It's lovely here and very shady in the hot weather so we ask if we can stay another day and have a meal this evening. After the bangs of the acorns falling on the roof and the droning of the rose beetle doodlebugs comes the first few rattles of gunfire. Not the odd pigeon or rabbit for the pot, this is proper sustained and aggressive shooting. Far too many guns and directions for a lone nutter on the loose and after five minutes with no sirens or signs of pani...

Ouch that was a hot night, never below 26C and stagnant air. We need shopping, diesel and laundry today so won't be going far initially, just 11 miles or so to Intermarche in Montech. But before we leave Grisoles an English van pulls in and the driver comes to ask what we know about the Crit'Air emissions disc. But then the chat carries on for over an hour but it's no problem, he's a friendly chap with some interesting things to tell us and takes in the thing...

With clear skies and big sunrise it threatens to be hot again today. The time has come to leave the Pyrenees behind us. Having been close up with the cols and peaks, no longer for us will they be the distant shadowy ripple on the horizon that we've seen a number of times before. We say goodbye to Freddie and set off towards the coast, we cannot be this close without having a peek at the Mediterranean. It's a very touristy area of palms, waterparks, cycle-rout...

Another standstill day, another lovely sunrise and another lie in. By lunchtime all the other vans have gone, leaving us all alone. It's a bit cloudy in the afternoon and humid as if a storm is brewing, but by mid afternoon the Marin wind is blowing hard again keeping things nicely cool. Ali tidies the lockers and cupboards and soogees down Mary*Lou's bodywork to remove some of the dust of five weeks on the road. Dinner is pasta and a bottle of Freddies Red. ...

With no one to overlook us we left the cab curtains open last night and this morning we lie in bed watching a beautiful, colourful sunrise. We've decided on a couple of rest days here so nothing is going to be hurried. Harvesting [vendanges] is in progress and we can see the grape pickers moving among the rows of vines as soon as we are up. Ali goes to take some photos of the workers and is invited to join them. It only takes a few bunches before she is left ...