Day 55 - Gordes, Senanque Abbey, Roussillon

The focus of our outing today was an afternoon hike, which unfortunately coincided with the hottest time of day!  It is much easier to get moving early in the morning than when it is 95 degrees out!  It may not sound sensible but we wanted to enjoy a lazy morning and see some intense afternoon color.

First we headed in the direction of Senanque Abbey for its famous view.  The abbey is near the extremely touristy village of Gordes.  As good followers of Rick Steves, we had no intention of visiting Gordes.  Rick says, "There is nothing here but gridlock and parking headaches."  However, the route to the abbey made us pass right by.  The view from the road was absolutely irresistible!  "Can you just pull over for a quick picture" turned into "let's see if we can find parking".  In Rick's defense, I can see what parking headache he is referring to - there seemed to be no where to park nearby except for one mid-sized lot.  At 4:00pm parking is not a problem so we paid the 4 euro to the attendant and gave it a go.  We walked to the town ... and found nothing there!  Its "castle" has been turned into an art museum.  Its "narrow, winding streets" are hardly anything to explore - it is really small!  No harm done, but I'm with Rick - if you are prioritizing activities, move this one down.

Gordes wins our vote for the best looking hill town

The castle and entrance to Gordes

Gordes offers a great view!

We hopped back into the car and drove the short distance to the abbey.  I was purely going for the view:  the abbey makes for an amazing backdrop to its lavender fields.  I was a bit surprised to discover that the postcard view was nonexistent.  Apparently they rotate their fields to allow the soil to rest, and there was clearly no field in front of the abbey this year!  Not only that but they, the Cistercian monks, don't allow you to wander the fields, and have it locked up behind an imposing gate.

Even without a lavender field, Senanque Abbey is picturesque!

Bring your telephoto lens because the famous view is kept private under lock and key

We continued on to our final destination - the town of Roussillon.  It is unique in that the clay surrounding the town has large deposits of ochre.  The strong hues of red, orange and yellow are so unbelievably outstanding that Greg kept joking it was fake.

Roussillon

From the late 1700's to the early 1900's, the ochre was mined.  What is left of one of the quarries has been turned into a overly popular tourist destination:  the "Sentier des Ocres".  It is a walking path through the quarry.  Of the two footpath options to take, the short walk ("35 minutes") and the long walk ("50 minutes"), we went the long way.  Most people finish in less than the suggested time, and we were no exception; it took us 25 minutes.  We rushed because the gendarmerie were ticketing the parking lot.

Roussillon's ochre of reds, oranges and yellows offer a stunning contrast to the green pine trees and blue sky

Entrance/exit to the quarry

Second and last viewpoint for the short walkers

The long walk adds the viewpoint through these trees

Third and last viewpoint (long walk only)

Our shoes were lightly dusted with the fine ochre powder

Day 54 - L'Isle sur la Sorgue Thursday Market

L'Isle sur la Sorgue

L'Isle sur la Sorgue is literally an island in the Sorgue River—earning it the nickname “Venice of Provence”.  Its Sunday market is the largest in the Luberon area.  "Venice" + "largest market" sounded like an appealing, romantic way for Greg and I to spend a morning.  However, since moving our car from its closed Aix parking lot on a Sunday is too much trouble, we went to the town's smaller Thursday market.

We have learned that leaving early for markets is smart, and mutually agree it is worth the ease of finding a parking spot - especially here where you can drive around for a long time looking for a spot.  But opening time is not ideal shopping time for us...all the vendors are not set up yet and those that are stare at us.  So today we finally sat down to enjoy a proper French petit dejeuner.  We chose one of the two riverside cafes that were open.  Sitting along the rambling quai, being serenaded by a saxophone player, completed our breakfast experience.

Our breakfast:  cappuccinos and croissants

What a great way to start a morning!

Giving the market more time to unfold, we strolled around the small island.  The one-mile walk had a surprising amount of historic water wheels.  It is hard to believe there used to be 70 here providing power for the local industries!  

One of the handful of historic water wheels

The market definitely scores points for its location, but its Thursday market is my least favorite of all the ones we have visited so far.  Maybe I just expected it to be bigger.  

L'Isle sur la Sorgue Thursday market

How can I convince U.S. customs to let me bring back an olive plant?

Resisting my desire to buy an olive plant, instead I bought a really cool wall hanging.  Probably equally hard to get back to the U.S., but at least customs will let it through.

Our curiosity for the nougat we've seen sold all over Provence overwhelmed us, and we finally partook in the confection. We weren't expecting to like it, and actually succumbed into buying some!  The flavor we bought was "Tradition de Provence":  honey of lavender, almonds and pistachios.  A piece the size of a deck of cards set us back 5.70 euros.  

Delicious nougat

One thing I love most about our stay in Provence is the opportunity to explore new places and try new things.  Today was another memorable adventure!

Logistics:
- We parked for free in a huge dirt lot.  Turn right at the post office (and unmissable Caisse d'Epargne) and the street ends at the parking lot.  It was half full at 9:15am on a Thursday in July.  I also read that the train station is a good place to park.

Huge lot of free parking for Thursday market

Day 52 - Calanque d'en Vau

On Monday night when I checked the calanques website, I couldn't believe it was orange in July, meaning that the calanques were open and unlimited all day!  That meant we had time to hike 2.5 hours (round trip) to the "most beautiful" Calanque d'en Vau!

The calanques are #22 on the map

Check calanque access on website:  http://www.paca.gouv.fr/files/massif

Other than a brief very steep decent (and Kate complaining), our hike into the calanque was painless.  I overheard Kate tell her friend, "We walked there on rocks and I was slipping."  It was already hot when we started before 9:00am but the sun wasn't intense yet.  The reward is an amazing view and a perfect swim in crystal-clear water.  Imagine the glory of having this highly-rated beach to yourself!  For us, though, it was already too crowded at 10:00am and by 11:00am it was covered by 41 kayaks.  This place is no secret hideaway!

Calanque d'en Vau is beautiful!

The beach at the calanque is rocky

We headed for the only shady spot

A perfect swim!

Logistics:  (view below for more pictures!)

There are three calanques you can access from Cassis:  Port Miou, Port Pin, and d'en Vau.  En Vau is the most spectacular and beautiful of these three calanques and also the most difficult to get to.

How to get to Calanque d'en Vau from Calanque Port Miou:

Time: 1:15 hours one way (30 minutes to Port Pin and 45 additional minutes to En Vau)
Distance:  3.5 km one way

Take the wide path marked GR98-51.  After 800m, when you come to a building on your left, you can choose the smaller path on the left of the building.  The smaller path, which winds along the edge of Port Miou, is slightly longer and more difficult due to all the slippery rocks.  We prefer the easy main path.

The majority of the trail to Port Pin is very easy

After 20 minutes on the main path, you come to a fork.  The bigger trail heads right - don't take it.  You want to go left, following the red-and-white painted "x".  This brings you down into Port Pin.

Continue straight through Port Pin and exit via the path on the other side:

For the next 25 minutes, the trail is an unchanging steady climb:

"Why are we walking up if we are going to the beach?" --Kate

At the top you come to a junction.  Continue straight (do not go left or right).

Three-way junction at the top

This rock tells you to continue straight to En Vau

At this point, the trail becomes significantly more difficult as you descend quickly down 170 meters of steep rocks and gravel.

We are at the top and have to get to the bottom

It is not an easy path.  I hear the guide behind us ask his old friend, "Did I trick you into danger?"

Grab on to whatever you can to help you down.  The rocks are smooth from being grasped so much.

At the bottom when you reach the fork, turn left.  It is a flat 5-10 minute walk to the beach along the access road from Col de la Gardiole.

At the bottom, the path is easy again

Arriving to the En Vau beach

My biggest regret is that we did not achieve the splendid viewpoint overlooking the Calanque d'en Vau.  On your return journey, you get there from the junction after the sharp ascent from d'en Vau.  Instead of going straight at the junction, you turn right.  If you continue to Point d'en Vau, after the overlook of Port Pin you will connect back onto the trail into Port Pin.

Note:  The easiest way to get to d'en Vau is via the access road from Col de la Gardiole, which is closed to vehicles during the summer months.

If you are kayaking into the calanques, definitely go on a day when access is red or black!  There were so many kayaks on our orange day in July that they had to anchor in the bay.

Day 51 - Grotte de Sainte-Marie Madeleine

In honor of her upcoming feast day on July 22, today we took the pilgrimage up to the secluded mountain cave where Mary Magdalene withdrew herself for 30 years after arriving at Saintes Maries de la Mer.  If you are coming from Rome on your pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela, you would stop here.

You can almost make out the sanctuary at the bottom of the cliff, above the tree line

La Sainte Baume sanctuary is suspended from the cliff

As we were driving in what we hoped was the right direction, directed by Tina who is taking us to "unpaved road", we couldn't help but wonder how Mary found this place?  It is located high up in a cool forest of beech, oak and pine trees which create a canopy above us - a rare and stark contrast to our arid surroundings.

Walking up to the Holy Cave Mary Magdalene

A serene, cool 20-minute hike up to the sanctuary under a canopy of trees

We have reached the stairs up to the sanctuary

Door to the sanctuary - where silence is requested

The only place in France where dogs are not allowed.  This sign is obviously a mere suggestion to the French, who brought their dog and were talking on their phone.

A scene likely scarred forever in Mary's memory

Amazing view from the top

Imagine Mary had this same view!

Other than the church, the only public access was the boutique and pilgrim's room

Entrance to La Grotte

Inside La Grotte after the 11:00 daily mass had ended

The cave of Sainte Baume is a sanctuary run by the Dominicans.

This was a great activity for a hot day!  It is short, beautiful, interesting, spiritual and rewarding.  It is completely unlike anything we could have done in the U.S.!

Logistics:
- The sanctuary is open every day of the year.
- There is no public restroom.
- The boutique opened at 11:45 am for about an hour, and then again later in the afternoon.
- Try to program your GPS with "Plan-d'Aups-Sainte-Baume"
- Directions: From Aix-en-Provence (or Nice), take the Saint-Maximin exit of the A8, and take the direction Nans-les-Pins, through the village towards Plan d'Aups Sainte Baume and climb up plateau of the Sainte-Baume. Once at the top, at the intersection where D80 meets D95, continue straight into the dirt parking lot at the base of the trail.

Viewpoint of D80 and D95 intersection from parking lot