NEWS FROM VAUCLUSE

Dear all, Booked a flight from Nimes tomorrow, should be in Luton about 11:30 BST, K/S taxis will meet me and deliver me to No 31. I hope to collect my car from Cannings garage and then start to clear up at 31.
Yesterday was a lovely day as I started to walk up to Les Baux, the nearest Village. The sun was shining and Julian accompanied me, at my speed. The idea was to pop into the Pizzeria for a coke and the saunter back, but it was closed until 1st July (today). So Julian suggested that we go for a drive around the Cote de Rhone villages, to look for a new place to lunch, so he went back to get the car and we headed towards Le Barrou, and stopped at a new restaurant to see if they did lunch; Yes, the man said but as it was only 12.10 we continued on our drive around all the lovely old villages, finally turning in Suzette to go back to the restaurant for lunch. After a lovely meal each we continued our drive when Julian had the bright idea of getting home the short way - over the top of the Ventoux. We turned off at Malaucene and started up the ROAD TO THE TOP. The road was full of cyclists who had tested their ability to ride to the top, except that they were all free-wheeling DOWN. We had got to within a few hundred yards from the top when we were shocked by a couple of High speed Jet warplanes, wich thundered by just above us, Frightening the horse-power, and ME. We continued to the top and the temperature was dropping considerably from the 29 IN Malaucene to about 16 at the top. It was quite cool. There was quite a collection of cyclists and many cars and a BUS at the top. It was still very sunny, but the view down hill was misty,although I took a few photos.
We started downhill and got about a mile past the Chalet Renard when we noticed raindrops on the windscreen and so we had to put "The Lid" on. Down to St Colombe and were turning off the main road, when we heard the crash of thunder, directly above us,and it started to rain very hard. We just got back home in time as the thunderstorm really opened up and for the next two hours we were subjected to thunder and lightning AND lashings of rain. We watched the tennis. the lightening affected the TV, but not before we saw Andy Murray win his match. End of a lovely day. Love to all from Dad and Julian