Patricia Sands

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south of France memories tour

Memories tour/18 ~ Day 10

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Catching up on our tour! I think I may have published the last post twice so sorry about that. It’s been a crazy two weeks.

On Day 10, our first stop was the renowned and lively Wednesday market that winds through much of the old town in quaint St. Rémy-de-Provence. The exceptional selection of wares spill from stalls that fill narrow alleys and shady squares … every Provençal product your heart desires may be found here.  With a wide choice of bistros and cafés to stop for a break and plenty of street music to entertain, the morning passed quickly.

As the happy shoppers returned to the bus, after lunch, it was noted that several new suitcases had been purchased. Hmmm…

Then we had a short drive to the edge of town, stopping at the monastery of Saint-Paul de Mausole, which was also an asylum when van Gogh admitted himself there in May 1889. He remained until May 1890 and painted some of his most important works during that time. There is a peace and serenity found here, inside, and also in the back garden as well as in the stunning Romanesque cloister. You can feel Vincent’s spirit here. It’s one of my favourite stops on our tour.

 

Then we hopped back on our coach and a half-hour later arrived at another special spot … Les Carrières des Lumières … for a spectacular multi-media presentation in an old quarry below the hilltop village of Les Baux de Provence. This year’s exhibit is based on Picasso and other Spanish artists. It’s a truly breathtaking experience.

Next was a photo op at the best place to capture the image of the medieval hilltop village of Les Baux, ruins and all.

And a surprise stop, thanks to our bus driver, at the Abbaye de Montmajour.

Now I need your help, ladies from the tour! My dinner photos have vanished! Please send me a few. Thanks!

Most of all today, we missed our co-leader Deborah Bine after her accident the day before.  Please visit co-leader and BFF, Deborah Bine’s Barefoot Blogger site to see how she is coming along. Remember too, she regularly posts all sorts of great articles on her travels and life in France. 

Want to join us in 2019? Contact travel expert extraordinaire, Nancy McGee, at Absolutely Southern France. She already has an “early bird” list filling up.  We’re excited!

 

Memories Tour/18 ~ Day 9

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Whoops! I got a bit behind on sharing posts about our September south of France tour here. I was sidetracked for the past two weeks with copyedits and cover details for my new Christmas book releasing on November 15. I’ll share that info with you in my next post.

The cover art was created through two of the women on our tour! How’s that for exciting? Major thanks to talented artists ~ Clare Strohman and Donna Fedele.

Now back to our unforgettable South of France Memories Tour with an amazing group of women! I’m having so much fun reliving those days as I sift through the photos.

Our day in the Camargue got off to an exciting start. We were ready to explore the world of the fictional Jacques de Villeneuve, from Drawing Lessons, and eager to see the legendary horses, bulls, and flamingos of this unique region.

A welcoming committee was waiting for us. The famous white horses are brown or grey when first born.

 

We began with a Jeep safari, chauffeured by three enthusiastic and well-informed guides. Great fun!

We drove past the ancient walled town of Aigues-Mortes and into the countryside of the Camargue, passing the classic manade dwelling of the Camargue gardiens (cowboys who work with the bulls and horses) as well as black bulls, flamingos, horses and ending with a tailgate wine tasting!

After an adventure-filled morning, we returned to the 11thC town of Aigues-Mortes for a short tour and time to browse and eat lunch.

The Matafère Tower in the background was ordered built by Charlemagne in 795. King Louis IX twice departed for the Crusades from this town, first for the Seventh Crusade in 1248 and again for the Eighth Crusade in 1270 for Tunis from which he never returned.

The last stop for the day was a visit to the famous salt marshes.

Dinner was a few minutes’ walk from our hotel, in yet another stunning setting.

Now this is the part that is hard to write about. As Deborah, my co-leader and dear friend, and I were walking back to the bus after lunch, she tripped and fell. Without going into all the details here, we had to send her off to the hospital in Nimes by ambulance. It was an upsetting incident for all and we were fortunate that an old friend of Deborah’s was on the tour, who is also a nurse. She went along in the ambulance, for which we were most thankful.

Deborah has detailed her journey with her injuries on her blog ~ click right here to go to the Barefoot Blogger page. and it is best to read about it in her words. We missed her for the last three days of the tour and everyone has stayed in touch with her as she continues in rehab therapy. The good news is that she is doing well and has maintained her amazing spirit and good humour … and she is keen to do the tour again in 2019. <3

Have you ever visited the Camargue? Please share your story if you have. And by the way, contrary to popular lore, we didn’t see one mosquito!

Please visit co-leader and BFF, Deborah Bine’s Barefoot Blogger site for an excellent article on the Camargue as well as tons of other great info on her travels in France.

Memories tour/18 ~ Day 8 ~ Arles

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Ahhh, enchanting, ancient Arles. After just one day here, everyone is in love with this enticing town. Yesterday we were in Sète so we would not miss the Sunday seafood market. This morning we’re ready to spend the day exploring our home base for this week, with our guide, Valerie.

I’m thrilled to hear that everyone is excited about seeing places they read about in my novel, Drawing Lessons. What a pleasure this is for me too!

Down the street from our hotel and around the corner, and we are in the heart of the town, Place de la République.

The Cathédrale Saint-Trophime, built between the 12th and 15th centuries, is our first stop.

From here we moved on to relive some of Vincent van Gogh’s brief, but prolific, time in Arles from February 1888 to May 1889. As troubled emotionally as he was, his artistry was at a high point and his spirit lives throughout Arles.

The Fondation Vincent van Gogh.


The ancient Roman presence in Arles wraps around you in a way that keeps the aura and the history alive. The coliseum, Les Arènes, and Théâtre Antique host regular events throughout the year.

And still so much more exploring to be done …

A visit to the Musée Arles Antique/Archeological Museum is a good idea to see the vast collection of artifacts, including the marble bust of Julius Caesar and the Roman barge (don’t miss the video showing the powerful story of how this undertaking was accomplished).

And then there are doors … did I mention the doors … from one extreme to the other. Doors that are impossible for my camera to resist. Would you feel the same?

And shopping … excellent shopping through the many small streets of this beautiful town situated on the banks of the Rhône.

And that evening … say no more … santé …

Have you ever been to Arles? It’s definitely high on my most-recommended places to visit.

Be sure to click on over to the website of my good friend and tour co-leader, Deborah Bine aka Barefoot Blogger. She has posted wonderful articles about many of the places we visit on our tour.

DRAWING LESSONS IS ON SALE FOR OCTOBER IN EBOOK AND PRINT! HERE’S THE AMAZON LINK. 

Memories tour/18 ~ Day 6 ~ On the move!

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This morning, as we said au revoir to the stunning Côte d’Azur I heard many voices promising to return! In spite of this past week’s unforgettable experiences, there is still so much to see and do. In our comfortable private coach we made our way down the Promenade des Anglais, taking along a wealth of fine memories.

Our first stop for part of the day was Aix-en-Provence.  Steeped in history, this has been an important crossroads since the 3rd Century BC. Our drive on the busy motorway carried us past the majestic Mont Sainte-Victoire which was painted by Cézanne more than eighty times. Paul Cézanne is regarded as the most famous son of Aix, where he was born and died, and his work is celebrated there now although this was not always the case. He’s described by both Picasso and Matisse as “the father of us all”.

It was a market day in Aix (pronounced simply “ex”), with colourful vendors in stalls up and down the Cours Mirabeau selling all manner of products. Free time offered everyone plenty of opportunities to explore.

There was also time to enjoy lunch before meeting up for our walking tour. Even the tour leaders took a break in the heart of the old town!

I love the wrought iron bell towers of Provence that allow the worst Mistral to blow right through!

Famous for its fountains, universities, and support of the arts, Aix is an interesting town in which to spend some time. It’s an excellent half-way stop on the way from the coast to the countryside of Provence.

 

In the afternoon we met our guide for a walking tour “In the Footsteps of Cezanne”. It was comprehensive and well worth the time.

Les Deux Garçons began serving meals in 1792 and was a popular dining spot of Cézanne’s. It may not be the finest place for gourmet meals in town, but definitely is worth a stop for an apéro or a coffee to appreciate the historic ambiance.

After a most satisfying afternoon, our merry group continued on to our home for the next week ~ enchanting ancient Arles.  Our celebratory rooftop welcome at Hôtel Le Clôitre set the tone for the remainder of our stay. Get the idea?

There was time to rest and be ready to … yes … feast again, at dinner under the stars on the hotel’s ground level terrace. Our tapas meal was delicious and the beginning of a new adventure in this part of the Bouches-du-Rhône region.

A highlight was the surprise visit by a local musician who entertained everyone with his soul-searing renditions of Gipsy Kings songs. The original Gipsy Kings’ families are from the area around Arles and their fusion of flamenco, salsa, and pop became synonymous with the region.

   An additional surprise was a parade later in the evening, celebrating the rice harvest of the Camargue. Yes, we even for cheered tractors!

This was what you might call an extremely full day! Even so, some of the group still found time for a late night libation. The excellent location of our hotel meant it was a stroll of only a few minutes to finally fall into bed.

Be sure to visit the website of my friend and tour co-leader, Deborah Bine aka Barefoot Blogger where you will find all sorts of great articles on more places in France than you can imagine. I’m telling you … that lady gets around! Click right here!