It’s been getting hotter for weeks now, with temperatures of up to 10° warmer than the average for the time of year; it’s very early in the season for a heatwave and every day it seems to be extended further. Last week they said it would last till Sunday, but now it’s forecast to go on till Wednesday, with peaks between now and then, of up to 42°C. I’m not the only person wondering what July and August are going to bring, though I’m looking forward to my trip to Harrogate over the summer holidays, at least it will be cooler there.

The painting club closes for the summer, so Saturday morning was earmarked for the annual clean. The sun was already hot when we arrived at 8.30, as we emptied the room of tables, chairs and easels, putting them as much as possible in the shade of the building for scrubbing;  other people cleaned the windows, the floor and the fridge.

I had band practice in the afternoon; Jean Marc made space in his garage for my car and Adrian’s motorbike, rather than leaving them in the sun. The studio, in his cellar, is usually cool (freezing in winter), but even with two fans running, it felt uncomfortably hot. By the time we packed up at 6.30 pm, hot, sticky and exhausted, even the mixing desk felt hot to the touch.

I woke early on Sunday, it’s not easy to sleep when the temperature doesn’t drop below 22°C overnight, and went for a walk round the lake. It was a blissfully cool 24°C and misty, the lake looking as though it was gently steaming. It wasn’t even 7.30 and there were very few people about; it was so peaceful and tranquil, the only sound that of the birds singing as though their little hearts would burst. Even the geese, busy looking after their babies, were doing so quietly.

By the end of my second lap, the sun was beginning to break through the cloud and besides, I was getting hungry, I’d set off without breakfast, so I headed home.

My heating system also does aircon; however, my eco-conscience doesn’t like me using it, but in spite of my best efforts, the temperature in my apartment is 28°C. I’m just too English to cope and I’m melting, so I have to confess to turning it on occasionally; other coping strategies include going swimming whenever the pool is open, visits to the cinema (I’ve seen “life of Chuck” twice in the last week, in English and in French – still have lots of questions!) and going for a wander around the shops in the big, air-conditioned shopping centre. I don’t like shopping, but at least it’s cool!