What a lovely day! We took ourselves off to Olonzac directly after our leisurely breakfast, for today was market day! As we were leaving the car park though, we noticed there were three vans parked there, selling meats, cheeses and fruit and veggies.

We drove through the countryside and then parked and strolled through the markets. We bought some cheeses, more tomatoes including a huge wrinkly one called a beefsteak tomato, a loaf of bread, some fig and nut paste to go with the cheese, some luque olives (the local speciality) and some lavender.

These markets sell everything though, including seafood, various forms of sausage, wine, linen, clothes and shoes. And colourful straw shopping baskets. Wendy picked up a new one the other day, and they are so bright and colourful, but we would not have a use for one.

After finding our way back to the car we drove back to La Liviniere, a lovely village on our way, and found a restaurant I'd read good things about. At Les Meulieres we were given a muscat (remember? "Moosecat") each as an aperitif along with luque olives and bread, this was followed by a 3 course meal, with a choice of a carafe of red, white or rose wine, for 18 euro each. I had pâté de foie gras as an entree. I thought it would be with toast or crispbreads but it was a large slice sitting on top of a delicious salad. Tom had goats cheese tarts with salad. For the main we both chose the lamb over the squid, and for dessert we both chose the creme brûlée over the fruit tart! What a bargain! And sooooo delicious.

On our way back to our cottage we found the local wine co-op and bought some local red wine, and some rose to go with the sheep cheese we bought this morning, as advised by the cheese maker. The local wine co-op is where most winegrowers take their grapes, to be blended with the other local growers' grapes to make the regional wine. So we bought bottled wine, but they also had it for sale by the litre on tap and as we were leaving a little old man came in with a huge plastic container to fill up.

So we got back to our cottage in time for Tom to ring the car hire people and see if we can swap our huge car for the compact car he ordered in the first place. It will be easier on the small country roads.

So, with only one photo today, of my lunch, I shall add some shots of the cottage (after we'd messed it up - why don't I do these these things while they're still neat?) and the car.

Soup for dinner!