France Once Again: Fontaine de Vaucluse

Images from the Vaucluse

this is a pre-season cafe terrace on the river Sorgue River at Fontaine de Vaucluse

The Vaucluse is the region of France that is north of Provence. This region includes Orange and Châteauneuf du Pape to the west, Vaison-la-Romaine, Carpentras and Mont Ventoux to the east ...

Think about Côtes du Rhône wine, le lavendre, le Tour de France, great weather, and more of France's really nice people, and you will want to come to the Vaucluse in the Luberon - again, and again, and again.

Châteauneuf du Pape, was, of course, the big castle retreat for the French Popes from Avignon. This, during the schism, when Rome lost the papacy to France. The photo shows the ruins of the Château today.

View of the Rasteau vineyards (last week of March) from the top of the old city.
Mount Ventoux is hiding in haze, top left.

A vigneron we had come to know in Rasteau, the premier wine producing area of the Vaucluse, was unequivocal about the wine from his region being of no lesser quality than the highly marketed wines of the neighbouring Châteauneuf region.

During the last 2 weeks of March, leaves on the vines began to sprout. Daily, we could see the green shoot out and unfold in the warming sun.

windblown again, following an after-lunch climb to the top of the city

The Provençal market in Vaison is noted to be one of the best in France. We have shopped here often during several sojourns in the city.

The paella man was a winner at our table, partly because he did the cooking, but mostly, because of the riot of tastes.

Which way do we go?

The road up Mount Ventoux was closed for the season.

It always looks like there is snow on the peak of Mount Ventoux, but it is really the limestone. However, in mid-March this most definitely was snow.

Now, my secret is out.

small van for big clothes

In Isle sur le Sorgue, I finally started the business I have been longing to launch.

Q: Why "confidential clothes", one might ask?
A: Maybe because it is still a secret.

launching soon in Paris

my signature brand

le slip does not mean a woman's slip in French

For more travel and other photography visit my website
at

Fine Art America

As Seen From Here

Last night - April 12 - was a full moon in Villeneuve Loubet (we are about a 15 min. drive east along the coast from Antibes). In fact, it was what is called, a pink moon. .... I tried to capture it with my camera, but alas, I could not do it. I need some nocturnal lunar photography training ...

Anyway, the "timelines" structure for the blog is waning, and an images concept is waxing. This is to say, I am having so much fun telling stories, that the blog may never catch up to where we really are - geographically, that is.

No more stories.

So ... where was I?

Okay, tonight we dressed up for dinner, even though we are not going out.

J is preparing gnocchi with gorganzola sauce and I am wearing the Italian shoes I bought at the market in Ventemiglia a few weeks ago. I wonder if Pat Hannah guessed right on which pair I chose to buy of the 20 or so that were on display.