a week en provence

There is a reason people talk about the South of France as they do — it really is all that. I do not know how — after all these years– it can still be unspoiled, charming and utterly intoxicating, but that was definitely my experience.

Half of my cousins live in and around Paris. The other half are based in Marseille. (of course I also have half a dozen who live in Abu Dhabi, Mexico City and Brazil but for the purposes of why the two weddings were in Provence and outside Paris — I thought I’d provide a bit of clarification).

I had never been to this region which is called La Drome Provencale. 

So, as I left off yesterday– we took the train from Gare de Lyon getting off in Montelimar where we picked up Spiky! our traveling companion for the week.

on left, Spiky :: on right, door to our room

The wedding was taking place in the town of Grignan which has a cathedral and is famous in its own right for the letters of Madame de Sevigne. 

We spent quite a bit of time here, but also hit the road and toured around some other villages. I was kinda proud of myself doing all the driving (it was a stick shift and Kate doesn’t know how to drive stick), but the truth is– it was super fun. The roads themselves are breathtaking– let alone the villages!

First night, we drove (in the dark and these narrow roads have no streetlights) to La Garde-Adhemar and had dinner high up in an ancient walled village — which is it’s own adventure but all you need to know is I DID it, survived, and lived to tell the tale and have more confidence as a result– boo-YAH.

Next morning?  BREAKFAST.

Which, I must say, was heaven on earth. You always eat outdoors because it is bliss. The pottery was all local (we went and visited and I got a few bits for souvenirs) the jam was made by the woman whose B&B this was. The yogurt was also made by her– the bread and croissants were beyond fresh– her chickens ran around in the yard.

Oh, and coffee? By the bowl. Bliss.

First day we traveled to Taulignan, Poet-laval and Nyans. The roads themselves were pure joy– I kept wanting to pull over and take shots but it would have been kind of dangerous, but a couple of times I did it anyway.

I have a thousand photos because it was just not to be believed. The weather was spectacular. Everything was so beautiful. The food was amazing. Sorry not to be more poetic, but it really was just that simple.

a demain, Elizabeth


*This month — 30 days — I am writing a letter to my dear friend Mindy because I happened on Mindy’s post where she honored me to my core — sharing that she reads my blog (my long, long neglected blog) and it inspired me to promise that for one full month — 30 days of September– I would write her a letter each, and every day. Let’s see how I do . . . 🙂