Mid-August 2019, after a month in Greece and then an eventful 2 weeks in Croatia and Serbia, I flew into Paris. A quick moment, before setting off to the Cévennes Region, to spend an idyllic 2 weeks in a tiny village with friends.
Everything you have heard about the French countryside holds true. Every morning Melissa or her mother would wander down to the local store to pick up the Freshly baked baguettes. Breakfast was a meandering affair of bread, preserves, coffee and cheese. Now before I go further, lets take a moment to talk about the cheese, the luscious, unpasteurized creamy goats cheese of the region: pelardon. I discovered Pelardon early on in my stay, and while there were a plethora of delicious treats, nothing compares to a luxurious slice of creamy pelardon. Straight from the fridge smeared on the bread, or just gobbled up greedily on its own. If heaven had a flavor, I would argue that this is it.
Pelardon is hardly a solo act, the other draws are the fresh picked blackberries, figs, and plums. Grown in large quantities along the river in the village. Much like a bear, I would often find myself post nap, fighting with the brambles to reach all of the juiciest and plump blackberries I could find. The plums and peaches made an excellent addition to any cheesy snack, and often were the insurance that I was not surviving on carbs and cheese alone. That is not to say that Melissa and her mother did not cook tasty and wholesome treats, but really it was the simple snacks and treats that highlighted my two weeks of ultimate relaxation and joy.
Enjoying the Sunshine
Enjoying the Sunshine by the water 
An overgrown swing, still perfectly usable. 
Crossing the river to find a sunny spot
