A Week Later....

We woke up this weekend thinking if this is Saturday we must be at the market in Apt..the cheese man,croissants,cafe creme,olives..but  Oskar the cat,meowling to be fed ,and then go out was a reality check.
How lucky we were to have had this time in Provence again. 
A week earlier I had dropped my friend Peggy back at Avignon to get her train  home  to Zurich, only to find out upon arrival at the station, that there had been a  solidarity strike of the TGV lines(the first leg of her journey) and she and many others were left stranded and certainly about to miss their various connections.  I stayed as long as I could,then she met some Swiss people and they banded together, so was able to get back and pack,a task  inevitably left till the last minute.(the lines started running shortly but she did not get home till 2 am)
Our last   day together had been spent in Oppede le Vieux, located only 5 km from the gite. It is built on a spur of the Luberon range and in the Middle Ages was an important town and administrative center for the Papal state of Avignon.  Over hundreds of years and especially after the second World War the village was abandoned in favour of another village closer to "civilisation".  It fell into great ruin but today is slowly being restored in an honorable fashion and is once more lived in albeit in a remote spot. It is a great mecca for those hardy souls who scale stone faces, as it is THE  wild rocky climbing  area.
..Very charming and peaceful and kind of higgledy piggledy with only one small terraced restaurant which has a marvellous kitchen. You have to walk up from a new parking area  located way below the village,  unless you have a medical parking sticker(which we do).  Whew.
So for now,goodbye to wine tasting  in the caves..

coffee every morning at a new cafe....

..trying to look ever so continental(not!!) as we pick up a Herald Tribune at one of the many Tabacs where the locals start on Pernod at 9am...

It might have been nice to exit in this..

(Air France's new Big  Bird) Alas, twas a sardine can we lifted off in, but  it got us home safe and sound.
Au Revoir until the next time.

Fall is Coming to Provence...

..and soon we will be headed home.  Last Friday one of my oldest friends, who lives in Zurich, joined us for a week. In 2001 , the TGV(Train Grande Vitesse)Mediteranean link with Paris was launched.  Peggy was able to  travel down from Zurich in 6 hours linking with the TGV in Lyon and on to Avignon.    The very futuristic station is  situated just outside the city and  was surprisingly easy to reach.

We decided to head for the South Luberon the next day and the delightful village of Cucuron.  It is best known for its immense  walled pool of water (an etang)
in the main square.  It is shaded by stately 200 year old Plane trees..a cool spot on a hot day. Cucuron is unspoiled and harkens back to the middle ages. Streets and houses wind their way up to a castle at the highest point. From here you can see Cezannes' beloved Mont St. Victoire,the Alpilles, and the South flank of the Luberon mountains.  Sublime.

Our hosts Roselyn and Jean Marie had a little evening at their place, as they always do for their guests, and we got to meet our next door "neighbours" up the road, who were leaving the next day.  We had all been busy setting out in different directions and hadn't even said hello.  They were very amusing and the next day as they left,they brought us over a huge tray of their perishables that they could not take with them.  We haven't been to the store since!!(just kidding)

We also met the reclusive neighbour next door.  He  has a gite off in a nearby field and when he realizes a guest over the fence speaks French(me) he becomes pesky and wants you to spread the good word  back home about his gite. God , we couldn't lose him.  Twice we misunderstood him and  did not turn up at his gite..we thought we were supposed to go around to his house and he was politely perturbed. He brought us over a bottle of 1999 Cotes du Rhone so then we really  had to head over there. Peg and I went for a snoop today (when we were sure he had left) and WHOA!! was it ever nice..a tiny bastide..very simple, private, and looked  smartly turned out   through the windows.  You just never know. He belongs to an association and gets good evaluations, but unfortunately has no clue how to advertise.
He gave us his business card which in fact was his dental appointment card with some scribbled info on the back. Say no more. He has a dog called  Oh La La..the little sucker barks a lot..you know how I love dogs.  The beat goes on.

Vendange, the grape harvest, is in full swing and depending on the type of
grape, is in some cases over. It is beautifully warm during the day with cooler temperatures early am and pm..Perfect weather ,and the vines are beginning to turn shades of red and orange...leaves are falling..sort of hard to believe as  it is still so hot. In the Camargue,rice is ready to be brought in.  Walnuts are picked, and in the  Maures,sweet chestnuts are collected. The woods also yield rewards for mushroom hunters,and in the Vaucluse,truffles are harvested from the oak woods and  sold on the market stalls,notably at Richeranche.

We visited Roussillon,another hilltown close by and
I might add, a photographer's  paradise.The deep ochre colours of this village are  stunning. No other village looks so warm and  rich. Its hues come from at least 17 shades of ochre discovered in and around the village,notably in the dramatic former quarries along the Sentier des Ochres. The quarries are to the east of the village and  are a hiking area now.   There are many levels of hiking available  in this unique terrain.
Before its recent housing boom so to speak, Roussillon was a typical Provencal backwater. In the 1950's, American sociologist Lawrence Wylie spent a year there with his family and wrote a book about village life,Un Village du Vaucluse.
I found the book very dry, but it put Roussillon on the map.  The town has been extensively restored and is rather exclusive but has kept the feel of village life. Mining has long since ended and has been replaced by tourism..we go back again and again..you simply pick your times to avoid a lot of people. My favorite hour is about 7:30 am  just as the village is coming to life and the light is pretty fair for some photos.

As you can see, the above are midday pics!! Sorry..

Perched on a hill overlooking  a valley of cherry trees and vines is  Lacoste,a tiny village of 430 people...a fantasy of tranquil rural life.Only the imposing ruins of the castle that once belonged to the Marquis de Sade hints at a darker truth of  feudal lords, who for centuries ruled over the village. De Sade's chateau , said to have inspired the gothic settings for his novels of sexual perversion,is at the centre of a different outrage.  The new rich owner is accused by villagers of trying to take over as a self styled feudal lord!!

(The first castle photo is borrowed)
Pierre Cardin, the zillionaire Paris fashion designer and businessman, has spent millions restoring the castle and is claimed to be trying to turn the village  into a St. Tropez of culture. After establishing his own music festival, he has started buying up scores of  properties in the small village plus many of the local  businesses.
Lacoste,once a Protestant,then a communist stronghold is no stranger to rebellion, and a rebellion it is. Tribunals have been set up to prevent him from building a Greek amphitheatre in the quarries...Rue la Basse, the main street, now hosts 12 building  sites bearing the Pierre Cardin crest. As an outsider I ask myself..well who is selling him these precious properties ?  He has been known to offer a million Euros for a property worth 300 000 Euros. You just can't have your cake etc....He is an ageing man in a hurry to realise his dream..who knows where it will all end..just don't sanitise our wonderful terrace restaurant on the outcropping Mr. Cardin!!
Hope to get one more blog in before heading home!!

A Few of our Favorite Things...

Tuesday September 27th and it's flying by.  I am finally feeling better  but must stay on some strong antibiotics longterm.   Now they don't make you feel too peppy,but the beat goes on!!{had a cellulitis in my hand).
The mornings are lazy ..this is a charming 2 story home,about 250 years old,..we had to switch over to one of their other gites as we could not book the full three weeks in Les Pegots.  Although it is not in the middle of the vineyard as was the other,the views are still gorgeous and it is actually more comfortable.  We have our breakfast on the old stone table in the  back garden, and then make some loose plans. I'm just going to ramble a bit about some of the  nearby  villages we have visited.
A word on  local architecture..Traditional features are reminders of how influential the weather is on living conditions in rural Provence. Great efforts have been made to ease the biting gusts of the Mistral, and the relentless heat of the summer sun. Thick stone walls,small windows and reinforced doors are all recognizable characteristics. Windows are built on 3 sides,but none on the  north to avoid the Mistral's full blast.

Our village is Menerbes,which we have explored more this visit than on any other.  It is a hilltown and designated as one of the most beautiful in France. It was the stronghold of 16thC Calvinists,later to become even more famous in the writings of Peter Mayles, A Year in Provence. That has all worn off now and it is back to being a sleepy village,albeit with  a bank machine!
We have decided Goult is our favorite this trip..also a hill village but not perched on a rocky outcropping like many others...has the look and feel of a real one street village with the proverbial 2 butchers and 2 bakers. And the best "
cafe around...Cafe de la Poste.  All the tables face outwards..it is pretty big, and you watch the world go by over a cafe creme or two and maybe a croissant if you get there early enough.
Ah,where to next...We took a trip to Reillanne today..officially in the  Haute Alpes region..just  out of the Vaucluse. Came upon it it by chance once and found it very moving due to its resistance history in WW11. It is also a hill town,but not far enough away to avoid  being raided by the German police.  They were hiding 54 Jews in an  old infirmary..mainly women and children and they were taken out and shot in the square where you can still see the bullet holes in the church  wall.. It is something of a small pilgrimage for me to visit there each time we come..it just draws me back.
Fontaine de Vaucluse..The source of the Sorgue river is one of the natural wonders of Provence.In the closed valley above the town,water erupts from an unfathomable depth,to develop into a fully fledged river.  It just pours out of the side of a cliff face.  Charming town with ancient  Plane trees and many restaurants along the riverside...it is extremely touristy in the summer and I never wanted to go there again after the first visit..but lovely at this time of year.
Leading up to one of their little museums is what I call the "shopping walk of shame" yuck, a row of tawdry gift shops...the one downside..sigh.....

Markets are in endless supply every day of the week,big and small,touristy or just a few produce vendors set up in a small village. They are all wonderful,or so  my female friends agree..right? The men..well,they can take it or leave it. I can usually get Mike to Apt Saturday market at least once as it involves the purchase of his favorite mountain cheese and a supply of olives  which are of every variety and marinated in ways you'd never dream of.
Apt is a large provincial town with an air of the shabby chic about it and its market draws people from   near and far.  When the Cannes Film Festival is on, you can spot the stars in  Apt on a Sat a.m.(175 km!). The  town is a warren of winding  streets opening into squares where the vendors set up alongside the storekeepers who pile their goods out on the sidewalk..Provencal sidewalk sale!! The far end  is very  exotic as it becomes more North African..so fascinating, the sights and smells of spices we are not familiar with.

Sunday is not Sunday without going to Ile sur la Sorgue.  This attractive town is a major source for  antique hunters at weekends.  They set up along the river bank on one side, and over the footbridge is the regular market, not unlike Apt, but with  a greater selection..scents,pottery,flavours,fabric,honey,nougat,oils,the terracotta Santons,dried lavender,olive wood items,crystallised fruit and chestnuts,..it just goes on, and again the stores open up as well.  You have to have a coffee at both the pre war Cafe de France and at the Cafe sur la Sorgue which is on the river.(70 water wheels once powered industry in the town..now gone but for 9,which lie idle  and covered with moss) Notre Dame des Anges is a  beautifully decorated 17C church in the heart of the town across from Cafe de France. You are just as likely  as not to see a mime doing his thing in the middle of it all.

The grand finale of my day(Mike was having a quiet one at home with that cheese and some local wine..and a soccer match) was an outing with Roselyn,the property owner,and her 85 year old mother in law Janette.
 It was the last day of a local fete, and the culmination was Kine..yes..Bingo it was.  I have played Bingo in Provence. Make a note of that. Yup.
The big difference is, that,unlike our church basement bingo, here you can get blind drunk as the afternoon wears on.   They have waiters! The popular drink was a Tango..beer and grenadine syrup.  It flowed freely and by the time 40 games(oyy,my sorry butt) were over, it was pretty boisterous under the big top.
There were great prizes including computer stuff and a trip to Spain and everything in between. People were trading off their hams for a power washer,or their wine basket for restaurant vouchers.. The Kine afficionnados carry a magnetised paddle that  sucks up their magnetised chips..Quite practical but funny too as once the caller verifies that the winning card is good  you hear all the little chips being picked up with a wave of the magic paddle and then........ it starts again.
There is food galore and the most delicious was a deep fried sweet dough puffy thing not unlike our funnel cakes,or the Mexican  churro.  It was called a Chi Chi and there seems to be  some hidden meaning in that name which I have not fathomed yet.  I think it is a "nudge nudge,wink wink"  thing.
So time to close this off for now,but I'll be back soon.

How Time Flies etc.....

What perfect weather we have been having.
We were visited by the Mistral, a wild wind that often follows a very hot spell..it kind of cools the atmosphere but nearly blows you across the field!!  The locals know it is coming before the weatherman!!  It is in their bones.. So the temperature now is   around   25C and cool at night.  The crowds are low too,so it is all very relaxing.
Speaking of bones,this dry climate sure makes these old knees feel much better!!

We went up to Goult yesterday(cafe picture) an  obscure little village  in the north Luberon.  Once you have been there you will go  back..narrow winding streets,  which abound with beautiful ancient architecture and  a windmill at the summit of the village.  It has one of the most authentic cafes in the area.

This was kind of funny and I didn't get a picture..darn. As we got out of the car in the parking across from the cafe, a very regal lady with snow white hair pulled back in an elegant bun, nicely dressed and bejewelled,  and carrying a bucket and all the accoutrements to clean your windshield, asked if we would like it "freshened up".  I was shocked ..surprised perhaps better..and said no thank you and she graciously wished us a good day and went off to have a cigarette on the bench. We later saw her chatting away to one and all and looking as if she had a luncheon appointment at the Chateau up the hill!!  Goults answer to our Squeegee Kids at home. Could you just see that at the mall!!

Today we visited another favorite, Ile Sur La Sorgue. This is a town  built on several islands fed by the Sorgue river which mystically exits a mountain side 10 km. away.  More on this later after the weekly Sunday  market , including a huge antique market  taking over the whole town. This weekly event attracts  buyers from all over France and  America.  As you might expect, everything is overpriced and the dealers are very cranky!! 
It is pleasant to explore it on a quieter day. We had a crepe  lunch and then headed home for a swim and a quiet couple of hours on the  new  deck overlooking the  Petit Luberon Mountain and the vineyards.

Firstly tomorrow though, I have to bite the bullet and go and see the local doc as that finger cellulitis has not cleared up and sadly, while on the current antibiotic, I CAN'T IMBIBE THE ELIXIR  OF THE COUNTRY!! This will never do.

By the Beautiful Sea...

We got here safe and sound, and after some minor problems acquiring our car,(they did not have an automatic as ordered and we are out of the game for a manual with our left leg problems) we headed down to the coast in a fully loaded  baby BMW!! It can reach  speeds of 240km,which is not far off what they seem to drive along the Route de Soleil!!
We were off  to the Lavandou area, which is  close to Heyere, and not far from St. Tropez. Hyere has the most temperate climate  with the most sunny days, in Provence. We were pretty ragged by then and had some trouble finding the hotel,but it was all worth it in the end...room with ocean view and  patio, private beach on a big inlet, picturesque  little town(Calvaiere),full buffet breakfast(that was a pleasant surprise) which you could take  out to their  patio.  The ocean sounds were soothing and the  sky was Mediterranean  blue!!  The sea was very user friendly too..nice gradual slope and water temperature just right.
 Anything goes in beachwear..Lord help us, so I was right in fashion with my bathing suit which was 2 sizes too small this year..should have tried it on before leaving!! Mike was eagerly awaiting the topless parade but was sorely disappointed..no young stuff..but NUMEROUS ladies of a certain age letting it all hang out were in abundance. He is not wild about the heat and kept muttering.."we should have gone North." We would see them going up to the beach restaurants  to get a drink,wearing  their bikini bottoms. It seems once you leave the beach you sort of have to cover up, so they wear a bib affair..tied around their neck and  going down to their middle area..just hanging there...flip flop!! Doesn't cover much at all!! The beaches go along for miles, public as well as private,and we were surprised to learn there are 12 different kinds of sand..each beach different from the next.

 The coast drive was gorgeous, and in the evening as you strolled around,you could see  men of all ages playing the famous French game,boules, on the  courts every village has.
And to finish with a bit  of useless trivia, this  area grows a certain type of bamboo, parts of which are used to make the tongues of concert caliber clarinets..
So on to  Menerbes tomorrow..finally figured out the fancy built in GPS system!!
In case you are wondering..that beach picture really is an abstract..not the result of too much wine.

Back to Menerbes and our little house in the vineyard!!

We leave tomorrow for Provence and almost a month of relaxation,sunshine,lavender,wine and cheese!!
We have been going to the same spot for over 15 years..Imagine..we found it before the wonders of the internet,when most  holiday lets were found in a vacation catalogue.
Our hosts are farmers in the true sense of the word, and cultivate vineyards,olive groves,small fruit(apricots ,figs and cherries) and they also hunt truffles in the fall with the latest of many dogs they have had over the years. The current truffle dog has been named after me..we found that so funny..so,this weekend,Ness is going truffle digging with Ness!!(incidentally,certain breeds of dogs are more proficient in this ancient quest than the truffling  pigs we all hear about)
It was a  fortuitous find, Les Pegots, the name of the gite. It is extremely well located just outside Menerbes at the foot of the Petit Luberon mountain range,and is accessible to a myriad of  towns,hill villages,Abbeys,etc.,none being more than 5-20 kilometers away. Being  a photographer.it is paradise, and for Mike who loves to read and to write,it is tranquil and inspiring.

More to come in the next few weeks.