Leaving my house guest to check out the pastis at the local bar with Graham (Sue’s bloke), Sue and I went off to the salle de fete to listen to the conteur – Jean Guillon (www.jeanguillon.conteur.free.fr) – take us on a journey through some of the local tales of Provence. We met the host of characters including the Drac of Draginon and the local giant Johan de l’Ours who, in true hero tradition – and the help of the magic potion from his mother – slays the seven-headed “mother of all dragons”, overcomes the treachery of his so-called mates, and wins the hand of the princess and the lands of her father.

No magic effects, light or music, just the conteur and his skills. You could really feel part of a tradition of centuries.

I hear that Jackanory is coming back to the BBC – wonder whether it will be simple story telling? There was a little lad in the audience on Friday – and apart from a bit of fidgeting at the beginning, he really got into it … and happily contributed his views about bees liking honey (not just bears); and there being wolves in the forest … you had to be there …