Using only a screwdriver and the combined brainpower of two medical researchers the shutter was painstakingly reset on its roller mechanism and the deposit saved. Let’s hope that the grandchildren who arrived with the gîte owner aren’t afflicted with the same passion for button pushing as Diego junior.

I excused myself from a visit to the medieval fair at Crozant. It promised to be good fun but the siren sound of titanium against whatever golf balls are made of nowadays was too powerful. Is it still willow against leather on the village greens of Olde Englande I wonder? Or have the cricketer’s tools taken on new colours to match his kit?

I did go with my chums down to the Massif Central. We went first to Vulcania. For Edinburgh readers that’s similar to Dynamic Earth but a touch bigger as you may guess from the plan. You really need a whole day to see all the multi-media installations, watch the various films and enjoy the exhibits. You need a further day or two to digest all the information. But life is short so after an hour or two we pressed on to see some real-life volcanoes, That’s what the area is made of. Unfortunately they are not all spouting smoke and flames so it’s a bit tame in that respect. The countryside is lovely though and we joined another million or two holidaymakers set on reaching the summit of the Puy de Dôme.

Here’s Eduardo contemplating the ascent.
A number of the party decided that the coffee stop by the car park was far enough up the mountain, others came part way. Eduardo, Lele (with her back to you in the photo) and I climbed on until I was overtaken with the need to sprawl in the sunshine and admire the countryside leaving them to conquer the peak.