Les Poissons

Our properties are divided by a stream which runs in quite a steep gorge, and one hot summer day Monsieur Vialelles invited us to go écrevisse hunting with him – at night. Now écrevisse hunting is illegal except during a very short season which we were not in, and the fines can be fairly steep. We really had no choice: to refuse his invitation would have made us a laughing stock in the village café. Armed with strong torches we fumbled around in the cool clear water, turning over the stones which protect these rather sinister creatures from predators. Our catch was small but that was hardly the point. We were enjoying the excitement of la chasse, and we were not caught.