6 days in Sète

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After the long and quick drive from Cadiz, it was nice to unpack everything, have a chance to self-cater when we wanted to, and catch up with friends in this familiar part of southern France.

We stayed in the fantastically situated and well set up and restored ancient fishing house on the hillside overlooking the port, which we've rented a few times now from our friends Jean-Jacques and Brigitte. (They live in Geneva. If anyone is interested in more details about the holiday house I can send you a link to its website once I am home.)

Our friend Luce from Marseille, with whom we have stayed twice now, came to visit and stayed with us for 2 days. This included a day driving in the hinterland, with lunch in the historic centre of Pezènas, and a visit up in the hills to the town of Lodève where we saw a great exhibition of little-known Impressionist painter Theo Van Rysselberghe in the town's lovely Fleury museum. (This visit also resulted in a parking fine, the convoluted paying of which to the local Police Municipale is another story!!)

We also had a terrific afternoon at the home of friends Mel and Samantha Bairstow in the village of Argeliers on the Canal du Midi. We made 13 - a reminder of our French lunches with 'Le Mob' in Brisbane. The timing was similar too - starting around 12.30 and getting up from the table around 6.00.

Also had a delightful afternoon with Aimée and Suzanne Palacin, catching up with the news of their family.

So, with a few sessions of sunning beside and swimming (brrr) in the Mediterranean, yummy oysters with the obligatory Pinet de Picpoul, and other local delights - this was a very relaxing interlude.

Finally it was time to head off for the last segment of this trip, a visit to Vienna to catch up with Annie Effenberg. This involved dropping our car off in Montpellier, a train trip at 300km/h to the Paris airport and an Austrian Airlines flight to Vienna. Read about that visit in the next (and last) entry in a few days time.

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Photos

Late twilight - Sète
As viewed from our little balcony

The Corniche - Sète
With Luce

At the Fleury museum, Lodève
Cathy relaxing after viewing the exhibition

Hôtel de Conti
A C16 house in the historic centre of Pezènas.

Lunch at the Bairstows
Well done Sammy!!