As it is autumn, the fields in Venelles are getting ploughed.

As I passed this one I saw the farmer had company.

It was my old friends cattle egrets – les herons garde boeufs.

I had seen them in Parce de la Tête d’Or in Lyon and now in our street in Venelles.

They were a bit camera shy so soon flew away.

Cath chose a walk for this Sunday – in fact a pilgrimage – to a chapel on Mont Sainte-Victoire.

According to the legend, in the 5th century a hermit known as Servus Dei lived in a cave on the south face of Mont Sainte-Victoire.

Because he was popular with local Christians, the Visigoth king Euric had his ears cut off and then beheaded him.

A chapel was built and consecrated on the site by the bishop of Aix-en-Provence in 1001.

The chapel collapsed in 1993 and was rebuilt in 2001.

Interestingly in homage to Saint Ser the ears of all those who took part in the work were drawn on the roof.

It is quite a challenging walk up to the rebuilt chapel. But there are some amazing views along the way.

We eventually made it to the top.

Mont Sainte-Victoire is also the site of Bonnelli’s Eagles. We didn’t see any this time but I’m sure we’ll be back.

Le thermomètre dans la piscine dit 20 degrés alors, parce qu’il faisait beau aujourd’hui, j’ai pensé d’essayer une petite nage.

🥶🥶🥶🥶🥶

Je dirais que oui il fait un peu trop froid pour nager.

There was a big storm last night and when I got up this morning I saw something swimming in the pool.

Not une musaraigne (a shrew) or une souris (a mouse)

Un crapaud.

I fished him out with the net and watched as 30 minutes later he climbed out and… jumped back in the pool.

As the pump was on, I fished him out again and put him in the undergrowth.

Straight off the plane from Prague, we met up with a lovely former BBC colleague who was in Aix-en-Provence on holiday with his wife.

We went for dinner and I had my first café gourmand in a long while.

So here it is:

As you may remember, when I’ve been travelling recently I’ve looked for French connections in other countries.

I found some in Georgia and a linguistic similarity in Moldova.

So on my recent trip to the Czech Republic I was happy to see this shop in Prague.

I’m guessing it sells knick-knacks.

After a week working in Prague I went sightseeing-seeing and of course went to see the famous Charles Bridge.

I read a sign that said it was built by Charles IV and his successor and son, Wenceslas IV.

When I saw that Wenceslas had added his personal symbol of a kingfisher in a spiralled cloth, I wanted to see it.

And then I spotted it.

Best bit of birdwatching I’ve done for a while.

Following on from this Sixt joke my latest trip to Marseille airport threw up this gag.

I had a hospital appointment in Lyon so Cath and I headed back to our former home for a day.

In Place Bellecour the sun king has returned to his rightful place.

We met up with ex-colleague and friend Javier for lunch.

And then we did a bit of shopping in some of our favourite magasins before heading home.

It was a bit chilly but lovely to be back.

Parked near our old flat but didn’t bump into our old landlord – fortunately.

I saw this story in today’s Times and I felt Andy’s pain.

Since Brexit, working in Europe has become much more difficult.

I think footballers and, presumably coaches, usually take advantage of a passeport talent visa – which is the type I got when I went to work at Euronews.

But I guess, in Andy’s case, if they think there are other candidates with similar skills in the country you don’t get one.

Now that I am trying to set up my own business in France I need a change of visa.

My passeport talent is for a salaried employee which is not me anymore.

But getting an appointment to change it – and knowing how to change it and what documents are needed – is proving to be very complicated.

No surprise there.