Au Paradis

We are in Beaumes de Venise, my favourite place in France. It is a beautiful little wine village, east of Orange and just 8km north of Carpentras. This area is the Ventoux-Comtat Venaissin region; a less well known part of Provence, but it is a hidden gem. There is a wealth of beauty and history here and it is not very busy.

Mont Ventoux dominates the area and it is surrounded by lots of little villages each with its own charm and character. The region has been described as a small French Tuscany and it certainly has that feeling. There is, of course, plenty of Roman history here and the Popes at Avignon continued that Italian influence in the region.

Beaumes de Venise is a working village. Yes, there are tourists here; cyclists following the classic Tour de France routes up and around Mont Ventoux; climbers, walkers and those of a certain age in their camping cars; but the holiday crowds and bustle of the Cote d'Azur is missing. The pace of life is tranquil and the vast majority of people are locals getting on with their everyday lives in the vineyards and fields.

Our everyday life here is simple. We get up late. I walk the 300m into the village and return with a paper and two baggettes. A leisurely breakfast is followed by a shower and a return to the viallage square. Morning prayers in the village church (Notre Dame des Dentelles) and then coffee as we watch the village go about its daily work. After lunch it is a combination of walking, sleeping and reading (sometimes all three if we are feeling energetic!) followed by afternoon tea back in the village square.

The Comtat Venaissin plain is rich in agriculture, but it is most famous for its wine. Beaumes de Venise is well known for its Muscat - a sweet white wine, but it has excellent reds with its own appellation. These are Cotes du Rhone; my favourite reds with a mixture of grenache, syrah and mourvedre.

This is our third visit here and we haven't really begun to explore the area properly. To do that you really need a car and that's the great disadvantage of a camping car. Some of these villages are tucked away, some perched on the rocky slopes of the Dentelles or on the sides of Ventoux.

This is the last blog of this trip. On Thursday we set off for Calais. We are looking forward to our stay in London and seeing Harry and Alice - not forgetting Marie and Dave.

Thanks for following us.
A bientot.

Storm in the Bay

We have had two electrical storms; one last weekend when we were in Cavalaire sur Mer and then one yesterday, just 5km further round the bay, here at La Croix Valmer. We thought the rain had passed after the morning so we went for a walk along the beach and got caught in the second instalment. We were walking in the med in the rain with thunder and lightening all around.

La Baie de Cavalaire is a large, sweeping bay from Cavalaire in the west to the beach here near La Croix where it ends with a rocky headland on the otherside of which is St. Tropez.

There was another storm in this bay on the night of the 14th to 15th August 1944. Off shore, 60 American and British battle ships pounded the coastal defenses and on the morning of the 15th the allied landing of American troops took place on this beach among others. It is the allied landing in France that isn't famous, but nonetheless was so important. It happened a couple of months after D Day and it is an event which led to Germany quickly giving up on southern France and retreating north. In this part of Vichy France the justice meted out by the French Resistance would have been swift and brutal.

To continue the second world war theme, and with apologies to Churchill, our holiday is at a critical point. It is not the end of the beginning but the beginning of the end. Tomorrow we set off for Beaumes de Venise and our final week before heading for Calais.

We have really enjoyed the holiday and especially the September sunshine of Provence. It has been lazy; we haven't done a lot; just read, walked, swam, slept and eaten. It is still very busy down here. There are a lot of us doing the same thing. Grey haired baby boomers from all over Europe with nothing better to do than drive around Provence in campervans or caravans.

Cavalaire was bustling and busy especially in the mornings. It was good to be located right in the town. It is unashamedly a holiday town and we enjoyed it. La Croix is about 2.5km inland from its beach and the campsite is located between to the two. There is a free bus which runs every half hour between the three and we have found it useful. We haven't depended on it as we have often walked the ten minutes from the site to the beach for an evening walk or a morning coffee on the beach side. For La Croix we do need the bus and unlike Cavalaire it is small town France; a cafe, a boulangerie, La Poste, a Spar and that's about it. Peaceful though.


As we head inland and north tomorrow to Beaumes de Venise what will we remember about our stay on the Cote D'Azur? Warm sunny weather and blue skies; a blue sea glimpsed from above on a twisty, rocky, headland road; pine and mimosa trees and cool, refreshing swims. Good memories to take back for long winter nights ahead.

Slummimg it near St Tropez

It's Tony's turn to write the blog, but he says it will be too boring. I agree that staying here in Cavalaire does not make for interesting reading, but it's great here for campers (and glampers). Cavalaire itself lacks the charm of other old Provencal towns, with their narrow streets and gorgeous little squares. The town here is very modern and bland, and completely dedicated to sun worshipping. The port is full of yachts that belong to the very rich; we are only a little way from St Tropez! However, many residents here are of a certain age. It's a bit like Cleveleys in the sun. They are more well heeleed, and very tanned, and it's fun to sit at a cafe and watch them all go by. They also stand stock still in the sea, with the water at waist height - a bit like living imitations of the Gormley statues at Crosby!

Our campsite is actually in the town, near to the harbour, which is so convenient for us! There are plenty of food shops, and there was a market the other day. However, it was seriously pricey! I don't suppose you can expect a bargain on the Cote d'Azure! The site itself is great, apart from the iffy wi-fi. Most people seem to come to sit and tan themselves at the pool, but Tony and I are past that. However, newly liberated by his Speedos, Tony goes for a swim at lunchtime every day, while the French people eat their long lunches and the pool is quiet. I haven't been in a pool for years, but it is so hot that I have caved in. I am afraid of the water once more, but it is fun bobbing about in the cool water. Also, the jacuzzi is wonderful! We are really living it up! We spend the afternoon reading in the shade, and go for a walk by the harbour in the evenings! A proper holiday.

However, we are moving on a little way up the coast, to La Croix, on Thursday, as we have camping cheques to use up. If we can't get in there, we are going to Avignon, and then on to Beaumes, Tony's favourite village. In the meantime we are enjoying our stay here. Love to all family and friends.

Mini Blog: Up Hill, Down Dale.

This is a mini blog, because there is no Wi Fi at the site, and it costs a lot to use this cyber cafe. Well, I'm not sure if it was being overrun by ants, or waiting for the bus in 30 degree heat, but we decided to move on from Sanary. A new friend on the site, who, insanely, liked biking about in the hills in the heat, said "Don't go to Presqu'il de Giens, it's too flat and windy". Sitting baking in the heat, I thought, sounds lovely! So we went. Indeed, it was flat as we drove along. We passed salt marshes full of flamingoes. It was lovely. But, wouldn't you know it, the minute we passed the campsite gates, hills appeared, and our pitch was at the top of a hill that even Tony found steep!

However, the pitch itself was nice, and we walked down to the beach. But this was so narrow and so crowded that it wasn't that great. However, I had a lovely long walk by the sea. That night, though, there was a beautiful moon shining on the water, and we sat there in the dark looking at it. I'd say it was worth the effort just for that evening.

The next day we set off for Cavalaire. The road was beautiful, but not good for driving. The Cote d'Azur has that lovely drop to the sea, which is so pretty, but driving along the twisty, hilly roads in the van is not too great. Now for a very French moment! At one point, the road was blocked off for the weekly market, and we had to go crawling down a steep, narrow road, take a very tight turn, and then back up again. Incredible!

We are now settled in a site in Cavalaire, which hopefully will be the subject of the next blog. We are having a very nice time.

Sanary sur Mer

I have been thinking that the mediterranean climate at this time of year is perfect; pleasantly warm and sunny and not too hot. However, today was hot - 30 degrees and too hot to do a lot of walking about. We took the bus into Sanary sur Mer and sat in the shade by the harbour watching the people and the boats.
We made the short journey of about 50 miles from Aix en Province last Wednesday but couldn't get into our intended campsite. It was full. The season obviously goes on much longer down here, and today we have watched them turning campervans away from the site we are on. We are in a place called Six Fours Les Plages which is next to Sanary sur Mer and we have been taking the bus each day into Sanary; just a ten minute ride away.

Sanary is a beautiful little fishing village but obviously now catering for the tourists. There are still fishing boats at the harbour and each boat has its own stall to sell their catch. We have not been in there early enough to watch, but they are there in the afternoon mending their nets. The harbour is lovely with lots of colourful boats and the quayside is dominated by a lovely church.
We had a little adventure on Friday. We took two local buses which go around the houses to get to La Seyne. When we had to make the connection to the second local bus, I asked the driver to tell me the stop. She said it was her first day on this route and didn't know. Then she gave us the wrong advice and insisted we get off there and we did even though I knew she was wrong! She was only one stop out and we soon walked to the correct stop for the connection. When we arrived at La Seyne we took a small ferry boat across the harbour into Toulon. It was a lovely little trip and a great way to arrive in Toulon. The French mediterranean fleet is based in Toulon and there were quite a few warships anchored in the bay and in the port as well as naval personnel walking around the town. It really felt like I was in Barrow! You can see the similarity in the picture.
The Rough Guide to France really slates Toulon but unjustly so. It was heavily bombed during the war but there are lots of beautiful little streets and small squares with their obligatory Provencal fountain. Some parts seem a little run down, but it is a port city and it had that feel. Less touristy than other places - more down to earth.
One of my passions is French rugby and the Top 14. Ever since Philppe St. Andre left Sale and took half of our team with him, I have followed the progress of Toulon. On TV the Stade Mayol seems to have a wonderful atmosphere. The Stade is next to the harbour and Chris was surprised when I said that I wanted to see it. Nothing was happening there, of course, but a gate was open and I sneaked up the steps to take a look. The stands rise steeply from the pitch and the ground is surrounded by apartment blocks and other buildings that give it the feeling of a cauldron. It would be great to be there on a match day. I am just sorry that I didn't take a photograph for the blog.
We took the cowardly way back home from Toulon. Rather than the boat and two changes on local country buses, we went to La Gare Routiere and took the big bus straight back to Sanary sur Mer with only one stop on the way.
We have to move on from here and we will probably go east along the coast to Cavalaire sur Mer. We are out of food so we have to find a supermarche first.
Just one more thing - my Kindle is brilliant. Each morning I switch it on and within two minutes, as soon as the 3G kicks in, there is today's Guardian. Wonderful!

Camping under the Motorway

Well, after a four day drive we are now in Aix en Provence. This campsite is so very strange! First of all, it's almost under the motorway. You can stand under the motorway bridge and nearly touch the campsite wall. When you get inside, it's like another world. It's full of trees, and a small river runs through the middle of the site. But it's only a small plot of land, and it's like a warren, with nooks and crannies which serve as camping pitches. If you arrive late, you never know where you might end up. The facilites are clean, but out of the ark. It's all very quaint.

Our part of the site is very interesting in a mad sort of way. In the far, rather dark and strange corner are two very friendly retired teachers from England who keep their caravan here permanently. They like wandering about in their red dressing gowns, and buying ripe figs. The man opposite is very eccentric. He spends a lot of time under his classic sports car, drinks beer for breakfast, and speaks to no-one. He harrumphs now and then when things are not going his way. As you can see, we don't need to go out for entertainment.

But of course, we do go out. Aix is such a pretty town. Our favourite part is the daily food market, where we have a favourite cafe.

Today, however, we went to a different one, as the British couple had recommended the special French breakfast there. The waiter just kept coming out with drinks, croissants, bread, fromage frais, and fruit salad. Oh and little dishes of jam. It was a novel experience, and we really enjoyed taking our time over it.











Afterwards, we went to the art gallery, as there was an exhibition on, which sounded really good. However, it was a bit uninspiring, although there were a few nice paintings, especially those by Cezanne, who lived here. A lot of men in Aix seem to be pretending to be Cezanne, sporting his trademark hat and beard. Maybe there's a look alike competition going on.

We have really enjoyed our few days here. We have a shady pitch, and Tony is enjoying getting his Guardian every

day on his Kindle. For those of you who know the swimsuit saga, he has actually bought a pair of French regulation, tight swimming trunks, so he has been able to go for a swim! As usual, I am enjoying my books and messing about with my photos.

However, we are moving on tomorrow to Sanary sur Mer. The next blog will hopefully be from there, and it will be Tony's turn to write it.
Bye for now!



Sorry I didn't manage to get any pics of Cezanne impostors.

Return to Provence

It is Monday August Bank Holiday and here in Manchester it is perhaps 15 degrees ( that's being generous) and, of course, raining. Luckily, we are off early on Wednesday morning for La Belle France and some warmer weather. Today we are loading up the van and we can't wait to get away again. Here is the cunning plan.

This trip will be a mixture of old and new. We will return to some favourite haunts and, for the new, we will explore the mediterranean coast around Toulon. We are not stopping in London on the way down this time, but going straight to Folkestone for the tunnel. Although the crossing is not untill 18.20, we will set off as soon as we can and hopefully get an earlier crossing. That usually happens. Then we will stay the night at La Bien Assise at Guines near Calais. They have wifi in the campsite bar there and we might be persuaded to have a drink. The next morning we will be at the Auchan Supermarche in Calais when it opens at 8.30am for cheap diesel and the odd bottle of wine. Then it is onto autoroute 26 heading for Chalons-en-Champagne where we will spend Thursday night. The next day we will drive as a far as Tournus, just north of Lyon, and rest for the night, before another day's drive to Aix-en-Provence. After four days driving from Manchester we will stay here for three or four nights. We have used the site a few times before and we like it. There is a bus stop just outside for a 10 minute ride in to the city. Aix is a beautiful place and we enjoy sitting in the cafes next to the market and watching life go by.

From Aix it is just a 50 mile drive to Toulon. We are heading for a place called Sanary sur Mer just west of Toulon. This will be new to us, but it sounds good. It describes itself as a small fishing port, but obviously now it is very touristy and commercial. I think we will stop here about a week or so, before heading east along the coast to Cavalaire sur Mer. If we find anything interesting on the way we will stop. Hyeres looks interesting and we may well go there. It is just east of Toulon where the airport for Toulon is located. I don't think we will go further east along the coast than Cavalaire; it depends on the time.

On the return we hope to visit Uzes again. This is a really beautiful town west of Avignon towards the mountains.

Then, finally I hope to spend a week in my favourite village of Beaumes de Venise (just north of Carpentras). The grape harvest should be in full swing and I will, of course, help out by drinking some they made earlier. It would be churlish not to. Then it will be a three day drive back to Calais. By this time in October, campsites will be shutting up for winter and we will have to find alternatives.

Hope you follow us again this time and the blogs will become more interesting when we get underway and Chris starts writing them.

Pictures: Our old van in the campsite at Beaumes, Aix en Provence, and the market at Beaumes de Venise.