Today was our first full day in Provence so, as is customary, I went in to the village early to get croissants, pain-au-chocolat, newspapers and other prerequisites of a civilised breakfast. The first sight I encountered was of a film crew filming one of those casually glamorous French presenters outside the most elegantly dilapidated premises in town.

Truly, you couldn’t make this up. What a country. I hope Sarkozy doesn’t ruin it.