France: tying the loose ends...

Hello readers from Frontignan.  Yes, we're still here - just about.  Since we returned from rural France last weekend we've been planning our departure from France and arrival in Spain.  Things like arranging for the boat to be pulled out of the water for her hard standing mooring where she'll be for six months, packing the rucksacks for Spain and organising travel and accommodation in Spain.  Thankfully we have a steady internet connection via the brilliant Orange Domino - a fabulous piece of kit - thanks Claire for putting us onto that. xx 

The weather here is changing: its still sunny and warm during the day but we've had our heaters on morning & night as its much cooler then - so much so that Skipper has taken to dressing for bed!  It really feels like time to head south for some late summer sun.  We've worn shorts since June and we're not planning to quit just yet!  That said, we still get a swim in most days - here's our favourite cove:

One of many coves on Frontignan beach

Rather boringly, we've had yet another tremontane this week - NW5 & 6 winds - they become more frequent in the latter end of the year so we've only managed one sail and another sign that summer is coming to an end.  It looks, too, as though another mistral will be making an appearance this weekend which means we'll probably not get to sail up the coast as planned but that's OK - we'll go by other modes of transport.  We plan a couple of day trips next week - Marseillan-Plage and possibly Le Grau Roi.


So we'll soon be out of the water and onto terra firma which in some ways will be nice and others not.  We've got used to our floating home and we'll miss the independence and comforts that go with her.  Equally, though, a change is as good as a rest.  We're planning to travel by train from Montpellier into Spain - we do love a picturesque train journey, i.e. ones that aren't a standard London commute!  If we're too late it'll be by bus or hire car - flights are exorbitant!

Our outline itinerary for Spain so far is to base ourselves in Pamplona (sadly the bull run has long gone) for a month so we can get to the Rioja Festival in Logrono which is a week-long extravaganza.  This is about the last full-on festival in the very active Spanish fiesta calendar so 'toca madera' (touch wood) all falls into place for that.  After that we'll tour around the Basque country before heading south to Madrid and then further south via Valencia and Malaga.  There we'll catch up with Ken & Katie of "Stardust" fame as they've rented an apartment in southern Spain for 6 months.

I'm already thinking of Christmas flights home so better get my finger out.  However, we'll be back in Spain for the unmissable doce uvas (the 12 grapes) - an Andalucian tradition where you have to swallow a whole grape on every strike of midnight - with champers - otherwise the coming year will be unlucky.  It started after an exceptional grape harvest many moons ago and, not surprisingly, has been continued by the fiesta-mad Spanidards! 

So, that's pretty much been our week so far... xx