Brekekekèx-koàx-koáx! Brekekekèx-koàx-koáx! Richard Morse, our polyglot puzzler and gamer supreme, replies to the frogs’ chorus with this Aritsophenean refrain each night as we sit down to supper in our magical villa overlooking the sea at La Londe-les-Maures.
We are in Provence for a long weekend with friends old and new, escaping the election and the terrorism, although it’s never far from our thoughts. We try to avoid serious political discussions as our fellow travellers include 3 Brexiteers, and the majority are Conservative voters: Ross and I, plus our lovely cook Sam and his wife Carrie, are the sole lefties of the party. However, we are all civilised people so the banter is good-humoured…and I hope we make some good points!
The rosé is in free-flow, the food is superb, and lazy days round the pool are augmented with trips to the nearby caves at Léoube and Malherbe
strolls through the vineyards and on the beach
power-walking in the sea and market day in La Londe for local delicacies.
Composing silly limericks is a daily diversion – some are too rude to publicise…
On the last evening we have the traditional quiz night and enjoying battling our collective wits against Richard’s ingenious mind.
We are invited to apéro with one of our host’s glamorous neighbours, four-times married Suzanna and her charming French publisher husband, whose recently restored villa is sumptuous on all counts – Asiatic murals (wallpaper in fact); luxurious infinity pool and spectacular views across the vineyards. The guests rooms are all individually decorated and she even has a walk-in fridge. But we rather prefer the laid-back comfort of our lodgings, the Villa du Soleil.
The only slight hitch is when Ross is bumped off his easyjet flight for Basel and has to hot-foot in to Geneva to come down – but he arrives in time for a very late supper only 8 hours late.
Five days of heaven soon end and here I am back in gale force winds and driving rain – a bumpy landing and soaked through at Luton.
Thank you George for being such a generous host.
vickygoestravelling 