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Post by Anne on Aug 4, 2008 4:16:22 GMT -5
We just spent two weeks holidays in Bedoin, at the foot of Mont Ventoux . Bedoin is a very pleasant big village, very lively . Not one of those tiny postcard-style lovely villages (there are many around though), I rather stay in a more lively place if only for the food shopping (guess who is in charge of buying the fresh bread and croissants every morning ? ) . The area is quite touristic, but far less than in further South Luberon, and not the same posh tourists either : many Belgians, many many cyclists since the Mont Ventoux is something like the Holy Grail for cyclists (a mythic étape of the Tour de France, though the Tour didn't get there this year) . So the surrounding hilly roads are packed with those cyclists humming and puffing under the scorching midday sun . The country is beautiful and we did much hiking on the numerous trails on the slopes of Mont Ventoux . We really enjoyed the place, the only flaw was the cold mistral wind, which blew several days . Here was our gîte, on the outskirts of the village . Former member Toutou had kindly helped me picking it, unfortunately I haven't heard from her since then : The huge Monday market in Bedoin : The Mont Ventoux (about 2000 meters high) : Incredible view from the top (freezing-cold high wind) : Not far from Bedoin is Vaison-la-Romaine, a very touristic but very beautiful town . Its two main interests are the Roman ruins : ... and the fortified Middle-Ages ville haute : Nearby hilltop village of Crestet : On the terrasse of a restaurant recommended by Laidback in nearby Caromb (do you recognize the place Jim ?) : A little further South are the beautiful Gorges de La Nesque, second biggest gorges in Provence after the Gorges du Verdon : We hiked down the gorges and stumbled upon this XIIth century troglodyte chapel at the bottom : Then lunch at Monieux, on the other side of the gorges . Monieux is on plateau de Sault, one of the main area of lavende growing (see the field at the back ?) And now a little treat for all lavende lovers . While crossing the Luberon to visit our friends in Grambois, we stopped at the abbaye de Sénanque . The abbaye is still very much in use and can only be visited on appointment, but there is a bookshop inside where anyone can go . How about that ? :
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Post by Shoesy on Aug 4, 2008 4:25:15 GMT -5
Nice pics, Anne and you're right about the village looking lively . How many rooms did you have at your gite? BTW, how did you and your lovely family manage to keep your hair looking so good when you had that mistral wind?
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Post by Jody on Aug 4, 2008 5:05:47 GMT -5
Fantastic pictures. I'd love to see that part of France with the lavender fields and gorges.
The mistral is just part of the experience
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Post by mossie on Aug 4, 2008 8:16:46 GMT -5
Thanks for reminding me of a lovely area. Once spent a week in Forcalquier, some walking and some touring which included Abbaie de Senanque. Peter Mayle country, cannot recommend his books enough.
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Post by sistereurope on Aug 4, 2008 9:03:25 GMT -5
Anne,
Welcome back! Thanks so much for sharing your lovely pictures. (is that handsome man in the picture with your cute kids Mr. Anne?!) It was so nice to see everything in bloom - when we were there everything was still quite brown. And the picture of the market - sigh, how I wish I could go back!! BUT dear Anne, you left out some important details. Like...did you get to taste any of our favorite wine??!
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Post by Anne on Aug 4, 2008 10:01:13 GMT -5
Chouchou, the gîte had three bedrooms (and two bathrooms), which was more than enough since eldest daughter wasn't with us this year . Sister, yes this is Mr. Anne . HANDS OFF !!! Oh yes, we drank MUCH of the local wines, and always had a glass or two of Beaumes de Venise for apéritif . We didn't visit any wine producers though (kids were not too keen on such trips ), actually hubby made ami-ami with the owner of the local wine shop and spent quite much time at his shop, tasting and buying wine . We brought back quite a few crates .
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Post by Becky (Berkeleytravelers) on Aug 4, 2008 10:37:04 GMT -5
Hi Anne - thanks so much for posting these, I have not been in that area since I did a bicyle trip there several years ago (those gorges are a good inidication of why it was a challenge, especially trying to ride up the steep grade to Les Baux in a mistral!) Also, you mention Toutou as a former member, but I see her name on the list of members who have logged on in the last 24 hours - I think she just has not posted recently.
Thanks again for the photos, it was a very nice way to start the day.
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Post by annettecinca on Aug 4, 2008 10:38:47 GMT -5
Oh Anne, what a beautiful area! I love the pictures! Thanks so much for posting these for us all to enjoy.
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Post by sistereurope on Aug 4, 2008 10:54:51 GMT -5
Oh, OK Anne...although I still think he's quite a looker! ;D Don't mind me, I'm just jealous that you were able to spend 2 glorious weeks in such a lovely place...and especially about the CRATES of wine. And I bet that YOU didn't even have to buy an extra suitcase to take it all home! Did you have any meals that stood out?
PS After suffering from the heat and humidity in Baltimore, I'd love some of that cooling mstral wind!!
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Post by ray on Aug 4, 2008 10:59:45 GMT -5
Wow Anne, That looks like a great place to vacation. Thanks for sharing your photos.
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Post by Becky (Berkeleytravelers) on Aug 4, 2008 11:26:00 GMT -5
Sister - the mistral wind is anything but cooling! Try high wind in 100F degrees heat!
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Post by cigalechanta on Aug 4, 2008 13:50:24 GMT -5
Beautiful photos. They bring back so many memories of staying in the area. Several times we stayed at the Hostellerie Crillon Le-Brave
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Post by Megan on Aug 4, 2008 14:40:14 GMT -5
Hi Anne
These are great photos - looks like you had a great family holiday. I am so looking forward to being in the Northern Hemisphere so I can plan all these wonderful holidays - I am really looking forward to seeing a lot more of France !
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Post by Laidback on Aug 4, 2008 17:07:14 GMT -5
Anne thanks for the nice pictorial report. I think I recognise the restaurant as the Clos du Patre where I enjoyed this salmon entrée. Isn't it amazing the pride of presentation a restaurant in an out of the way tiny village like Caromb puts into the presentation. I hope you enjoyed it as much as we did. Here is another shot of the nice market at Bedoin You and Mimi will undoubtedly recognise this as Crillon Le Brave taken from a vineyard near Caromb: Haute Vaison La Romaine is indeed a picturesque little medieval village and here are a couple more photos to complement yours
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Post by Anne on Aug 5, 2008 3:52:49 GMT -5
Thanks for the additional photos Jim . We visited Crillon le Brave and saw Cigale's Hostellerie, actually we walked through it since they actually bought quite a few of the village's old abandonned houses and turned them into accomodation for the hotel . It is funny to think that you actually walk the streets to go from the hotel lobby to your bedroom ... Anyway, it looked really nice, a "Relais & Châteaux" . Yes, we did enjoy our meal at Le Clos du Pâtre . Actually, we quite expected the restaurants there to be of the "knock the tourists" type, but no, we were pleasantly surprised here . Most of them had a 17-20 euros "Menu du terroir" or "Menu provençal" usually with a choice of 3 starters, 3 mains and 3 desserts and they were GOOD .
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Post by mez on Aug 5, 2008 6:45:44 GMT -5
Anne, thanks so much for the post - it looks like you all had a great time. The pictures are wondeful and the lavender fields are magnificent. Could you smell the lavender?
Jim - I really like your photos especially that laneway leading up the hill. By the way - what are those 2 small mounds on top of your salmon? It looks like cream cheese with green peppercorns.
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Post by Laidback on Aug 7, 2008 16:16:01 GMT -5
Mez my memory falters but I am pretty sure it was chevre coated with crushed pistachios.
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Post by chicchantal on Aug 8, 2008 12:51:11 GMT -5
Oh divine . . . I'd love to visit that bit of Provence but the public transport is minimal and I can't drive.
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Post by Anne on Aug 11, 2008 3:15:22 GMT -5
Mez, yes the lavender smelt heavenly, as well as the several rosemary bushes in the garden (you can see a huge one just on the right of the lavender on the first picture) .
There have been quite a few questions in the past on the forum about when exactly lavender is in bloom . Well, we left on July 26th and by that time the lavender bushes in the garden had lost many of their flowers, the spikes were getting brownish . And a friend told me that they cut the lavender fields at the abbaye de Sénanque around the 20th . So for this specific area in Provence, I would say that the first half of July is the best bet .
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Post by Katharine on Aug 14, 2008 20:09:59 GMT -5
Anne -
Thanks for the great photos, especially of the Abbaye and the lavande. We were there in early June and saw the lavendar growing, but as yet in bloom. I am waiting for the opportunity to see it in bloom.
We, too, experienced the mistral, but fouond it to be quite cool. I had to wear a jean jacket and scarf a number of the days. Ah, well, at least I was weraing them in France.
Thanks again!
Katharine
P.S. Love the gite....looks wonderful!
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