We're well and truly into the busiest part of our season now. The days have turned long and hot and air is alive with the sound of cicadas. When we walk the dogs in the vineyard we frequently hear a speedy rustle ahead of us as one of these big beauties runs for cover.

 

 

 

Lézard ocellé - Ocellated lizard

I absolutely adore them. They are magnificent creatures with beautiful markings and are a protected species. But Kit and Flynn don't know that and can sometimes spend a quarter of an hour barking at a dense bush until, eventually, one of them manages to grab the lizard, and with one swift shake of the head the poor lizard's life is over. Any ideas how to stop them?

 

A couple of weeks ago we took the most wonderful walk at Lake Salagou, just 20 minutes or so north east of Le Couvent.

 

What an extraordinarily beautiful place. I find it impossible to describe landscapes so I'll point you to these fantastic photos instead.

Our walk took around an hour and a half and was pretty easy. By the time you come to stay at Le Couvent we'll have prepared maps and guides for each of the walks we're doing this winter in case you fancy a mildly energetic jaunt.

Erzsi, our lovely friend who joined us declared it the mst beautiful walk she's EVER taken.

 

Needless to say we took lunch. Why is it impossible to take a walk without a picnic? It must be a hangover from those days, thankfully long ago, when, as a PE teacher, I used to take kids to North Wales as part of their Duke of Edinburgh's Award. I lived in fear of the death or starvation of one of the kids and went loaded with every supply imaginable. I've never been able to look Kendal Mint Cake in the face since. These days it's delicious tarte au poireaux or jambon et fromage from the local baker's. Much more fun, although I have to save a bit for the mutts.

 

 

By the way, Happy Birthday mum and congratulations to guests Mark & Lisa on the birth of Tom!

Yep, finally we're into the other half of our lives - the B&B is closed for the off-season. One of the most frequent questions we're asked (along with "Is Kit really a labrador?") is how we spend our winters. Follow us through until the end of April and you'll see.

So far the best thing we've done is to move bank accounts - yippee!  We've left Cretin Agricole at last. Having had enough of battling with the indifferent bunch in the Roujan branch (open four mornings a week for banking, but much longer if you want one of their 'products') we went to the Pezenas branch to ask how we should deal with six unauthorised payments online from our account. The gum-chewing teenager who told me I should not be using a credit card on the internet (give me strength) could not have been more confidence-draining. However, the final straw came when, after (my suggestion) cancelling my card, a further two payments were made using it.

Now we are with a bank which our friend Suzelle, who works there, says is well-managed and humane. It's only taken five hours over two days, and a great deal of talking to open three accounts. This is France, after all. We were recognised with beaming greetings on our second visit, unlike at CA where I could have walked in naked for the past six years and they still wouldn't have wasted a smile. Wish us luck.

 

 

Our other wonderful thing is that, inspired by a raft of guests who were great walkers, we've decided to explore bits of the Languedoc we don't know, i.e. nearly all of it - on foot.  The wonderful Decathlon , seller of sports equipment for the masses at good prices, has kitted us out fantastically well. So, with our lunch, water, collapsible dog bowl, map, outer jackets, guide book, mobile phone, camera and (I kid you not) torch, all tucked in to our new backpacks, we set out yesterday.

 

 

Walk number one comes from a great book called l'Herault à pied .  6kms, just over 2 hours and a bit of a climb in the middle took us along the River Orb, past a pretty pre-Roman chapel, up a steepish climb (glad we had the new fold-down walker's sticks), through a long dark tunnel (glad we had the torch), along an old railway line where we stopped for lunch under five spots of rain (glad we had the jackets) before a descent back down to the Campotel car park where we'd left the car. I haven't been happier this year and the dogs were in seventh heaven. If you come to stay next year we'll have the walk available on paper for you.

 

 

 

The other day I was strolling with the dogs around the periphery of the newly acquired Le Couvent vineyards . As is quite usual I came across a couple of people collecting wild asparagus and taking the air.

"Are the dogs friendly Madame?"

"Absolutely" said I.

"Where is it you are from?" said the elder of the two smiling old girls.

"Roujan - the old convent and school - and we've recently bought these vineyards from M. Gineste"

"Ah, Le Couvent, you've done an excellent job there - I know it well. And we're neighbours here, because this is my land" she said sweeping her hand across some wild garrigue. "Is it you who's doing the vegetable garden?"

Bear in mind there is a sign saying that the land's private and the vegetable garden is buried right in the centre of the vineyards, pretty well-hidden and has a chicken-wire fence all round.

"Your salad, broccoli and strawberries are coming on very well" "What else are you going to plant?" she said with more than a hint of lip-licking.

It's curious. Just a couple of weeks ago I thought the water in the butt had gone down and that the plants looked already-watered. It looks as though I have a co-gardener. I do hope she has green fingers.

Wow, today has been just beautiful. Ali, Alex and I spent the day pruning at Chateau Mal Au Dos. Ali & Alex were working in the Vineyard With A View and I pruned the espaliered pear trees. With the temperature running at 19 degrees it felt very summery - we peeled off until we were in our vests for the first time this year.

It was a little less peaceful than usual as Jean-Marc the shepherd, who'd brought his sheep to the crest above our vineyard, spent the afternoon yelling at his wayward collie, Bouffe.  Bouffe took a shine to our dogs Kit & Flynn and spent his afternoon rounding them up rather than look after his flock.

 The daffodils and almond blossom look fantastic against the current cloudless skies.

   

Have you booked your summer holiday yet? Why not come to Le Couvent, Roujan? You can contact us here .