We were both exhausted and grumpy when we arrived at the Hotel les Glycines. It was at the centre of a mid-sized town which was busy, crowded and hot. But to our relief, our room had a ceiling fan!
We met up with Allan’s friends Gillian and Chris, and Chris’ sister and brother-in-law, Sally and Paul at their French villa, La Bergerie. It was a very welcome evening to chill out, drink French wine over a delicious dinner and share stories. Gillian was a friend of Allan’s from high school. She worked as a nurse in the racing circuit where she met Chris, her husband who was a filmmaker in Formula One.
The next morning, we had the chance to experience the marketplace. Vendors set up kiosks selling anything from cheap sunglasses to shoes, cheese and clothing. These markets were the staple of commerce for centuries. It was easily 5 times larger than any I had been to in North America. The street musicians gave the place a French ambience and the beer on the patio was an antidote for the heat. Au revoir France. On to Spain!