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The sound of light rain on olive leaves gently stirred us in the morning. Ominous skies signaled a rainy day ahead. 

Undaunted, we headed into the center of Avignon, slipping through the narrow gates of the old city walls. We parked in a modern and convenient garage directly beneath the Palais des Papes (Palace of the Popes). As we reached the surface…cue the umbrellas. 

Gentle thunder rolled as we entered the imposing stone building. The rain and thunder made us feel like weary travelers reaching our refuge in the palace, while God singled our arrival with trembling booms. 

The palace is quite a site. It was the home of nine popes over about 100 years, during the schism in the Roman Catholic Church when there were two popes. The medieval Gothic palace was built in stages during the 14th century. Unfortunately, once the seat of the Catholic Church returned to Rome, the palace lost its oomph and eventually fell to city control. The palace was a prison for a bit and then a military complex for 100 or so years. During that time, crumbling portions of the palace were demolished, towering rooms were sliced into smaller rooms, and most traces of the church were erased. 

Renovations began around 1900, slowly and deliberately removing the military alterations and restoring palace features. Although most of the painted rooms and furnishings are lost, there are impressive examples still in place and under careful rehabilitation. 

The palace consumed a good portion of the day. By the time we left, the skies had truly opened up and storms descended upon us. Our drive back to the hotel was slow, with heavy rains and frequently flooded roads. 

By evening, the rains ended and we were able to enjoy a quiet dinner. Tonight, the chef at Du Côté Des Olives invited us to sit at a table in the kitchen. How wonderful to see this talented crew craft each dish with such care. The chef came by to talk with us after the meal; such a warm person. Tonight we had a light squash soup to start. Ravioli with foie gras and a subtle scallop carpaccio. Our main dishes were so amazing: pan fried sole in a buttery sauce; juicy lamb chops with green beans. Honestly…the simpler the dish sounds, the more amazing it tastes. To finish the millefeiulle and some decadent chocolate mouse tower. Words cannot describe. 

We spotted stars as we walked back to the room. Tomorrow should be a beautiful day. 

We awoke to a thick blanket of fog over the old city, swallowing up the sound of visitors and adding depth to its undeniable charm. 

We spent the morning wandering paths we had run through the drizzly evening before, discovering hidden passages and gardens that had escaped us. We returned to the Basilica in time to see the sun light up the impressive stained glass as it began to break through the fog. The four Muscovites chanted once again. 

We pointed our car to the south and left Carcassonne for the rolling countryside. Red-tinged grape vines filled the fields along our route, with dramatic cumulus clouds overhead. For a bit, we traced the low, winding route of the 17th century Canal du Midi (a UNESCO World Heritage Site in its own right). 

We made Nîmes our afternoon stopover, hoping to add a little ancient Roman flavor to our trip. With its iconic arched walls, Nîmes’ 2nd century A.D Roman arena sits smack-dab in the middle of the bustling city. It is one of 400 Roman arenas still in existence and the best preserved. The inside seating area has been fitted with a modern setting for concerts, but the sandy floor and stone-block structure takes you back centuries to the site of gladiator battles. The views from the upper seating rows provide sweeping vistas over the arena out to the city. We learned that the word arena is from the Latin word for sand…makes sense now. In it’s long storied history, this arena was used as a fortified city in the Middle Ages, part of a walled fortification for the town, site for bull fighting, and a tourist attraction and concert space. 

Next stop…a very well preserved temple dedicated to Augustus that formerly provided the central focus for the Roman forum. Since it has been in constant usage it’s entire history, it never became a stone quarry and remains virtually unspoiled. The interior showcases a quite well made video documenting the founding of the city of Nîmes up to it’s architectural hay day during the Roman period. The film was only 23 min long, so provided a short history and a nice little break. Leaving the temple, we wandered thru the old medieval city with its numerous cafes and stores towards our vehicle. Time to find our home for the next four nights in the countryside of Provence. 

A short distance from Avignon, in the olive groves that surround the tiny town of Paradou, sits the charming .B design hotel. Truly an oasis in an already magical region. A small hotel with low buildings amongst ripening olive trees and rosemary bushes.  

We dined in the hotel’s intimate Du Côté Des Olives, having met the delightful chef when we checked in. (She recalled storied of her visit to San Francisco…the cable cars stood out in her mind.) The meal was nothing short of amazing. A luscious squash soup drizzled with olive oil. Silky ravioli filled with local foie gras. Flavorful duck fillet with citrus-tinged vegetables. A tender rare beef fillet with the meatiest of mushrooms. All accompanied by a deep luscious red wine. Desert was a blend of flavors and textures: figs and cream and strawberries and meringues. We were able to thank the chef warmly as we left. 

 
A quiet continental breakfast, and it was time to leave tranquil Brantôme. But the gentle tug to linger means one more short walk across the river in the morning light. We took a downstream stroll along the lazy, gurgling river, gazing up at troglodytic homes built into the cliffs. I wonder what they are like inside? 

Finally…reluctantly…we headed onward…and tranquil Brantôme was quickly replaced by the amazing terrain of the Dordogne. Signs for caves around every turn. We must be driving ground suspended by a honeycomb of ancient limestone passages. Signs for towns fortunate enough to have caves with paintings used these iconic graphics as badges of civil pride (and marketing savvy).Tiny La Douze lined its main street with tousands of colorful faux flowers for a weekend festival.  

We crossed the Dordogne river, and eventually left the region. We had gathered a long list of places to return to and explore on a future trip. 

We fast forwarded our drive a few times, hopping on the speedy network of toll roads headed south. Signs for Barcelona reminded us how close everything is here. (And 130 kph makes it seem reachable just over the horizon.) Adios Spain until next time. 

The outskirts of Carcassonne give no hints of the old walled city ahead. But suddenly, we crossed a bridge and up on the hilltop to our right: the iconic towers and walls of Carcassonne.  

The Pont Levis Hotel lay just outside the old city’s main gate, with a stylish rusted metal exterior that blended into the hillside without distracting from the city sights nearby. A great location with convenient (albeit slightly confusing) parking…perfect for a one night stay. The cow-patterned carpeting through the hotel added a bit of whimsy…light years from the traditional French countryside decor in Brantôme. 

Without missing a beat, we headed into the city, ready to explore this UNESCO world heritage site. This is a tiny city, meant for walking and observing. It seemed to have more restaurants (and very appealing restaurants at that) than visitors in this off-season day. 

We popped into the city’s main church, a beautiful stone building with soaring stained glass. The detail and variety was breathtaking. And then, quite unexpectedly, a quartet of men (a choir from Moscow we learned later) began to chant and then to sing, filling the hall with uplifting harmonies. 

We circled the city in its famous ramparts. 

We stopped for pre-dinner wine in a tiny courtyard under a broad tree that sheltered us from intermittent drizzle. As the sun set, Le Bar à Vins à Boire got even more charming. Light jazz led to another glass. The engaging wait staff led to yet another. 

We chose one of many outdoor restaurants to plant ourselves for dinner. We tried the signature cassoulet with duck and sausage for dinner…a regional specialty sold by nearly every restaurant in town. And we immediately knew why. The warm, hearty dish was bursting with flavor. The crispy-skinned duck and snappy sausage blended perfectly with silky white beans and aromatic sauce. 

A steady, light rain accompanied us back to our room. Gentle thunder and lightning rocked us to sleep. 

 





 
A light breeze carried the blended sounds of gentle waterfall, rhythmic waterwheel, and hungry waterfowl into our sunny room. The best alarm clock you could wish for. 

We found a charming patisserie in town for a light breakfast and wonderful cappuccino, before visiting the Brantôme abbey. Although the abbey dates back 1000 years, it had been destroyed and re-constructed a number of times. But that doesn’t take away from its draw. The church is bright and beautiful, but similar to what you come to expect in Europe. 

But behind the church, the interest begins. The abbey was built against cliffs, where earlier buildings and dwellers resides. Cubbies for this and that, and some fascinating wall engravings make these caves worth exploring. 

The Dordogne is known…in part…for its pre-historic cave paintings. The most famous (like Lascaux) are closed permanently, since the mere presence of modern visitors in these delicate caves causes irreparable harm. But the paintings at Villars are shielded from humans. 

The caves at Villars are impressive without paintings. The guided tour descends through impressive displayed of formations. Entire ceilings of tiny white stalactites, wavy translucent curtains of rock, and flows that look like water. All stunning. 

But the. You come to the pre-historic stuff. Claw makes of nine-foot tall bears deep in the earth. And then… 

19,000 year old paintings by our ancestors. Horses in detail. A human form. Paintings protected from our breath by layers of calcite formations that will someday engulf them and erase them. 

NINETEEN THOUSAND YEARS. Truly amazing to see. Inches from our faces. 

And then…just ponder for a moment. WHY did they paint these pictures? When everything is possible, the mind expands to figure it all out. And then. We learn something. 

I was humbled. And these are just tiny fractions of the enormous paintings around this region. 
Deep in thought, we hurried back to Bartôme for an afternoon boat ride up the canal and river that surrounds the town. The air was warm and idyllic. A perfect way to enjoy the afternoon sun as it bounced off the water. Autumn got the best of some trees, who dropped early leaves. 

Time for dinner. Light pink clouds in a pale blue sky at dusk. We sat by the river with the abbey in sight, sipped deep red wine (Chateau Perayne from Bordeaux 2007), and nibbled on crispy pizzas with ham and mushrooms and truffle oil. Small bats swirled overhead, diving at their invisible meals…keeping us bug free. 

As the sun set, the chill of autumn set in. Time for a warm apple tart drizzled with chocolate. Um, and a bit more wine. When in France. 

After dinner, we cross-crossed the tiny city as the moon rose. Bats continued to feast, their translucent wings lit by artificial flood lights. We snapped photos like there was no tomorrow. The waterfall at the confluence of the river and canal that surround the city filled the air with a moist white noise. 

Nothing else mattered. 

 





 
Another wonderful breakfast at Fontevraud. Warm dappled light lit up the interior cloister. A dove or two cooed in the trees outside as we packed. The light breeze that accompanied us as we walked to the car smelled like autumn. Explored a few new rooms in the abbey, including an underground tunnel for water. 

The notable appeal of nearby Château de Brézé is its “chateau on top of a chateau” feel. Subterranean tunnels carved into the limestone tufa date back a thousand years. Cool silence interrupted by muffled footsteps. A network of uneven tunnels housed troglodytes in the Middle Ages, including stables for their horses. Later, these former dwellings provided limestone tufa for the construction of the chateau above … and of course ideal storage for wine 🙂 

In later years, the tunnels also served as an access route to the deep, dry moats that surround the above-ground chateau. Circling clockwise, we explored side tunnels used as subterranean ovens, pressing rooms, wine aging, etc. 

Returning to ground level, we entered the main chateau, built from 1569. Typical of well-lived houses, the chateau was modified and enhanced and re-decorated over the years. The result is a chateau with elements in the Renaissance and Neo-Gothic styles. 

A 16th century pigeonerie was filled with thousands of holes for pigeons (3700 birds!! … the largest in western France). We learned earlier that the chateau allowed villagers to bake for free in the subterranean ovens as compensation for pigeon devastation to local crops. Go figure. 

Our evening destination lay a few hours to the south and east, in the rustic Dordogne region. This region feels earthy, and is famous for its natural beauty, it’s prehistoric cave paintings … and it’s amazing food like foie gras. 

We arrived in tiny Brantôme as the sun was waning. Checked into the super-charming Le Moulin de L’Abbaye, the abbey’s former mill complete with mossy waterwheel. We headed out immediately to catch the warm afternoon light on the water. Ducks paddled quickly by.  

The sun set on a beautiful, peaceful day. 

Dinner was a special treat in the hotel’s river-side restaurant. So many special courses, highlighting flavors of the region and the season. Figs and pears played prominent roles. Rich foie gras and truffles. Pheasant and pig. In every dish, each flavor stood out distinctly and yet at the same time blended seamlessly with one another. Beautiful. And the wines…what can I say. Each one paired perfectly…as it was meant to be. Truly one of the most memorable meals we’ve ever be fortunate to have.