La Croix Valmer - quiet and peaceful, except for the cowboys ...

La Croix Valmer is one of the quieter of the coastal towns that "At My Site" covers. It is an hour's drive from Toulon-Hyères airport and 15 minutes from St Tropez the quiet months. The town has views out to the sea, as well as two butchers, two bakers, three bars, excellent restaurants that won't cost you a limb and a bustling Sunday market. The locals welcome all with typically impeccable manners - except perhaps the Parisians, whom they loathe more than any foreigner.

Cowboys are welcome - this weekend there were scenes of the "wild west" during "la Fête du Cheval" - the festival of the horse. On the plage de Débarquement there were activities for the children - rides on horses, ponies or in a cart. There was a treasure hunt with plenty of gold nuggets to be found. There were animals to visit including Marguerite the cow - symbol of the association - "La Provence à Cheval" - that organized the weekend.

On Sunday there were lasso-throwing demonstrations by the cowboys and dancing later in the afternoon - country and north american indian dance traditions. There were also wolves and stunt-flyers - but by Monday morning the town had regained it's normal genteel charm.