We spent the last morning on our own in Provence at Saint-Rémy’s weekly farmer’s market. Since it was the off-season, things were quiet in the village with only a handful of booths open. We thought the markets at home might just be a bit busier then, since this was the day before Thanksgiving. Another location … Continue reading Onboard in Avignon
On our last full day on our own in Provence, we once again stuck close to our “home base” in Saint-Rémy with a visit to the local church and a stroll around the village in the morning, and a tour of the Château in the nearby rocky, hilltop village of Les Baux de Provence. The … Continue reading Saint Rémy & Château des Les Baux de Provence
Sticking close to our home base of Saint Rémy at the start of the day, our fourth full day in Provence, we drove down a very, very narrow chemin (French for “path” or “alley”) from our hotel to a nearby olive oil mill, Moulin du Calanquet. Along the way we had to slowly edge past … Continue reading Olive Oil & Ochre
Question: Why in the world would anyone head inside an underground quarry on a sunny November day in Provence? Answer: For the Picasso sound and light show inside Carrières de Lumières. The “digital art center” in Les Baux has been a hit with tourists since its first immersive art show in 2012. The 2018 season … Continue reading Sunny Sunday – Part 3: Carrières de Lumières
Vincent Van Gogh left Paris for the sun and light of Provence in 1888. He spent over a year in Arles, with some of that time spent in a hospital there after cutting off his own ear. In May 1889 he voluntarily entered an asylum at Saint Paul de Mausole in Saint-Rémy, where he spent … Continue reading Sunny Sunday – Part 2: Saint Paul de Mausole
The sunny morning after our adventure avoiding the Yellow Vests blockades on the route to Arles, we had planned to go to the Sunday farmers/antique market in the Provence hill town of L’Isle sur la Sorgue. Soon after leaving our hotel, however, we encountered Yellow Vest protesters who returned to continue blockading highways. We chose … Continue reading Sunny Sunday – Part 1: Glanum
The first full day on our own in Provence was Saturday, November 17. It was a bit rainy, but that didn’t really create any problems. However, that was the first day of the Yellow Vest protests in France, and the route to our intended destination of Arles was cut off by a “blocage” at a … Continue reading Yellow Vests & Rain in Arles
One of the optional tours available during our Viking cruise on the Rhône was a brief visit to a vineyard and winery in the famous Châteauneuf-du-Pape wine region of Provence. However, the timing of this tour conflicted with their tour to the Pont du Gard aqueduct that we also wanted to take, so we decided … Continue reading Our Wine Tour in the Southern Rhône
One last morning in Paris, and then off on the TGV to Provence. We spent the time remaining before our cab ride to the Gare de Lyon station strolling around the immediate area of our hotel. Speaking of which, here’s where we stayed: Even with the morning fog, it was a pleasant walk, with sights … Continue reading From Paris to Provence
On previous visits to Paris, we had been on at least two bus tours that traveled past the Rodin Museum where we were teased with a fleeting view – over a garden wall – of the back of Rodin’s famous sculpture The Thinker. This trip, we made a point of making it to the inside … Continue reading Strolling to the Rodin Museum
Halfway There Travelers 