Lourmarin
Visit Lourmarin, Provence's most magical village in the Luberon. Meander through its enchanting cobbled streets lined with chic boutiques, galleries, vibrant cafés and restaurants. Explore its mystical 15th century château host to lavish music concerts and soirées. Don't miss the fabulous Friday market, linens, baskets, treasures from Provence. Stunningly beautiful and intoxicating, a place of artists and authors, a place to dream about and yearn for when you are far away.
Lavender Fields and Lakes. Haute Provence, France
Beautiful lavender fields and crystal-clear, blue lakes around the Haute-Provence region has kept us occupied for the last two weeks and we've haven't done much filming. The weather here is just incredible and although the lake areas can get busy over weekends there are many quieter spots around.
Right now we find ourselves next to the lake of Saint Croix Du Verdon at a campsite on a local farm which produces lavender and honey. In this video we cycle a dodgy track to Reiz where there's a country market twice a week. Although we get lost we make our way through the most incredible lavender fields.
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World on Board - Welcome to Vaucluse-Provence
The Vaucluse is this part of Provence gathering Avignon, the regions of the Luberon and the Mont-Ventoux.
Lavender, ochre lands, the antique theather in Orange, the Palace of the Popes in Avignon, the Châteauneuf-du-Pape wine appellation, food-loving markets... Here are a few of the must-sees !
Plan your stay on provenceguide.co.uk
Lavender Fields, Luberon Valley, France
A collection of still photos of fields of lavender taken in France's Luberon Valley in June 2015.
Arrival at the Hut House (As I Named It) in Gordes, France
I kept thinking of a play Veronica Lake was supposed to be in but couldn't do because of her drinking problem. I think Marlene Dietrich's daughter, Maria, took the part instead, and the name of the play may have been Hut House. Whatever!
We rented a stone house on the gorge in Gordes, France for a week in September, 2012. It took many weeks to sort out the rental from the owner, a lady in Belgium -- we had to pay by wire transfer, provide some insurance papers, and deal with a somewhat indifferent local rental agent (agents, actually). But it was fine.
Since we rented in September and not high Summer season, prices were down by half. It was still very hot, sunny and dry every afternoon and the pool was not heated, or didn't seem to be, but I used it a lot! The house has one main room and a small bedroom and bathroom with toilet, sink and shower, and the stone steps down to that were tricky (I am disabled) and we kept smashing our heads on the low doorways at first, but really, again, this place was fine!
The kitchen was tiny, minimal and sparsely equipped. There was no oven but there was a microwave/grill affair, a stovetop, a washing machine for clothes (no dryer, typical in France), two tiny sinks, and a bbq grill on a very nice terraced garden. There was space for nude sunbathing, a long garden, a wooden pool deck, and a cute balcony. The TV was a bit tricky to use, but we don't have a TV at home near Paris and are not up on gadgets. We managed.
There was a foldout bed in the main room which we left as a couch, and bunk beds in the bedroom. No problem for us. Four could be here but this is a better place for one or two people. It seemed a bit dangerous for babies or small children. You could fall down the gorge, and going out of the two gates, you were directly onto the one main road with only a few inches to get out of the way of traffic. Traffic ceased by dinner time, the extra garden areas kept you away from the noise, and though people walked by constantly, not aware that a house and garden were just next to them, they did not bother us. I heard a lot of American English spoken!
You can easily pay up to a thousand dollars per night in Gordes, as this is one of the most posh and choice spots in all of Provence, France. We never saw so many fancy cars, which was funny, as there's so little parking! We paid ten euros for a weekly pass, however, and parked in the lot by the gendarmerie just a couple of hundred yards from the house. No problem. Walking to the village centre was a snap. We found prices in the supermarket in Coustellet great (about 8 km below Gordes by car) and gas prices also good there, and there is an excellent Sunday morning market there you must never miss. During high season, they also run this market on a smaller scale on Tuesday evenings. Prices are unbeatable. We were not impressed by the weekly market in Gordes -- overpriced and limited. Generally, all the country markets in France are very good, however. Don't be shy, take a bag or basket. You're likely to save money, actually.
When you rent a furnished house or flat, you ought to travel light yet take some basic supplies, as buying local stuff such as coffee filters, coffee, sugar, essential spices, toilet paper, trash bags and dish soap can really set you back. We always pack a portable hand-cranked solar radio, a couple of emergency meals (such as the type you can microwave or cook in hot water), clean linen tea towels, and this time, I forgot to take my Italian corkscrew. (I hate French corkscrews!) Once you've done this a few times or hire someone such as myself to arrange the rental, you get used to it and can decide what to ask in advance, whether to pay for linens, towels or cleaning, and so on.
My other channel on YouTube is CUTECATFAITH and I also post on Dailymotion under LisaFalour.
Church Bells During the Sunday Farmers' Market in Auvergne, France
I am making an exception here and posting this clip on YouTube -- it already exists on Dailymotion under LisaFalour. I do two channels on YT: CUTECATFAITH and SLOBOMOTION. I try not to duplicate anything among the three places.
I think this clip will fit in with this channel okay, however, and I hope you like it!
copyright 2012 Lisa B. Falour, B.S., M.B.A. all rights reserved LISA, INC. (EURL) cutecatfaith.com
Since we were headed for a vacation in the Lubéron region of France and that is very far from where we live in Paris, my Parisian spouse chose Murol in Auvergne as a stopping point for a week. Yay! The high altitude here does affect your health, so plan and drink a lot of water.
This church is Romanesque in style and 12th c. Aren't the bells lovely? We had just missed the Mass, which I would have liked to attend, but we then toured the church. This town is known for spas and a special type of cheese, Saint-Nectaire.
The market was not huge and I recognized some of the vendors in other villages later in the week. It was nice to say hi to them! I got a lot of fresh food here for about five euros, but I regret I did not buy more rosé wine from a local family! It was less than 2 euros per bottle, a Gamay, and was the best I have ever had. This region is in central France and there are many volcanoes, castles and spas here, and it is superb for sports in Summer and Winter! This church features the flower of life motif and is one of about five in the region which are considered hugely important, architecturally. No one is sure about the origins of this place, which has a lot of pagan and Roman origins. This part of France is especially family-friendly. Despite the dangerous terrain, I saw many babies and toddlers, all fine. Pets are also generally welcome.
If you want some help dealing with France, I can advise. I do charge, but it's all declared.
One negative note: food prices around this area can be a little high. If you rent a furnished place here, as we did, you might want to pack and take some basic supplies. Most things in supermarkets here started at 4 euros per item! We are talking a box of generic ... breakfast cereal? I don't eat that, but hey!
I really liked the people of this area, and I often do not take well to the French. Les Auvergnats tend to be talkative, open, honest and show a lot of solidarity, even if you are a stranger. Perhaps it is the terrain. I don't know. I did note a difference in this region, however, and so did my spouse. If you speak French, you can definitely gab around here! And find out everything!
Fabrics part 4 of 6 Isle sur la Sorgue Provence France vendor in the market
you can find this vendor in Vaison la Romaine on Tuesdays
Fabrics part 4 of 6 Isle sur la Sorgue Provence France vendor in the market
Here's another place that you might consider visiting.
If you would like ot see some interesting videos here, why not send them to me and I'll post them for you?
Write to JKMcCrea at GMAIL dot c o m and let's share travel stories...
Cherry Orchard Farm - Wraxall, Bath, United Kingdom - Awesome place!
Cherry Orchard Farm - Special price! -
A 9-minute drive from Bradford-on-Avon, Cherry Orchard Farm offers luxurious accommodation less than 10 miles from Bath. With free parking and WiFi, its impressive suite includes an antique French bed and a roll-top bath.
The suite has views of the gardens towards the paddocks. It has a flat-screen TV and tea and coffee facilities, and an en suite wet room shower with bathrobes, slippers, hairdryer and toiletries provided.
On arrival, you can enjoy afternoon tea with scones and homemade cake, either in your room or in the lounge in front of the wood-burning stove. The farm is a pleasant 20-minute walk from the village of South Wraxall, where the Longs Arms pub serves cask ales and an impressive British food menu.
The city of Bath is around 25 minutes’ drive away, and is home to the Jane Austen Centre, Thermae Spa and Theatre Royal as well the Roman Baths. Just outside Bradford-on-Avon, you can visit the Peto Garden at Iford Manor, around 6 miles from Cherry Orchard Farm.
There are 3 golf courses in the area, with one right next to the farm, Cumberwell Golf Course Wiltshire's only 36 hole golf course, clubhouse starting points for all four 9 hole courses.