Acquaintances in Quillan kindly invited us to a communal repas at their allotment last night, along with the other (French and English-speaking) jardiniers, their families and friends, in honour of Bastille Day and to celebrate nature’s abundance.

It was a really pleasant evening and a lovely spot right on the banks of the river Aude, framed by trees and the beautifully tended gardens. Nicholas slept while the rest of us ate, drank, chatted and played boules. The boys hung out with a classmate of Ollie’s. Vive la France!