A Week In Provence – The Lavender Fields of Valensole

The weather forecast was on a red alert for storms, which made it difficult to plan.

It was far too hot to walk – most of the footpaths in the Gorges du Verdon have no shade whatsoever and the white limestone reflects the sunlight and heat straight back at you. We found one shady route, the Sentier des Pêcheurs – The Fishermen’s Trail, which led down to the part of the gorge where we paddled our SUPs the other day. Although it also offered an opportunity for a cooling swim for people and pooches, we had driven the Route des Crêtes that morning. Time was getting on – and the gorges are not the place to be caught out in a thunderstorm.

By accident, we arrived in Provence at the best time to see lavender, right in the middle of the short season (between mid-June and mid-to-late July, depending on the year and the weather.) I really wanted to see the lavender fields. Our onward route would take us over the plateau of Valensole, which is just beyond the beautiful village of Moustiers-Sainte-Marie, which we visited the other day. Nevertheless, we decided to go and have a proper look without the caravan in tow and oh boy. What an assault on the senses it was!Continue reading “A Week In Provence – The Lavender Fields of Valensole”

A Week in Provence – Driving the Route des Crêtes

Storms were forecast, so we had battened down and given up on our plans. Although we had distant thunder and light rain the previous evening, I awoke at 7am to a perfect, blue Provençale sky.

“Shall we get up and do the Route des Crêtes?” I asked Mark.

The D23; the Route des Crêtes or Crest Road, is a circular, panoramic road, high above the Gorges du Verdon. Built purely for pleasure on the route of an old mule track, it is another of the famous French balcony roads, cut into a sheer cliff face. Regardless of the weather, we were quite nervous about it anyway. Its high point is around 1,300m (4,200ft); not somewhere to get caught in a storm on a narrow road blessed with hairpins and dizzying drops.

Since the loop is only 23km long, we estimated it would take around an hour to drive. Even with our recent poor record of thunderstorm avoidance, we thought the weather gods would be pushing it to whip up a tempest from nothing in so short a time…Continue reading “A Week in Provence – Driving the Route des Crêtes”

A Week in Provence – Moustiers-Sainte-Marie & SUP in the Gorges du Verdon

The Gorges du Verdon is the most wonderful part of France that you’ve never heard of.

At least Mark and I hadn’t. I can’t understand why; what, with it being the world’s second largest canyon next to the Grand Canyon. Mark has seen the Grand Canyon, so could offer a comparison,

“The Grand Canyon is so big that it’s almost impossible to take in. It’s impressive, because it’s huge and spectacular, but Verdon is truly beautiful.”

Continue reading “A Week in Provence – Moustiers-Sainte-Marie & SUP in the Gorges du Verdon”

Towing the Gorges du Verdon – Our Most Challenging Drive… Ever!

“The Transfăgărășan was nothing compared to this!”

Mark was referring to the day we joined the Mile High Club. With Caravan Kismet in tow, you understand. We crossed the Carpathian mountains in Romania on one of the world’s most dangerous roads. Kismet has conquered a number of mountain passes (see the Dangerous Roads section of my blog) but none compared to the Gorges du Verdon, which caught us entirely by surprise. “We drive past the gorge,” Mark informed me. If only that had been so…

When we looked it up later, the Gorges du Verdon appears on the website Dangerous Roads. I am certain that whoever described the drive as ‘not for the faint hearted,’ probably didn’t mean with a 7m (20ft) caravan in tow! Continue reading “Towing the Gorges du Verdon – Our Most Challenging Drive… Ever!”