The Heat is On
As temperatures Rise.
CLIMATE CHANGE
6/29/20264 min read
It has been strange recently. Living in the very South of France we are used to seeing temperatures higher than anywhere else. Not so in the recent heatwave that has engulfed all of Europe. Day after day I have watched a wave of red engulf 'The Hexagon'. As the heatwave spread from west to east., predicting temperatures of up to 40C, well over half the country was on 'Red Alert' with its stark warning: 'danger de mort'(death!) Even the whole of Brittany which up until now has always remained cooler was blanketed in red, as was the Nord Pas de Calais. However, down in the department of Hérault we remained on yellow alert( the lowest category) That said it has still felt pretty hot. Today all red has been expunged from the weather map of France. But can we breathe a sigh of relief as Brittany turns green once more? Alas no! When I look at the forecast I see that here in the South we will not escape the heat for quite some time to come.
So how do we cope? B. is up early every morning to tend to his potager. There is watering to attend to and this morning he must plant some leeks for the winter ahead. Any other jobs that need doing must be completed early . After lunch it will be time for a long siesta as the most dangerous time of the day approaches. As evening falls I wander up to our swimming pool. Walking is not desirable in this heat, so I attempt some gentle exercise swimming lengths, thanking our lucky stars that our water supply has held out after the heavy winter rains. This is my favourite time of day and I often sit here after my swim to read until dusk in the cooling air, listening to the cicadas and watching the pied fly catchers as they launch themselves from the trees in search of evening gnats. Other birds seem to be keeping a low profile in the cool of the woods, but the melodious sound of blackbirds rises from the trees.
It is best to exercise great caution in heat like this. We ensure that we carry water in the car at all times, and shop first thing in the morning. Last Saturday we needed to go to the market, so we made an early start. We arrived in Lodève shortly after eight, but by then the market was already abuzz.
We bought some local Bouzigues mussels from the seafood stall..
B. scoured the plant stall and bought a bunch of sixty small leeks to plant. The plants from this nursery are the best to be had .
By eight-thirty we had already completed our purchases and we were still (relatively) cool. But in my bag I carried two copies of my latest book(Protest!) to leave for sale at the local bookshop. Alas, it would not open until 9.00. Never mind, the new Patisserie looked tempting , so we stopped for a coffee. A pile of delicious looking croissants and pain au chocolat were beckoning me, but I resisted, for we planned to breakfast on fruit and yoghurt at home. I cast a longing eye over them anyway!
Shortly after nine we had deposited my books, and keen to support the local bookshop I had bought another...a dual translation of a book by Virginia Wolf in both English and French. (I have many warm nights ahead in which to read by the pool.) We had parked on the other side of the river, only a short walk away. The river looked cool and inviting as we crossed the little footbridge to where(wisely!) B. had parked in the shade.
