Finally, I’ve shaken off Madame Proust who’s been stalking me for the last week. Honestly, just when you think you’ve escaped to paradise, the Wareham contingent shows up. Anyway, yesterday I squeezed her cheese and wine soaked body back on the TGV and ran away toute de suite to Eygalieres to climb a hill with Lori and Anais – a much better class of folk.

Back in 2007, when I first discovered this part of the world, Anais was my French teacher and we’ve stayed in touch all this time. She’s fortunate enough to have lived in this beautiful village all her life and now offers guided tours around the area.

Lori is from Maine and is a new friend who I’ve only just met. Lucky me: she and partner Tim are charming and treated me to a lovely lunch before we began this epic climb.

And Eygalieres, is a gorgeous spot, in which the rich and famous desire to live. Not a million miles from this road, resides Hugh Grant. I don’t suppose he’d thank me for sharing that but I’m not offering further details. I might’ve previously mentioned that Brad Pitt and ex-President Sarkovsky once fought over the same property here.

This is an ancient mill which is now in the hands of the commune of Eygalieres.

And this is a beautiful overgrowth of rosemary in the garden of the mill.

I’m sorry Anais, but I can’t remember much of the wealth of information you passed about all of these chapels, and certainly not the dates. However, you can see all the empty bell towers; empty because various folk have stolen the bells over the years.

There’s one bell left which chimed whilst we climbed up and up and up. I was too busy clinging on to those two: with one either side, it looked as if we were dancing a drunken farandole.

And always, Mary is waiting at the top.

Finally, we reach the gorgeous view over the garrigue, over the vineyards, and over to the Alpilles where Jean Moulin landed all those years ago.

And with regard to Madame Proust (you know who you are), we had a wonderful time. It was so lovely to have you stay, but you would never have made it up this hill x

This is the website for the various businesses and tours Anais runs: https://boutique-cousudor.com/index.php