Provençal life through the eyes of past citizens

Tags

Avignon, Musée Angladon, Palais du Roure, Provencal

Last Friday was spent back in Avignon exploring a couple of small but interesting museums and checking out the food markets Les Halles.

(This post was delayed in view of the tragic events in Paris on Friday night.)

Arriving by train, I head up Rue de la Republique and on reaching Place de l’Horloge, now with its rows of little wooden cabins in place ready for the Christmas market, I turn right and make my way to the Avignon food markets, Les Halles.

 

The exterior of Les Halles doesn’t do justice to the goods inside

 

It’s interesting to wander around the different stalls and survey the produce, but we may have been spoilt by the abundance of the Sunday markets in L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue where we are staying.

 

A santon presides over the fromagerie

 

That gateau de fromage blanc looks intriguing

Anyone for tarte tatin?

 

I buy a tarte abricot to appease my taste buds after looking at all the wonderful food.

 

The Palais du Roure beckons

 

I walk along the old streets window shopping, and am attracted by the door of the Palais du Roure a mansion dating back prior to the 15th century. I discover that it is a museum hosting artifacts and furniture typical of Provence, so make a mental note to return after lunch.

Next to Église Saint-Agricol there appears to be a jovial function featuring good wines in full swing, but judging by the bouncer at the door I don’t think I would be welcome.

Instead seeing the beautiful sculpted facade of the 15th century church I pop inside. There are many art works but it is quite dark inside so hard to fully appreciate them. What is lovely is the coloured reflections being cast by the sun shining through the stained glass windows

Nearby I wander down a small arcade with lovely frescoes and find a small restaurant. The plat de jour is a good choice with a variety of delicately cooked fish in a lemony sauce with miniature vegetables and salad.

Inside the Palais du Roure 

I return to the Palais du Roure and collect a small leaflet to guide me through the rooms of the mansion that are open to the public. It has a long history dating back to 1469, when a Florentine, Pierre Baroncelli, acquired the Armoried Tavern and two small houses near the livrée de Poitiers. He combined these sites to build his home which is now the Palais du Roure.

The building was remodeled later with characteristics of a 17th or 18th century hôtel. In the 19th century the poet Frédéric Mistral dubbed what was then the Hôtel Baroncelli-Javon, as the Palais du Roure (roure being a dedicated member of the félibrige, a movement to renew Provençal culture which met there).

In 1908 the family sold the hôtel. After having suffered considerable damage, it was finally saved in 1918 by Jeanne de Flandreysy, former journalist for Le Figaro, great admirer and friend of Mistral and passionate about Provençal culture. An energetic and determined woman, she devoted herself to the restoration of the Palais du Roure to its former glory. Once the restoration work was complete she created a center of Mediterranean culture.

The entrance door that grabbed my attention on my previous visit to Avignon and again today, features impressive interweaving branches surrounding a helmet-topped coat of arms that is supported by two figures. This decorative entrance is in contrast with the building’s general stark but elegant appearance. There are four core buildings with sculpted windows around an interior court.

 

A few of the 150 bell collection of Jeanne de Flandreysy

 

Among its treasures is a wonderful collection of 18th and 19th century Provençal furniture, a 15th century painted ceiling, rare paintings, murals from the 18th century, and a gallery devoted to the Belgian Symbolist painter Henry de Groux who spent time there.

There is an entire floor devoted to Provençal culture including 18th to 20th century santon figurines and mangers, traditional costumes, regional art, and traditional tools. There is also the press on which were printed the first edition of Frédéric Mistral’s chef-d’œuvre Mirèio and the Provençal newspaper L’Aïoli created in the Palais du Roure.

As I tour the house I come across a class of school children sitting on the floor of the dining room, happily working on a project under their teachers’ supervision. I wonder if it is about Provençal culture.

The Musée Angladon

 

Musée Angladon 

Now on to see the Musée Angladon, in the lovely 18th century mansion Hôtel de Massilian bought in 1977 by two Avignon painters Jean Angladon-Dubrujeaud and his wife Paulette Martin to display their art collections. They donated their family inheritance and home to the public, the inheritance coming from the Parisian couturier Jacques Doucet, a well known collector and patron of the arts. The couple were keen for the Musée to retain the appearance of a home as much as possible.

The Hôtel de Massilian, in the centre of Avignon not far from the tourist office, is named after the family that occupied it in the 18th century and retains a beautiful staircase and discrete elements of its original decoration in the rooms on the first floor.

Amongst the personal collection are several paintings by Cézanne, Degas, Manet, Picasso and Mondigliani and a painting by Van Gogh that is the only one of his works remaining in Provence.

There is also some wonderful 18th century furniture, a collection of porcelain in the Chinese salon, a library and the studio where the former owners’ own works are displayed.

The major artworks are displayed on the first floor

  

It is enjoyable to see art in the setting of old homes, and a smaller collection makes it easier to appreciate the individual works of art.

There are many more such museums in Avignon in fine old houses whose collections feature the personal taste of their former owners. It is well worth going off the beaten tourist track to discover them.

On the way back to the train station I stroll through the lovely garden square off cours Jean-Jaurès.

Treasure hunting at a famous Provençal market

Tags

antiques, bric-a-brac, L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, markets

L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue is famous for its antique and bric-a-brac stores and markets.

Often called the antiques capital of France (and sometimes the Venice of France for its river and network of canals), L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue has the largest marchés aux puces (flea market) outside of Paris, and many antique and bric-a-brac dealers are set up there all through the year.

Le Quai de la Gare, a group of antique shops opposite the railway station

There are also large antique fairs in the town twice a year that attract the serious antique buyers and dealers.

On Saturdays and Sundays the French and the tourists alike have a host of choices when antiques and bric-a-brac can be found along the river Sorgue at hundreds of market stalls.

Yesterday, and the previous two weekends, we browsed along these stalls but sadly all the things that caught my fancy would certainly not fit in my case for the flight home to Sydney next week. 

 

Provençal furnishings

  

Antique scales together with weights

 

A key for just about any lock

 

A bunch of asparagus platters and plates

 

As well as genuine valuables, there is a lot of ‘one man’s junk, another man’s treasure’.

But no matter as there is sure to be something to catch the eye of anyone, depending on their fancy.

Santon figurines

Something for a child, or the child in you

   

For that next sea journey

 

A quiet and reflective day in The Vaucluse, Provence

Tags

Fontaine de Vaucluse, L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, Paris, Plus Beaux Village, Vaucluse, Venasque

We awoke Saturday to a sombre mood following the shocking events in Paris of the previous night. Catching up on the aftermath and trying to comprehend what had occurred, we did not venture out until late morning.

In the village of L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue people were quietly talking and watching the latest news updates in the cafes and bars. The local paper’s front page was printed in black with just ‘L’HORREUR’ in white text.

At the cafe where we have breakfast the waitress and an elderly gentleman patron can find only few words to describe their feelings but their faces say more than words could. We exchange commiserations.

A quieter day is in order. It is comforting to get out into the local countryside and we decide to stop at a local Marché de Noël in the little village of Bedarrides. There is only a small number of people there, no doubt reflecting the mood in France.

  

Afterwards we head to Venasque, listed as one of the Plus Beaux Villages of France. Arriving after lunch it is very quiet on the streets save for a handful of visitors walking around.

We park near the old ramparts and take in the view over the countryside from the esplanade. At the foot of Mont Ventoux, Venasque is perched on a rocky peak overlooking vineyards and cherry trees. The local cherries are highly regarded and the village holds special markets in summer to celebrate the crops.

   

The position for the village was chosen by the Bishop of Carpentras to provide maximum protection from invaders ransacking the Provencal countryside. Stone from the Romans nearby former occupation were used in the foundations of the walls and three towers.

As we walk through the village just about everything is closed and we don’t notice any locals outdoors, just a few sleek looking cats. 

       

It is a pretty place with its steep lanes and creamy stone houses.

We come to the Baptistery, a pretty building once connected to the neighbouring Romanesque cathedral church of Notre Dame via a corridor with a round vaulted ceiling. 

  

The World War 1 memorial

  

The font in the Baptistery

 

The Baptistery was built in the 6th century on the site of a Roman temple and we can see some of the ordinal Roman blocks of stone still there. It is laid out in the shape of a Greek cross and around its central space are four semi-domed apses built into the thick walls. The floor still has traces of the ancient, original baptismal octagonal font. The building underwent renovations in the 11th, 12th and 13th centuries, and was restored in the 19th century.

We head back in the direction of L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue marvelling at the rocky precipices and nearby Fôret de Venasque and stop at Fontaine de Vaucluse which we had visited the previous Saturday.

Today we have some crepes cooked in front of us and walk up the path by the river Sorgue towards its source. On the way down we are treated to a spectacular sunset where the almost iridescent red sky glows on the cliff tops and chateau.

     

Later that night at the busy wine bar 17 Place aux Vins life goes on for the young and old couples and groups enjoying themselves.

From sweetness of lavender to spicy Marquis de Sade

Tags

Lacoste, lavender, Luberon, Marquis de Sade, Ménerbes, Peter Mayles, Pierre Cardin, Plus Beaux Villages

Our day began yesterday with the subtle sweet smells of lavender through the morning fog, and ended with a visit to the former home of the infamous Marquis de Sade who shocked the world with his spicy writings.

As the morning air is dense with fog, we stop on our way to the Luberon village of Ménerbes to take a look at the lavender museum in Coustellet hoping the fog will have cleared by the time we come outside again.

We are glad we did, as this little museum gives a fascinating insight into the history of lavender farming in Provence and has some impressive historic pieces of ancient and antique equipment used in the production of lavender oil. We admire the craftsmanship of the copper stills dating back to the 16th century. Naturally throughout the visit we inhale the light fragrance of fine lavender.

  

The production of essential oil from lavender dates backs to the 16th century. We learn of the difference between fine lavender and hybrid lavender. The floral stalks of fine lavender are short, straight and don’t branch out. It reproduces through the seeds it produces. One hundred and thirty kilograms of the flowers are required to make just one kilogram of essential oil.

Spike lavender has velvety leaves, longer stalks and several spikelets and is no longer cultivated in France. The larger hybrid lavender, known as lavendin, is sturdier than the fine lavender, promulgated through cuttings and yields up to five times more essential oil than fine lavender.

Lavender was traditionally harvested by hand held sickle right up until the 1950s, and was originally the lot of women who collected the lavender in their aprons.

Almost all the production of lavender is intended to be distilled for essential oil production. With the development of cutting and cultivation brought about the evolution of the still equipment from naked flame stills to bain-marie stills and eventually to steam stills.

Tracing the steps of Peter Mayles 

We resume our short journey to Ménerbes passing by some beautiful fields of vines.

Ménerbes has attracted artists such as Nicolas de Stael and Picasso long before Peter Mayle discovered and captured it in A Year in Provence. After the worldwide publicity from this book which resulted in hordes of visitors, it has returned now to being a beautiful quiet medieval village and one of the Plus Beaux Villages of France.

Amazing views from any vantage point at Ménerbes

We find a small cafe with seating out in the sun for lunch, and the tables soon fill up around us with locals and tourists enjoying fresh salads, quiche, pizza and steak frites. We are also joined by a number of cats and a dog soaking up the sun, and hoping for scraps.

 

Croc’In cafe attracts diners keen to enjoy the sun

 

Afterwards we take a walk through some of the winding streets admiring the views, houses and peeping into their tranquil gardens.

    

There is much to see here including the Citadelle, a miniature 16th century fortress, the Chateau du Castellet where the expressionist painter Nicolas de Stael lived and many examples of 16th and 17th century architecture as well as the church.

Tracing the Marquis de Sade

Driving on we reach the nearby village of Lacoste which is famous for its former resident, the Marquis de Sade.

It is hard to imagine this very pretty village yielding the likes of Sade who was ‘an extreme free spirit’; others may say he was simply a degenerate. He lived at the Chateau de Lacoste in the 1770s and enjoyed mass orgies, also having an affair with his wife’s sister while she was staying here. However he was a notable writer, not just of risqué writings but also philosophical works.

When we arrive we park near the Lacoste tourist office, collect a map and guide, and make our way up the hillside along cobbled stone paths through the heart of old Lacoste through the Portail de la Garde.

Up here it doesn’t seem that much has changed since the 1400s, except when we peer inside some of the buildings we see numerous galleries and a group of American students at work at the American owned Savannah College of Art and Design.

Lacoste continues to attract artists

There is much to take in and then we reach the Marquis de Sade’s chateau at the very top of Lacoste.

No mistaking the colourful heritage of this chateau

It is in a state of partial ruin as it was ransacked during the French Revolution and abandoned for 150 years. It has been under renovation since the 1950s by former owner, and subsequently by fashion designer Pierre Cardin. He transformed it into an art space and he also presides over the artistic Festival Lacoste in July and August.

The chateau is set in a lovely open space, and has some impactful sculpture.

   

The setting is very tranquil and we gaze out to amazing views of the surrounding area, before heading back down the hill and taking the short picturesque drive back to L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue.

Joining L’Isle-Sur-la-Sorgue on Armistice Day

Tags

armistice day, band, ceremony, L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, Le Jour du Souvenir

Yesterday we joined the L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue residents, war veterans and their families and dignitaries as they commemorated Armistice Day.

Church bells tolled and officials laid wreaths across Europe to pay tribute to the millions of soldiers killed during World War I.

Smaller ceremonies like the one we attended were being held across France, where church bells ring at 11am to mark the hour when Germany and the Allies, including France, signed the armistice on November 11, 1918 marking the end of fighting on the Western Front. The day is also known as Le Jour du Souvenir (Remembrance Day) in France, and it has been a public holiday across the country since 1922.

We leave our apartment just after 10am yesterday and as we arrive in the square locals, police and the L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue band are gathering as church goers spill out after the service.

 

The band assembles

 

The band assembles into order, the music strikes up and a procession starts marching from the square down Rue Carnot. We follow along and as we walk more and more people join, receiving greetings from the local shopkeepers along the way. It’s a moving experience.

 

The march begins

 

Marching down Rue Carnot

The traffic stops to allow the procession to cross the main road and we continue to the cemetery and down to the site of the Jardin de Souvenir. Here a memorial lists the names of those killed in World War 1. An estimated 10 million servicemen were killed in the 1914-1918 war, of whom 1.3 million were French.

 

The band tunes up at the Jardin de Souvenir

 

More and more arrive for the service, catching up with friends and neighbors as they wait exchanging the local greeting of three kisses on alternating cheeks. School children arrive in clusters to form a choir. A local journalist and photographer get into position. As it gets closer to 11am the dignitaries arrive including the local major and the ceremonies begin.

  

In the speeches mention is made of the millions of French as well as many other nationalities (including Australians and New Zealanders, British, Canadians and Americans), who lost their lives in France and remain buried here.

In between the formalities the band plays. The school children take turns one by one to come to the microphone and read out a fallen soldier’s letter, watched on proudly by their teacher and their families in the crowd. They then sing the French national anthem La Marseillaise and are joined by many of the crowd. Such a stirring tune.

The proceedings finish after about an hour and the crowd disperses. We join those heading back into the village of L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue and its cafes and bars gradually fill up with people having coffee, wine or an early lunch by the river Sorgue. We choose to sit in the sun for an hour or two over a coffee and a wine before moving on to lunch as the early diners depart to take a stroll around the streets.

 

Enjoying the sun and lunch after the ceremony

 

An appropriate day to read this message

 

Roman, medieval and modern delights in Provence

Tags

cafe, medieval, Orange, Roman, theatre, Vaison-la-Romaine

Yesterday we combined Roman and medieval marvels with modern day indulgence – visiting Orange and Vaison-la-Romaine, driving through stunning vineyards and replenishing at a cute and entertaining tea room.

Arriving first in Orange in the heart of the Rhone Valley, we spent a very informative and enjoyable hour and a half on an audio guided tour of the Roman Theatre Antique d’Orange.

 

Theatre Antique d’Orange already decked out in Christmas lights

 

An introductory film gives a good backdrop before we start exploring the site with the audio guide gradually piecing together the history of the theatre and its uses over time up to the modern day.

Built in the first century BC it was an important performing arts site for the Romans, but also served as an avenue to inspire loyalty and fan-like support from the population for the emperor at the time. Performances were free for the public and extra ones were staged at times when the emperor needed to curry favour to increase his popularity, at one time exceeding 100 per year. I am sure I could become a fan of any government if they gave me free tickets to the West End or the Sydney Opera House 100 days of the year!

We marvel at the site’s construction and the uniqueness of its Roman stage wall to be still largely in tact. The stage’s wooden flooring, under which the machinery was kept, could be raised above the orchestra pit. There were corridors behind the wall through which the actors and workers could pass.

A UNESCO World Heritage site, the impressive stage wall of the theatre is incredibly well-preserved. In its heyday the semi circular seating area, the cavea, could hold as many as 10,000 spectators. Three separate sections seated the theatre-goers according to their social rank. We wind our way through the different levels of seating and vantage points as our audio guide gives us the low down. Taking time to sit down it is easy to imagine the performances that would have taken place.

The theatre has certainly been through the mill over the centuries. It was closed in 391 AD deemed as a pagan pastime when Christianity came into power, later on was ransacked and pillaged, and it was used as a defensive post in the Middle Ages. During the 16th century wars of religion it was used as a refuge and we were surprised to hear how dwellings were built inside its parameters forming a self contained village. In the 18th century it was used as a prison, but finally Napoleon ordered the dwellings to be taken down and the theatre restored. Four tiers of seating were built and performances began again.

It has amazing acoustics, lending it to theatre and opera. After 1845 it became a famous venue for music and all the great opera singers have sung there. It has been the setting for the annual July opera festival Les Choregies d’Orange for around 150 years and has also been the stage for rock concerts.

 

There is a temple next to the Theatre where the Romans would go to worship the emperor of the time

Exploring vivacious Vaison-la-Romaine
Our appetites whetted, we travel on to Vaison-la-Romaine which has a couple of large Roman ruin sites, the remains of the Gallo-Roman city from the first to third centuries BC.

On our way we drive through seemingly endless wine country of the Cotes du Rhone – hectare after hectare of autumn leaved vines and impressive stone wine caves set against the irregular peaks of the Dentelles de Montmirail.

The town,  which lies at the foot of Mont Ventoux, is a blend of Roman and medieval. In its day Vaison-la-Romaine was one of the wealthiest cities in Roman Provence.

  

The two main Roman sites are just a short distance from where we park the car. At La Villasse a paved raised street runs straight through a central district with luxurious houses, shops, baths, gardens, and fountains. At Puymin, there is the remains of the Roman theatre among other buildings.

There is also a Roman bridge built in the first century BC over the Ouvèze River, linking the lower part of the city to the upper medieval part of town. We head up the hillside as the regular Tuesday market is closing down to explore the medieval area and to hopefully find some lunch.

   

Near the top of the road we find Thé Chez Toi, a tiny cafe in the medieval town that has more than 30 types of tea, and is decked out with teapots and tea things, some of which is for sale. But the attraction here is the couple who run it. The personable Dutchman Daan who is mine host, raconteur, barista and sometimes entertains with his guitar and a song.  His talented partner Emilie is the chef whisking up some simple but tasty dishes from fresh salads and savory tarts to delicious fruit pies and cakes.

 

If you pass by Thé Chez Toi Daan may treat you to a tune

 

Clockwise – pear tart, tomato tart and clementine pie

 

They tell us of their plans for their newly set up business, their broken down campervan that they need to replace so they can continue their love of travelling, and how they met in Melbourne when they were both on working holidays to Australia.

We finally have to leave to continue our walk around the old town where we admire the beautiful houses, courtyards, fountains and the 12th century chateau.

         

Driving home home again along majestic tree lined roads, past vineyards, olive trees and through small picturesque towns I am struck again by the beauty and many colours of the landscape and the soft glow cast by the setting sun.

Each day in Provence somehow seems to surpass the previous.

Gordes – buries, hilltop houses and an Abbey

Tags

abbey, bories, chateau, Gordes, lavender, medieval, Plus Beaux Villages, sunset, view

Another one of the Plus Beaux Villages de France, Gordes is a place that is best appreciated out of season when you can peacefully wander the streets, admire the views and tour nearby.

We had passed by Gordes, 25 minutes drive from L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, a few days ago and were struck by the magical views of the town from across the valley. Yesterday we decided go back to see the town properly as well as the surrounding area.

We first stop at the Village de Bories, a collection of drystone huts aged between 200 and 500 years old in the beautiful countryside just outside Gordes, around two kilometres down a narrow roadway off the main road.

Bories can apparently be found in many parts of the world (read this blog post from our recent travels in Ireland on beehive huts). We watch a film before taking a closer look at this village and learn that there are around 6000 in France and 400 have been counted in Provence.

The word borie comes from the Latin “boaria” – cow shed. The hut has always been an institution in Provence.

A royal decree in 1761 authorised small farmers to clear the land for new farming plots to help address the grain and food shortages. The bories were built first to house peasants’ farming tools and animals and as temporary shelters; when they were built in groups they were used as dwellings.

The bories were made entirely of layered rows of drystone, taken from the local limestone plateau, with no binding or mortar. The door was placed facing south to protect against La Mistral winds.

In this borie village near Gordes there are five groups of dwellings around a central courtyard that were renovated in the 1960s and 70s from their run down state. They had been abandoned in the 19th century as their owners sought a more comfortable life.

      

We find igloo-like dwellings clustered with shelters for animals, in particular sheep and pigs, and large cooking fireplaces. Around the bories the farmers grew vines, olive trees and cereals and reared livestock and silkworms. We enjoy walking around in the sun and peering inside the curious constructions.

From bories to the hilltops

Onto the hilltop town of Gordes where on this late autumn day there is no trouble getting a carpark. I read that many invasions in the region forced the local populations to find refuge in the hills, hence the numerous villages “perched” on the hilltops and hillsides.

The tall houses of white and gray stone along narrow cobbled streets rise up in a spiral around the rock where the village is set. At the very top is a church and chateau looking out onto the hills of the Luberon.

 

The Gordes chateau

 

The chateau was originally built in the 11th century, and rebuilt in 1525 combining Renaissance style with the original medieval. Today it houses the Pol Mara Museum, a contemporary Flemish painter and a citizen of Gordes.

  

The winding steep streets lead us to wonderful views over the valley.

  

We walk back up and go inside the Saint Firmin church, originally Romanesque but rebuilt in the 18th century. Its brightly painted walls give it a warm and welcoming atmosphere.

 

Saint Firmin church

The beauty of Gordes and its surroundings has long attracted artists and poets and today many artistic and cultural events are held here. It also has some good restaurants and we have a tasty salad and chocolate fondant for lunch.

Ten minutes drive away is the Abbaye Notre-Dame de Senanque, a Cistercian monastery dating back to 1148. In summer it is a vision set in blooming lavender fields and it still looks pretty fabulous in autumn. The small community of monks that live there cultivate lavender and honey and their resulting products can be bought in the bookshop.

 

Abbaye Notre-Dame de Senanque

The monastery was devastated during the religious wars of 1544 and after the French Revolution it is sold off as State property. A new community of Cisterian monks settled there in 1854, only to be expelled at the beginning of the 20th century. They returned in the 1920s but left again in 1969. The community was re-established in 1988.

 

A working monastery

 

The monks stress that that the Abbey is not a museum or a tourist site, however visitors are welcome to walk around the surrounding valley and the abbey. There is a guided tour – in French only – inside the starkly simple but beautiful 12th century buildings which we take to see the church, the cloister, the chapter-hall, the warming room and the ancient dormitory where monks used to sleep fully clothed on straw bedding on the floor.

The warming room where the monks used to work copying manuscripts, was the only room that used to be heated. There is a wonderful tall conical-shaped fireplace that could burn whole upright tree trunks.

 

The warming room

 

Leaving this tranquil environment late afternoon, as we wind down from Gordes we are treated to the spectacular sight of the town bathed in a glowing halo of pink light from the setting sun.

Sunshine, markets, lunch- perfect Provençal Sunday

Tags

church, food truck, L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, lunch, markets, Provencal

When you are in L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue on a Sunday there is no need to search elsewhere for something to do as the world comes to your doorstep. Our second Sunday in this delightful town dawns and very soon the markets are beckoning and the crowds are out in force in the sun.

The morning begins with a coffee and croissant, complete with a courtesy sparkler (a belated nod to Guy Fawkes Day?), and then it’s time to survey the produce before deciding what we would like for the week ahead.

A food truck with succulent roasting chickens, quail, saucisson, roast potatoes and galettes (potato pancakes) is hard to pass by and we leave with a cooked saucisson and two galettes.

Around the corner we find numerous fruit and vegetable stands and we choose some local tomatoes, lettuce, fennel, Dutch carrots, bananas, potatoes and strawberries. At the patisserie some tempting leek quiches catch our eye so we add them to the shopping bag with a baguette.

  

A bearded man with a jaunty hat looks the part selling a range of fresh goats cheese, and we buy two perfect small rounds, then pick up some purple olives and freshly made anchovy tapenade.

With the last purchase of Provençal style pâté we drop off the supplies at our loft apartment. I pass the church outside our street just as the congregation is departing after the morning service, so quickly sneak in to take a look at the interior, in particular the striking golden angels on the ceiling.

La Collegiale Notres Dames des Anges. The Christmas lights are up but have not been officially lit yet.

We join the many market goers enjoying a wine outside at one of the numerous cafe-bars and then settle in at a restaurant by the river Sorgue for a slow lunch of trout and a little sweet something involving cake and caramel sauce. Another perfect Sunday.

Truit de Sorgue

From gastronomic delights to wartime remembrance

Tags

Bonnieux, fete, Fontaine de la Vaucluse, Matisse, Miro, museum, Resistance, river, Vaucluse, Village of Secrets, war

Yesterday was a day of contrast of an abundance of gourmet foods to a stark reminder of the hunger and misery experienced during the Second World War in France.

First we decide to check out the Fete de la Gastronomie, in the hilltop village of Bonnieux, that we had seen advertised on numerous posters along the roads during our excursions last week. Bonnieux is perched on a Luberon promontory, just a 30 minute drive from L’Isle-Sur-la-Sorgue. We park up on the terrasse where there is a great view of the Calavon Valley, with Mount Ventoux in the background.

    

We wind our way down the hillside and find the fete at the Maison du Livre et de la Culture. Outside tables and chairs are ready for potential diners from the offerings to be cooked at the hot food stalls being set up. Inside the hall stall holders are gearing up for a busy weekend.  

  

Visitors are encouraged to taste and ask about the produce on display ranging from jams and spreads, cheeses, wines, apple and pear juice, gateaux and biscuits, tapenades, pates, numerous varieties of echalotes, sardines, pimentos in all sorts of presentations, and truffle products to what seemed the most popular stand of all of different saucisson with special packs for €50.

When we emerge outside again families are now happily tucking into hot poulet de Bresse with gratin dauphinois. 

  

We head back up the hillside to the terrasse for our lunch under the trees overlooking the beautiful valley. 

Then it’s time to head to the nearby village of Fontaine de Vaucluse to see the Jean Garcin L’Appel de la Liberte (call of freedom) history museum about the years 1939-45 which gives historic, literary and artistic views of this time in occupied France. This is of great interest to me as I am currently reading a book on the resistance movement in France, Village of Secrets by Caroline Moorhead.

When we arrive I am amazed yet again at the natural beauty that abounds in the areas we have visited just in the past week. Fontaine de Vaucluse is set at the foot of a striking mountainous area and is the start of the river Sorgue. Its waters are a great attraction for bold canoeists. 

 

This view from the carpark justifies the €4 fee

 

Cold drinkable water from the Sorgue runs from this Roman fountain

 

The ruins of a chateau overlook the village of Fontaine de Vaucluse

  
 
 

A closer look at French life during the Occupation

There are a few little museums of interest here but for now we go to the Jean Garcin history museum where we have an English audio guide to help us glean more from the displays which are all in French. In the first section as well as collections of thousands of objects, documents and posters, there are recreations of a school room, bare epicerie, a family living room and kitchen to provide insights into French daily life during the Occupation.

A second section tells how the Resistance movement began and its activities in the Vaucluse region.

  
 

And the third section, The Freedom of the Mind, references some prominent literary and artistic figures, including Matisse, who made known their views. It includes underground publications and also extracts from original works from Matisse and Joan Miro.

The museum also has a huge archive about the 1870, 1914-1917 and 1939-45 wars that is open to the public to access.

Afterwards still digesting what we have seen and heard, we walk along the river through the village admiring the scenery, waterways and buildings. The actual Fontaine is one of the most powerful resurgent springs in the world and the depth of its chasm has been recorded as 315 metres. The cave from where the river Sorgue emerges is at the foot of rocky cliffs. During heavy flooding the water reaches the height of the fig trees growing in the rocks near the mouth of the cave before surging down the rocks.

  
 

  

Below is a legend I found about the gushing green waters.

The secret of the Fontaine de Vaucluse

Having gone out to dance with the girls of L’Isle-Sur-la-Sorgue one hot day, the old fiddler Basile fell asleep in the shade on the road called Chemin de Vaucluse. A nymph as beautiful as the clear waters appeared, took the sleeping man’s hand and led him to the edge of the basin where the Sorgue river opens out. The waters parted before them both allowing them to descend between two walls of liquid crystal to the bottom of the chasm. After a long underground walk, the nymph, in the middle of a prairie sown with supernatural flowers, stopped the fiddler in front of seven big diamonds. Lifting one of them, she made a strong fountain of water gush forth. 

‘And lo’, she said, ‘the secret of the spring of which I am the guardian. To make it swell, I take away the diamonds; with the seventh, the water reaches the fig tree that drinks only once a year.’

She then disappeared as Basile awoke from his slumber.

Roman mastery and unexpected Uzes

Tags

aqueduct, bridge, duck, medieval, Pont du Gard, river, Roman, Uzes

Yesterday we set off to see one of the world’s wonderous sites – Pont de Gard – an incredible feat of Roman engineering set in acres of outstanding natural surroundings. The Pont is located between Remoulins and Vers-Pont du Gard so we head to Remoulins, in the Languedoc-Roussillon region.

A UNESCO World Heritage site, the Pont du Gard is also classified as a Grand Site de France and is visited by more than a million people a year. Fortunately for us, we are visiting out of tourist season so when we arrive at the site I wonder if we are at the right spot as there are so few cars.

The €18 per car covers entrance fees for all passengers plus the parking. We follow the directions walking along an avenue with beautiful autumn trees and then we see it – the Pont. It is truly an impressive and beautiful construction, much larger than I had imagined and in amazing condition.

  

 

The Pont is an aqueduct built by the Romans in the first century AD and the highest Roman aqueduct in the world, at 49 metres high, and it is 360 metres long at its longest point at the top level. It has three rows of arches (six on the first level, 11 on the second and 47 along the top). For five centuries it supplied running water to the city of Nimes.

    

We walk along the Gardon river it straddles until we can get a good look up close at the beautiful soft yellow limestone arches. We go back up the river banks to reach the stairs to the middle level and walk across, stopping to pause at the beautiful views looking upstream and down.   

   

There are lovely surroundings ideal for a picnic which we wish we had thought to bring. There are several caves in the area, one close to the right bank of the Pont, that have evidence of prehistoric life.

An inscription in the boulder by the old olive tree marks when the area was made a Grand site

   

Unexpected and enchanting Uzes

We can’t find anything open for lunch so head off on a whim 18km to Uzes as I had seen a sign on the way and recall reading somewhere that it is a nice place to visit. 

The Fenestrelle tower, whose cylindrical steeple is unique in France

When we arrive there we discover that was an understatement. Uzes, which is about 20 km from Avignon, is in fact a truly beautiful medieval town with a maze of small streets and shaded squares lined with 17th and 18th century private residences, encircled by the Boulevard Gambetta.

  

Unfortunately the Jardin Medievale is closed

 

We find a tiny restaurant for lunch with a delightful host very happy to guide us on our choices from the small menu which features duck in a variety of different guises in both the entree and main courses. Over lunch he tells us that Uzes has a small Australian community of around 20 who come every year for a few months over the summer.
  

Afterwards we take a walk down the narrow streets and find ourselves in the lovely Places aux Herbes where we admire the archway arcades and outdoor restaurants. Here and along the neighboring streets apparently a market with a great reputation takes place every Saturday.   

Places aux Herbes

  

Three imposing towers dominate the town – the king’s tower, the only remains of a long gone chateau, the bishop’s tower and the ducal tower also called the Bermonde tower. The latter is part of the ducal palace.

Duches Uzes

Further exploration around the old streets reveals some magnificent 17th and 18th century bourgeoisie residences, delightful specialty shops and art galleries.

      

I later read that the town is named after the Duke of Uzes who inherited the title of the First Duke and Peer of France after the execution of the Duke of Montmorency in 1632 for rebellion. Ever since, the town of Uzes has held the title of “1st Duchy of France”. The chateau has remained the residence of the ducal family for over a thousand years.

We head back to L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue driving through rich autumn shades of vineyards and tree-lined avenues glowing in the rosy light of the late afternoon sun. We hit Friday night peak traffic around Avignon but it is a small price to pay for the day’s delights.