France - September 2011 - Part V

The French Riviera: Saint Raphael, Frejus, Auribeau and Pegomas

Plus Beaune -- on the way to Paris

Entrance to our second villa

Bonjour! By this time on our trip, I'd become incredibly French. Almost fluent! (Yeah, right--I'm dialect impaired for those of you who do not know me well.)  We packed up and left our villa in Saint Cyr sur Mer in the middle of the week. We drove several hours further east to a little village called Auribeau http://www.beyond.fr/villages/auribeau.html. It was near Grasse and Cannes--where the Cannes Film Festival is held. This villa sat on a hill. The roads were one-lane, very narrow, and windy. I was surprised when the GPS took us right to the entrance. Farigoulet http://selfcatering.travel/le-farigoulet was tastefully decorated in most of the sleeping rooms; the living areas were outdated, but we spent very little time there. The perks of this villa were Internet access in the dining area, our own private pool, and a tennis court. The bedrooms were large and most had a private en suite bath. Nothing went wrong at this place and we were able to enjoy the rest of our trip without incident.

view of Auribeau from our patio

From the patio we saw the village of Auribeau. In the evening, we'd enjoy a glass of wine (or diet Pepsi) or another refreshing beverage (and eat French cheese), watching the sun go down. Great sunsets! We were pestered by no-see-ums. I'd never heard of these annoying little insects, but they dined on all our ankles and legs. We bought bug spray to keep them at bay, then went to dinner in Pegomas--the closest town with restaurants. Pegomas also had a large grocery store where we stocked up on beverages and snack items. At the local patisserie, we bought chocolate croissants every morning--a new mandatory tradition.

one of the doors in Auribeau

So many of the buildings had old doors and flowers and made me think of my favorite fairy tales. The structures were built so close to the roads it was amazing more accidents didn't happen. Whenever we were within a city's limits, John and I parked and walked. As far as we're concerned, that's the best way to see a place.

an Auribeau street

our group of nine in Auribeau

I wish I could describe each little village without sounding redundant. But they were all unique and charming and quaint. I loved them all. You must go, visit, and experience them for yourself.

church in Frejus

One day we drove east to Frejus and Saint Raphael. I'd been there with my friend Diana when our cruise ship docked in Cannes a few years ago. At that time, it was November. The weather was chilly and the towns were in the process of holiday decorating--which was a wonderful treat in itself. This time--a September trip--the weather was warm, lots of flowers were in bloom, and people still frequented the beaches. I couldn't resist taking pictures of streets, churches, towns, the ocean, shops--and especially the signage.

streets of Frejus

Frejus Butcher Shop

love the signage!

Saint Raphael is a great coastal community with a promenade along the water. There is a huge casino across the street from the water. Even though I suggested John go play some cards, he decided to hang with me. The town has restaurants and shops, and like most French towns, a carousel near the waterfront. We took the opportunity to sit and eat at a cafe on the beach--a perfect spot to people watch.

driving along the Mediterranean

Carousels throughout France--
this one in Saint Raphael

a group of windsurfers being towed to shore

our hotel in Beaune

On our last day in the French Riviera, we drove to Antibes to lay on the beach. Again, people watching is a great past time in the Mediterranean. After a relaxing morning, we headed back to the villa to pack. The next morning we drove toward Paris. But we had one more stop before we picked up the key for our apartment near the Bastille: Beaune, near Lyon. http://www.hotelpaix.com
I found this boutique hotel on tripadvisor. The rooms were spacious and nicely appointed. The bathrooms were clean and roomy too. We only had one night there, but we took full advantage of the time. We wandered streets that looked like old movie sets, got lost, ate dinner outside, watched children play, and window shopped.

charming buildings in Beaune

our bedroom in Beaune at de la Paix

wrought-iron door

Pastries!

Beaune had everything a person could want in a village: shopping, pastries, cool architecture, accordion players, a carousel, and great walking. I wished we could have stayed longer. Apparently, this area is known for Burgundy wine. I'm not a wine connoisseur  but I did notice a couple wineries on our hike through town. Many travel agencies advertised vino tours. With more time, I might have considered one. France is a large country. There are so many wonderful, unique, charming regions. I felt our trip had variety, but there was much more to see. I guess that gives us an excuse to return. We spent the final leg of our trip in Paris. I can't wait to tell you all about it. Au revoir for now.

Accordion player

More Beaune

France - September 2011 - Part IV

Provence

Saint Cyr sur Mer, Bandol, and The Hill Towns: L'Isle sur la Sorque, Gordes, and Roussillon

A customer in a Le Cafe' Bandolais held the day's menu

France offered surprises around every turn. Our next stop on our twenty-two day journey was the Provence region. On our first evening there, we visited Bandol, a city on the sea with huge yachts moored in the harbor. http://www.informationfrance.com/bandol.php

Le Cafe' Bandolais

Bandol--on the promenade

Our group of nine strolled along the promenade, guessing yacht prices. I'm sure most were more than we'd earned in our lifetimes. 

After we'd had enough of the ocean and the oversized sidewalks near the fancy shops, we peaked at the menu's at the trendy (water view) restaurants.  Very Expensive! Our group wandered the back streets and came upon a charming little cafe called Le Cafe Bandolais. No one spoke English. The menu was written in French. But after several attempts to communicate via quacking like a duck for the duck, mooing like a cow for the beef, etc., we were able to determine the dishes. Every person in our group raved about their meal. The little old man who held the menu was a customer helping out so the owner could pantomime. When the old man left with his wife, I got kisses on both cheeks. John and I were a  leery about traveling in France. During a previous experience in February 1986, I found the French to be brusque and unfriendly. On this fall trip, I found the exact opposite. Every person we came in contact with was helpful, friendly, and kind, giving an entirely fresh viewpoint on this country and its people.

L'Isle sur la Sorque

The canal in L'Isle sur la Sorque

http://www.provenceweb.fr/e/vaucluse/islesorg/islesorg.htm
I really didn't know much about the Provence region before landing there, but I had my handy, dandy Rick Steves' book. Other members in our group took day trips in various directions. Our day trip took us to the Hill Towns and boy were we glad to have picked this area to explore.

Rosemary plants

Our first stop: L'Isle sur la Sorque. Some people call it Little Venice. However, it in no way reminded me of that city, yet it was beautiful in its own way. It turned out Monday was a holiday and many of the establishments were closed. That didn't stop us from wandering the streets, taking lots of snapshots, and peaking in the places that were open.

a little dog hiding under a bench

One of the most photographed cafe's in this region

The hill town of Gordes

The Cafe de France appears on tons of postcards and when I saw it sitting amongst the cobblestone and the trees--I fell in love. The outdoor seating was inviting, but it was early and we'd already eaten breakfast--so I stood in the street and snapped shot after shot, looking like a total tourist. Don't miss this town!

This view took my breath away

After L'Isle sur la Sorque, we headed to Gordes.  http://www.avignon-et-provence.com/luberon/gordes-france/#.UDExJ0KRmJU            This old village is built into the hill. We followed a map and signs and was still taken by surprise when we rounded a bend on a country road to see it magically appear. How did they build such a place???   
                                                                                                                                             






Fortunately, there was a safe place to pull over on the side of the road (a worn spot indicated many other people had pulled over there too). It was difficult to find the town's entrance. This picture was taken from the lower entrance (only city resident's were allowed to enter there) so we drove back to the top and parked in a lot (not free) and walked into town--maybe a 1/4 mile. We enjoyed the short hike. We looked over the small wall and saw scenery and landscaping and nearby villages. The streets are narrow in Gordes. John extended his reached and touched two walls. There were lots of galleries and gift shops and restaurants. The town is much different than L'Isle sur la Sorque--one built on water, the other into a hill.

John in Gordes

A view from inside the city walls

Below the village of Gordes, tons of lavender fields have been planted. Every year the lavender is harvested and turned into soaps, sachets, lotions, gels, etc.  Since we were visiting in September, the harvest had already been completed. All that was left in the fields were row after row of silver-gray mounds with a few stray lavender stems. The shops sold everything lavender you could imagine. EVERYTHING! This town was charming and sweet and worth a visit.

Another hill town: Roussillon

Our last stop of the day was Roussillon.  http://www.beyond.fr/villages/roussillon.html  At first glance, every building looked red, like the town was made from clay. But some of the buildings had other warm glows, like the golden church pictured below. Again, one of the charms of these towns was walking around and getting lost. You could always find your way back. We had a tasty pizza lunch here--across the street from the handpainted door. Lots of tourists stopped and took photos of that door. Many people stood in front--not realizing they were blocking a masterpiece. People patiently waited for others to move. Just revisiting all these pictures makes me long to go back. Exploring these three different hill towns in one day was a highlight of our trip. Every place I went was my favorite--at least for that day.  Please go, wander, get lost, eat, and most of all, enjoy.

Roussillon--the entire town has a reddish hue

Or a golden hued church

bunches of local lavender

getting lost in Roussillon

A handpainted door in Rouissillon

Our friends invited us to stay in Saint Cyr sur Mer at Villa la Clare overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. When you stood at the edge of the driveway, you could see the sea, otherwise, it was hidden from view. Upon arrival, the villa looked lovely (exactly as pictured on the website) with Tuscan-looking tiled floors, decorated in bright yellows and blues. We even had our own private pool. 

Our group of traveling companions

Saint Cy sur Mer--town where our
first villa was located

But there is always more to first impressions. The showers leaked, the freezer door broke, the washer/dryer had issues, the cellar bed/bath was unusable because of mold and mildew, and after a thunder/lightening storm the first night, the pool turned filthy. 

There were elderly caretakers for the property but they told us we were responsible for everything--even putting the sheets and blankets on the bed upon arrival and cleaning the pool--which we knew nothing about. The owners kids still occupied the place--their personal belongings scattered about--when the first couple in our group arrived at the agreed upon time. The place had to be cleaned and the kitchen looked marginally tidy after the hurried spruce-up. 

We picked this place because it had a good bed/bath ratio for nine people (four couples, one single). Yet the caretakers left and everyone searched high and low for the last advertised bed and bath. We finally had to call the elderly couple back. It was late--very dark, but they pulled out a key, and showed us the cellar bedroom. (They never mentioned this room on their initial walk-through). No one could have slept in there. The mold/mildew scent was so strong it made us gag. Someone flushed the toilet in the adjoining bath and liquid bubbled up in the shower. 

When I'm on vacation, I like to roll with the unexpected. But every day, something new materialized here, making the place seem more undesirable by the minute. (The owner's probably thought we were a case of ugly Americans--but the place wasn't as they advertised.) After three nights, the villa company found us a different place--closer to Nice. Too bad, because the location of Villa la Clare was perfect for exploring Provence.  Saint Cyr Sur Mer is a little fishing village with a small harbor and lots of places to eat, awesome old town charm (within walking distance for my husband and myself), delicious bakeries, and a beautiful waterfront--especially on sunny days. I hope the owners have addressed all the unfortunate issues we experienced because the place could be great. The villa just wasn't as advertised--especially the stinky cellar room with the inconvenient exterior entrance.

Photos of Villa la Clare in Saint Cyr sur Mer: 

interior of villa was cheery

a place outside to meet, greet, and eat

our pool overlooking the
Mediterranean (sort of)

entrance to the unusable
cellar bed and bath

France - September 2011 - Part III

Sarlat and the Dordogne River

La Villa des Consuls entry

Driving from Normandy to the Dordogne region took around seven hours. We arrived in Sarlat at 5 p.m.--rush hour on a weekday. We had reservations at La Villa des Consuls for two nights. I found this place on tripadvisor.com and was extremely pleased staying in this well-preserved medieval village. Although the hotel offered no parking nearby, the city has large parking areas on the edge of town. You must be able to carry your luggage (or roll it over lots of cobblestone) as the villa is located on a narrow street in the city center. I believe Sarlat is pedestrian friendly and they don't allow cars in many areas--but check this out with the hotel. The only signage is one on the main road (very small) and so it took several mis-turns before we found our way there. The GPS kept saying we were at our destination, but we couldn't turn or access the street. A bit confusing, but to me it was worth the trouble.   http://www.villaconsuls.fr/accueil-sarlat-villaconsuls-en.html
Our group of seven needed two apartments--each one had two bedrooms, a main living area, small kitchen, and balcony.

Our living area

Our balcony overlooked the city. We could watch all the lazy nighttime activities and the frenzied market morning ones from ours. My photo of the moon was also taken there. The other apartment had a balcony that overlooked a garden. It was much larger and accommodated our entire group during an evening of appetizers. The hotel was tastefully decorated and the beds were more than comfortable. John and I wished we could have stayed in this town--and this hotel--much longer. We loved the village of Sarlat, and the Dordogne region had so much to offer.

Although we passed many chocolate shops, I never tried a piece. I can't believe it since that is one of the confections France is known for. I made up for this faux pas in chocolate pastry consumption!

French chocolates--believe it or not, I never tried one.
Guess I have to go back!

Outdoor dining near our hotel

Every corner in Sarlat seemed magical: the outdoor dining, the art (and the children playing on the art), the archetecture, the clocks, the awnings, the greenery, the grounds...the entire town captivated us. John and I tried to get lost on the side streets, but always found our way back to the city center. And we had some of our best meals here.

A little girl riding one of
the geese sculptures

One of the many awesome buildings
in Sarlat

Getting lost in Sarlat

cobblestone and tunnels

night from our balcony

With only two nights, we had to pick and choose carefully on how we wanted to spend our time. I wanted to find and explore the hieroglyphics in the area, so John and I set out with my Rick Steves' book. Supposedly some of the oldest ones (in the world?) were found in a cave in France. But before we landed at the site recommended in the book, we came across Grotto du Grand Roc. http://www.sarlat-tourisme.com/en/fiche/Idees-circuits/Grotte-du-Grand-Roc/PCUAQU024FS0005E/  I wish we would have searched further. The Grotto would have been more interesting had I not visited the staglamites at Carlsbad Caverns. In my opinion, the ones in France looked exactly the same as the ones in New Mexico. What I did find interesting was how these cliffs supported cave dwellers thousands of years ago. Check out their website. If you've never seen staglamites or spent time in such a cave, go and enjoy. If you have, keep driving and see the hieroglyphics.

At the Grotto du Grand Roc

In the afternoon, I (John stayed in Sarlat) rented kayaks and canoes with two other members in our group and drifted down the Dordogne River. Well, drifted is the wrong verb. I paddled so hard my palms blistered.  http://www.northofthedordogne.com/canoe.php     

Depending on the time of year, the Dordogne runs at different paces. We were there in September and it moved slowly--if at all. Normally when I kayak, I paddle, rest, enjoy the scenery, and paddle some more. But here I paddled constantly. The Dordogne offers castles and little towns and a trip down this river is certainly a must do in my book. The scenery is quite different from the U.S. We spent half a day on the river. If I had it to do over I'd spend a whole day and stop at more villages. The kayaks/canoes had to be back by a certain time so we only visited one town--a huge disappointment for me. Please check with your hotel or bed and breakfast. They had discount coupons for various rental sites--and give yourself plenty of time--an entire day if possible.

One of the many castles on the Dordogne River

One of the many restaurant signs

We kayaked down the Dordogne--this was our view

market day

the best umbrellas I've ever seen

flowers on market day

On our final morning in Sarlat, we woke to one of the largest Market Days in the region. Anything you can imagine was for sale (and things you can't imagine too). Mashed olives, sausages, chicken, umbrellas, flowers, brassieres (yes, brassieres and other women's lingerie), fruits, cheese, wallets, purses, scarves and more scarves, pastries, sandals, shoes, wines, olive oils--I could go on and on. I wish there was enough room to put all the pictures of this France market on the blog. If you are near one when you visit this country, make sure you allow time to browse and buy. I'd never seen umbrellas that were as sturdy and beautiful as these. With the Euro exchange, they would have been close to $100--and then I would have had to get it home. If this would have been the last leg of our journey, I probably would have parted with the money--because they were awesome! But we did pick up a variety of fresh fruits, vegetables, and condiments for the rest of our trip. It was one of the highlights of our trip to France.
http://www.sarlat-tourisme.com/en/rubrique/Sarlat-Market/fe0803ed9bbe4685149aaeef4f60e1a7/