New bikes, helmets, leathers and all the other kit for riding a motorcycle ... a biker feast at the NEC. A smattering of old street and race bikes looking relatively agricultural compared to next year’s menu-driven monsters. Yes, bikes have menus and nudge buttons too, that’s great, making options available to the rider.

Read more: Motorcycle Live 2016

Last ride of the year, Marseille to St Tropez via Toulon and Collobrières, the “Capital of the Maures”. It’s a holiday weekend here so unsurprising to find myself joined at the fuel pumps leaving Marseille by several other sports bikers, then mugged (ie expertly block-passed) by several more as we all rode up the bends on the road to the Circuit du Castellet, the Paul Ricard motor-racing track. I continued on the road to Toulon, still riding in the style of sheep dressed as wolf; other bikers weren’t so mindful of the numerous well-intentioned posters suggesting specifically to bikers that the road is not the place for competitive riding. Air at Goldilocks temperatures: for me, neither too hot nor too cold, although a bit of a pesky Mistral wind here and there.

Read more: Saint-Tropez

November afternoon sunshine highlighting the Mediterranean.waves rippling in at the picturesque Anse du Grand Rouveu between Carry-Le-Rouet and Sausset-les-Pins on the Côte Bleu. An afternoon ride-out that made worthwhile catching the first Piccadilly Line tube to Heathrow for the early morning flight to Marseille,  with a full-strength espresso and a real French artisan croissant enjoyed outdoors at Le Petit Montmarte brasserie on my way to the flat here. (The name Côte Bleu, Blue Coast, is because of the Sapphire Blue of the sea).

End of season playtime on the Col de la Gineste, the road up from Marseille and over the limestone of the Calanques to Cassis.