Early Summer Scenes in the South of France

The table is set for lunch in an extraordinary “backyard” near St. Rémy.

The heat is on. In Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, today the temp is to soar to a whopping 93F, which is downright steamy! It boils down to this—now’s the time to slow down, wind down, and all together power down.

Keeping cool and conserving energy will be the name of the game as we head into the heart of holiday time in the Hexagon sud. In anticipation of the elevated temps and the crowds about to descend, Ralph and I got out and about a bit, here in town, and also down the coast toward the Spanish border. Here’s a soupçon of the latest happenings:

Sheep herder tending his flock during St.Rémy’s ultra popular Transhumance 2023
That’s a lotta sheep that lap the town twice!
A donkey pulls up the rear.
Marilyn’s famous dress on display
A busy stork nest at the Scamandre Nature Preserve, south of Nimes.
New, dynamic metal sculptures arrive at the Metifiot Winery in St. Rémy
The lavender lady shows off her colorful scented wares at the St. Rémy market (Weds.)
Daily special at the newly opened Têtes d’Ail
Delicious starter: tomato-mozza salade
Fanciful mural at Têtes d’Ail
Inviting shady terrace at Têtes d’Ail
Cool, contemporary interior with comfy chairs
Gruissan, near Narbonne, is renowned for its salt.
Salts flavored six ways from Sunday
Salt “mountain” in Gruissan
Gorgeously garlicky razor clams at Le Plan B, Gruissan
Yummy fish baked in a bag at the Petite Brasserie, Gruissan
Flamingos linger by salt pans, Gruissan
Gruissan plage
Calm over Gruissan
Lunch at lively Chez Bebelle in Narbonne’s indoor market is a treat.
Serenity reigns as the sun sets on Gruissan’s lagoon.

Wishing you all a very happy, healthy and safe beginning to summer. Stay cool!

Bises, Gayle

PS

Ralph and I were invited to record a podcast about retired life in St. Rémy by the spirited and so-fun NY couple Gilen Chan and Gene Preudhomme who run RetireThere.com. We covered a wide range of topics which happily included both my books, Passion for Provence: 22 Keys to La Belle Vie and The Birdwatcher’s Wife: A Quest across France for Birds and La Belle Vie. It went live yesterday! Listen to it here:

https://www.retirethere.com/e141-retire-in-saint-remy-de-provence-france/

2 thoughts on “Early Summer Scenes in the South of France”

Leave a comment