Carrières de Lumières 2013

Carrières de Lumières, a set on Flickr.

Last night I attended the launch of the 2013 show at the Carrières de Lumières at Les Baux de Provence. A spectacular journey through time through the works of the artists who were inspired by the beauty of the Mediterranean. Here are a few pictures taken with my little Canon camera so no great quality, but I hope that they give the urge to come and discover it for yourselves when you come to Provence, it is really worth it. And don't worry about the crowds, the place is big enough for everyone!

A Walk in Haute Provence & The First Signs of Spring

The Wild Almond trees are getting ready to blossom with the first flowers making an appearance despite the continued threat of frost.

For the last few weeks it has been cold, very cold which is normal, it's winter. We've had plenty of snow and temperatures well below freezing and although winter is very pretty, I would be happy if it lasted about a week and then moved into my favourite season Spring.   In 1943 the geographer André Siegfried said that Provence "was a cold country with a hot sun" and it is true that even when it is -10° C outside in the morning I turn off the heating in the house knowing that the sun will take over. It's a delight to be outside in the Provençal sunshine lounging like a lizard but add a bit of mistral to all of that (and winter is the season of the mistral wind) and suddenly the cold air slices through your clothes and freezes you from the inside out and the sun's only function is to remind you that it is daytime!
But today (2nd of March) the wind switched to the South and the temperatures went from -5°C in the morning to +16°C. This happens every year, one day it's winter and the next it's spring. (which also means that in the next few days the heavens will open and it will rain and rain).
So today I went for a nice long walk armed with my camera, and this is what I saw...

The Last traces of winter (I hope!) 

The wild lavender that grows in and around the old village of Ongles is abundant and even in this winter state still has a strong scent when you rub it in your hand.

A Walk in the Ruins of Ongles

My walk took me to the ruined village of Ongles in Haute Provence where the ancient streets and walls remain with the ruined church overlooking from the top of the hill. I have not been able to find any plans of what the original village looked like and it is always an interesting exercise to try and figure out where the houses were in relation to each other. The village was abandoned in the 17th century when being perched on a hill to see the next attack from your neighbouring lord's serfs became an obsolete activity, but the church was used up until the early 20th century albeit in its ruined state. Most of the village was pulled down to rebuild the new one at the bottom of the hill and as such the old village became a stone quarry for the new one. In my kitchen I have stone slabs on the floor which may have originated from the old church, stone sinks that definitely came from up the hill and if you know where to look in the village you can find evidence of stonework that was not originally intended for its present location.

One of the remaining stone walls that despite having been mostly torn down, still stands perfectly straight as a witness to the medieval stone mason's skill.

Alcoves in the wall are great places for games of hide and seek with my children

One of the narrow alleyways that run through the ruins

A window in the church outside looking out to the blue, blue Provence sky

The Story of Provence Olive Trees

Apart from the ever present pine forests in Provence which are like tinder in the summer, the other evergreen tree that epitomises the South of France and indeed the entire Mediterranean basin is the olive tree. In amongst the ruins of the village of Ongles the olive trees are still there hundreds of years on. Recently some of them have been pruned back for the production of olives once again for oil. In 1956 after a particularly balmy autumn and a mild start to the winter, during the month of February when the farmers were working in shirtsleeves, the cold arrived with a bang and the temperatures went from +10 to -20 overnight. The olive trees which can withstand the -20 conditions normally didn't this time because the sap in their branches was full due to the warm conditions and with the sudden change they were helpless and froze and a large percentage of the Provence olive trees disappeared overnight.
But olive trees never die.
Many years later from the seemingly dead stumps, new branches emerged and the trees came back to life! Unfortunately in the more rural areas in the Haute Provence olive oil production had been forgotten by many and the trees grew in a semi-wild state, but bit by bit they were cleared and have now been returned to their former glory in many cases producing award winning olive oils. Olivier Baussan, the founder of L'Occitane en Provence has created a museum on olive oil history and a has sourced the best olive oils in Provence which you can buy in his shops around France and soon probably around the world. Come and try them in Provence next time you are here. www.ppp-olive.com and have a delicious meal here whilst you're at it!
Olive trees are fascinating and I tend to photograph them from every angle. Here are a few shots taken on my walk of the survivors of the old village of Ongles.

One of the Ongle's old village Olive Trees, note the size of the tree's stump.

Some didn't survive, but this one was for its wood, what remains is still a beautiful object.

More of the olive grove, the pile of stones was probably a dry stone hut used for storing tools and getting away from the afternoon sun.

A close up of the evergreen leaves of the olive tree.

Looking out from the olive grove you can see more olive trees below and also spot any approaching marauders in the distance. Today there where none.  

Olive trees are beautiful from a distance as well as close up and their hard wood is prized for the making of salad bowls, spoons etc. 

Soon the warmth of the Provençal sun will turn the brown grass and plants and leafless trees into a riot of colour, but for the moment the rain is pouring down which is a good thing for the coming season. But Provence certainly doesn't lose its unique charm even in the winter because the sun often shines and the smells of the wild thyme and lavender never go away.

Having said that...bring on Summer!!!

See our related Blog posts :

Discover the ancient village of Ongles and  pick wild lavender on the L'Occitane en Provence  Lavender and Luberon Tour

Lunch at Les Petites Tables and a visit to the Eco Musée de L'Olivier in Volx (entrance is free if you have lunch there)

In the footsteps of the lavender pickers.

Roteiro sensorial em Provence

Our Lavender and Luberon tour has been picked up around the world. In Brazil we are working with two major agencies, and the press campaign has just started, so for our Brazilian readers click on the links below to find out more...and in Portuguese!

Roteiro sensorial em Provence

Biarritz Turismo e FVO Travel criam roteiro especial

Marseille 2013 - Getting Ready.

I am sure that now you will have heard that Marseille is the European Capital for Culture in 2013, and if you haven't you know now.

The Vieux Port (Old Port) of Marseille viewed from the Palais du Pharo.

As a professional in the tourism business this is an event that I have been waiting for with great impatience. Not only is it an exciting year for all things cultural, with a superb line-up of concerts, some outstanding, not to be missed, art exhibitions, the creation of new museums the star being the MuCem, a Museum of Civilizations From Europe and the Mediterranean who's audacious architecture alongside the Fort St Jean is to be found at the entrance of the Vieux Port and the Commercial ports becoming the first building to be seen by those arriving from the sea, and thus becomes a symbol of Marseille and its profound historical and cultural attachments with the Mediterranean. 

The MuCem (Museum of Civilizations From Europe and the Mediterranean) with the Fort St Jean to the right and the Cathedral of Sainte-Marie-Majeure de Marseille in the background.   

Being the Cultural Capital of the Europe is also an opportunity for Marseille to rid itself, or at least lessen the image it has as a dangerous city, where poverty and crime are sadly the only vision that many people have retained. Well here's is the big revelation. There is poverty and crime in Marseille, but no more than Paris, London, New York, Bangkok etc. etc. So here is tip that will be invaluable on your next visit. Stick to the centre and avoid the dangerous bits. They are easily recognisable as lacking in museums, restaurants and with few smiling people sitting in side walk cafés. If you live in a big city you'll have no problem spotting them! 

Notre Dame de La Garde overlooking the city .

Marseille has always been a fascinating city to visit, but sadly has been avoided due to the continuous stream of bad press it receives. Now it has a chance to redeem itself, helped by a multi-million Euro facelift. Visitors to the South of France who don't spend at least one day in Marseille will be missing out. I have put up some information on the Unique Provence website, and can provide bilingual guides should you require them. 

This is going to be an exciting year for Marseille and all those who come to visit and as the year goes on  I will be visiting as many of the exhibitions, concerts and events as possible and I will put up posts for each. 

Don't hesitate to contact me or leave a comment. 

All photos by me...

Photo of the Day - Forcalquier and the Alps...

People tend to associate Provence with the Mediterranean, Lavender fields, Hilltop villages and the Luberon Valley but rarely would one associate the Alps. The Northernmost department of Provence is called Les Alpes de Haute Provence. It is probably the most authentic part of Provence in my mind and abounds in hidden secrets which I take enormous pleasure in revealing to my clients. It's also where I live and every day when I drive home from my office I have the privilege of the view of the Alps bathed in the warm glow of the setting sun. The Southern Alps are just next door and even though they are not strictly speaking Provence they fall within its administrative jurisdiction. There are several ski resorts which benefit from the sunshine of Provence whilst often boasting an excellent snow coverage especially towards the end of the season.
Here is a photo taken during an afternoon walk, you can see the Citadel of Forcalquier as well as the unmistakable mountain slopes in the background. The cameras zoom makes the mountains seem even closer than they really are and the effect is quite dramatic. There was no high point to get a clear shot so the tree branches became an inherent part of the image as well.

Forcalquier and the Alps 

Your Provence Travel Questions Answered.

Do you know where this is? Answer in the comments if you think you have the answer.  

Whilst browsing through my blog's statistics I always take a look at some of the queries used by search engines that people use to find me. These vary from people looking for a Nougat making machine to others searching for breeding stock of Provençal goats or Camargue horses, but today I noticed someone who was looking for the time it would take to drive from Gargas to the Valensole plateau. I don't think that the answer to that question can be found here, but I can answer it (about 1h20). If they are going to Valensole to admire the lavender fields I would tell them to go to the Plateau d'Albion instead which is closer (30-40 minutes) and in my mind, more spectacular.

Lavender field on the plateau d'Albion, complete with weeds which give it an altogether  more rustic charm don't you think?

All this to say to visitors to this blog, if you came here looking for simple answers to your Provençal travel questions and you can't find them, just click on the contact button to the right and ask me directly! Its free and chances are I have the answer you are looking for.

Unless you are looking for a stud goat...

                                         ...and even then I may be able to help.

Have a very Luxury Christmas in Provence

If you are going to be in France this year’s Christmas holidays and are looking for somewhere to stay, do or see then come to Provence and enjoy a bit of pampering, a perfect way to face the start of 2013. Here is a list of a few of the luxury breaks and ideas from some of the leading luxury hotels of the region. The list is not exclusive and as I receive more information from hotels I will add them on.

Since this is not a list ordered according to any specific criteria I have listed the Hotels by their town names alphabetically.

La Mirande – Avignon

La Mirande is literally across the road from the monumental Papal Palace in the centre of Avignon. Over the Christmas and New Year period they have several offers.

The first is a pre-Christmas offer with a festive market with Artisans, animations for Children, tasting of Christmas fare by the hotel’s chef, wine tasting, mulled wine, waffles all in and around the hotel. All this and One night in a Large Deluxe Double room, a buffet breakfast. The afternoon Christmas “goûter” served in the patio of La Mirande and the Christmas present from La Mirande made by one of the artisans at the artisan’s market.

From the 14^th to the 16^th December Prices from 305€ for two

And for Christmas day a 7 course Christmas dinner, one night with buffet breakfast included from 547€ for two.

L’Abbaye de La Celle – La Celle en Provence

The first of two of Alain Ducasse’s Inns on our list, in the heart of La Provence Verte, here is a Christmas offer for Gourmets.

3 nights in a superior room (upgrades possible according to availability. All breakfasts. Cocktails on your arrival. Christmas gifts and a personalised welcome in room. A Gourmet dinner on Christmas Eve with two starters, two main courses cheese and dessert.   A Gourmet lunch on Christmas Day with two starters, two main courses cheese and dessert.

Prices from 1 195€ for two.

Hotel Crillon le Brave – Crillon le Brave

Perched at the top of the hilltop village of the same name here is one of the most romantic settings in Provence to spend a gourmet Christmas. Over Christmas there will be cooking classes, a concert on the 23^rd and their special Christmas gourmet offer.

One night including breakfast and either Christmas Eve dinner or Christmas lunch for two.

Prices from 299€ for two.

La Bastide de Gordes – Gordes

With an access to the stunning hilltop town of Gordes enjoy the New Year with gourmet delights and the Luxury Spa.

3 nights in a double room.  3 breakfasts.  New Year’s Eve Gourmet Dinner.  1 Dinner (Bastide Menu)

Access to the Open Spa: Chromatic pool, Jacuzzi, hammam and fitness room.

From 705,50€ per person

Le Couvent des Minimes – Mane en Provence

Nestled in La Haute Provence discover « another » Provence based at Le Couvent des Minimes

1 night in a double room. A selection of Christmas treats in your room. Buffet breakfast. A choice of either Dinner on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day lunch both at the Le Clôitre gourmet restaurant. Prices start at 240€ per person

La Bastide de Moustiers - Moustiers Ste Marie

The other Alain Ducasse Inn on our list, the setting of this hotel near the village of Moustiers Ste Marie is perfect for Christmas. The offer is nearly identical to that of L’Abbaye de La Celle.

3 nights in a superior room (upgrades possible according to availability. All breakfasts. Cocktails on your arrival. Christmas gifts and a personalised welcome in room. A Gourmet dinner on Christmas Eve with two starters, two main courses cheese and dessert.   A Gourmet lunch on Christmas Day with two starters, two main courses cheese and dessert.

Prices from 1 235€ for two.

If you would like more information on Christmas and New year offers contact us using the link on the right.