We have moved to rue Auber, Marseillan with all the expected difficulties of relocating on market day to a medieval village with winding streets the width of a Fiat 500 into a house with four flights of perpendicular stairs. What fun we had! Actually, it was fun thanks to the help offered by Michel and Patrice (old hands at such moves being born and bred in the region) and the mandatory break in proceedings to partake in a leisurely lunch at the Port, three courses + wine, of course....
Marseillan looks appropriately festive with all the streets bedecked with lights as would be expected, but what wasn't expected is the amount of activities and events on offer, the marché de noël complete with cute log cabin chalets as stalls and the crèche animée with lifesize animatron characters and real ducks, geese and hens - a terrific effort for this little town!
Pere Noel arrived on the back of an elephant, which threw me somewhat - perhaps sleigh and reindeers are just too old hat here? Musicians in fancy dress stroll the streets playing traditional songs and a bizarre medley of carols set to a samba tune; we have partaken in the communal roast chestnut tasting, warmed up with plenty of vin chaud and had to leave the performace of the nativity by La Pastorale des Santons de Provence as we hadn't a clue what was going on - probably because they were using an ox and an ass as narrators...
Christmas Eve is the Big Day in France, rather than the 25th, so we plan to engage fully in La Parade Imaginaire where fairy tale characters parade through the streets from the port to the Place de la Republique - I am really hoping for an appearance of my favourite 50 foot Polar Bear float tonight as he hasn't been seen yet and I do prefer him to the rather ravenous looking Wolf float currently stalking the streets. After the parade are Chants de Noël by la Chorale des Enfants at the creche then midnight mass at, you guessed it, 9.30pm.
We are off to Grand Cap for some last minute shopping today and Monsieur Sanchez has delivered us a ton of logs for the fire. I've given up on finding cranberry sauce and stuffing but am looking forward to both buche de noël and christmas pudding. I'm none too happy at the weather forecast however, with sunshine and 15 degrees on the cards! Nooooo! I signed up for frosted windows and snow flurries, not lunch on the terrace! Well, we shall see, but whatever the weather the log fire will be burning and the wine will be mulled so I wish you all a merry Reveillon and jolly Noël!
It's been rather a while since my last post and I don't have any good excuses to provide, such as climbing the Alps or moving house! Unless of course a trip to Colorado counts... more of that next post.
Here in Clermont, Summer gradually and gracefully gave way to Autumn as the landscape slipped out of its metaphorical sundress and into the firey, golden-brown cloak of the 'season of mists and mellow fruitfulness'. It was beautiful to behold! The colours were breathtaking and even a simple walk to the boulangerie became a technicolour spectacle.
Clear blue skies and crisp mornings have become the norm - with some cloudy days too, naturally - along with occasional fierce winds blowing outdoor furniture across the garden and severely shaking the shutters, followed by unnaturally still, breathless days where leaves remain static on the trees and by the coast the sea is as flat as an oasis, yachts and skiffs perfectly reflected on the mirrored surface.
It's been a glorious time of year for walking dogs, smelling the woodsmoke from log fires, reacquainting ourselves with red wine rather than white or rosé, planning heartier meals and hauling out the Slow Cooker.
Autumn has now very definitely waned and Winter is here. With it arrived the Christmas decorations in the streets and squares, appearing almost overnight and with no grand announcements or ceremonies. Some of these decorations just stay up all year and we are expected to turn a blind eye to them until they are suddenly illuminated for the festive season - a very curious French habit, I have to say! Many of the decorations are beautiful and I appreciate them all the more for the light they give to the chilly, dark nights. I never could adapt to fir trees, tinsel, reindeers and sleighs in the forty degree humidity of an Australian Christmas; Winter and Christmas just feels 'right'.
We leave Clermont in a week and take up residence in Marseillan, my old haunt from early last year. We are not looking forward to the move (who does?) but Alex is delighted to be by the sea once more and our quirky new/old house in rue Auber will give us a genuine taste of French village life. I'm wondering if I am up to the challenge of making a bûche de noël for a traditional Reveillon, the Christmas Eve dinner that forms the main celebration of Noël in France. Possibly not, so I have a back-up pudding as well! We have retrieved the pets' Santa hats from the shed ready for their annual participation and are debating which is the best spot for the tree - it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!
Marseillan looks appropriately festive with all the streets bedecked with lights as would be expected, but what wasn't expected is the amount of activities and events on offer, the marché de noël complete with cute log cabin chalets as stalls and the crèche animée with lifesize animatron characters and real ducks, geese and hens - a terrific effort for this little town! 
Pere Noel arrived on the back of an elephant, which threw me somewhat - perhaps sleigh and reindeers are just too old hat here? Musicians in fancy dress stroll the streets playing traditional songs and a bizarre medley of carols set to a samba tune; we have partaken in the communal roast chestnut tasting, warmed up with plenty of vin chaud and had to leave the performace of the nativity by La Pastorale des Santons de Provence as we hadn't a clue what was going on - probably because they were using an ox and an ass as narrators... 
Christmas Eve is the Big Day in France, rather than the 25th, so we plan to engage fully in La Parade Imaginaire where fairy tale characters parade through the streets from the port to the Place de la Republique - I am really hoping for an appearance of my favourite 50 foot Polar Bear float tonight as he hasn't been seen yet and I do prefer him to the rather ravenous looking Wolf float currently stalking the streets. After the parade are Chants de Noël by la Chorale des Enfants at the creche then midnight mass at, you guessed it, 9.30pm.
