Ile des Embiez - continued...

Tourists were thinner on the ground on Monday, despite the regular ferry service to Le Brusc even during low season, and we set off round the island on its 6km nature trail, although on Roxy's insistence we scrambled down to every beach, and up to the tower and last resting place of Paul Ricard, which he chose as the highest point on the island facing the sea, so we walked at least 7km that day, and when the heavens opened on the home straight, some of it was done at a run!

Follow me!

I believe this is called a sit in! With beach swag to boot!

The rock formations are genuinely interesting, kinda wish we'd listened in geography class!

We topped our morning off with lunch Chez Charles, and a visit to the Domaine Ile des Embiez boutique where, although we were too late for their rosé wine special offer, we did enjoy a tasting and rosé master class - although the gentleman spoke faster than a machine gun fires so it was tricky to keep up - and bought a bottle or two of their Côtes de Provence, bien sure!.  

Tuesday involved a good walk to tire out the hound before locking her up on the boat and heading to the Oceanographic institute & aquarium up on the hill. The institute, now presided over by M Ricard's granddaughter, does much that cannot be visited by the general public, but the small museum and aquariums are still worth a visit, and in the summer they also run kids workshops to raise awareness of the human effect on the oceans and teach littl'uns the best ways to treat the sea.

On Wednesday the Mistral blew a hoolie all night, so although tired, we walked round the north eastern point of the island watching the Le Brusc ferry thrown all over the shop from behind the protection of a navigation light tower, and back home via the island vineyards for lunch and a nap. 

Say what?! I can't hear you through the wind.

We'll be hiding from what is coming for a good few days...