Hurdy Gurdy

We can hardly believe how lucky we have been to avoid the storms that have hit western France and the area (Cognac) where we will be staying at the beginning of July. The storms have devastated Lourdes and have deposited hailstones as big as golf balls and rain that has flooded large areas. It was cool when we woke this morning at about 21 degrees but by lunchtime the temperature was rising. There has not been much sun today It has been very humid at about 28-9 degrees but we have risked the mosquitos and cooked outside this evening.
The "blip" is of the memorial to the Luthier family who invented the hurdy gurdy - an organ grinder instrument and the designer was born in this tiny village near Gannat. We are not far from Vichy, a remarkably beautiful city.