Here in the far north of France, we are calling it "the new south of France" because we have had one of the sunniest summers anyone can remember. We've had a fair bit of rain too so the Seven Valleys where I live are lush and green, and nature has had a ball - everything is ripening; apple, plum and pear trees are bursting with fruit, big juicy blackberries are dangling from hedges, and the fields are full of bales of hay waiting to be stored.