Sometimes a landscape is so painterly that it can make up for a technical screw-up on the camera front.

I was initially horrified to see that I had accidentally enabled a cheap camera effect on the day we  finally brought our boys to one of our favourite landscapes in Provence – the dizzying Route de Crêtes between Cassis and La Ciotat.

Funny thing is, the landscape is so dramatic that it kind of worked.

The Route de Cretes is a “must do” in this region. For the serious day-trip you can hike up from Cassis and follow the goat track cliff-side all the way to La Ciotat.

Our preferred option during the school term is to drive up to the carpark high above Cassis and walk for a couple of hours to the lighthouse overlooking Ciotat, then back to the car. That’s around four hours and you’re well-placed for a seaside, seafood lunch at Cassis.

We did a short-version of the walk with the boys when an old friend was visiting from New Zealand in the peak of summer – as he and Sabbatical man had already climbed a mountain that morning.

I was not enthusiastic about going into Cassis in the peak of summer – having loved the peace and charm of the place out of season. It turned out to be merely busy and buzzy -and the gelato at Amorino a most excellent reward.