Zip up your leather jacket, roll down the car windows, turn up the volume and rock ‘n roll your way to Collioure’s Musée d’Art Moderne for a joyous take on the music of the 80s. In “La filosofia del plat combinat” (The philosophy of the combination plate) musician and artist Pascal Comelade creates an exhibition full of fun, nostalgia and provocation.

The loss of our beautiful fat cockerel and 24 hens had been a blow, but despite what you might think, not everything in our new life was a complete disaster. The wildlife pond had turned out to be one of hubby’s more successful projects. Although a good number of aquatic plants had died, the fish population had flourished and this part of the garden had become a haven for wildlife — insects, frogs, toads and snakes had all taken up residence. But it wasn’t all plain sailing. Mr Guppy, the plump fish with the beautiful tail, was the first to disappear. And then, one spring, a heron discovered the pond and cleared it of fish overnight.

To find the best quality saffron you do not need to travel far. In the hills above Calmeilles, at the feet of Canigou, Laurent Dieval and his wife Hilde have been growing this intriguing flower since 2011.