virus numbers are on the increase, even for us a little way inland. We still need to be cautious and although masks won’t be obligatory until 1^st August, we don’t leave home without ours.

Lazy Sunday in France, a walk in the sunflowers

A Sunday morning walk

Welcome to another Lazy Sunday in France and today I’m taking you on an early morning walk through the sunflower fields. 

This morning, a small group of us set off earlier than originally planned, in an attempt to beat the worst of the heat, but as you can see from our shadows, the sun was already busy.

Sunday is no lazy day for the farmers

As were the farmers. Sunday is rarely a day off for the farmers, especially when the weather is good and it’s harvest time.

It's harvest time

The combine harvesters and balers were out in the wheat and the hay fields.

Sunflower fields

But it was the sunflowers I was looking forward to seeing and the morning sunlight showed them at their best.

A perfect sunflower

The sight of a perfect sunflower never fails to make me smile.

Cows in the shade

We weren’t the only ladies out and about this morning, but these two were sensibly staying in the shade.

We all agreed we were very lucky to live in a village with a strong sense of community and all this beauty on our doorstep.

I hope your Sunday is a good one.

The Rainbow Fields of Deux Sevres France

Today is the first day of summer, which I thought called for a celebration. Here is my celebration of the rainbow colours to be found in the fields around our village in Deux Sevres, France. I hope you enjoy the pictures. #DiscoverTheDelightsofDeuxSevres

Loving the colour Yellow

Following Chris Froome's fantastic win in the 100th edition of the Tour de France I am celebrating the colour yellow in a Much love Monday post today. Chris had held the Yellow Jersey for two weeks of the three week Tour and crossed the finish line in Paris yesterday all bedecked in yellow and with his team at his side. Congratulations to Chris and Team Sky.

Still on a yellow theme is that it is one of my favourite times of year when the sunflowers are in full bloom. We are so lucky to be surrounded by fields and fields of these bold beauties and I never tire of seeing them or taking photos of them either. Here are just a selection of my favourite pictures to share with you today, I do hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

You can also watch my time lapse video of a field of sunflowers growing from seedlings to harvest on YouTube by clicking here.