Having flown into Marseille airport and collected our car, we then drove straight out, north-east, away from the coast. The road got smaller and wound between vineyards and olive trees until we reached the Abbaye du Thoronet, the oldest of three Cistercian monasteries, known as The Three Sisters of Provence and conveniently placed for a lunch stop. The little kiosk had tables set under the shady trees, perfect with the temperature just over 30, and made a great fromage gallette with salad. Revived, we walked round the monastery, built in the C12, and celebrated for its austere lines and pure proportions. Even the acoustics imposed a discipline on the monks as the stone walls created a long echo forcing them to sing slowly and perfectly together.

 



We then drove northwards, into the Parc Naturel Regional du Verdun, where the road was surrounded on both sides by scrubby woodland, until we reached Aups, in the foothills of the Alps. Capital of the Haute Var, Aups is also famous for holding the third largest truffle market in France during the winter months, and we are staying the night at Auberge de la Tour. The Auberge is just what I hoped for, set around a courtyard with faded turquoise shutters and a pretty bedroom.

 


We took a turn round the town, and took some pictures of clocks and towers and fountains, then had dinner outside in the restaurant, beginning with a kir and tapenade then moving on to pizza and port fillet.  

 
 


After dinner, we walked down to the town bar as Wales and Portugal were playing in one of the Euros semis, but neither side had scored, and after our early start, we opted for an early night, only to find out in the morning Portugal had won 2:0.