Seams French

Springtime is brilliant with colour on the streets of Montpellier. The first blossoms to appear in February are the blazing yellow flowers of the Mimosa tree. By now, they are long gone, and the yellow has been replaced with a profusion of purple, as the Judas tree displays its splendour.

First order of business on relocation, is always "greening up" our home. In Montpellier that means plants on the terrace, olive oils and olive products from our favourite olive mill, and enjoying the general "green scene" that is everywhere in early spring.

Le Grau-du-Roi on a sunny, warm day in early spring is the perfect spot to sample the local seafood for Sunday lunch. Driving south east of Montpellier, on the secondary roads along the Mediterranean coast, takes you through the "Camargue". The "Camargue" is about 300 square miles of protected marshlands that gives shelter to more then 400 species of birds. Among the favourites are the flamboyant pink flamingos, which display their finery to visitors of the region for most of the year. Le Grau-du-Roi has been an important fishing village in the "Camargue" region since the 16th century, and although there is still a vibrant local fishing industry, the town has, in the 20th century, become a magnet for sun worhippers offering its long expanse of sandy beach. Le Grau is the Occitan word for sand bar and the town lives up to its name. After a lunch of very fresh, local seafood, we followed the locals out for a leisurely stroll down the pier, and enjoyed the