Day 314 - Cipieres, France - 16th June, 2005

The south of France, after all the places we have been to, still rates as one of my favourite places in the world. The scenery here in the mountains is spectacular. Today we took the motorbikes out (Mum has 4 for some reason) and went across the valley to the deserted village of Greoliers. The sun was shining and we could see for miles down the valley. We watched para-gliders jumping off the mountains behind us and gliding gracefully down to the village meadows. We took a picnic and sat beside a church built in the 10th century. We clambered over the remains of forts, gun turrets and an old village.

I have been coming here since I was 16. Mum has had a house in the village of Cipieres for 32 years. Dad was buried in the village cemetery 10 years ago. Apparently the story goes that Mum and I set off to travel trough France in a Citroen 2CV, just after her mother died, during a summer school holiday. As we travelled further south I was reported as urging her on so that we may be able to sample the fabulous beaches and discover if it was really true what they said about them (and the girls that were supposed to be on view!). I can't remember the truth of it anymore but it certainly doesn't sound like something I would be interested in seeing at the age of 16 - surely.

Within hours of arriving here back in 1973 we went into an estate agent and visited a couple of ramshakle buildings in some old villages about an hour from the coast. Mum and I were so excited about the prospect of buying a place we persuaded Dad to fly out the next weekend to have a look as well. We settled on a really nice place in the little village here of Cipieres. We were about to embark on a renovation of our bathroom back home in Kent but Dad gave us the alternative. We could have the bathroom or the house in France. He parted with the £4,000 and we took the house in France. Since then we have never looked back. Mum and Dad moved to a larger house about 10 years later and retired here are few years later.

We are able to ski in the mountains about 35 minutes from here and we can get to the coast in about 50 minutes. I must have visited this place 30 or 40 times since, sometimes coming down 2 or 3 times a year. I can remember driving down with friends for bank holiday weekends on several occasions. The last time Mum drove back to England her trip cost her £600 for the round journey (including an overnight stop). Easyjet has certainly changed the way people travel around here. It is now so much cheaper (and hugely more efficient) to catch a plane to Nice and rent a car.

The village is 600 years old at least and the house we have is probably at least 300 or 400 years old. It has been modified and renovated many times since but it retains a very rustic french charm.

Due to the Napoleonic laws regarding property that ensure all inherited property was divided up and given to all children equally, many villages and properties have been divided and sub-divided. Consequently in our "block" there are 3 households adjoining and underneath us. We all kind of live on top of each other but it seems to work.

The weather here in Cipieres generally is about 5 or 6 degrees cooler than the coast which can be quite oppressive in the summer months. At the moment we are in the mid to high 20s but have recently had a couple of cool rainy days.

The boys really like it here. The village is at the end of the road so there is no traffic passing through. They can roam and explore at their leisure. There is a tennis court here and they go and play just about everyday. We have also set up badminton in our street and they can play football in several courtyarded areas.

Unfortunately my camera has now completely broken and I am unable to send any pictures. I will try to find some on the web.