After a grey and rainy june,  rather unusal for the season, july came with sun and heat  in its luggages.

First musical moment of the summertime in the region,  the Cognac Blues Passion Festival. International blues, rock-pop headliners came in Cognac, such as  emerging young artists,  playing  in  the starry night.  Iggy Pop, Marianne Faithfull, The Cranberries…. were present for this edition.  It means for me that holidays are not so far right now.

As the days are the longest of the year,  I can play golf after work in the golf course “du cognac” surrounded by  the vineyards,  or on golf course “de l’Hirondelle” in Angoulême, with a stunning view on the town.

In the vineyards, work in progress, bunches of grapes begin to be nice, next step will be “the veraison” mid august.

Business lunch in a quiet and historical place, the former house of a french writer born in 17 century, Guez de Balzac, and now an hotel and restaurant.

Before to make way for the tourists, we went to Royan and Atlantic sea for a flight over Gironde estuary and vineyards. From the helicopter, Talmont church is as amazing, as when we turn around, like a spotter on the  estuary.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBBtV0x-b8w&feature=youtu.be

The small village of Talmont is so cute, with flowers in the small streets, we called here “roses trémières”, a sort of signature of the region.

A true pleasure to go the market of fresh fuit and vegetables  directly from the producer at “la ferme du Tambourinour” also a winegrower. Melon for the evening dinner is perfect as we have very hot days, around 34 ° C.

Sunny and hot sunday in the vineyards, fortunately, there is a light breeze.

And back again on the coast for an other famous and magic festival “Le violon sur le sable”(Violon on the beach) and it’s really the truth. A tremendous idea born 29 years ago : play classical music on the beach on summer, and against all odds, it’s a huge sucess.

“if you don’like classical music, beach, greatest voices of opera, stars, symphony orchestras, danse, well, come to Violon sur le sable, you will see all you did not like…before”

50000 spectators by evening, unforgettable moments, and the last evening with the magnificent voice of Karine Deshayes, the young prince of violoncello, Edgar Moreau and the high virtuosity of the pianist David Kadouch.

To end this month, what better way than music and fireworks on the beach.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXla3QIPchc&feature=youtu.be