moules frites - Saturday lunch in Arles

It doesn't get any better than this.

Moules Frites and glass of chilled rose' followed by a wander around the centre of what once was Roman Gaul.

The bistro is situated in the area that was the ancient Roman Forum. Okay - so Caesar hung out there with a jug of pink too!

Baby it's warm inside

My favourite cafe has it all worked out. Positioned perfectly to capture the gentle Spring rays of sunshine whist relaxing with a 'noisette' (small coffee) on a typical French bistro chair. When it is just not quite enough to stay out then inside to the comfy leather club chairs where the fire is quietly keeping the room warm and the sun beats on the glass doors. On Friday's when it's market day this prime spot is often the best place to watch the colour and movement of it all and perhaps take home a small olive tree or some freshly shucked oysters!

Blossom time

Wow - totally pretty. Pics below from my walk into my village today via the 'old village'.
12th Century. Can't think of a better afternoon.

Our Olive Grove!

Today is the day! Finally, after a year of negotiating, documentations, designs and approvals we have started work on our land. Existing on our little piece of paradise was a disorderly but 'ancien' bunch of olive trees (oliviers) and 2 'parasol pins' (pines).


As the trees have struggled to stay alive over years, with no bore water or clipping, they must be as excited as we are to sort them into proper lines, 6 metres apart from each other , and to install the watering system (arrosage).


This will be a third lease on life for these trees - they had a good start in the earlier part of the last century only to 'die' (literally chopped off at the roots - ground level) after a severe winter, apparently the coldest yet ( - 27C) in 1956.


Determined, the trees grew new shoots around the old sawn off stump - hence they look a bit strange with 3 or 4 smaller trunks in stead of one. There are many olive groves in our area that were affected that year and discussion about our trees never fails to include much gesturing, puffing and eye-rolling about 1956.

Almond Blossom is out in force and so so beautiful

Spending my days leaping out of the car or from off my bike to capture arguably the prettiest sight of the year. Heralding the coming of Spring after one of the coldest winters on record the almond blossom has randomly burst out of fields, olive groves and along roadsides. Truly breathtaking. Here is my friend Jon's house on a cool and windy but sunny day with the first blossom looking gorgeous.