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Just a week ago, if you had told me that Spring would arrive and transform our garden from winter’s silhouettes into verdant flower and leaf, I would have laughed disbelievingly!  But this is just what has happened!

Last week the trees outside our house were twigs – now they are in full leaf and all around our region cars are dressed with yellow powder, as if they don’t want to miss out on the show!

The sun has been beautifully warm and legs and arms are being bared to the breeze with scarves and thick coats being cast off in favour of lighter garments.

Then, like yesterday, the clouds gather overhead and jumpers re-appear for a short appearance.  Next week’s forecast is for warmer weather again so summer clothes will find their way to the front of the wardrobe while winter garb will cuddle up together at the back until the end of October.

The cafés now have their tables and chairs out for the tourists and the locals, and people are standing and chatting for longer whilst shopping or running errands.

Taking place in Nérac this week has been the Garenne Partie – spectacles.albret@ville-nerac.fr  The local park, the Garenne (meaning rabbit warren) runs alongside the rive Baise (with an umlaut over the i and pronounced Bay-eze – very important, as without the ‘eze’ you would be saying something very rude!!)

This Easter week, there are so many craft and nature activities for children and adults to do from music concerts to circus performers, dance, acrobatics, hands-on activities with dyeing and finger weaving, zip line across the river, canoeing and boat trips, food and wine (of course!) and walks through the park at night to spot nocturnal creatures.

We went to see one performance yesterday and were blown away by the beauty, grace, musicality and sheer spectacle!  It was a series of wonderful, graceful and slow (and therefore reaaaaaally hard to do!) acrobatics performed by Smart Compagnie, a group of around 8 performers who created their own sound effects to accompany the acrobatic performance on specially constructed platforms throughout the park.  The setting of the woodland, and the story-telling of the performers was absolutely breath-taking.  The crowd were drawn through the park by the performers with various ‘stages’ including the edge of the fountain, the ‘green theatre’ and glades within the park.  Their information says it all …  “cette balade acrobatique est un parfait mélange de tout ce qui fait la magie d’un cirque: l’humour, les prouesses et la musique.”

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The atmosphere was lively and happy.  This is the official start of Spring and the whole town seems to be partying!!

And all this is on our doorstep!!  We really have landed somewhere special!  Why don’t you come and sample it for yourself?!  We’d love to welcome you here…..