Provence
Saint Cyr sur Mer, Bandol, and The Hill Towns: L'Isle sur la Sorque, Gordes, and Roussillon
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| 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
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| Le Cafe' Bandolais |
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| 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.
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| L'Isle sur la Sorque |
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| a little dog hiding under a bench |
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| One of the most photographed cafe's in this region |
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| 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!
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| 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.
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| John in Gordes |
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| Roussillon--the entire town has a reddish hue |
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| Or a golden hued church |
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| bunches of local lavender |
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| getting lost in Roussillon |
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| 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.
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| Our group of traveling companions |
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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:
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| interior of villa was cheery |
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| a place outside to meet, greet, and eat |
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our pool overlooking the
Mediterranean (sort of) |
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entrance to the unusable
cellar bed and bath |
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