going forward by coming back spring 22

ALWAYS SOMEWHAT OF A SURPRISE  to Madame Melling and self, when we set off back to our native land in spring, the way the clock winds back through the season right to the beginning of it, if not back into the end of winter…… and then gallops forward again as we get ourselves out of the mountain areas and on towards the western coastal regions. We go from fully leafed up trees through hardly showing and back to full out finery. In a day or two. 

This time we were springing back to Bullsmead Barracks for the first time in spring since 2019, so we sensed the reversals and progressions of the season a bit more intensely. 

I suppose I'd better include our proposed route back for my Michelin Atlas of France cognoscenti (it is conveniently placed at the end of this description) but let me tell you right away, we went quite wildly off piste, even from the very start: we didn't try to go through Orange as the road was up (local knowledge); nor did we pass though Rocqemaure either – no – that would have been too easy. Madame M had us on tiny roads right away so we didn't touch the official route until almost Uzés. But that, dear reader, is how we come across odd little places, you see, like St-Victor-La-Coste.

We had our breakfast coffee at St Victor, and even though not a croissant was to be had by either resident or passer by alike, the boulangerie being closed for yet another public holiday, no doubt, we liked what we drank, liked the chirpy spirit of the place. Mme Melling pointed out to the proprietor, rather tactlessly I thought, the apparently non awarded 2022 Routard plaque; but he was supremely confident that this year's accolade would be arriving in a month or two, his coffee at least confirming that he knew his way round a grand café … 

… the footnote that graces this narrative supports that confidence…

We admired St Victor's regard for science, discovery and learning in the persons of Isaac Newton and Galileo, inevitably under the patronage of Napoleon trois and Marianne, commemorated upon the fine white obelisk in front of the Hotel de Ville, and watched over by the glowering presence of the medieval fortified château (see above) on the hill behind (which we were assured in both Fr and Eng, has excellent views … but no time to confirm that assertion this time so, mark it down Mrs Melling, mark it down (file under places of interest). They may have gone off science a bit since this was stuck up, mind, in Saint Victor: it was erected to commemorate the centenary of the Fr Rev 1889.

After St-Victor-La-Coste we settled down to our passage through to Sarlat-la-Canéda rounding the circuit of Uzés (shudders as fingerposts to St Maximin were espied [it's a long story] and of course, through Règlisse) before clambering back up to the Corniche des Cèvennes, so enjoyed on our passage south in March. Now with flowers and almost all snow melted away. Even better if that were possible.  I took no pictures however as we were sandwich seeking… 

We did secure sandwiches, as is now our norm, this time down from the corniche and back in Florac (- which we had the audacity to drive right through the middle of)  from whence we bore them forth, enjoyed them up a farm track not far east of Rodez where we were royally entertained by a trio, or quartet even, of nightingales singing fortissimo. Lovely. I thought of recording them but, well… my sandwich was a more pressing matter. Nice! Chicken with salad mayonnaise if memory serves. In a baguette. Oh my.

And so it was that we came to our hotel after some 288 miles of reasonable motoring, under sunlit skies of blue,  for our third visit to the honey pot previously mentioned, namely Sarlat. It was rather warmer than we bargained for and our hotel was entirely sans internet, TV and other services due to a national failure (they said) of Communications Orange. 

It was true! We had to pay cash for our pizzas and we only just managed to scrape together enough dimes to do it from the resources carried upon our persons that is. Our war chests were back at the Ibis, you understand. Services of the electronic kind were restored unto us by kicking out time the next morning (we'd paid in advance so there wasn't an issue there at least). Hotel very satisfactory apart from not being able to check on all that needed checking up on. Oh, and a badly fitted curtain: couldn't shut out the bally car park light entirely. No pictures of Sarlat this time, sorry -– I was somewhat preoccupied and did it last time (the snap below was one I took last October, it hasn't changed much) when we  turned up Sarletside to overnight. Remember those greenhouses? 

Here endeth day one of going forward. 

It's the detail that brings it all to life, you have to admit.

footnote: On Friday 24 June, we were able to confirm the assertion that the restaurant attached to the café in St Victor, called l’industrie for some reason not entirely clear, had indeed secured the distinction of featuring in the 2022 Routard guide for a twenty-sixth year, no less. We ate there and yes, it was very good value, good quality, and service most satisfactory. We had the menu du jour, of course, it being just a hop and a skip to Sablet on the final leg of our summer return. 

Generally we have found Routard recognition broadly coincides with what we are looking for in a lunch. Usually. I am sure there will have been exceptions to this generalisation…