Sunshine in the South of France

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Continuing from last blog:

We're just back from five glorious days in the South of France; a perfect trip, staying with our very good friends who have recently relocated there from Christchurch, New Zealand. The sun shone every day, in fact it became almost unbearably hot most days and any shade, however small, was most welcome!

We were based in Corbarieu but our wonderful hosts and tour guides ensured we had an amazing snapshot of the wider area: Montauban, Bruniquel, Cordes, Albi and Toulouse. The scenery was splendid - fields of tall yellow sunflowers, rolling green meadows and valleys, and terracotta-colured rooftops and cathedral spires dotted throughout in the numerous small towns and villages. The drive to Bruniquel, Cordes and Albi in particular was spectacular, with sweeping views across open countryside, making you want to reach your destination and start exploring on foot! The small towns had narrow and often steep streets, and were a pleasure to explore - every turn presented you with a new photograph opportunity.

We were able to explore the local area on foot due to the extensive number of pathways and trails that took us through forests, by the canal or alongside the many farms and fields.

We also enjoyed the numerous cheeses and fresh daily bread (and the French beer of course!) in addition to fantastic home-cooking using fresh fruit and vegetables and chicken from the family farm. And the French tradition of turning each meal into a long, leisurely affair, very much a social occasion, with several courses, is something that I could very easily get used to! A great time was had by all.

(Now it's raining in Lancashire and we have about three weeks left before leaving for Canada, then back to Christchurch. Where has the time gone?)

P.S. For some reason the computer is not allowing me to upload all photos so after 3 attempts I'm giving up! That's why there's no photos of Toulouse and not as many as I'd wanted from the other towns.

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Photos

Sunflowers
Corbarieu

Montauban
Main Square

Montauban
Bridge