March-April 2021

Just like the entirety of the world, we were much looking forward to the Covid-19-related restrictions to get softer. So, the moment they did, our van Robby II and us “avons foutu le camp”, which simply means that we “got the hell out of there”.

It was last days of March, kind and sunny in the South of France, and our plan was to get a break from the apparently endless renovation works in our studio and enjoy some air without breathing the dust, paint and all other particles that one expects to find on a proper construction site.

So, it was decided to go to Sète. I’ve heard a lot about this town where Xavier used to spend holidays with his family as a child, so I was very happy to finally put a picture on the err… face.

Step 1: In the Middle of Nowhere

Everything starts with a good old middle of nowhere – with a night in the van on an unknown field . It always feels like a wonderful surprise – falling asleep in darkness and waking up to discover some beauty that needed the daylight to be revealed.

Step 2: Minerve

In each recent article about France I mention our growing obsession with “the most beautiful villages of France” – an initiative, which is supposed to highlight the less famous villages of the country and promote local tourism. God, we embraced this initiative with the striking enthusiasm and never failed to put one on our itinerary ever since. This time our “most beautiful village” is Minerve and it totally and completely deserves its place on the list.

Step 3: Béziers & Agde

It’s been years that I hear about these two towns but never had a chance to discover them properly. This moment could wait no longer. We weren’t smitten either by Béziers or by Agde but it just felt good – like expanding the map of a City Builder Game and finally “appropriating” some of its bits. Besides, there is nobody in the country who wouldn’t giggle at hearing “Cap d’Agde” out loud – a famous spots for all libertine-folks of France and probably beyond. I can’t really say what we expected to see, but Agde and its coast didn’t reveal anything extraordinary. A bit sad, really.

Step 4: Marseillan

Ladies and Gentlemen, the town that stole our hearts turned out to be the one whose existence I previously overlooked. It was perfect. Beautiful, calm, authentic. Despite Covid-19 there was some life on its streets, some tourists were just like us – enjoying the sun while having a lunch in take-away boxes. Yes, even if leaving the 10-km radius was once again possible, there were still several months ahead before the restaurants would reopen. This made us realize that eating out during the trips was accountable for 50% of the overall pleasure. Which is a lot.

The best part of Marseillan, though, was when we finally saw the end (or the start?) of the famous Canal du Midi. It’s the highlight of Toulouse and a true engineering wonder from the 17th century. We jogged, cycled, and walked alongside the canal in Toulouse for hundreds of kilometers, passing by thousands of times. So, seeing the place where it ends (or starts?) felt incredibly solemn for both of us. There was a time when we planned a cycling trip just like the one we did along the Canal de Garonne. But, alas, they never built a proper cycling route along this one. Someday, hopefully.

Step 5: Sète

Arriving to Sète felt like Return of the King. On one hand, we felt happy and satisfied, on another it clearly meant that it was time to go back and the trip would soon be over. With that feeling of a bittersweet accomplishment we walked through the town, ate the seafood and complained about the heat (first days of April and already peeling the skin off!). We couldn’t help comparing Sète to Marseille. It has much more of its vibe than of Toulouse and Occitanie in general.

Sète has its own Freetown Christiania like Copenhagen. At least, that was the first thing that came to my mind – a micro-town inside the town looking like a separate unit, rather than a part of the whole. We loved it immediately as did our analog camera.

Last step: Bouzigues

Before making all way back to Toulouse, we allowed ourselves the last treat – a stop in Bouzigue, another seaside town famous for its oyster farms. It felt like being back to Cancale in Brittany (there will be an article one day, I promise!) – cheap oysters, lemon & wine. Laying on a wooden bridge, devouring the oysters, breathing the sea air. Life can be so beautiful sometimes.