We’ve established a very agreeable morning routine here in Provence. After waking sans alarm, we enjoy a leisurely breakfast, shower, then brew coffee while doing a bit of internet based work. Once suitably braced to face the day, we set off into the great blue yonder in search of fresh pain au chocolates, which are… Read more

Roche St Julian is the big thin fin of rock that dominates the skyline above Buis-les-Baronnes. Ever since bringing a group of students on a climbing trip to the smaller crags of this region some six or seven years ago, I’ve been keen to come back and climb it. Today was our day. It’s a… Read more

Back on the rock today above the little town Buis-les-Baronnes. But not before a very leisurely start involving a morning strolling through the town on Market Day! Audrey (our host at the ranch), gave us the tip off, so we decided to go and check it out. The whole town was pedestrianised for the event… Read more

We’ve travelled from Embrum to a ranch in the hills, above the small town of Buis-les-Barronnes, in Provence. It’s not a journey of any great distance, but the most direct way involves what must be some of France’s least used and most winding roads.  It was a real (slow) ‘scenic tour’, through gorge after gorge.… Read more

An alarm woke us with a jolt this morning. Only after Clare announced to the dorm that it was time to shake a leg, was it established that it was actually only 4am! The owner of the phantom alarm clock was never established, but we all got our heads back down without discussion for another… Read more

Thick mist and a snowfall greeted us this morning and no amount of optimism could sway the forecast. Given our close proximity to the Italian border, I was quite keen to navigate up the the col above the hut, if for nothing else but to try out my new Garmin GPS.  Using the GPS and… Read more