A Surprise at Every Turn

I had never been to the small town of Fontaine de Vaucluse before our summer trip to Provence, but we swung by there on this trip.

I was amazed at the verdant green colors of both the water and the foliage, 

and the cliffs along each side of the river stretching towards the skies.

I didn't feel like I was in the south of France at all anymore, more like the Emerald City, but Fontaine de Vaucluse is the source of the River Sorgue which flows through the cute little village I shared with you in my last post: Isle-sur-la-Sorgue. The village is built around the spring that spills forth at the source.

For some, kayaking may be fun,

but "flip-overs" like this one would discourage me from giving it a try. I know some of you are much braver than I.

On our way to the car, we spotted this restful little cafe on the side of the river, and wished we had saved our lunch meal to eat there. Isn't the water some of the greenest you've ever seen?

After the coolness of Fontaine de Vaucluse, we motored on to the hillside village of Oppède le Vieux perched high above the valley, which has a fascinating story. Parking below and walking uphill 15 minutes to the village takes quite a commitment, but the rewards are plenty.

Its roots date back to the Middle Ages when the town's location in the hills proved a safe haven from warring factions. The Baron of Oppède took the castle as his seat in the 16th century. But in the 19th century, the inhabitants began to slowly move down into the valley for an easier lifestyle, and by the beginning of the 20th century, the town was uninhabited.

It remained a ghost town until the beginning of WWII when a commune of artists was founded there, and writers and artists took over the ruined houses to make them their own. Today there are very few permanent inhabitants, most choosing to live in the valley below instead, but the town is a fascinating spot to imagine the days gone by.

At the top of the village, you find the Romanesque Notre Dame d'Alydon church originally constructed in the 12th century and rebuilt in the 16th century.

The locals are bit by bit restoring the frescoes that are found inside.

Ruins of the old fortified castle leave a testimony of days when the town was at its peak.

Today tourists make up most of the activity in this very tranquil spot,

but a few people are still making the quiet little town

their home.

Who wouldn't enjoy having this view of Mont Ventoux in the distance and the Luberon valley extending to the hills? If it just wasn't for that little matter of climbing that hill every day!!

A city lost in time, ready to be rediscovered. Go see it if you can!

Dreaming of Provence

Yes, my homes are in London and Texas, but it's truly France that has my ♥. Ever since I dreamed of far away places in my junior high French class while learning my colors and fruits, I've had a passion for this beautiful country. So it's no surprise that every chance we get, we head that direction.

This time we took the Eurostar from London to Paris, and then the TGV, France's speed train to Avignon in the south of France, where we rented a car and struck off for our French home for the week.

We finally arrived at Les Olivettes, a bastide or farmhouse  which has been converted into a guest house with 5 cute Provençal apartments. You can read more of the details here.

Take a peek as we go inside

where you'll see the common gathering area we shared with a family from the States and another family from Brazil. Each of us had our own apartments with a sitting area, bath, kitchen and bedroom.

Wouldn't it be fun for a group of us to go back and rent out the whole place just for ourselves?

The farmhouse is situated just outside of the delightful village of Lourmarin, which was a 5 minute walk away. The views from the house of the village

and of the chateau there at Lourmarin almost made you never want to leave the house to venture any further. 

Surrounding the house were lovely lavender filled gardens

accented with bright flowers

and surrounded by trees.

We often had our breakfast or our dinner out on the terrace looking over the Luberon valley, where the air was its freshest and we could hear the harmony of the cicadas.

Before leaving, we bought some olive oil from our hosts, Joseph and Elizabeth DeLiso, that had been pressed from trees on the property. Joseph and Elizabeth were so helpful to all of their guests as we'd make our plans each day. Their home was just minutes away in the village.

The pool was so inviting, it was hard to leave it behind each morning as we would strike out on the day's adventure.

Come evening,

the sunsets took your breath away

with promise of a new day and more adventures ahead.

Each morning, we would find a bread basket just outside our doors--a kick-off and sustenance for the day ahead. First adventure on our list, the town of Isle-sur-la-Sorgue on a market day.

I can't wait to share photos and stories from there as well as the other towns we explored while on our Provence get-away. Hope you'll come back for the tour!

Aix-en-Provence

As our trip to Provence was winding down, we took in the town of Aix (pronounce it "ex") en-Provence, just north of Marseille. The Cours Mirabeau is one of the loveliest streets in town, with the plane trees lining both sides, and fine houses and cafés staring at each other from each side.

Sometimes known as the city of a thousand fountains, the Romans were first drawn to this town by its thermal springs. One of the loveliest fountains in town is La Rotonde, constructed in 1860.

Even in the winter, the squares are lively, such as here in the  Place de l'Hôtel de Ville with its famous clocktower, 

and fountain built in 1756, which supports a Roman column.

A short walk away stands the Cathédrale Saint Sauveur, which is a mixture of styles from the 5th-17th  centuries. Beautiful cloisters from the 12the century grace the back of the cathedral.

Even in winter, color abounds from the blue skies to the Provençal markets,

to the beautiful linens.

And what's a trip to France without a stop at a sidewalk cafe--even if you are wearing coats?

Our trip wound down with a delightful lunch for all 17 of us and our favorite guide, David, who travels everywhere the London gals go. I'm kicking myself for not writing down the name of the cute restaurant where we lunched so that I could share it with you, but don't you find it as charming as we did?

Who would have thought that laundry on the line could be so very, very French?