I’ve got no idea of the relative accuracy of Meteo France versus the British Met Office, but I can say that today Meteo France got it spot on. Clear blue skies, 20ºC and virtually no wind.

In such conditions while Skye endlessly searched for shade, Sarah and I lounged in the Provencal sun as if exorcising the last of the British winter from our bones.

We quickly settle into campsite life. I fire up a spreadsheet to start planning the rest of the trip. Sarah, on the other hand, is disappointed to find Camping Cezanne has no washing machines, so that little task will have to wait until the next campsite.

Sarah got out the clippers and sheared me, so I am now more suitably coiffured for summer. I would emphasise however that the shorts have not yet come out. I am in lightweight trousers, but I will gain more confidence in the weather’s consistency before getting attiring myself in my summer breeches and declaring the beginning of summer.

In the afternoon we took a walk into Puyloubier. It’s a tiny place, totally dominated by Mont St. Victoire looming over it. It’s not even a particularly pretty village, but it has a lavoir* from 1879 which gets it a few marks.

Monday afternoon on the village square was some kind of parody of French life. All the retired men of the village either playing boule or watching their compatriots. In this village the weather probably means they can play pentanque 300 plus days a year!

We read that until the 1950s this area had been predominantly an olive oil producing region, but it is now all vines. There is a wine co-operative in the village and I was keen to try their produce. However on the door there was a hand written note saying “they were in the office” and giving a number to call. I called but got a recorded message so I gave up. I might try again tomorrow.