2010- Provence, France.....Red Wine and a Baguette!! March 21- April 15, 2010

Imagine!....planning a south Europe trip since last Fall after the Winter of '08- '09 made us vow that we would escape snow, ice and high winds.......to land in Toulouse, France with a foot of snow from the third major snowstorm to hit Provence, not heard of  for 30 years!  OK, there's the rant!!   On to sunshine and travel adventures! 

First stop, Carcassonne, a UNESCO World Heritage Site (my major Bucket List goal is to "peak-bag" as many of these sites during my travels as possible).  Since 1978, UNESCO, in conjunction with the United Nations and National Geographic, has been protecting cultural and natural places, now 878 sites in over 85 countries.  Our Bucket List total at this point is 47 in 10 countries:  Austria-2, Belgium-1, Canada-3, China-9, France- 9, Greece-2, Italy-8, Spain-3, United Kingdom-7, USA-4. 
Check out http://whc.unesco.org/en/list to see how many you've enjoyed during your own travels!  These sites always have great museums and excellent guides, are reasonably priced and are such an educational way of learning about the culture, history and geography of these different areas.....  These travel Blogs highlight many of these sites so hope you enjoy!
Carcassonne castle and fortified town from the 12th century, encased in ice and snow on March 10, was a great wander, as we learned about the multiple invasions and overthrows of warring Medieval Europe.  We lost count of how many times the Carcassonne area changed hands since 500 BC.  Originally enclosed by a Gallo-Roman wall, the first Trencavel dynasty castle was built on the Roman wall in the 12th century.
  Highlights were: a wooden covering for the east-facing rampart as well as wealth of Celtic crosses.  And can you spot the 3 people building a snowman in the courtyard of the castle??!! And yes, we are bundled in layers with red Vancouver Olympic mitts on!!

After our week in Spain in Javea on the Costa Blanca including days in Barcelona and Valencia (see next Blog entry) we drove along the Mediterranean Sea over to the Hautes Alpes Maritimes north of Cannes.   And what an area, this Canyon du Verdon, called the Grand Canyon of  Europe!!  As you can see in the above picture, we could spot the French Alps to the north and east from our apartment in Chasteuil, a tiny hamlet of  16th century houses (you can spot the village beyond me in above picture).  And all this with the GR4 going right past our apartment as seen in the above map....nice to say "Bonjour!" to hikers coming along from either La Palud or Castellane, which bookend the 20 kms. of the  Gorges du Verdon.  All while we ate  home-cooked French cuisine on our terrace...pure bliss!   Each day we struck out with packed lunch to the east or the west, high above the Verdon River teeming with snowmelt,  2000 feet below.  Kayakers were thwarted as the water was far too high during this great March melt.  The picture with Robert contemplating the far-off Alps is where we ate lunch one day as we headed over a pass towards La Palud.....a recent snowfall made for some interesting hiking! At the west end of the 20 km long Canyon de Verdon is Lac St Croix and Moustieres Ste Marie, an abrupt ending to the twisty, turning of the Gorge walls and narrow roads.  Ah well, back to civilization......the meal of smoked salmon and Salade Nicoise with red wine helped ease us into a more gentle part of Provence.

Heading straight over the middle of Provence, admiring dormant vinyards, olive groves and lavender fields as we drove......and what a contrast to Hautes Alpes Maritimes is the Vaucluse, Luberon and Bouche de Rhone areas!

We checked into our Mausanne les Alpilles apartment and strolled this very quaint village, settling in immediately for a cappacino, red wine and brioche on the square near Mausanne's church .   Located halfway between Arles, St Remy and Salon de Provence, Mausanne was a perfect place for day-trips during our 2 week stay.  Friends came to visit during  our second week there, the first being Sandra from Britain and Verne from Brussels. Just great to get caught up with them after our visits with them back in PEI in 2005 and in London in 2007!   We enjoyed good meals and chats outside our apartment as well as in Mausanne and one day we toured the Pont de Gard together.

While in Mausanne, we met up with some new friends, Jean and Chris from Wales.....and did we enjoy trading UK hiking stories as they live near Mt Snowden which we hiked up in 1999 with Robert's son, David! 

Just north of Mausanne on the other side of Les Alpilles (Little Alps), we grew very fond of St Remy, a lovely town with Van Gogh scenes everywhere as well as the wonderful Glanum Roman ruins.  Unbeknownst to Van Gogh in 1889,  he was wandering  the still-unexcavated Roman ruins (started in the 1920's) while staying at the St Paul sanitorium for his mental health.   He painted over 60 pictures while at St Paul's including one similar to the below picture overlooking the future Roman ruins.....serendipity, I'd say!   The sunshine of Provence changed the way Van Gogh saw light and colour.  Later in this Blog is a picture of me beside the "panda eyes" which can be seen upper left in the below picture.Robert spent a quiet moment contemplating Van Gogh's residence at St Paul's from 1889-1890, before Van Gogh's untimely death in 1890.

Such beauty at this Abbey de Senanque,  one of hundreds of Abbeys created throughout Europe and  beyond during medieval times.  Consecrated in 1178 after 100 years of building, it represented a movement for spiritual rebirth which was started by the Cistercian monasteries led by Saint Bernard.   Always in remote places, seven services are held each day.....Vespers, Compline, etc. as well as manual labour by the monks, in this case cultivating lavender fields for creating the essential oil of lavender.

Nearby was the gorgeous hillside town of Gordes, lit by the sunset as we drove back from the Abbey de Senanque. Spectacular! The Pont de Gard was a full day of exploring with Sandra and Verne.  A UNESCO World Heritage site due to its cultural significance, it featured an excellent museum which depicted Roman society and civil engineering unparalled for centuries.  And just to keep us gasping even more here we are beside a 1200 year old olive tree on our way to "worship" at the Pont de Gard.http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/344/videoSo, what is all the excitement about?  50 kms. of aqueduct going from Uzes in the north to Nimes in the south-west, dropping a total of 50 INCHES over the 50 kms.....'nuff said!!  The museum meticulously showed us the surveying equipment and construction set-up to create this aqueduct, 80% of it underground.  For centuries, it was the main source of water for Nimes....for their fresh water, carrying away their wastes and allowing them to lounge by their pools and thermal baths in typical Roman luxury and oplulence.  Actually, the harnessing of water was one of the major ways the Romans impressed their conquered societies, the other main one being their still-visible roads, for getting their armies quickly into any areas of unrest, so prevalent from 400 BC to 487 AD.   

In the below picture, you can see me beside the "panda eyes" up in Les Alpilles and if you peek really carefully you can see Les Antiques which are beside the Glanum Roman ruins far below.  From this vantage point on our hike we could see Arles and Tarascon on the Rhone River, Cavaillon on the  Durance River as well as spying Avignon far to the north....what a way for the Romans to keep an eye on any insurgence!!For a more current view of Provence we checked out the Lavender Museum near Salon de Provence, full of stills from 200 years ago which "cooked and steamed " the vast quantities of  harvested lavender, then pressed it all down and into vials of essential oil.....and of course, our new guest Marsha and I bought out the store with our purchases of soaps, teas, potpourri and body lotions....heavenly aromas and products!  On our way to Arles, we stopped at La Barbegal,  a twinned Roman aqueduct rolling through beautiful country-side towards Arles.  One side of the aqueduct diverted water into a series of water-driven mills, for grinding wheat.  The other side funnelled fresh water towards Arles.   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbegal

Below (with Robert) can be seen the waterproof red coating which ensured that water kept flowing steadily. 

At Arles (UNESCO), Marsha, Robert and I spent an enraptured few hours touring the Roman Museum, on the opposite side of the Rhone River from Arles.   Everything excavated from Roman times was on display here.....ceramic flooring, musical instruments, glassware and jewelry, potteries and small tools, keys, amphorae, buttons and needles, surgery equipment, oil lamps and small altars.....but the final room revealed the stunning 2007 discovery in the mud of the Rhone River!  Displays of artifacts from Julius Caesar's time, including a fabulous bust of  this illustrious Roman leader were shown.....including videos of the excavation in the mud of the Rhone River.  After, we toured the ancient town of Arles, called the "Little Rome of Gaul", so impressed with the Arena and Theatre.   

http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/164/video

Both structures were key elements in Roman society as it showed off their wealth and expertise as well as promoting their political propaganda and religious beliefs.  One day there was a bullfight "a la mort" going on in the Arena which disturbed Marsha and I.

Ah yes....just another day in Provence!  This time, Robert, Marsha and I headed due north towards Avignon and Orange, both full of UNESCO World Heritage sites.  Marsha and I toured Avignon's Palais de Papes, significant for being 5 Popes' residences and seat of power during the 13th century, quite apart from Rome, Italy.  In 1309, Pope Clement V transferred the papcy to Avignon to escape political turmoil in Rome, a schism not resolved until 1417.   This Palais was built in 20 years, starting in  1335.  It featured the Courtyard of Honour, a Treasury, St John's Chapel, Refectory, Pope's Chambers, St Martial's Chapel, Stag Room, Great Meeting Hall, kitchens and ramparts which shocked us with the power and opulence of the Avignon popes.  Politically, this was a significant time in Church history, hence the UNESCO designation.  While we toured, Robert checked out the nearby Papl gardens, with spectacular views over the Rhone River and the Pont Bazinet, of "Sur Le Pont D'Avignon" fame.  http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/228/video

http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/163/videoThe Theatre of Orange built during the reign of Augustus (statue in the wall niche seen below and ruled from 63 BC to 14 AD)  is the best preseved in the Roman world.  The cavea or spectators tiers could hold up to 9000 people, in 3 sections for different social ranks, with the orchestra near the stage reserved for high-ranking officials.   As in Vaison La Romain, this Theatre is built into a cliff-side and had a colonnade supporting a roof structure.  The spectacular existing theatre wall is free-standing!  Many productions still take place on its stage, enjoying almost perfect acoustics.

Another day, we all headed to Aix en Provence, strolling lively Cours Mirabel and touring 2 museums, the Tapestry one as well as Cezanne's atelier.  Living in Aix for most of his life (1839-1906), he painted hundreds of  oil and watercolour scens from his home town and nearby Mont St Victoire....better than any other painter, he captured the soul of Provence, I think!

Market days of Provence....did Marsha and I have FUN as we explored the regional food ones in Fontevieille and Mouries, picking up goodies for evening meals.....quite a contrast to the Mausanne antique market or the sprawling St Remy and Aix ones which were huge!  Most villages in Provence have their own particular market day, quite a special way to enjoy local life.

Sadly, our time in Mausanne came all too quickly to an end and on April 10, we headed north past the Durance River to glorious Mont Ventoux.  Of Tour de France fame, its profile with glistening snow had dominated our view of the Provence area while we toured for 2 weeks.   We were eager to see this up close!!     Starting in Maleaucene on the west side, we drove up 17 kms., stopping for lunch overlooking the spectacular view of the south of Provence.  Then, as we came to within 5 kms. of the col of Mont Ventoux, we came upon barricades and signs as can be seen to the right ......spring skiing on the nearby Mt Seigne slopes!  We hiked up 2 kms. in the corn snow to within sight of the top, spotting picnicers enjoying the sunny warmth, then came back down to drink herbal tea while we watched the skiers and snowboarders....not quite TDF but still athletic!

After leaving Le Giant de Provence, Mont Ventoux, we headed up to Vaison La Romain and walked the winding and beautiful streets up to the castle built in 1160.  The graceful single-arched bridge, the 2000 year-old Pont Romain, dominates this town dotted by relics from Roman times, such as the portico of Pompey, the Maison des Messil and Puymin.

A lovely drive across Provence, over the Rhone and up and up and up into the Perigord region, as we watched the temperatures drop to 6 C. from 15 C.  We came out on to the Perigord plateau, then headed over to the Dordogne and Vezere Valley areas, for 3 days of touring.   We went from 1000 to 2000 year old sites and straight into pre-history, with 17,000 years old being the norm....amazing!!

The view from Domme across the Dordogne River was spectacular, with the cave dwellings being seen across the valley.  Beyond is the Vezere Valley with Lascaux and Ruffignac caves, as well as the Thot and Les Madeleines sites....all exhibiting pre-history features.  The town of  Les Ezies had an excellent pre-history museum which really helps you orient yourself to all there is see in these 2 valleys.  If you have read the 6 Jean Auel books ("Clan of the Clave Bear") , the last one called "The Plains of Passage" ends up in this area.  On sale at Lascaux!

A special place for us was Benyac-en-Czenac situated right on the Dordogne river, apparently attacked by the Vikings in 800 AD, around when they discovered Newfoundland!  They do get around, those Vikings!   We climbed up the steep streets of Benyac, checked out an archeological site and cemetery and then had a lovely lunch right outside the castle, as you can see in the last photo.

Lascaux II.....ah yes.  Was it that it was a replica that made us feel unexcited?  The remarkable reproduction, so expertly done, left us a bit cold.  We do understand the "why" that there is a replica....people's breath destroying the original and amazing paintings from17,000 years ago (discovered in 1940 and then closed in 1964 when limestone crystals formed on the ochre paint)  Lascaux II was opened in the early 1970's and IS very interesting......but.....it is a UNESCO site but.....ah well. Hard to explain....

http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/85/video

Our excitement was rekindled when we explored nearby Ruffignac Caves......and what a labrynth of caves this was!  30 people on an electric train heading straight into limestone, altogether 3 kms......the guide kept turning off the lights to make sure we knew what the Neanderthal people saw during their forays into the caves.  One poor little girl was very upset...and I think expressed all of our discomfort!  We arrived at the "grand cave" and were so impressed with the wooly mammoth, bison, etc. 12,000 year old drawings which were authentic!  Excited?  Yes!Sadly our last full day of touring was upon us.....we left the farmhouse B & B at Sarlat-en-Caneda for another hair-raising twisty-turny drive over to an impressive castle and church complex in Rocamadour.  As we toured the 13 stations of the Cross, then walked down (and yes! back up later!) the 200 steps which pilgrims do as an act of devotion, we came upon the 13th century chapel....which Jacques Cartier of "discover Canada" fame in the 15th century used as his departure point.  The chapel had dozens of boat replicas hanging from the ceiling! Reluctantly, we headed due south back to Toulouse, a convenient ETAP hotel and an early flight home.  But what was this?  A volcanic ash cloud??!  We were delayed leaving from our connecting Frankfurt airport at 1:00 pm, with "Captain Bob" off-handedly saying that he was being re-routed south of the UK due to an ash cloud.   As people have said  "You were lucky to get out OK!!"   BUT....Were we lucky?  When we look back on our lovely southern Europe trip, I think we would've been lucky to have been able to stay.....much longer!!!  Just a wonderful time and already we are planning for "the next time".....!!!  Et voila!!