Derek noticed that the local cycling club had cancelled their Sunday morning ride and ‘grillade’ (barbecue? grill? lunch?) because bad weather was predicted and they were right – storms overnight and a wet morning. So, no bike ride for Derek and Michael but brighter skies mid morning meant we managed a good seafront walk at Valras Plage and again, after lunch, along the wooded trail of the Via Domitia. We finished the weekend with Derek’s now famous bouillabaisse (fish stew) which combined with the sea air, the walking, the birthday champagne and the need to get up at 6.30 in the morning – an earlyish night beckoned.

On Monday morning we set off in the dark (power failure outside!) for Montpellier to get Gillian and Michael back to the train station. Mission accomplished, we headed into Odysseum for breakfast and The Apple Store to buy a new battery for Derek’s laptop.

What a nice birthday weekend!