Sunday (Paradou)…

The day began with beautiful sunny skies and fresh crisp air. We headed out to spend the day visiting nearby hilltop towns. 

Les Baux-de-Provence is clearly ready for summer crowds…and we were thankful it wasn’t summer. A short flight of steep stairs from the down-the-hill parking and we were walking beautifully cared for streets, with a view of the surrounding hills at every bend. Tempting restaurants made us wish it was dinner time. The town’s tranquil church (Eglise Saint Vincent) had chapels dating from the 12th century, carved right into the rock. The ruins of the town’s once-mighty Château…more of a fortress…were perched at the top of the town. (The audio guide relied a bit too heavily on sentences beginning with “Imagine…”.) Precarious climbs up heavily eroded steps carved into sandstone with ancient seashells still visible. Below, endless fields of olive trees and grape vines. There was a light scent of lavender in the breeze. Fingers of fog reached over the tops of weathered sandstone hills, adding to the mystique of these hills that (supposedly) inspired Dante’s vision of hell. 

About an hour further west, we reached hilltop Gordes. More like a hill SIDE town. This tiny village, with just a few sights to see in its core, spilled majestically down the hill, cobbled streets disappearing around twists and bends. Almost showing off for its visitors. A well-decorated church, a nice vista of the fields below, and a kitschy weekend carnival (complete with bumper cars set to thumping Euro-club music) and we were done. A quick visit, certainly worth stopping. 

Roussillon-en-Provence stands out from its neighbors with its colorful autumn palette. It’s hills were a source of ochre pigment, and the building and streets show off this warm tone everywhere. The heavy rains the day before added swirls and swooshes of ochre-tinged dirt along the streets. The town’s church was humid and warm…very unusual…but the shop-lined streets were full of refreshing charm. A gallery caught our eye with intriguing movement paintings by a Parisian artist named Kerdalo. Stopped for late afternoon refreshing beverages to fuel our return to our hotel. 

As we left, a quick red fox stood at attention in a long field of low lavender bushes. Perhaps his red coat is ochre? 

A final dinner treat at Côte des Olivades…can’t resist! Tender langoustine over luscious, buttery carrot “tagliatelle”–thin shavings cooked like pasta. Returning favorites of lamb and beef…simply melt-in-your-mouth goodness. Divine deserts of chocolate and almond. We would return to the B Design just to sample this chef’s culinary creations.