Like an impressionist painting

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Geo: 43.9025, 5.2935

Lucy and I thought the impressionist paintings of Provence were just stylized to have those eye-popping ochre colors. Not true in Roussillon! Ochre from the red soil and rocks has been used in the stucco on the buildings in this village to gorgeous effect. They use contrasting paint colors on shutters, doors and other fixtures to gorgeous affect. If I come back, I think I will stay here. It was quiet and so beautiful. Again, it was so hilly that we watched a toddler giggling as she tried to walk down this treacherous landscape with no concern at all. Luckily, her parents each provided a steadying hand.

Most of the buildings in this valley are built with limestone from the local environment. There are meticulously tended stone walls all over the place, the valley is filled with lavender and grape vines and the roads are narrow and winding. This is the France I really wanted to see. Lucy wants to come back here one day in July to see the lavender in bloom. We understand that it gets harvested no later than mid-August. It is probably very hot and very crowded, but no-doubt worth it.

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Photos

Interesting detail
in front of beautiful valley view

Pretty as a picture
So many grape vines, all over the place