Montpellier

It’s already 9.30 and I haven’t started to write up the day…I usually like to start when we arrive after walking…but today was different, as we walked the 17+ kms to Vauvert, then were taken by taxi on to Montpellier. This was planned by Chemins de France, not just for us because we are old and decrepit! ..but to eliminate the boring part of walking into a biggish city…and it suits us fine! And the almost 20 kms we walked were quite enough.

So we set off as usual a bit before 9, and had a just beautiful day of walking…much more picturesque and interesting than yesterday…lots of agricultural interest…we passed almond orchards, peach and apricot orchards, pig farms, sheep with spring lambs, and of course many many vineyards. At first it was flat, and we had a lovely walk along a canal, and after lunch we started to undulate, and even had quite a few ups and downs, and by the time we arrived at Vauvert we were happy to stop.

We had found out what the orchards were by using an app, which I had put on my phone for that very purpose so that I would not have to annoy Amr by making him do it…but with no phone he is very patiently doing it, and I love to find out…at this stage the fruit a are tiny and hard, and not coloured…we also found peas…such fun! It was cool at the start, but not as cold as yesterday, so I started without a fleece, just jacket and t-shirt, and it was good, and got quite hot by the end, but enough breeze to maintain comfort. And not a cloud in the sky! But Tallie, the lovely Vaseline rosy lips lip balm I love does not have sunscreen I have realised, and my bottom lip is quite burnt!! It is made for English lips! I realised it intensely while eating a peppery pasta at dinner!

Anyway, we were to meet Cyril, the taxi man, at 4pm in front of the church. We arrived about 2.30 or so and Amr rang Cyril and he came as soon as he could, before 4…and he drove a big black Mercedes, almost a limo, which could take at least 6 people in comfort, and were offered chilled mineral water…! Very comfortable journey along to Montpellier, which was about 40 kms.

We were delivered to our Hotel du Parc, a sweet little hotel, but not in the centre, so after briefly unwinding we set off to find what happens here. Not very far to walk to where it is all happening, and thank goodness Amr is good at keeping directions in his head! We first passed the enormous cathedral where we lit a candle for Ira, and hope that will help her walk after her knee operation. Then round a bit, had a drink in a sunny popular square (by this time it was getting cool, and I WANTED to sit in the sun!! )…then quite early, about 7.15 we went to an Italian place we’d spotted and had comfort food…I had gnocchi Gorgonzola with walnuts, Amr had spaghetti aioli pepperoncini and a big rocket salad and a glass of red.

Now clean and about to crash (I have to keep stopping Amr from crashing, so he can edit this )…tomorrow, we are advised to get the tram line 1 to the Euromedicine Parc stop, to get out of the city to walk to Montarnaud, about 20 kms…but there was a problem with the hotel there, and we are again being picked up by Cyril and brought back here (so we can leave stuff unpacked here…2 nights, then on Sunday morning he drives us back to Montarnaud where we continue as normal!!Read more