Last night's thunder and rain came as predicted but only 2mm of rain, barely enough to dampen the surface. This morning dawns cool and cloudy and is a pleasant relief from the weeks of heat. We get a text to say Natalie, our niece, has given birth to a 9lb 9oz boy in the early hours and both are well.

Claudie tells us she has a busy day ahead as there is an evening market in town so she has to load the van and prepare her stall. We ask if there is a wifi point in the village. She doesn't know, but phones the Marie first and then an English friend called Mike, who runs a canal boat rental outlet. Mike has wifi we can use so we set off following Claudie's animated directions.

We walk about 1 km along a road between newly cut hayfields scattered with golden rolls, and sunflowers. In one place there is a meadow of colourful wild flowers and in the distance we can see avenues of trees marking the canal. Soon we are on the towpath in the cool shade of the trees, the dry weather evident by the number of leaves falling and floating on the mirror-like green water. We reach a road crossing and are surprised to recognise it as a place we stopped for photos when we followed the canal in May last year.

Eventually we reach Mike's boatyard, introduce ourselves and get set up. We buy a 50cl carafe of wine and spend the next hour or so catching up with e-mails, blog etc. Mike tells us more about the summer evening markets, so we decide to hang around for a few hours to see for ourselves.

Meilhan itself is a quiet little village but there is a good butcher shop where we buy a large sausage roll and tub of beef salad for a late lunch, which we eat in one of the town's little squares then wander round to Place des Armes where the market is setting up. There are long rows of trestle tables and about twenty stalls selling a variety of food and drink. All the traders know one another and exchange handshakes or kisses on meeting. Claudie arrives in her van, the grungiest here by far, and starts to unpack the boxes, table, umbrella, freezer and bottles of pear-flavoured, eau de vie fire-water.

The band tunes up, the air is filled with cooking aromas and people start to arrive and fill the trestle tables.

By 19:30 the party is in full swing as plates of food are carried back from the stalls and consumed while the band plays light jazz and pop.

We try the lamb sausages with potatoes fried in olive oil, washed down with some local beer. Then we go for some of Claudie's pear sorbet drizzled with her eau de vie. At first she won't accept payment saying 'You are my guests' but we insist. A compromised is reached when we get two for the price of the one we asked for. It really is flavoursome but even a small amount has it's effect.

We retrace our route along the canal path, disturbing a heron who lifts off and flaps away over the dark, still water. Back at the van we are treated to another rich sunset which is accentuated by the grey sky and golden fields.

To think we only came here because it was our nearest option in the heat yesterday, and yet it has been as enjoyable a stop as any we could mention.