Le Mazel! (Part 1)

I took my first TGV ('train à grand vitesse' - high speed train) trip of the journey on February 28th, and that took me to Nîmes. Home of ancient Roman ruins ('Les arènes' - the arena - among others) and the most fabulous gardens: 'Les jardins de la Fontaine,' built around the foundations of the old fountain, and encompassing the ruins of the temple of Diana. I went there from the train station, with my backpack and rolling suitcase, as I had some time before my bus to St Jean du Gard.

I saw men playing pétanque (a game sort of like bacci, but more subtle, using metal balls), and let myself be enchanted by the sunlight of the south, and the way it played off the water. A group of older people on benches, having an afternoon chat, started talking to me - warning me (over and over) that I should be careful walking around with my luggage like that. People were not to be trusted...! (I thanked them - many times! - for their concern, promising to be careful... and went on being enchanted... and, carefully, amused :)

Once I got on the A12 bus, destined for St Jean du Gard (costing an amazing 1 euro 50!), I relaxed and enjoyed the scenery of the little towns we passed through on our way (and the amazing skill of European bus drivers, to maneuver such huge buses down the narrow little pictoresque streets). The landscape was pretty flat most of the way, until we reached Anduze. This town, known as the 'Porte des Cévennes' (Door to the Cévennes) straddles the river called the Gardon (that later becomes the Gard), where there is a steep window cut through the mountains by the river, as it washes out onto the plain stretching all the way to Nîmes.

As we drove into Anduze, with its breathtaking scenery, the sun was setting, and I got my first peek at the mountains. My face was glued to the window, and I knew I was going to like being in this area. By the time I arrived in St Jean du Gard, it was dark. Etienne, the son of my farm host, Brigitte, was there to meet me at the bus stop. We took the winding drive up to the farm (called 'Le Mazel'), while conversing about many things. It was his last night there after 2 months - he was leaving the next day, returning to Russia (and a somewhat uncertain future).

Dinner was good, I got to chat a little more with Brigitte, meet the animals (2 dogs, 2 cats) and learn the routine for feeding them, and then slept in the room for the 'gîte' (sort of like a hostel/bed & breakfast, but on a smaller, more familiar scale) that night... it all felt good. I felt I had arrived in a good place. :-)

I got a good night's sleep, which was good(!) - I had a full week ahead of me...