Provence

Plantane Trees

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If there is anything that says Provence, it is the plantane trees (in English the Plane Trees) that line the roadways of southern France. They are huge trees and create a wonderful shaded tunnel. Their bark is smooth and looks like desert camouflage. They are part of the visual landscape of Provence.

Mas de la Dame -- Les Baux-de-Provence

View of the vineyards of Mas de la Dame from the top of Les Alpilles (click for larger image).

The good rosé wine.

The Provencal rosé wines are beyond compare. One of the nicest is Mas de la Dame from Les Baux-de-Provence. It is nice when you can see the vineyard, visit the domain and drink the product. This wine was made for the sunny south of France.

Hiking Trail on Les Alpilles

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There are beautiful hiking trails in the hills of Les Alpilles near Les Baux-de-Provence. This is one of them.

L'Alsace En Provence

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This shop is fun. It sells Alsatian products including wines in Provence. Alsace is probably as far away from Provence in France as you can get. It is cold and not as sunny as the south. However, it does produce some superb white wines among other things.

Wrought Iron Planter

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A ferronnier is an ironworker or a blacksmith. The art of wrought iron is still alive in Provence. One suspects that this old hand cart, used to move heavy packages was converted into a planter stand. Lovely.

Souvenir and Paper Shop

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A bookstore and postcard and souvenir shop is very colorful among the shops lining the square in Aix-en-Provence.

Eglise Notre Dame des Sablons

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There are many gorgeous cathedrals in Provence. This one is a 13th century cathedral in the medieval walled town of Aigues-Mortes in the Camargue region of Provence. It is right in the town square inside the the ramparts and towers of the old town.

Entrance Archway to Aix-en-Provence.

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This is a living wall arch to the entrance of Aix-en-Provence. Aix is a beautiful city that weaves a rich tapestry that goes back in time.

Lovely Building, Former Restaurant

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This lovely building used to operate as a restaurant known as La Pitchoune in Mausanne-Les-Alpilles in the town square. Unfortunately it is now closed and for sale.

Les Alpilles

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One of the most beautiful areas for hiking and walking, is Les Alpilles. These hills and mountains are just outside St. Remy-de-Provence and there are trails everywhere through them. One can walk to the scenic village of Les Baux for miles. There are herbs, flowers and trees of all sorts, and the air is perfumed with the lush fauna.

Old Ornate Well

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This old stone well was photographed in front of a restored mas near the town of Eyragues in Provence.

Cafe de la Fontaine

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The Cafe de la Fontaine is a nice little cafe in Mausanne les Alpilles near St. Remy-de-Provence. The cafe is across the street, however the marquee tents are in the village square near the church. It is a wonderful day to spend a sunny afternoon -- sipping drinks and watching the world go by.

Fields of Poppies

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It is a late spring in Provence, but the fields of poppies are blooming. When the sun catches them at just the right angle, they glow with a beautiful crimson. This field was near the town of Eyragues.

Medieval Provencal Church

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A medieval church with a belltower hugs the road near Les Alpilles in Provence. Every little village has its church.

Provencal Farm Implements

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This grain shovel and hay fork are Provencal farm implements from days gone by.

Pastis

Pastis is a traditional drink of Provence. It is a strong anise flavoured liqueur traditional in the hot climes of southern France. This plaque is a joke. It was found in the bar, drinks area of a patio.

A Mas near St. Remy-de-Provence

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A renovated mas (manor farm house) is beautifully renovated near the the town of Eyragues in Provence.

Hiking the Colorado of Provence

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The Colorado is the ochre deposits of Provence. See the blog entry below for a better description. The ocher quarries are being preserved as a historic treasure, and the landscape is stunning. Here some hikers are exploring the Colorado.

Ochre in Provence

This is a close up of an ochre deposit.

Le Colorado Provençal is famous for the rich deposits of ochre pigments found in the clay near the villages of Rustrel and Roussillon. The large quarries were mined from the end of the eighteenth century until 1930. Thousands of people found work in the quarries and factories. Nowadays the mining of ochre is prohibited here, in order to protect the sites from degradation or even complete destruction.

Les Capelins

A hammeau in Provence is a collection of farm buildings that housed a farmer, his married sons and their families and the hired help. It was a mini-village of people connected to a surrounding farm. This old hammeau is called Les Capelins, and it is near the village of Bonnieux in Provence. Note the fieldstone construction of the houses.