Nîmes

After a week in the rural hills of the Cevennes, returning to Nîmes was a shock. Apart from the bright whiteness of the city squares and the size of the place, what struck Moonface and me was the variety of skin colours of the inhabitants. In the villages which we had walked through, we hardly saw a black or brown face. In Nîmes, not only were there lots of noirs and beurs, but the skin tone of the indigenous people seemed to be darker than in the hills.

Strangely, this didn't seem to be so in Avignon, only half-an-hour's ride away; there, the standard skin-tone had reverted to a paler colour again. I wonder why?

I've a very soft spot for Nîmes, having spend several weeks there at conferences. I love the consistent use of their crocodile-and-palm-tree symbol throughout the town, on bollards and plaques and signs. It was something of a victory to take Moonface there after all these years of talking about the place. I wonder if I'll ever return?


:0)