Catherine and Bernard
Posted by Richard on Wednesday 17th November 2004 at 12:44 AM
Our first leg (not including the 5 hour sleep-over
chez Liz in Paris) was to pick up Adam from Toulon on the Mediterranean. Adam had spent the previous week here with Raf - seemed like a fair swap for 4 nights
under canvas in Wales! 
Emma and Doug
Posted by Richard on Wednesday 17th November 2004 at 12:45 AM
Another fabulous welcome (and more pastis) from Emma and Doug in a peaceful spot just down the road from Notre Dame du Cros near Caunes Minervois, just north of Carcassonne. Adam and Mark camped out; we got the guest room!
Evelyne and Gerald
Posted by Richard on Wednesday 17th November 2004 at 12:45 AM
From Carcassonne we headed on to
l'Auberge des Grandparents - i.e. Laura's Mum and Dad's home near Miélan in the Gers. Cycling in to the town for our breakfast croissants certainly sharpened the appetite.
Flora and Fauna
Posted by Richard on Wednesday 17th November 2004 at 12:45 AM
Adam and Mark spent the whole week capturing, incarcerating and unintentionally torturing the local wildlife - lizards, grasshoppers and crickets. The kittens were being enlisted to keep the lizard population in check after our departure!
Bikes and Birthdays
Posted by Richard on Wednesday 17th November 2004 at 12:45 AM
From Miélan we headed to the coast and back to Le Vieux Port, Messanges. The bikes came in handy for getting around the campsite and out to the beach, but we also took a couple of longer excursions, the most significant being the 25km round-trip for lunch in Leon. Adam fell off his bike, but not as acrobatically as me!
Beach and Pool
Posted by Richard on Wednesday 17th November 2004 at 12:45 AM
As the boys will tell you, the main reason for coming to Messanges is, of course, for the sea and sand ...
