Provence, a trip back in time

Trip One, alla Bicicletta

The title of this post refers to an attempt to recapture the joys of my first European adventure, a bike trip in Provence in the early 90’s.  I was living in Dallas at the time  and I’m not sure what made me take the leap of faith to head off on my own.  I do recall that I learned about the bike company–Europeds–through an ad in the back of one of the many travel magazines I’ve read over the years.  It sounded perfect–10 days in Provence, starting in a small village just north of Avignon.  Since this was well before the days of being able to research and book online, I had to rely on my Dallas travel agent to book my flight to Paris and a hotel in Avignon before I met up with the bike group.  (As an aside a co-worker suggested one of the travel guides for finding a hotel in Paris and I lucked into a beautiful little hotel on the left bank near the botanical gardens where I stayed my last night before returning to the States.)

I can still clearly remember staggering off the plane in CDG airport and finding an extremely helpful travel assistant who told me (in perfect English) how to take the subway to the Gare d’Lyon and get the TGV for Avignon.  I had taken a French conversational class before my trip and it was enough to get me to the train station, buy a sandwich and a bottle of water along with my ticket to Avignon.

The four hour trip flew by and in between naps I marveled at the beautiful countryside; the red roofed villages, the charolais grazing on the hillsides. 

Avignon

I probably arrived in Avignon late afternoon and think I took a cab from the station to my hotel on the edge of the Place de l’Horloge.  In my father’s words my room wasn’t big enough to swing a cat; something of a cross between a garret and the bunkhouse I stayed in on a trip to the boundary waters.  But it didn’t matter.  As I strolled around the Place and picked out a restaurant with outdoor seating (the rule rather than the exception for most French and Italian restaurants) I thought I had died and gone to heaven.  It was beautiful and peaceful and for the first time I learned how much I enjoyed the pace of European meals–no one up in your face asking “How is it?”, trying to get you to leave so that they can rapidly serve some more customers.  After dinner I walked some more, then quickly crashed after being up for 30 hours.

Meeting the Group

The next day I had coffee and croissants, walked to the Palais de Pape, took some photos then caught a local train north to the small village where I was meeting the bike group.  They turned out to be a great group and I kept in touch with many of them for several years.  Plus our guide was the owner of the company and a professed Francophile who had extensive knowledge of Provence.  He took us to many places off the beaten path from a Picasso museum to a museum of the native Provencal fabric.

Our Itinerary

 We biked up and down steep hills through Vaison la Roman and its Roman ruins, L’Isle sur la Sorgue, Fontaine de-Vaucluse, Gordes, Les Baux, St. Remy, Tarascon, the Pont du Gard, finishing in Arles.  We stopped at numerous small vineyards and caves (and have to say the biking and wine tasting are challenging), picnicked along the way–my favorite spot being  a park in Fontaine de Vaucluse  at the source of the Sorgue, and cooled off with beers in little village squares watching the locals play boules.

We stopped at numerous small vineyards and cave′s or cellars (and have to say the biking and wine tasting are challenging), picnicked along the way–my favorite spot being  a park in Fontaine de Vaucluse  at the source of the Sorgue, and cooled off with beers in little village squares watching the locals play boules.

Here’s a link to a ‘newsletter’ that one of the group sent out after the trip, showing the places we’d been: Provence newsletter

I came home talking constantly about how much I loved Provence and wanted to go back but then I went to Italy and fell in love with it. 

 

 

 

Trip 2

In late winter 2015 my sister and I were having a glass of wine on a cold winter’s night that the topic of Provence came up again and she asked if I could put together a trip to the places we’d been.  We didn’t make it to all the towns I visited but we did add several new places, including Roussillon which was a major plus.  I wrote a lot about in my first version about how I was disappointed in the crowds, insane traffic and locals who seemed to hate tourists, but in retrospect we had a great time and I would definitely go back.

Getting There and Driving Provence

We flew from the Midwest to Paris CDG airport where there is now a train station.  Unfortunately I gave us way too much time before our train to Avignon and there was no place to sit and eat.  That was a long wait.

Things started going downhill as the train got to Lyon.  After we had been stopped for nearly 30 minutes I went to the lower level of our car.  Initially all I could find out was that there was trouble on the tracks.  Luckily a nice lady found the conductor who got my sister, me and two guys from Dallas on another train.

After getting in to Avignon an hour late, we found Hertz and then the fun began.  I found my way to Villeneuve and came within a block of the hotel but then, I got us hopelessly lost going the wrong direction.  We finally stopped at a restaurant but when I got out of the car to ask a guy for directions, I forgot to set the brake and the car rolled into a wall creasing the bumper. [Comment to readers:  The hotel had sent me a ‘map’ via e-mail but if you missed the unmarked turn to the hotel it was all over.]

The guy very kindly called the hotel and got directions but by the time we found it, I was tired, stressed and frustrated.

Over the next 3 ½ days I definitely gave us some adventures while driving some of which I’ve written about in my More European Driving Adventures post.  The worst were caused by my misreading the map our hotel concierge gave me and going north instead of south—twice. The day I drove us to the Pont du Gard, I found it much easier to return to Villeneuve but other days being across the river from Avignon made driving much more challenging. 

[Comment to readers: I remember riding on quiet country roads with little or no traffic but those apparently don’t exist anymore.  Driving is enough to give the unwary heart palpitations much less being on one of these roads biking.]

Where to Stay

Hotel de l’Atelier, Villeneuve les Avignons

https://hoteldelatelier.com/en/

I’m not sure how I stumbled on to this hotel which is in the small town of Villeneuve across the Rhone River from Avignon, but as you can see at the link above and in the photos below, it has a beautiful garden and terrace.  However either I inadvertently picked a poor room or we were moved to a poor room.  As I mentioned above I was exhausted and frustrated by  the time we found the hotel and blew up at the concierge because, contrary to the information online, there was no parking, our room was up 4 flights of stone stairs and was tiny with no real bathroom.

We did enjoy the terraces and the amazing breakfasts plus the concierge tried to help me with directions and maps but apparently I’m directionally challenged. 

Where to eat

La Salamandre

The best part of staying in Villeneuve (and at Hotel de l’Atelier) was finding La Salamandre in a small ‘place’ near the hotel.  That first night, we sat outside and had  a wonderful dinner–3 courses and a bottle of wine that we took back to the hotel and finished over the next 3 nights.  The food was great but what made it special was the waiter/owner who was super friendly and nice.  We were so tired and punchy that all we did was laugh which was exactly what we needed.  I paid for dinner since I felt guilty about getting us lost and at the time thought 67 euros was a bit much but it was well worth the price.

We ate there the next 3 evenings, twice outside and once inside when it was too cool and windy for the patio.  I think that was the night we shared a bottle of Chateau Neuf de Pape and thought we had died and gone to heaven.

Our last night at La Salamandre was super fun –although my tuna and rice was a bit bland. The owner/manager, who I started referring to as our little guy, was the only one working so didn’t stop to chat until there were just a few people left.   Then he brought us each a free glass of wine. In the interim we talked to another couple and enjoyed ourselves immensely.  When the manager could finally stop to talk, I said I would be writing a good review for Tripadvisor.  We thanked him for his kindness and he basically said it was easy with nice people.  When we stood to leave, he asked, “Where’s my kiss?” and we did the traditional French kiss.  A girl can dream……

Les Terrasses

https://pontdugard.fr/en/discover/restaurant-les-terrasses

Pont du Gard

On my bike trip we rode from St. Remy de Provence to the Pont du Gard, a grueling 25-30 miles but stopping at Les Terrasses (along with the beauty of the Pont du Gard) made it worthwhile.

So I was thrilled that the restaurant was still there.  My sister and I sat there for quite a while, enjoying the views and some wine while taking photos. 

Places to Go and Things to Do

Senanque Abbey

https://www.senanque.fr/

Senanque is a beautiful and still-working 12th century abbey, tucked into an isolated valley north of Gordes (Vaucluse).  The web site  describes it as harmonious and unadorned sitting in fields of lavender.  While the lavender was no longer blooming when we went in September 2015, the setting is still lovely.

I found the web site researching for our trip and once we got out of Avignon and through L’sle sur la Sorgue, it was fairly easy to find, a short drive north of Gordes.  On my first trip to Provence we stayed 2-3 nights in Gordes and in retrospect I’m surprised that we didn’t ride here although the roads are narrow and winding from Gordes to the Abbey.

We strolled the grounds and walked through the abbey, then spent some time buying products made by the monks.  I wrote in my journal that there were more tourists than expected but that was true everywhere.  I think the pictures from the trip say it all.

Gordes

After visiting the Abbey, we drove to Gordes, parking on the edge of town then walking around for about an hour.  It’s a charming town with beautiful views of the countryside.  [We stayed here for two nights on my bike trip, at a lovely hotel on the edge of town overlooking the valley.  I saw the hotel as we walked around and remember a wonderful meal there.]

Roussillon

Roussillon was new to me and I decided it was my favorite of the towns in this area.  We walked through the town, taking pictures and stopping in shops, then had a beer and wine at a little café on the square.  As you can see the colors of both the town and the surrounding hills are gorgeous.

We had planned to stop at a vineyard near Bonnieux but it was already late afternoon by then and I was nervous about getting through the Avignon traffic.

L’Isle sur la Sorgue

Renowned for its Sunday antiques market, this town was one of my favorites on my bike trip.  Our group rode to ‘L’Isle’ on a Sunday, parked our bikes and after wandering through the outdoor market, bought food and wine for our picnic which we had in a park at the headwaters of the Sorgue River.  I still have a collage of pictures from the trip including one of me in front of the water wheels.  

Driving from Avignon was challenging as usual but I managed to get us there in decent time, parking on the outskirts of town which like every other place in Provence was utterly packed. We fought our way to the center, admiring the river and the true Provencal wares (among the junk) then stopped for a beer and a snack. 

 I wrote in my journal that I was extremely disappointed that the town didn’t have the same charm as I remembered.  But I think a large part of the disappointment was that I couldn’t find the water wheels which I loved so much on the first trip.  So, in retrospect, I would advise going on a mid week day and avoiding the crowds. 

Abbaye Saint Michel de Frigolet

https://www.frigolet.com/

When my sister and I were planning our Provence itinerary in 2015, I happened upon a web site that showed pictures of the abbey and I told her I had a vague recollection of being there.

And I was right.  We stopped here on my bike trip, as we rode   from the Pont du Gard to our hotel in St. Remy and it was just as I remembered it, absolutely stunning.  Our guide, who was also the owner of the company, was a self-professed Francophile and owned a home in the Dordogne area.  He had an amazing knowledge of all the places we visited on our trip and I wish I’d kept more careful notes. (And wish I could find more of my pictures from that trip many of which have disappeared.)

The abbey sits in a lovely wooded area near Tarascon, in some ways similar to the area around Monte Oliveto in Tuscany.  It also reminds me of the foot hills of Colorado, tall pine trees, brilliant blue skies. As you drive or bike up the road to the abbey there’s a picnic area which would make a nice lunch stop.

According to my DK Eyewitness travel book the cloisters date back to the 12th century but the Premonstratensian monastery was founded in 1858 and the church was built after the founding of the monastery.

We strolled the walkways between the cloisters and the church, enjoying the beautiful scenery, then walked the interior of the church which with its intense colors and pillars decorated with gold leaf reminded me of some of the churches in Spain that had once been mosques.

There’s also a fairly large gift shop that sells the monk’s liqueur which is supposed to be fairly strong.  A thyme based liqueur doesn’t appeal to me but we did buy some mementoes in the shop.

Pont du Gard

https://pontdugard.fr/fr

On my first trip to Provence (and first bike trip ever) we rode along the Rhone River from St. Remy d’Provence to the Pont du Gard.  I remember it as a wonderful afternoon, sitting with the group having a fun lunch while gazing at the aqueduct. I’ve always loved history, especially ancient history and to see something built  nearly 2000 years ago left me awestruck.

So I knew I had to bring my sister here in 2015 but I was nervous about driving there.

I first looked on the website (see above) where it stated that parking was 18 € (yikes) and gave the following directions to get there: “The main entry parking is on the left bank (rive gauche) side of the river, on the D19/D981 road between Avignon and Uzès (just northwest of Remoulin). The main visitor center is on this side, where you walk through to access the bridge”.

Since I planned to drive from L’sle sur Sorgue  to Abbaye Saint Michel de Frigolet and then to the Pont du Gard, I had to do a lot more online research to get directions from near Tarascon to the aqueduct. I wrote in my journal: “Surprisingly we found our way through Tarascon and Beauclaire and got on the right road to the Pont du Gard.  Despite the crowds I was still awestruck and it was a definite high point to sit at Les Terrasses having a glass of wine like so many years ago.

As an aside the 18 € parking fee is well worth the money; you can spend hours not only seeing  the aqueduct itself but the surrounding cultural area and the visitor center which has been significantly expanded since I was first there.

Carrieres des Lumieres

https://www.lesbauxdeprovence.com/en/activites/art-et-culture/carrieres-de-lumieres/

When I returned from my first trip to Provence, I babbled constantly about everything but especially the Carrieres des Lumieres.  Most people looked at me like I had two heads when I tried to describe walking through an abandoned bauxite mine watching a slide show of French Cathedrals.  But it was jaw droppingly beautiful even though the technology was quite simple.

So when we started planning our trip, I checked online to see if there were still light shows at Les Baux.  I was excited to see that not only had the light shows continued at that point the shows were of the Impressionist painters, probably my favorite genre of art.

We drove from Villeneuve les Avignon to Les Baux on our last day in the area and not only did I not get us lost for a change, we decided it was our best experience in Provence.  I had considered getting reservations but didn’t want to be tied down to a particular time.  While it was busy and we had to park fairly far away on the road, there were no other complications.

The light show was more than worth the 10.5€ fee (which is now 17 euros).  When we first arrived, it felt like we had walked into an underwater grotto; i.e. it was presumably filmed by a diver since it felt as though we were alongside the diver as we walked through the various rooms.

 There was a break before the main show which I was initially disappointed to find had changed to the Renaissance artists–Michelangelo, da Vinci, Raphael.  While I love the art of that period also, I had been looking forward to seeing Monet in this setting.

We walked around outside for a bit during the break then re-entered the rooms.  My initial disappointment quickly changed to complete awe especially during the scenes of the Sistine Chapel.  As I wrote in my journal, it was like being inside art while listening to classical music.  And like the Brancacci Chapel in Florence, it was one of the few places where the tourists stood in complete silence watching the show.

I wish now we had purchased one of their DVD’s since it’s almost impossible to describe in words and it’s difficult to take photos that do it justice. .

Les Baux

Les Baux is a charming hilltop town and we walked around for about an hour after Les Carrieres de Lumieres, looking at the Provencal wares in various shops.

Mas de Las Dame

Home

We stumbled on this beautiful vineyard on the way to St. Remy and spent at least an hour, wandering the grounds, doing a tasting and buying some of their fantastic rose wine.

 

Avignon v. Villeneuve les Avignons

We only spent  a couple of hours in Avignon our last afternoon, parking across the bridge then walking to the center  near the Palais des Papes.  Once again I wrote in my journal that I thought it was crowded and less than clean but my pictures don’t support that opinion so I need to return and give Avignon another chance.

Overall I am glad we stayed in Villeneuve despite the driving hiccups, not only because of the wonderful meals we had at La Salamandre but because it was much quieter and we enjoyed wandering the winding streets and window shopping in between our forays to the country side. 

 

 

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