Its always a joy to be in France and even better when the weather is perfect.
You always hope that June is going to be nice weather and of course it makes all the difference when it is.
So the chance for a holiday in my favourite part of France, makes it even more so. We caught the ferry at Newhaven and crossed the English channel over to France to Dieppe, then drove the length of France arriving in Cap d’Agde on the Mediterranean coast in glorious sunshine and clear blue sky, so time to open a bottle of wine to celebrate and dinner in the marina area looking at the hundreds of small boats moored there and the larger ones.
We had a very pleasant stay in that area for a few days and then went on to explore further along the coast the Herault river on a lovely clear day full of warm sunshine. We’d briefly explored that area last September but I wanted to see more of it.
We followed the river towards the sea where it widened in the area of Grau d’Agde, (Grau means ‘inlet’ in French) the houses on the far bank reached by river taxi, and lots of fish and shellfish restaurants overhanging the bank on pontoons, selling delicious looking food. The bank followed the river Herault on one side, and had a small sandy beach on the other, and the deep bluey green calm Mediterranean stretching off to the horizon. And two white lighthouses on each side of the bank. green for starboard, red for port, so the sailors could tell which side they were as they entered the river. There were loads of little boats up and down the river and people fishing from the bank. I walked along the beach promenade there and took loads of photos.
We headed away from the Mediterranean coast travelling up through France to Dieppe, on the English Channel, and I always fine Dieppe a delight to walk around and take more photos there.
The next day the sea was a bit choppy for the crossing from Dieppe to Newhaven, so I was glad of the time to sit and relax and now I’ve had a top up of relaxing French holiday, and of course, taken lots of photos for inspiration for creating new artwork now in the next few months. It always fascinates me that no matter how many times I see the same place how different it looks in different times of day and different light.
Happy artist!!!