Why is Montpellier so hot?
We were on the road early this morning to drive 4+ hours to Montpellier. We had our first mini disaster, we spotted a automated Super U petrol station where diesel was only 1.81 Euros per litre, whereas most places have been at least 1.98 +. Taking advantage of the price Charlie filled up, as it was an auto system, no attendants on site, you entered your card first, filled up and then the card was charged. It seemed to go smoothly but the machine didn’t provide a receipt and didn’t want to close the transaction, we tried pressing several buttons but the instructions were not that clear. The man behind us said his friend spoke English, which he did as he was married to a girl from Sheffield. I explained that we weren’t sure our card had been charged as it hadn’t come up on my notifications or whether the transaction had completed. He said perhaps Charlie had pressed no receipt by accident but he said the transaction seemed to be complete. Stupidly we drove away and I logged into the bank some 10 minutes just as notifications popped in. We had paid for his diesel as well as the transaction hadn’t completed! Our bill came up and then his…😡😡😡😡😡😡. So trying to save nearly 20 cents a litre didn’t work out as we had anticipated and to rub salt into the wound, we noticed as we left the petrol station that the price dropped on the big sign to 1.80. 🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️. Lesson learnt – be really careful at auto petrol stations!
There will be an email to SuperU explaining our problem, might get the money back, worth a go!
Our stay tonight will be at Chateau de Fourques, A 50 hectare vineyard that produces over 300,000 bottles of wine per year and has been the same family since 1919 and since 1985 has been run by the woman of the family. They produce an extensive range of wine, grape juice and confiture.
Our pitch is in the middle of the vineyard, surrounded by vines and olive trees. The temperature was steadily rising to around 30 degrees so we had an early lunch of cold chicken, tomatoes, radish and bread. Then visited the shop where we bought some rosé and watched the mobile bottling machine, bottling and labelling the neighbouring Chateau’s wine.
Montpellier is a beautiful old city and has one of the oldest Universities in the world and is full of quirky and very chic shops. It was so hot that I wanted to wear something cool and floaty with my new straw hat but as we were cycling from the vineyard to Montpellier about 10 km away, this wasn’t practical. A pair of cigarette trousers and a white cotton shirt with my new hat seemed more practical but still with a touch of French elegance… well the hat wasn’t going to work, as a quick test cycle proved that the slightest breeze the hat flew off, so back to my old hat. Which, by the way, is looking more like one of Paddington’s cast-offs, a lot of stains but with no emergency sandwich.
The cycle was a little hairy as we entered the outskirts, trams are always tricky, none more so when they seem to be coming at you from all directions. Charlie shouting, there’s loads of room, just nip through, doesn’t inspire me with confidence. There was a lot of ‘Are you trying to kill me?’ muttering from me!
Last time I was in Montpellier was in the June 2019 during a European heatwave, when Montpellier and the surrounding area recorded the hottest day in their records – 45 degrees. Today it is only 30 but still hot for sightseeing.
It was hot that we treated ourselves to our first holiday sorbet and ice cream. On the right Lime & Ginger Sorbet with a Fromage Blanc & Apricot ice cream (which was sublime) and on the left, Lime and Ginger sorbet with a strawberry ice cream, cold chocolate and a ginger beer. Just what was needed for the cycle back to shade and somewhere to hang my somewhat sticky white shirt to dry!
RoundandAbout 