Provence Day 3: Aix-en-Provence

For our last day in Provence, Melissa and I drove a bit further south to Aix-en-Provence--a charming city famous for its fountains and for being the birthplace of Paul Cézanne. 

We actually arrived in time for the outdoor market, having learned from our previous mistake in Sault, and visited two vendors before we had to go back to the car to drop off our purchases! 

How fun to smell and to see all the local tastes, colors, and flavors of the region. Fruits, meats, jams, cheeses, breads, flowers, spices, herbs, veggies, and of course, always lots and lots of olives.

In true southern fashion, the buildings in Aix-en-Provence were bright and colorful. With the majority of them being yellow, I was one happy explorer! 

With the streets so narrow and curvy, the lighting was never consistent enough for great pictures. Not to mention, large parts of the city were undergoing major construction which majorly detracted from the appealing aesthetics. We did the best we could and enjoyed the new sights, regardless. 

Don't I have a beautiful sister?

We found more cool doors, and just to give you an idea of how big these things are, Melissa's thumb served as a great model. Her child will have fabulous phalanges! Hello future thumb models! 

"Scrooge, having his key in the lock of the door, saw in the knocker, without its undergoing any intermediate process of change—not a knocker, but Marley's face" (Dickens, A Christmas Carol). 

I kept expecting this one to suddenly morph into reality as I hear the words, "Aslan is on the move!"

We stumbled upon an award-winning dessert artisan, where even the printed name on top of the dessert was edible chocolate.

Of course, any place that wants good business during the World Cup knows to put up giant screens for its customers.

We couldn't leave without a little postcard writing stop at a café. (This was also the only way we had access to bathrooms!)

Provence Day 2: Sault

A relaxing morning was the perfect way to start our second day in Provence. We slept in and then enjoyed a delicious French breakfast prepared by our hostess. The bed and breakfast had beautiful olive trees and an immaculate landscaped yard.

We read by the pool and enjoyed every minute in the sunshine.

By early afternoon, we were ready to continue exploring Provence. Wanting to visit lavender fields (they are famous in Provence), our hosts recommended we drive to Sault. This meant driving through some mountains where we cheered on any bikers we saw. 

We stopped once at a mountain overlook to take in the view. Notice all the pockets of lavender fields!

At the overlook was also a little memorial to Léon Blanc, a member of the French Resistance, who was attacked by German soldiers and French militia in his Peugeot 202 on his way from Sault. 

Spontaneous stops on the road are always fun, especially when it involves scenic views...and organic bathrooms...if you know what I mean. ;)

We were much relieved (pun totally intended) to be back on the road and made a second spontaneous stop at the first lavender field we approached. 

Finally, we arrived at Sault, a gorgeous little village in the mountains. It was Wednesday, so when we read a sign that Sault had a traditional market every Wednesday since the year 1515 we were elated! Only to find out we were two hours too late. The irony was painfully and humorously noted. 

We walked around, took lots of pictures on people's doorsteps, and visited a lavender farm.

Breathtaking view of the countryside.

Lots of lavender all over!

 I love the bright blue shutters against the light stone wall.

Whenever I see a fountain in the middle of a Provincial village, I can't help but imagine Belle sitting on it while reading.

  

lavender farm

At the lavender farm and mill, we went on a tour and were the only two under the age of 55. But we noticed that several of them were wearing what looked like Birkenstocks, so we fit right in! In any case, you'll have to visit Melissa's blog to learn all about how you transform lavender into essential oils.

The lavender fields were exquisite and saturated the air with perfume.

 We did our best to take a selfie, but the lighting was not in our favor. 

Since the selfies didn't work, we tried a new strategy. Melissa found a spot for her timed camera and then had me push the button and run as fast as possible to where she stood in the lavender. This worked about as well as the selfies. 

As usual, we took a little break to write some postcards, sit, and people watch. 

We walked around the town a bit more and dropped off the postcards before we ended the day with food truck brick-oven pizza. Hands down the best pizza I've ever had in France.