This poem is hard to understand for those who have never lived in the Midi, or southern part of France, but once the hot summer days have been experienced, it makes perfect sense.
They might not all be a pulsing whirl of excitement – some are only small gatherings scantily attended – but it’s a great way to support the local producers.
P-O Quiz – test your French. How much do you know you know about knowing? What about those unknown knowns? Are you a know-it-all or a know-nothing? Try your luck and find out!
If you want to discover wild landscapes, full of delights, with a rich and diverse flora and fauna, look no further than the Nyer Reserve.
Too many cherries? Cherry Brandy anyone?
Out for the Day… in Eyne, the Valley of Flowers. Need a tonic? How about fresh mountain air, kaleidoscopes of wild flowers, serene mouflon and shy izzards grazing, bubbling water features, bumblebees, butterflies and beetles, maybe even a little late snow?
Along the coast between Canet en Roussillon and Saint Cyprien, you will find the best walking, and picturesque fishermen’s “village” with ancient huts that have been refurbished with traditional materials, including reeds that are abundant here.
As the weather warms up, honey bees stir and the colony starts to grow. Find out a bit more about these amazing creatures which are so important for the planet and what to do if you see a swarm approaching.
It’s all go! Migrant birds are returning from their winter homes and mammals are getting frisky; reptiles are emerging and bugs are flying. There are territories to be claimed and defended, mates to attract, nests to build, setts to clean, burrows to renovate, young to feed. And the backdrop to this frenetic activity is a landscape transformed into countless shades of green.
Lesley McLaren takes a quizzical look back over past articles – with a few extra questions thrown in for good measure!
