A ramble through my Provence neighbourhood

After my talk of strikes yesterday, turns out my daughter's maternelle school is closed for the day. Yep, on strike!

A photo-heavy post today as I record something we love to do in our little neighbourhood - just walk around. I got up early the other weekend and headed off alone with my camera, it was a great morning.

This is the first view I come to, about 200m up the road. I love it.

After a 500m stroll through a pine forest, I pop out at our local vineyard, which I have shown you before. 

You can just see the colours starting to turn.

A few of the rows had obviously been machine harvested.

But some of the rows had dried out fruit, what I would have thought was ruined.

And still others had this. So I'm not sure what the owners are up to.

From the vineyard I head down this track and then up the road to the old part of the village.

Along the way I find festive hedges:

Lovely cottages:

An abandoned building:

I love the little peek of autumn coming in through the roof:

The old church stands on top of the hill:

I think these ruins are from an older part of the church:

Can you see all the bulbs down there? I thought it was too early for these, I'm obviously wrong. 

I head down the hill, past my son's primary school:

I arrive in town, delighted to realise the market is on. The market is on every Saturday, I don't know why I forgot. 

Overjoyed at being so clever, I decide I deserve a coffee and pain au chocolat while I buy bread for lunch.  

I love my local bakery, it has a chandelier (of course)!

Fully caffeinated, I tour the market and buy some fresh ham for lunch (cut from the bone as I wait) and a fresh goat's cheese (chèvre), recommended by the man tending the stall.  

Then it's back over the hill again, heading for home. This is the view on the way home:

This field is just before our road:

I take a quick tour around our yard, seeing how autumn is treating it. A bit of colour here:

Some olives fruiting there:

We have a huge vine growing up the side of our house, so I lay on my back in the grass and get a shot. 

Then I roll right and see the kids' playhouse in the back yard - it always looks so cosy.

Then I roll left and see this fab view of our front yard. Everything looks so fresh and bright, I can't believe it's all about to die and drop off. *sniff*

Last of all, I head inside to show off my spoils to the family. A torsade (twisted pastry with custard and chocolate inside) and a brioche glacé for second-breakfast. Baguette and chèvre pays for lunch (with the ham). 

Okay, so I just check the chèvre is all right. 

Yes, okay, and I may have tried the ham too. It was scrumptious. 

This is why Victoria's Secret aren't calling me back (stuff them, I'd rather eat cheese).