One day last week – and we’ve no idea which day! – we went birthday-present shopping in the little red car – 

C’est moi! Oui, on est allé – sorry – we went to Rivesaltes near Perpignan –

It’s where the airport is, in fact. 

Don’t interrupt!

You do! 

Mmm … quelquefois, peut-être. We went to this big bicycle shop which HE’d found out about on the internet, where they sell electrically assisted bikes. (The one THEY bought for Carol at the motorhome exhibition in Manchester turned out to be rubbish and the company has gone out of business, so no money back.) After a while they chose one and reserved it, but I couldn’t bring it back to Puivert so that had to wait. Then we went down to Le Barcarès and I had a good view of the sea while THEY went and swam in it and lay on the sand. 

Funny swimming – it was salty, and there were even little waves! Don’t get those at Puivert! 

Then after a little drive we parked again and THEY had a meal at a very nice – 

But busy! 

– little restaurant or ‘Crêperie’ beside the harbour. It was so late by the time THEY finished that there was no way I could get back ‘home’ before 10 o’clock when they shut the big gate at the campsite. THEY may call me ‘little’ but I can’t get through the pedestrian gate, so I had to stay outside for the night. It was OK; no-one bothered me and HE came for me quite early in the morning. 

Sorry, no photos of that day – I think we left cameras behind! Plenty to come, though. 

Monday, 13^th August. (CLT 70). The chosen treat for the day was to ride the Red Train, doing the part of the line to include viaducts and tunnels.

The first part of the ride took us through the forest from Axat to the first level crossing on the road we’ve driven so often down the valley of the Boulzane to St. Paul de Fenouillet.

We’ve picnicked in that lay-by.

Then we followed that road, cris-crossing it by bridges and crossings as far as St. Paul. The train made photo-stops on the viaducts and one in particular gave us a splendid view of the ‘Cathar’ castle of Puylaurens. 

The ride was commented, effectively and well amplified, so we learnt, among other things, that ‘Fenouilledes’ means ‘Hay Country’ and although the area is now mainly devoted to to producing the ‘Agly’ wines, there are still hayfields among the vineyards.

Back at Axat, we drove on up the valley of  the Aude through the Gorge de St. Georges, which we hadn’t done before. 

Then back to Quillan where we were going to have dinner at Café de la Fleuve, but there was a deafening pop group playing in the square and the restaurant was very busy, so we went round to the ‘Galerie’ instead. This is where we had the first evening meal with the ‘Place in the Sun’ team. 

However, we braved the noise to go and have coffee at Mike’s after the meal. Again, Little Car had to stay outside the gate overnight, but she didn’t mind, in the interest of Carol having a happy birthday – did you? 

Non. 

Thought so. 

My turn! I hadn’t moved for a month, but on Tuesday I got to go out! All the way down to Perpignan, mostly on familiar roads and following the railway line. We parked outside a motorhome dealer’s which was closed for lunch, so THEY had lunch while waiting. When the place re-opened, it was a bit disappointing because we were hoping to get an estimate for the repair to my rear light cluster, but they didn’t do bodywork. Perhaps we’ll go back to that nice M. Antoine in Poitiers. Still, THEY got me a new shower head to replace the one that got damaged by ice two years ago! (We’ve had a couple of not-quite-right replacements in the meantime.)

Then we went to the bike shop in Rivesaltes and after a bit of a wait Carol’s new bike was placed on my bike rack and we set off back. 

Next morning THEY went into the village together by bike to get the bread.