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Published: December 12th 2007
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St. Remy
Stunning!! Hiking Across Provence
December 6, 2007
For most of November here in Provence it has been very cold. Even Paris was quite chilly in mid-November, enough to give us pause before going outside. Nothing however chills the bones like the icy Mistrals blowing down from the Alps. The wind is so strong and so cold that many days we just sat around the fire eating bread and cheese enjoying living in France without running around trying to see things. Well, suddenly December came and the winds just dies down , the sun came out and it actually warmed-up. I guess the weather gods just knew people had to get out to prepare for the holidays.
With this welcomed change of weather it hit us like a load of bricks that we had limited time in this wonderful place we have been calling home. We took to the trails to see some of the gorgeous countryside around Provence and enjoy the sunshine. There are some gorgeous hikes in this region of France. It is actually a wonderful time of year to do them as there are no crowds as you would expect in the summer, plus they often
St. Remy
Fabulous Christmas figurines close due to high fire danger at that time of year, the leaves are changing and the colors are wonderful, and it is nice to hike without the sweat dripping off of you. Another benefit after weeks of mistrals is the air is clear and fresh and feels so good against your skin.
The first place we hiked was near the town of St. Remy-de-Provence. St. Remy is absolutely charming. Darling shops, patisseries, and little cafes line the sweet medieval streets and little squares. St. Remy is also known for being where Vincent van Gogh spent a year in the mental hospital after slicing off his ear as well as home to Nostradamus. I had visions of strolling the streets window shopping….lasted 10 minutes before Justin and Will started in with the “I’m bored.” Since St. Remy is so close to home, I thought…“I’d rather enjoy this darling village alone…take them home and come back.” On route to home we came upon the Glanum, a once thriving Roman city. We stopped to check it out before leaving and came across the site of van Gogh’s hospital and the Roman ruins, but best of all a wonderful park with great
St. Remy
Happy shopper visits Nostradamus birthplace trails with fabulous views. Suddenly the troops perked up. We hiked up the hills and had better views of the ruins than if we paid to go in the site. The views were great. The weather was perfect. The boys ran and jumped and climbed and collected sticks….all the things they love! It was a great way to get our blood pumping and make way for a nice dinner of Chicken Chasseur .
The next days we decided to take a hike at the Abbaye de St-Michel-de-Frigolet. Back in late October, Scott attempted to hike up here with the boys while I was in Paris to no avail. Justin and Will got into an argument and thwarted the whole event. With this fabulous weather, I said….“we are going!!! It was a great hike...really great exercise. It was straight up hill and absolutely gorgeous. The trees were all in the last stages of changing colors with lots of evergreens interspersed. The best part was the smell…the trail was lined with wild thyme. It smelled better than inside a fabulous Italian restaurant all the way to the best views of southern Provence I have ever seen. At the very top you
St. Remy
Nostradamus house of birth could also see the charming spires of the Abbaye de S.-Michel-de-Frigolet. This abbey was founded in the 10th century by monks from Montmajour, near Arles to recover from fevers. It was an amazing building…peaking out from the trees. This hike went much better than the first attempt with Scott and the boys. Both boys proclaiming to the joy of their father that they had a great time and were sorry they didn’t make it the first time. Don’t you just love family togetherness.
Finally, we took our third hike in a week’s time in the town of Uzes. Uzes is a bit of a drive from Rognonas but well worth it. It is your quintessential medieval town. There is a trail in a gorgeous park that leads all the way to Pont du Gard….19 kilometers away. We didn’t walk that far but enjoyed a good 5 kilometers of it. The kids loved it. There was a stream and in the park there was an exercise course with lots of challenging activities like chin-ups and running hurdles. Justin spent a good amount of time practicing the hurdle jump. He actually was able to run and jump over 6 very high
St. Remy
Restoration of thousand year old Roman ruins hurdles. We will be signing him up for track and field upon his return. This was another great walk that got our heart pumping and made way for more wine and cheese!!
These were great days we had enjoying the count down to the end of our adventure. We even fit in decorating our house for Christmas, many French lessons and a shopping trip to the Isle-sur-la-Sorgue Sunday market. I got a gorgeous Provencal quilt for our new house in California. We are really experiencing mixed emotions about leaving Belle France. We have been here long enough now to be comfortable, have a routine, get by in French, and still wonder at all that is around us. We miss our family and friends and relish our blessings at being able to have spent this time in France. Joyeux Noel!!
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