Fountain in Fontaine de Vaucluse

somebody put a lot of work into this. There many, little, water loving plants in this arrangement.

Shoulder bags for Martina, Fontaine de Vaucluse

I couldn't resist;~))

Tourists, Fontaine de Vaucluse

This foursome must have taken 100 pictures along a quarter mile walk.

Indiscreet statue, Isle sur la Sorgue

Chairs and tables on our terasse, Saignon

 I love chairs and I love shadows, so the terasse was a trove for me.

Three designs, Pont Julien

The Pont Julien is an old Roman Bridge in the Luberon. We have intended for years to take a picnic here. This year we did it twice. Once alone and once with Walter and Becky, our friends from home. When we went there were numerous designs (collages?) on the ground, under the trees near the bridge. If it was school children they were very talented. There were at least thirty of these.

New BMW, Pont Julien

This was our little rental. A BMW 133 diesel. It was a blast as the engine was very torque heavy and sipped diesel fuel. It had a lot of room and handled like a BMW. They have just started to import it to the US calling it the X1. It has either a 2.8 liter turbo 4 or a 3.5 liter six. The four is the only one that is rear-wheel drive. The X series has always been four wheel drive so I guess BMW thought we'd look at it over here and assume. Nice car.

Old Porsche, Apt

This is a lovely old Porsche. I assumed it was a local treasure until I noticed the American license plate. It was an Illinois plate. Some car lover brought it over to drive on the wonderful European roads. What fun.

View to the north from Saignon

For those of you who have followed our adventure this year, this is a view of the lower part of our old walk. Where that driveway meets the road is where the dogs attacked us. You can see the little white car tucked just off the road. Maybe next year it will be free to walk there again.

An evening in, Saignon

 While it was still warm, and also light late, we had our dinners on the terasse. I grilled a chicken (Yes, French chickens are wonderful), and we watched the colors change on the old walls above us. That's a 12 Euro bottle of Chateauneuf-du-Pape that tasted grand.

Bowl, Lacoste

Lunch at Cafe de France, Lacoste

 A duck breast salad and the best spaghetti Carbonara I have ever had. I only got one bite as it was Janie's meal. The duck was superbe

Restaurant Loofoc, Lacoste

This restaurant has a rich history for us. On our first visit to Provence we rented a huge house called La Bastide Blanche, in Menerbes, the house where they filmed The Swimming Pool years later. We wanted the whole Peter Mayle experience. We were with three other couples. We were younger and didn't mind driving at night. We came to this little restaurant in Lacoste a couple of times. It was sort of a cross between funky and beautiful, with an interior that used to be a wine cave, with vaulted ceilings out of stone. Our French was poorer too. The waitress was a delight. She wore a dress made out of an old La Poste mailbag and loved to laugh. I made her night by trying my new knowledge of French waters by ordering a bottle of water "non-gazole" I thought that meant still water or non-gaseous water. Of course I had ordered a bottle of water without diesel fuel in it. She laughed so hard and couldn't look at me for the rest of the night without laughing all over again. The food was non-traditional Provencal fare, and very good.

Ever since that trip we have been trying to have lunch there, but it was always closed......only on the day we were there. This year we walked by and the doors were open and there was movement! When we came back by they were closed. Rats. I did think I heard some hysterical laughter from within.

Awning frames, Lacoste

 Come October (or a Mistral) all of the awnings seem to come down in the Luberon. Which leaves these wonderful shadows to enjoy.

Chien bizarre, Lacoste.

Even the Virgin Mary won't turn her back on that dog.

Alley, Lacoste

Lacoste is one town I would not like to be walking around when it rains hard.

Key on mailbox, Lacoste

He walked along, his mind unburdened by thought.

Green and red, Lacoste

Sun room and garden, Lacoste

I have always been drawn to this garden in the middle of Lacoste. I'd love to sit and read in that room.

Student art, SCAD, Lacoste

One of Martina's people, Lacoste

A nice portrait;-}

Tree and walls, Lacoste

This tree had rooted in an alley and was quite healthy. I thought it was hiding.

A feat of driving. Lacoste.

This man backed this machine, with a load in it's scoop, down about 100 yards of street, not more than two feet wider than the machine. He never touched a wall and barely looked back. If I had attempted this the town of Lacoste would be reduced to rubble.

Fig leaf, Lacoste

Back street, Lacoste.

Statue, Lacoste

This seems to be a fitting statue to be outside the restored castle of the Marquis de Sade.

Provencal light, Lacoste.

All visual artists and most keen observers find that there are places on Earth that hold and reflect the light in a more beautiful way. Near where we live, in northern Florida, St. Augustine is one of them. Provence is that way, as is Paris. When the sun bounces between the lovely old honey colored walls it is so soft and warm, almost a physical presence.

Filler cap, Lacoste

Lacoste is being rapidly gentrified. Between the school, SCAD, and the museum, the buildings are being beautifully restored. I am of two minds about this. The results are wonderful but I feel the town loses a little of it's ancient feel with every perfectly pointed stone wall. This is a nice peice of whimsey that reflects on a drain hole in a wall in Saignon from earlier in the blog.

Lacoste

Lacoste is a fascinating town. Very hilly, very old, with an art school adjunct from the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD). It is the home of the Marquis de Sade's castle that has been purchased by Pierre Cardin and restored, then turned into an art museum. All of this in a tiny hill town. Great fun to walk around.

Fig leaf, Saignon

These started to really fall in our second week.

The last hollyhock.

I swear, honey, that this was the very last hollyhock of the year in all of Provence....I hope.

Olives below Saignon

On the last part of our walk. There were green and black olives on most of these trees. They were twigs when we first came here years ago.

Baby showing, Saignon

As we came into town one day we ran into this group admiring the twins, grandchildren of the owner of the Balthazar, one of the restaurants in town.

Beginning and end of out typical walk around Saignon

It's a nice walk that starts through the woods and ends coming up the hill into town from the east.

Changing vines, Saignon

 I love the daily changes in the Autumn.

Mailbox, Saignon

Statues, graveyard, Goult

View from Goult.