en route to Provence

Roundabouts

lavender

Vinsobres. Val's village

le mont Ventoux

John's mother, Val

Shopping for the wedding

Stop 1 was Epernay. The town symbol says it all (it's a champagne cork, I think)

Not having the camera saves me a lot of work, but sometimes there's a price to pay.

First stop in Verzelay, in Champagne. We all tasted the range of wines at Michel Arnould & Fils and were so taken by their Traditional Brut that Claire and John bought the total wedding supply there.

The grandmother of the family threw in a bottle of their Premier Cru vintage, which Cathy is here seen trying to carry away.

And so on to Bouzy, having passed the town of Dizy on the way. The Champenois certainly seem to live out their product.

The patented Bouzy wine delivery method.

John and Adam, discussing the results of another in-depth investigation into the local product.

Val and Cathy doing likewise.

And here is Bouzy in all its glory. Actually, the sleepy Saturday afternoon was about to be shattered by a huge thunderstorm

Bye, bye, Bouzy

Out of England

The smile is really a grimace - it's 4.45 a.m. and we've a 2 hour drive to Folkstone for Le Shuttle

Off down the M25 towards the Channel

..... and toasties and coffee while we waited to board.

Claire pensive. John expansive.

It's really strange to come across the French border, complete with customs officials and gendarmes, on Enlish soil. We had our passports out to get them stamped, but the Immigration man yawned and waved us through. God these Frenchmen are slack!

The following photos show the boarding sequence for Le Shuttle. You might think them boring, or not, depending on how easily you are amused. When viewed from inside a car that's about to spend the next 40 minutes under the English Channel, they take on a fascination bordering on terror.

I know you understand, Anne.

To parqaphrase Janet, 'further down the gangplank'.

And at last, la belle France. Actually, the 'belle' bit was mixed with a thunderstorm and heavy showers. Still .......