It’s getting increasingly difficult to find blog entry titles that have not been used yet; imagine my surprise, then, when I discovered that “Valbonne” is just such an unused title! And to think that we’ve been living here for over 19 years... Anyway, the rather dismal–looking main square of the old village, La Place des Arcades, is a perfect illustration of how this year seems to have started with a whimper, not a shout, at least as far as the weather is concerned. One can only marvel at the optimism of the owner of the Café des Arcades who set all the outdoor tables. Incidentally, I have shown this very square in a previous entry (albeit taken from the opposite side); revisiting it is an opportunity to show what a difference a little sunshine (and a few people) can make.