Friday, October 24, 2014
Friday, Oct. 24, 2014-Abbey, Murs, Lioux
Packed most of the morning, then set out to see the Abbe de Senanque, near Gordes. Lots of blue sky and warm temperatures as we made our way on a one-lane mountain road to the abbey, and we were fortunate to be there at just the right time when the church was open to visitors. It was built in 1148!! Then we took a road to Murs, a pretty little place surrounded with many upscale hotels and rental homes back in the hills. On the way back to Apt we saw a huge cliff, probably 300-400 feet and a kilometer long rising up out of the forest. Right below the cliff is the little village of Lioux, which was completely empty, though it is obviously lived in. It must have been naptime, because all but one of the shutters were closed, and we saw not one person, though there were cars parked near the town hall. Bryant commented that there must be but one sign in this town: BEWARE OF FALLING ROCK! I don't think I could sleep at night knowing that the cliff was directly above my head. Made for great photos though. This place was never mentioned in any of the tour guides I read before our trip, but it should be!
Our Provence adventure is coming to an end with our drive to Nice tomorrow, and our flight out on Sunday morning. Will be seeing many of you soon! Hope you have enjoyed our trip......virtually that is.
Oct. 23, Thursday - Viens again
On the road fairly early this am and drove to Manosque for a little retail therapy at a big box store there, but didn't find much. On the way back we stopped at Viens, where we'd been last week, to have lunch again at one of our favourite places, Le Petit Jardin - good country food and a great waiter who is willing to speak French slowly and clearly, and is efficient too! This restaurant is ranked "#1 of 1 restaurant in Viens" on Trip Advisor......and with good reason, even though there is no competition. Guys who are doing construction work in Viens eat there, as do tourists, so it must be good! We had the plat du jour again - salad for B, potage for me, a casserole for B, curried chicken on a skewer for me, and good desserts.
Spent some time at McDonald's later in the afternoon and caught up with the news in Canada - sad that we are now involved in the world's mess, though we knew it was only a matter of time.
Tomorrow is packing day, then Saturday we'll drive to Nice, stay overnight after returning our rental car, and fly out to Saint John via Munich and Toronto. Wonder what security will be like in Toronto.
Thursday, October 23, 2014
Wed., 22 October 2014, Roussillon
Good evening everyone,
It's 7 pm here, and time to catch up on today's happenings. It must be getting near the end of our holiday, as I realized this afternoon that I'd double-posted yesterday's doings on the blog. My apologies. I'll sort it out when we get home.
Last night and all day today the Mistral has been blowing....it's the strong Provencale wind that comes out of the North and can last 3 or more days.....strong enough to blow the ears off a donkey they say here. I would guess it's blowing 40-60 km. an hour, and has really cooled off the previously warm fall temperatures we've been enjoying for the past 10 days. Today it really felt like fall, and we suspect that yesterday's grape harvesting in Cucuron was motivated by the growers' knowledge that the Mistral was expected. The leaves were flying wherever we've been today.
We lazed around in the morning, and around noon drove up to Roussillon, where our GM friend Holly Cheney stays when she's in Provence. It was a clear sunny day in Roussillon, and the red ocher colours of the houses there were brilliant. It is a beautiful little village, with many art galleries and restaurants catering to tourists. Several were still open even though tourist season has passed. We enjoyed a crepe and espresso (even though the waiter wasn't very pleased that we weren't having a full lunch!) and looked for some Provencale linens, to no avail. Again, just leftovers from summer were available for purchase (good sales) but nothing that worked for me. We did find a lovely shop that sold several local foodstuffs though, including some macaroons and Herbes de Provence. Then we drove down to Apt for our usual McDonald's Wifi fix.
Tomorrow we'll revisit a couple of places we've been taken with, and hope to find a few items we haven't yet purchased for souvenirs.
Wednesday, October 22, 2014
Tues. Oct. 21, 2014 - Cucuron&Ansouis
We awoke to a very foggy morning, but decided to chance a drive to Cucuron's market, thinking perhaps the fog would lift as we traveled south over the Grande Luberon. It did, and by 10:30 when we arrived, it was sunny and warm. Cucuron's market rings the village L'Etang, (pond?), a rectangular pool surrounded by old plane trees which are encouraged to grow up, rather than out, with heavy straps that pull the branches in and up. I liked this market a lot - for one thing it seemed "real", and not so much for tourists. There were 2-3 clothing vendors, a maker of hand-made leather purses, several sellers of "produits du terroir" such as tapenade, honey, confits, and chutneys, "pepinieres" (sellers of plants and flowers), a woman displaying typical Provencale linen housewares, and a fellow with all kinds of neat kitchen wares - knives, tea balls, olive wood items, and fancy corks, as well as the usual meat, cheese, and vegetable vendors. We did hear a bit of English now and then, but most of the shoppers were locals.
As it wasn't quite noon, we wandered back to the car with our purchases, passing the area's busy wine cooperative where grape growers were pulling in in their farm tractors and trucks, then backing up to dump their grapes into the coop. The smell of grapes was quite overwhelming! We drove about 5 km. down the road and paid a short visit to the handsome village of Ansouis which was nearly empty of people; most all of the businesses were closed for the season, but the village itself was worth a stroll. At noon the church bells started to peal, and we stuck our noses into the old church for a minute to appreciate the aged interior with it's a symetrical layout and deteriorated decorations.
Back in Cucuron we had an omelete with fries and salad while some musicians entertained the crowd around the L'etang as the market vendors dismantled their booths. The sun was out when we returned to our little apartment in Villars, and it was time for a nap.
Tuesday, October 21, 2014
Cucuron Mkt, Ansouis, Oct. 21, 2014 Tuesday
We awoke to a very foggy morning, but decided to chance a drive to Cucuron's market, thinking perhaps the fog would lift as we traveled south over the Grande Luberon. It did, and by 10:30 when we arrived, it was sunny and warm. Cucuron's market rings the village L'Etang, (pond?), a rectangular pool surrounded by old plane trees which are encouraged to grow up, rather than out, with heavy straps that pull the branches in and up. I liked this market a lot - for one thing it seemed "real", and not so much for tourists. There were 2-3 clothing vendors, a maker of hand-made leather purses, several sellers of "produits du terroir" such as tapenade, honey, confits, and chutneys, "pepinieres" (sellers of plants and flowers), a woman displaying typical Provencale linen housewares, and a fellow with all kinds of neat kitchen wares - knives, tea balls, olive wood items, and fancy corks, as well as the usual meat, cheese, and vegetable vendors. We did hear a bit of English now and then, but most of the shoppers were locals.
As it wasn't quite noon, we wandered back to the car with our purchases, passing the area's busy wine cooperative where grape growers were pulling in in their farm tractors and trucks, then backing up to dump their grapes into the coop. The smell of grapes was quite overwhelming! We drove about 5 km. down the road and paid a short visit to the handsome village of Ansouis which was nearly empty of people; most all of the businesses were closed for the season, but the village itself was worth a stroll. At noon the church bells started to peal, and we stuck our noses into the old church for a minute to appreciate the aged interior with it's a symetrical layout and deteriorated decorations.
Back in Cucuron we had an omelete with fries and salad while some musicians entertained the crowd around the L'etang as the market vendors dismantled their booths. The sun was out when we returned to our little apartment in Villars, and it was time for a nap.
Mon. Oct. 20-Moustiers Ste. Marie
I can imagine you are tired of hearing us rave about the weather and the wonderful days we are having, but it's all true. Though the sky wasn't quite as blue today as the past 3-4 days, it was more blue than gray, and the temperature has moderated a bit....about 17C (65F) which is perfect for us. We got an early start and drove about 100 km east of Apt to Moustiers-Ste.-Marie, a town in the mountains of Alpes-de-Haute-Provence. Much of the drive was on a huge plateau stretching for about 40 km., but there were plenty of winding, hilly roads to keep Bryant on his toes, with plenty of down-shifting. Luckily traffic was light.
After a short wander around Moustiers, and a bit of retail therapy, we decided to stop for lunch at Le Relais, a bistro-type restaurant with a terrace beside the waterfall that comes down the mountainside through the village. It was a good choice-my appetizer, which we shared, was phyllo pastry wrapped chevre with a green salad with sesame dressing. Bryant's main course was a tuna steak with potatoes and vegetable, while I had a roasted duck leg with sliced roast potatoes and delicious cooked sweet onions on top. Dessert was tiramisu for Bryant and pannacotta for me. Excellent meal with perfect service and ambiance. Why does the food taste better here?
We had just enough time to drive up into the Gorges du Verdon for a short distance and oooh and aaah over the views before heading back 'home' to Apt. A long drive, but well worth the effort and time. Another time we'd probably have taken two days to do the trip, as we didn't really see much of the gorges, and they are spectacular.
Monday, October 20, 2014
Sunday, Oct. 19, 2014: Saignon and Bonnieux
Another restful day, compared with our busy day in Lyon yesterday anyway. We slept in, did some laundry, and drove up to the village of Saignon, about 10 km. south of Apt. Drove UP, because these little villages are almost all on steep hills and the roads to them feature hairpin turns uphill and down. Saignon was known as a rich town in the past, but today it looked rather sad to us - it needs some TLC and the powers that be are in the process of renewing infrastructure and doing some restoration work. Nevertheless, it has an impressive situation with several limestone karsts at the top of the hill, and the narrow streets clearly show the geology of the area. Many interesting doors in this village, so that's what today's photos will focus on.
There were no restaurants open in Saignon after 2 pm, so we went on to Bonnieux, banking on the guess that more tourists meant more restaurants. And our hunch was correct. We took a detour through the little village of Buoux though limestone-lined roads with overhanging rock walls that reminded us of the Black Hills of South Dakota. The traffic was heavy in Bonnieux, and we found Restaurant Ste. Andre open, so we had lunch. Then it was back to Apt, McDonald's, and home for a very light supper. We are hoping the good weather continues so that we can get to Moustiers-Ste.-Marie tomorrow, about 85 km east of Apt, and the nearby Gorges du Verdon - the Grand Canyon of France.
Saturday, October 18, 2014
Saturday Oct. 18, Lyon
We've had a wonderful day! We are on the TGV returning to Avignon from Lyon and the sun is starting to set. It's only an hour's ride, and so I'll try to summarize our day quickly.
After a late breakfast at our hotel we got a text message from Christine saying they were nearing Lyon, so we checked out and just before noon Christine and Julien picked us up and took us for a quick tour of the old part of Lyon up on a hill near the restaurant they had chosen for lunch. The restaurant Balthaz'art was a great choice - we sat upstairs and had a fantastic lunch - the restaurant is in the Michelin guide, and its reputation is well-deserved. Everything was delicious and beautifully presented. We all had lamb - the most tender and mild lamb we've ever eaten. Appetizers and desserts were to die for, and the wine was excellent. Bravo Julien for your choice! We talked and talked and caught up on each other's lives for 3 hours before visiting Lyon's Roman Ruins and the Fouviere Basilica at the top of another high hill overlooking the Rhone and Soane. Lyon has some beautiful buildings along it's riverbanks, and lots of trees, making it appear to be a very green city. From the hilltop we could just make out Mont Blanc in the hazy distance. It was a hot day - sunny and very warm; Christine and Julien made sure we got to the station in plenty of time for our train, and even came up on the platform with us. They have been great hosts, and we appreciate their care for us today. It's hard to believe that we've known Christine for 23 years, and we are so pleased that we are still in touch. She sends her love and best wishes to her friends in Canada!
As the sun sets in France we are thinking of our next 6 days before we return to Canada on the 26th. More old villages and more kilometers on our little gray Dacia diesel making good memories of our holiday here.
Friday, Oct. 17 Avignon to Lyon by TGV
This morning we were on the road by 9:30 enroute to Avignon where we caught the TGV - high speed train - to Lyons to meet Christine and Julien on Saturday. Preferring to let someone else do the driving in a large city we opted for the train and believe me, are happy we did. It's now become our favourite mode of travel, and we wish there was a trans-atlantic TGV system! Plenty of leg and luggage room, only mild noise from the friction between wheels and track, as the trains run on electricity, I think.....and they go VERY fast....up to 304 km/hour! Yet you can still take in the landscape except where the berms on either side of the track are too high. It only took us 1 hr. and 6 minutes to cover the distance which would have taken 2 1/2 to 3 hours to drive.
Last evening we walked to a huge mall behind the train station next to our hotel (Ibis Styles Lyon Part Dieu - recommended) and had a light dinner and a bit of shopping therapy. Today we'll meet our friends when they pick us up here at noon.
No photos today.....
Friday, October 17, 2014
Thursday, Oct. 16, 2014-Rustrel, Viens, Simiane
Last evening (Wed.) we were invited by our hosts for dinner, and so joined them for a vegetarian meal - our apartment is part of their house. Their daughters, both pre-schoolers, were supposed to have gone to bed, but they soon appeared at the table, and amused us for half an hour or so with their antics. Our meal was different to those we've had in France before, but was very enjoyable and not so heavy as to make us uncomfortable during the night. Our hosts are about the age of Alisa and Tim, and have had interesting lives. Laurence visited China in the late 1990's, so we had lots to share with her. Her husband, Gael, is a chef, and both have lived and worked in Ireland, so their English is very good. We talked for at least 2 1/2 hours, mostly about travels and different cultures. Most enjoyable!
This morning we set off around 10 for Rustrel, where we hiked for over an hour to see the red ochre cliffs. Though I was a bit disappointed with what we saw, the colours were outstanding, and the exercise was beneficial! Following a narrow, winding road along a high ridge above a deep valley, we found our way to Viens, a small hilltown with a castle tower and steep, narrow alleyways with beautiful doors, red Virginia creeper on the stone walls, and a simple restaurant, Le Petit Jardin, where we had the Menu du Jour: green salad with tuna, lamb stew, and raspberry tarte - delicious!
Bryant, driver extraordinaire, got behind the wheel again to take us to Simiane-la-Rotonde, where we oohed and aahed again at the stone buildings, colourful shutters and doors, and autumn vines. We don't seem to tire of these villages. The three places we were today are all within 10-15 km. of our rental, though it seems like more when we're driving the curvy narrow roads. We saw Mt. Ventoux today from Simiane, the highest point in Provence, with its rocky white summit. The sun shone all day for us, and as you will see in the photos the sky was an incredible shade of blue.
Thursday, October 16, 2014
Oct. 15, Les Baux and Glanum
We were on the road early today, taking a reconnaissance run to the TGV station in Avignon so that we'll know how to get there on Friday when we'll catch the TGV to Lyon for a high speed ride to meet our Rotary exchange student (in 1991) on Saturday. Thanks to the GPS in our rental car, it wasn't too difficult. Avignon is about an hour and a quarter from where we're staying. Then we headed south to St. Remy de Provence, hoping to get to the market there, but alas, no parking spots were available. Changed plans and went on to Les Baux, a touristic village in the middle of Les Alpilles, a range of small, craggy limestone peaks south of St. Remy. We drove on narrow, winding roads up to a lookout spot above the ancient village ruins, then down to the village itself. There were the expected souvenir shops catering to the 1.5 million tourists they receive each year, as well as several art galleries. We found a small restaurant and had a good lunch before going on to Glanum, a large and well-preserved Roman ruin site.
This evening we are invited to dinner with the couple whose apartment we are renting. They have 2 preschool girls who are very curious about us....should be an entertaining evening!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)