Ardeche in July

Sampling the meadows

Almond trees

Chez nous

Orgnac-l'Aven whilst on a cycle ride

Mt. Ventoux from Agueze

Vienne War Memorial

Rhone at Vienne

St-Maurice Cathedral, Vienne

Ardeche Gorge

Returning to our regular haunt in the Ardeche after the splendours of the Alps was swapping the mountains for a limestone plateau, two of my favourite landscapes. The journey across from the Alps passed through Gap and then the lower Alps before the final leg over the River Rhone and onto the limestone plateau. We were met by Evelyne and shown to our suite of rooms. Our favourite bedroom with a balcony facing south, a large bathroom and a sitting room. We decided to eat in having spent the last five nights dining on 4-course meals with wine and liqueurs at the chambres d'hotes in the Parc des Ecrins.

The next day brought the mistral and heavy rain so we spent time in Barjac and then explored some of the villages in the Ceze valley to the south. The area was busier than usual with a high percentage of Belgian tourists escaping the shenanigans in Brussels. We had three Belgian couples staying at Le Garn and we obtained their take on the future of Europe. Needless to say, they were not very enamoured with the efforts of David Cameron in calling and then losing a referendum.

There were also American guests who thought that Europe had it easy compared to the USA who had to contemplate Donald Trump. On hearing that Scotland had flown Mexican flags on his Scottish golf courses during his recent visit, they wondered whether we would be prepared to accept a contract for his non-return, maybe he could sort out the UK immigration problems they opined.

I spent two days watching the Tour de France, we visited the Luberon to see Ian and Beatrix, one of my oldest friends in their new house where they had six grandchildren, all girls, staying with them and playing in the pool. On other days we visited other parts of the Ardeche and most days walked in the local area through the peach, apricot, fig, cherry and almond orchards and lavender fields. I went swimming every day in the perfect pool, running most days and I even managed a couple of bike rides on the owner's mountain bike. In short, we enjoyed the total peace and wonderful landscapes of our remote escape in rural France.

On the way back to Lyon we visited Tournon-sur-Rhone, where Aileen had spent a summer working in a hospital whilst a student. We stopped in Vienne, where several friends that I had met whilst walking in Corsica lived and we enjoyed a fine lunch and this splendid Roman town on the banks of the Rhone. The final short journey to Lyon and the flight home were relaxed. Holidays like this are always a dive into bliss.