Baking in the French sun as the Brexit temperature rises

It was the bagpipes that did it.

I was feeling pretty emotional in any case, as the cavalcade trundled by, its Europeans theme reflected in some of the floats and marching bands.

It was a balmy summer’s night in a small town in France, the swallows flitting overhead, laughing at and weaving in and out of the tremendous shifting shapes of sparrows roosting in the trees.

A hound on a lead was howling like it belonged to the Family Baskerville. People dangled their feet in a fountain. It was gone ten-thirty and the bridge over the Aveyron was still too hot to sit on.

This canacule (my newest French word) was going on for far too long. It was time the heatwave turned to dust before we did. The day before, I had melted in forty-two degrees.

The carnival queen and her attendants were ultra cool, though, dancing on their tiny float and surrounded by the flags of Europe, including our own Union Flag, all fluttering alongside each other.

And then there were funky trumpet bands from Eastern Europe and lots of excited jigging around. Poland and Slovakia were out there in the intense heat, which showed no sign of abating even at this time of the evening.

And then the pipes began to call and the kilt-wearing members of the City of Bristol Pipes and Drums made their way up the street, stopping right in front of us with a rendition of ‘Sailing’.

It was too stirring, too haunting, too beautiful. The tears welled up in my eyes.

Here in south west France, I feel desperately sad that we seem to be careering out of Europe in a handcart pushed by incompetent clowns. I bloody love Europe. The union has its faults but we should be fighting from within, not throwing the baby out with the bathwater just to honour the decision of a small majority of those that voted in a referendum three years ago, which has been shown to be embroiled in the lies of careerist politicians and charlatans.

And then the pipes moved on, wailing up the street, to be replaced by a jostling brass band from Limoges, closely followed by a giant Tintin, Snowy and a rocket, grown up majorettes, Mickey and Minnie Mouse, a massive white cat with pink ears, a Lego castle and, finally and inexplicably and much to my delight, Homer and Marge Simpson bringing up the rear.

That's about it.

Love, Maddie x