A beautiful one day drive on the massif des Maures

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A drive on the Massif des Maures, Arboretum de Gratteloup, Chartreuse de la Verne, Collobrieres, Frejus, Heyeres, La Mole, Le col des Fourches, Luxury Travel Consultant2, Maures, Notre Dame des Anges, Provence. Fall tour 2016

Between Frejus and Hyeres, the coast  bulges out and up again to form the steep rolling heels and arcadian amphitheatres of the ancient massif des Maures. This mountain range is a geological oddball; The name Maures is derived  from maouro, Provencal for black describing its dark deep forests of umbrella and Aleppo pines ( pines native to the Mediterranean region), chesnuts and cork. For a few centuries the latter two trees provided the main source of income of the few inland villages.

If you take a drive in the morning.

You will start in the village of Grimaud and take the D558 up to La Garde-Freinet . Continue 4 miles before turning left before Gonfaron and make a stop at the Village des Tortues to see the very rare Hermann tortoise ( Quartier plaine – Open 9am – 7pm daily and 6pm ( December – February). After that take D39 towards Collobrieres At the col des Fourches head up to Notre-Dame -des-Anges , The Maures ‘s highest  point. There is an amazing chapel with outstanding views. Two miles before Collobrieres you will make a turn left ( D14) to the Chartreuse de la Verne , a Carthusian monastery of local stone ( Quartier Verne, 11 am -5pm ; Wednesday-Monday) . Then head back to Collobrieres . There is a place called La petite Fontaine, stop by for a drink or dinner, try the soupe au pistou or game in season , no thrills regional cooking. Place de la Republique. No credit cards – $$

If you take an afternoon drive.

Leave towards Pierrefeu, 1 mile later you will make a turn left towards Bormes Les Mimosas. This is a dramatic drive , between wooded slopes and plunging valleys will take you over the Col de Babao to the N98. You will have to make a turn left towards  La Mole, make a stop at the arboretum de Gratteloup , a forest garden with 50 tree varieties.

Then you will continue to La Mole and make a turn right to the Col du Canadel and stop at the domaine du Rayol gardens. Upon return to Grimaud , enjoy a wonderful dinner at Le Coteau Fleuri , Place des Penitents. $$

Anne Suire / http://www.luxurytravelconsultant2.com

Provence.Fall 2016

A drive through the Alpilles, Part three

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Arles, Avignon. Abbaye de Montmajour, Chapelle St Sixte, Chateau de Romanin, Chateau Romanin, drive the Alpilles, Eygalieres, Luxury Travel Consultant2, Napoleon, Orgon, St Etienne du gres, vineyards in the Alpilles

If you ever wanted to find a real castle, Tarascon is the place where a spectacular medieval fortress in pale stone has been restored to a perfect state. The first stop are the Communes ( Commons) working quarters with kitchens, apothecary and workshops, climb the narrow spiral staircases within stone towers; wander through the banqueting hall, hall of audience and the king’s hall with great fireplaces. The castle was home to king Rene , also fine medieval tapestries hang in the royal rooms with tile floors. The castle was built to defend the western boundary of Provence but was abandoned in the 17th-century and became a notorious prison until 1926. You will notice the graffiti by 18th-century prisoners of war.

Tarascon is famous for 2 mythical beasts: The Tarasque which emerged from the Rhone to eat cattle and children, was subdued by St Martha   with the sign of the cross and Tartarin of Tarascon, a rotund comic giant invented by Alphonse Daudet in 1872.

An idea for a tour.

This is a packed but leisurely day with about 3 hours driving. Allow 2 hours to explore les Baux on foot, an hour for Glanum and you can also allow another hour for wine tasting at one of the Alpilles’ vineyards along the route.

The Eastern end of this tour links to Orgon, with Luberon and Southern Vaucluse; Cavaillon and are just 10 km away and just south of the Alpilles lies the plaine de la Crau.

If you are in Arles and want to visit L’Abbaye de Montmajour, leave town on l’Avenue de Stalingrad, on the north side of town center, initially signed for Avignon and Tarascon, but when you reach N570, turn right ( south) and left onto the D17bfor Les Baux. Straight away you will see the gaunt stone fortifications of the Abbaye de Montmajour rise massively on the right. In AD 948 a community of hermits was founded in the middle of the marshes. The abbey became steadily wealthier and added on a cellar, a church, a refectory and chapels. The extend of its ruins gives us some idea of its final enormous size. But for all its wealth, starkness  was de rigueur in the abbey: Only the capitals in the cloister were adorned. Continue to the village of Fontvieille and  turn right on to a quiet back road for the moulin de Daudet. A couple of kilometres further down the road ( D 33) , around the junction with D82 and D78e, there are some very interesting ruins of the twin Gallo-Roman Barbegal Aqueducs, one of which brought water to Roman Arles from Eygalieres while the other one powered  a hydraulic flour mill. From the acqueducs, you will take D78e ( changes to the D27) through Paradou. You will climb the rocky landscape at the heart of the Alpilles in direction of Les Baux. Pass by Val d’Enfer, a very curious gorge of caves and strange rock shapes associated with mysteries. Then you will follow the road around on to the D27a to reach the tiny turning on the right for Les Baux de Provence. Les Baux de Provence is sometimes so crowded that the police won’t allow any more vehicles into the village, you can always park in the summer time at the foot of the hill and walk up to the village.

When you leave Les Baux by descending again on D27a, turn right, and on reaching D5 turn right through beautiful groves of olive, cherry, apricot and almond trees.You will see the dark red Rochers d’Entreconque rocks rising to your left. At Maussane Les Alpilles, you turn left on D24 to climb again. You will descend to a junction with the D25 on the right, take this turn . The road will climb once more and then you will descend as  it skirts the Plaines massif at the eastern end of the Alpilles. After some 9 kms you will reach the junction with D569, again passing the Castelat ruins, to reach Orgon where Napoleon, taken in exile in Elba, was pursued by a mob. You will leave this very modest town ( N7), Avignon direction but straight away the D24b on the left to skirt again the Plaines Massif . On the left the Chapelle St-Sixte was built in the 12th-century on the site of a pagan temple was dedicated to a local spring, stands on a hill with a view of the Alpilles. Soon after the road enters Eygalieres, a very pleasant town ( Where Our thanksgiving tour will take place) climbs in narrow streets to its very historic castle keep, which offers beautiful views. You will then take the D74a north to reach the busier D99 and you will take a left. Not far along is the left town for the very interesting Chateau Romanin wine cellars. You can make a stop and then will continue on the D99 to reach St-Remy-de-Provence. When you leave St-Remy de Provence ( on the south side) you will see the old monastery and hospital of St-Paul-de – Mausole, it stands left on the road, which quickly reaches Les Antiques and Glanum. You can take a little time to explore and then return to the southern edge of St-Remy . When you enter the town, where the D5 becomes becomes Avenue Durand-Maillane, you will take the first left on to le Chemin de La Combette leading to Le vieux chemin d’Arles, you will see the Tour du Cardinal. This is not a tower but a 16th-century country house with a renaissance balcony.  Stay on this road and you will see (after 5 km) St-Etienne-du-Gres. You will turn left here on to the D32, making a stop after 2 km to see the 12th-century Chapelle-St-Gabriel. The chapel is all what is left of the Roman settlement of Ernaginum, once a small port of rafts in the marshy area. At Chapelle St-Gabriel, the D32 reaches the N570 which is the main Arles-Avignon road.

Anne Suire.

Alphonse Daudet

Chateau Romanin

Taking a drive through the Alpilles, Part Two

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AOC wines, Bistro des Alpilles, Chateau de Romanin, Driving around the Alpilles, Fontvieille, Gertrude Stein, Hostellerie du Vallon de Valrugues, hotel le Daudet, Hotel Ville Verte, La Regalido, Marquis de Sade, Nostradamus, St Remy de Provence

Fontvieille, is a typical Provencal in appearance and atmosphere but can be touristy at times, maybe not recommended for a traveler who’d rather visit “off the beaten path villages”. This village has several little hotels and restaurants serving thousand fans of Alphonse Daudet who stop off before or after a visit to the nearby Moulin de Daudet ( Daudet’s windmill), where this very famous author wrote his best-loved work, Lettres de mon moulin (  letters from my mill). In reality, while Daudet spent time at the mill, most of the writing was done back home, in Paris; but the mill certainly provided an excuse for an outing and a picnic.

Accommodation and Food in Fontvieille.

Hotel Le Daudet, Avenue de Montmajour; Phone # 04-90-54-76-06 ; A modern and peaceful hotel with pool and terrace with comfortable rooms. Closed October through Easter.

La Regalido, Rue F Mistral. http://www.laregalido.com. Tranquil, fragrant garden setting for this elegant hotel and restaurant full of rural Provencal atmosphere. The restaurant pays homage to the olive oil in its crudites with tapenade, garlicky leg of lamb, freshly caught fish simmered in olive oil, olive oil ravioli and olive omelette. Very nice breakfasts are served on the terrace.

St-Remy-de-Provence. is a perfectly untouched base. Mansions built during the 15th and 16th centuries grace its historic centre.It has a picturesque old quarter of lanes, squares and fountains, and avenues shaded by leafy plane trees.Some famous names such as the astrologer Nostradamus ( 1503-1566) who was born here, and Gertrude Stein who stayed for a year ( 1922) in the hotel de la ville verte. One of the mansions was home of the Sade family, ancestors to the notorious Marquis de Sade.

There are several Appellation Controlee Coteaux d’Aix en Provence and Les Baux wine makers around the area. Four kilometers east on the D99, a side turns leads down to the impressive underground “Cathedral” caverns de Chateau de Romanin, which produces and AC wine, supposedly since the 4th-century bc.

Accommodations and food in St Remy-de-Provence.

Le bistro des Alpilles. 15, boulevard Mirabeau. Relaxed brasserie-style establishment with good cooking at modest prices, live piano every Friday night. Tel: 04-90-92-09-17

Hostellerie du Vallon de Valrugues. Chemin Canto cigalo; The self -consciously de luxe southern style of this bright , well- equipped hotel and restaurant offer spacious rooms with terraces, with views of the gardens & the Alpilles. Closed in February.Tel :04-90-92-04-40

Hotel Ville Verte. Place de La Republique. This arty place was once frequented by artists and writers. A decent place, simple and inexpensive rooms and rooms with kitchenette are available by the week for a very modest price. Pool & terrace, very close to the town center. tel: 04-90-92-06-14. ( Closed November -March)

Tomorrow Part three of a Drive through the Alpilles, Tarascon and Les Baux de Provence.

Anne Suire

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Taking a drive through the Alpilles

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Auberge de la Benvengudo, Chaine des Alpilles, La Cabro d'Or, La Durance, Les Baux de Provence., Oustau de Baumaniere, Rhone, St Remy de Provence, Travel with Luxury Travel Consultant2

South of Avignon is La Chaine des Alpilles , a barren chain of wild limestone rocks and it covers a small area , a narrow strip barely 20km by 4km, It truly is a very captivating miniature world which feels lost in time and remote from anywhere. Les Alpilles form an extraordinary, beautiful landscape of weirdly jagged crests emerging abruptly from flat country between the rivers Durance and Rhone and rising in a series of hills. In places they are weather worn and barren , sometimes planted with olive groves, almond, cypress, fruit trees and vineyards.Elsewhere the slopes are very densely cloaked with garrigue , wild ever green vegetation. The air is very alive with the creaky scratching of insects and the amazing aroma of pine and wild herbs. The Alpilles are populated with picturesque Southern villages and also important Roman and medieval sites in and around the area.

Les Antiques and Glanum.

Les Antiques is one of the antique Roman remnants, standing at a roadside less than 1km outside of St Remy de Provence. The most dramatic is the Roman mansoleum, it dates from around 30 bc and was built as a memorial according to the inscription. Next to it stands the Roman arch, decorated with carvings probably by Greek craftsmen, it probably marked the entrance to the town of Glanum. The more serious Glanum archeological site lies across the road. Adjacent to it is the old monastery of St-Paul-de-Mausole where Van Gogh, resided in an asylum from May 1889 to May 1890 after cutting his ear. His room and the gardens he painted, may sometimes be seen while visiting the attractive Romanesque church and cloisters. It really worth the stop.

Les Baux- de- Provence.

Perched on a dramatic cliff edge among the stony heights of the Alpilles, it is today a “must see “sight given entirely to arts and crafts vendors who thrive on the thousands a day visitors, walking the narrow picturesque streets of restored buildings. There is plenty to see, including the musee Yves Brayer , the ruins of the Old citadelle ( Ville Morte), lots of lofty views over the surrounding hills. At the foot of the village many more sights to look at such as La Cathedrale des images, a spectacular former bauxite quarry; the Val d’Enfer a gorge filled with chaotic rocks and caves; and Pavillon de la Reine Jeanne ( Queen Jeanne’s Pavillon), a charming 16th-century renaissance structure. built for the Baroness Jeanne de Quiqueran of les Baux , who never became a queen.

Where to eat and stay.

L’Oustau de Baumaniere. http://www.ousteaudebaumaniere.com. Is considered one of the best hotels in the world, it compromises 3 buildings of a beautiful 16th- century Provencal farm offering refinement  and luxury, yet with pleasing simplicity and unpretentiousness among beautiful gardens and guarrigues. Vegatables, herbs and fruits are grown in the garden for the kitchen staff to use and organic vines whose grapes go into Chateau Romanin, an outstanding local wine. L’ousteau emphasises light exquisite cooking focused on Fish and vegetable dishes. Enjoy a great meal on the terrace gazing up at the ruins of Les Baux.

La Cabro d’Or, Val d’Enfer.www.lacabrodor.com is an annexe of l’Oustau de Baumaniere. This too is a luxurious hotel and restaurant with tremendous character and refine style, set among trees and flowers, tennis, riding, pool, first class restaurant.

Auberge de la Benvengudo, below the village; Tel: 04-90-54-32-54. Rustic and luxurious farmhouse in a wonderful setting. The bedrooms have air conditioning and the furniture is very Provencal. A pool, tennis and restaurant.

A less expansive hotel is  La Riboto de Tavern, near Val D’Enfer. A great country house half cut out in the cliff face, hidden among tranquil rocks and flowers and furnished with genuine antiques. The restaurant is excellent and was noted for simple , fragrant, imaginative local cooking. It has also three bedrooms.

Tomorrow Fontvieille, St- Remy- de- Provence and Tarrascon.

Anne Suire

Visit us online at http://www.luxurytravelconsultant2.com