Camping at Le Brégoux

It was at Camping Le Brégoux where I grew up with the French way of life, with French friends I discovered the game of boules (which to my surprise) my father joined in a competition with a french partner and won!
Playing with other children our own age my brother Nigel & I learnt french words that would see us improve our vocabulary well beyond that of the classroom. I always think back to the occasion when I was in the playground and using the slide I stopped when I saw a wasp had settled to sunbathe. Unfortunately I had not discovered the word quêpe and was unable to tell the young boy behind me not to use the slide. Seeing him running off crying, made me learn that word.

I took part in a competition at the olympic sized swimming pool in Carpentras, trying to swim with a pair of wellington boots, to be dragged back again on a large inner tube was interesting. I can certainly recommend young children coming to France just to learn the language by playing your usual playground games.  A simple game of cards taught me the French word tricher (to cheat). My brother and I also shocked the locals by playing tennis on the courts in the midday sun, I probably would not recommed this. We borrowed bicycles from a neighbouring family, and went almond picking only to bring the bicycle I was riding back with a puncture. There was another family who owned the chip van in the campsite carpark, we named their father Fritz the chip man, we went to their house and my brother got to ride on their mini motorbike on their grounds.
The Farrugia family became firm friends (Raymond, Monique, Christel & Stephan), I was able to keep in touch with Christel from home as we became penfriends. 
Snails played a part too; we collected edible snails with the locals after very rare rain; and had them for dinner. Which reminds me of the first time we ordered them at a local restaurant called Les Arenes, they came on a puff pastry base, with frogs legs in a tomato and garlic sauce. Restaurants do seem to play a large part in my memories, I still believe that we were sat in a restaurant Relais des Dentelles in Beaumes De Venise opposite Benny Hill (I will never know for sure!)

On 18th August 1986 the family discovered the restaurant L'Oustalet in Gigondas, the meal started with us being able to help ourselves to the Chariot De Crudités, followed by Paupiettes De Veau in a provencale sauce with noodles. On this particular evening there was a storm and therefore a power cut which meant that the meal had to be eaten by candlelight . Whenever I return to the village centre up on the hill these memories come flooding back.