The Road To Gordes

This photo was snapped in the ocher village of Rousillon.  You can see the ocher deposits behind the sign.  Gordes is one of the ten most beautiful towns in France. When Francois Mitterand was president of France, he kept his mistress in Gordes -- a holiday town.  Click on the Gordes tag below to see a view of Gordes that I took.

Road to the Second Terrace of Bonnieux

This is the road to the second terrace or level of the village of Bonnieux.  On the right just behind the trees, parking is usually available.

Simplicity And Elegance

There are many striking elements of this photograph of a Provencal doorway.  First there is the ancient stone construction.  Then you have a delicate wrought iron gate with a beautiful Gothic design.  You have an aged simple doorway.  You have greenery and a tree apparently growing in the stone. You have the Provencal sun shining down.  It is a combination of simplicity and elegance.

Pool At a Gite

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With the warm summers, a swimming pool is almost a necessity at any gite that you are staying at.  This one was at a beautiful gite in the northern part of Provence.  When visiting Provence, we tend to stay at gites to get the local flavor of the place.

Here is a bit of French trivia.  A pool in French is a piscine.  It is pronounced "piss-in", which is what some people do in a pool.

A Good Shot of the Luberon Valley

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This is a good shot showing the hills and the Luberon Valley from the villiage of Bonnieux.  One can see the verdant agricultural land where all sorts of fruits, vegetables and vineyards thrive.

People and Cafe Life

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The cafe culture is ingrained in life in Provence.  Cafes are the perfect place to stop, refresh, and people-watch.  The cafes are a great place just to spend time and drink in the life and culture of Provence.

Inside A Provencal Gite

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This gite is called Le Papillon (The Butterfly) and it is an incredibly well-appointed vacation house, and reasonably priced in a beautiful, yet secluded area of Provence.  The amenities include a pool, and scenic countryside and villages.

Tiny Balcony

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This is charming.  Even though the balcony is barely wide enough to fit a man with very large feet and shoes, it was put in so that one could step outside in a corner of the building that is dark and windowless.  That is what I love about Provence.  Note the wavy wrought iron balcony railing.  That wavy pattern is also a feature of Provence design.

A Quaint Guesthouse Gite in the Country

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This quaint farm building in a bucolic countryside has been converted into a gite or a guesthouse.  It is the perfect way to holiday in Provence.

Clock Tower Near St. Remy-de-Provence

This clock tower is in a small village near St. Remy-Provence.  Note the long, narrow rounded-top windows and the tile roof in the background.  Tres charmant as they say in Provence.

Brasserie

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This brasserie made the best pizza in the world -- the Savoyarde pizza.  It is made of creme fraiche spread over the crust, and then covered with bacon (lardons) and potatoes and covered with a rebluchon cheese.

Unfortunately, this brasserie is now closed.

A Beautiful Sun Room on the side of a Mas

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This sun room is a modern touch on a stately mas or farmhouse.  The rest of the building has been kept as historic as it was built.

From Hilltop Village To Hilltop Village

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If you click on the picture to enlarge it, you will see the detail of another village across the valley.  In the valley you will see vineyards and farms in this bucolic picture of Provence.

A Modern Stone Building

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Just to show that all stone buildings were not constructed 100 years ago in Provence, this stone building in Aix-en-Provence is just as attractive as the old ones.