Topiaries Gone Wild

(click for larger image)

All the tops of these trees are at the same height.  If they were hedges and trimmed when they were shorter, the tops would be ragged.  Someone trimmed the tops here.  This is typical of Provence.

The Essence of Provence

(click for larger image)

The essence of Provence is orchards, vines, wines and a beautiful countryside with historic architecture.  This picture says it all.

Mock Orange Growing Near A Hedge


I was walking by a hedge in Provence, and suddenly the aroma of oranges filled the air.  I thought "Surely it is too cold to grow oranges here".  As it turns out, I was smelling a mock orange plant.  This is just another of the perfumes of Provence.

Another Beautiful Doorway of Provence


This is another in the series of doorways of Provence.  This is the doorway of a mas with shutters to keep the Mistral out.

For a book of beautiful doorways of France, follow this link:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00D19FLIS

Lone Flower in a Bed of Succulents


I was in the yard of a mas, looking at a typical Provencal stone sink and I saw a flowerbed with succulents.  This lone purple flower was standing out in a sea of green fingers.

Traditional Terracotta Tile Roof Details

 (click for larger image)
  (click for larger image)

The traditional roof in Provence is the terracotta tile roof.  These pictures show the detail and construction of how they are made.  Triangular rafters are laid down from the top of the roof to the sides of the house.  Then the semi-circular tiles are laid between the rafters.  The spaces are then covered with another layer of tiles turned over, and the whole thing is now a waterproof roof.

Bories of Provence

 Animal pen attached to borie

 rear view of borie

 Construction detail

 Arched door

 Borie construction over a well

 (click on any picture to enlarge image)

View looking out.

Bories dot the countryside in France.  They are unique structures built a long time ago.  Essentially they are shelters where a shepherd could seek shelter from storms as well as have a temporary place to sleep while staying with his flock.

Many bories had a bed for the shepherd and room for the animals (sheep, goats) to come into the borie.  Some had animal pens attached as well.  This particular one had a well, and a mini-borie built over the well.

They are largely unused now, or used for utility sheds, however they provide a colorful insight to the history of Provence.

The Village of Saignon

(click for larger image)

This is the beautiful hilltop village of Saignon in Provence.  These villages have a charm and an intense history that makes the past come alive.

Bent Tree at Sunset


(click for larger image)

This tree is bent from the prevailing winds and growing on the side of a hill.  The warm Provencal sunlight of the setting sun catch the leaves and turn them to luminescent orbs of light.

Palais des Papes




The Palais des Papes or Palace of the Popes in Avignon were once the replacement for Rome as the head of the Catholic Church.  Several legitimate popes lived there as well as schismatic popes.  The building is now a museum where they charge admission.  The outer facade is imposing.

Village House Door -- Les Baux-de-Provence

This is just one example of the beautiful doorways of France.  Notice particularly the security gate. It is essentially a piece of flat iron with incisions, and the incisions are peeled back to provide a decorative, yet function pattern for security.  This is a widely used pattern in Provence.

For a book on beautiful doorways of France, follow this link:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00D19FLIS

La Montjoie Bistro and Creperie in Aigues-Mortes

(click for larger image)

I was pleasantly surprised to find that the prices in La Montjoie Creperie in Aigues-Mortes was incredibly reasonable.  As a matter of fact, even though it is a major tourist attraction in the Camargue, the prices in all of the cafes are better than say, St. Remy-de-Provence.

Grape Vine on a Stone Wall


Grapes have been grown in Provence and wine has been made since before the time of Christ.  Viticulture was perfected in the sunny climes of France.  Here a grape vine clings to a stone wall, while young grape leaves repose in the strengthening sun.