Eurosport coverage of the Tour de France, with the pictures, always elicits memories. The Tour passed near Saintes Maries de la Mer in the Camargue, which was our first long range trip after arriving in France. We stayed there in a cheap hotel, where we ate baked beans in our room because we couldn't afford to dine in the restaurant. Next morning we went down to breakfast, to be greeted with cheers by the local French blokes because we had beaten les Boches in the World Cup final.
I have no idea why we took that trip; it probably seemed quite adventurous at the time. Well, it was.
Then the Tour has been via the old, real Provence (in the Ancient Roman sense) to Montpellier. We passed through the town in about 1974 on our way to Spain, and next morning the old Peugeot's engine gave up. I drove slowly to Bιziers with the big-end clattering, and there we found a garage with the same model of car for sale. It had to be the same model for the roof-rack to fit. So I bought it, and we went for lunch while our camping gear wes transferred.
Then off we went to Playo de Aro in Spain. I found a pic from that trip
It must be Kate in the pushchair; it is certainly Helen on the horse.
On the way home we took a circuitous route via the limestone uplands, visiting the Cirque de Navacelles and the Grotte des Demoiselles (probably because they had Michelin "must visit" stars). And I remember a lovely hotel off the beaten track near Avignon on the way home. It makes me tired just to think about it. And there were four kids in the car, a Peugeot 404 Familiale with fold-down seats in the rear. But at least we didn't take the dog - that came later when we had the VW Minibus.
Back to the Tour. I am enjoying watching the Columbia team and their skill in getting Cavendish into position for his great sprint finishes.
Since you may like to know, my golf has been OK recently. Billy Wilson held his 70th birthday bash on Monday, and I came second. Not too bad again today either, so I will have to play in tomorrow's competition, if only to see how long it will last.
The thunderstorms this afternoon have cut off both Sky and broadband. I was (inevitably) reminded of life in semi-rural France forty years ago, when the first peal of thunder used to put the lights out. We had candles in the bathroom just in case.
I blame the Tour for dragging me back down Memory Lane. There will be more, I'm sure.
I hear more thunder so I'll save this before I get cut off.
