Autumn, friends and trips

Floor in Pamplona Cathedral

It has been a good month with 20+ degree weather, with visits from friends from the UK and trips out to Albi, Lautrec, Castres and Carcassonne, a visit to Pamplona with mates who live locally, French and English.  Then a visit to see friends and family with the kids to the U.K.  We will stay at Grandad's in Fleet.  I also have a 60th birthday party in December to attend in London with the guys whom I setup the LAN2LAN business with 27 years ago!

What a great month.

Albi

View from the garden of the Palais de la Berbie

Bacchus

Albi cathedral

During the day we strolled around Albi and visited the cathedral, Palais de le Berbie gardens that surround the museum and walked across the old bridge to see the weir. 



Lunch was good and we enjoyed the sunshine.

Lautrec

Lautrec medieval gate 

Le Jarden du Clocher

As the medieval town is closest to La Bastide, we walked the town, went for a great pizza at the Terraces restaurant, had fantastic food at La Assiette de la Ferme.  Sat and enjoyed lunch outdoors at Le Jardin du Clocher and tried the new L'ox-alis one evening.  Great food and wine - each different and unique.  Dining with friends a real treat.

Great food at Le Jardin

Lautrec windmill

Starter - Yum

Réalmont

Coffee in the sun at the Swing bar, garlic for presents, seven euros a kilo in a braided bunch and busy stalls selling everything for a weekly food shop.

Castres

A visit to the market, with old friends from the Réalmont market, Francis the cheese monger, best cheese in the Tarn.  Francis is very knowledgeable, has great cheese and a loyal following, always busy.  Lunch outdoors by the river, then a stroll back to the car.

Carcassonne 

Fabulous Carcassonne

I never visit during the holiday season as it gets incredibly busy, but in October Carcassonne was pretty deserted.  The highlight was the Ramparts tour which was very informative and well done.  We noticed a restaurant at the end called Le Bar a Vins. We sat in a sunny courtyard, ate excellent food, drank excellent wine and were served by friendly staff.  The drive over the black mountains was fantastic, little traffic and great views, all the better being driven in a friend's Porsche Panamera.

Inside the cathedral

Outside the cathedral

Double ramparts

View from ramparts

View from ramparts

Pamplona weekend

We set off on Friday 10am and ate lunch at a Lebanese restaurant in Tarbes, hit badly by coronavirus, we were the only lunchtime diners.  The Lebanese beer great, fabulous meze and the owner's grandmother's recipe of rose jam in baklava was the star of the great food served.  All cooked freshly and served with a smile and a description of each dish.  We checked into our hotel, a three star in the centre, that had friendly staff,  great coffee, a bar and fabulous tapas.  The Hotel Yoldi is a perfect base to explore and was clean and comfortable.  The best way to enjoy Pamplona (the capital of Navarre) is on foot.  We walked between bars, meals and places to visit and see.  One of the highlights: the cathedral with its museum, which on the day we visited, had a fabulous market on so for 2.5 euros entry we saw the cathedral, museum, enjoyed buying gifts in the market and ended up in a courtyard bar with a DJ and obligatory beer in the sun.  We had great weather, sunny 22+ degrees, ate fabulous food and drank superb Rioja.  Standouts for me were ice cream at Amorino, Tapas and Rioja at Monasterio, art by Miren Asaian Lora and vintage furniture and accessories by Legulon. 

U.K. Visit

Will be in the November blog, as started at the end October but will finish 6th November.

La Bastide

More walks with Lilou my dog to Bald hill or a circuit across hills through woods and farmland but only an hour and a half.  This month sees Neil and I trimming the very overgrown hedge between the Grange,  Farmhouse and swimming pool.  It is done every few years and even though seems quiet severe the new growth is quick to make it impenetrable again.  We have swam on warm days, with the pool around 20 degrees.  Soon it will be time to prepare for the winter.  All the parasols, pool furniture, chairs, cushions, BBQs and plants are brought indoors out of the winter weather.

Wildlife

The migration is well under way with Red kites flying south. The Great white egret has arrived and over the past few weeks we have watched a female Sparrowhawk teach her offspring to hunt.  Deer are seen in the fields and hundreds of cattle egret follow the tractors and combines harvesting crops or  choose a cow to follow.  Plenty of insects to catch.  The highlight was a black winged kite that has been in the area for a few weeks, hunting in the fields around La Bastide.