Luberon Villages

Saturday, June 7

Yesterday, between getting lost and dinner, we took a jaunt to one of the 
Luberon hilltop villages. We went to Gordes, which is designated as one of 
France's most beautiful villages (that really is an official title here).  

This is a town of stone built into the hills of Luberon. Beautiful and charming 
with many shops featuring lavender products and Provençal linens. I want to shop 
and shop but our luggage limits me. Boo hoo. 

Gordes

Today begins with the breakfast that is included in your stay. It's no typical 
continental breakfast. This is Julien's breakfast...and it is breakfast 
extraordinaire!!

Besides the usual fair, there's homemade sweet breads and baguettes, homemade 
preserves, freshly made crepes with an assortment of fillings, fresh fruits and 
home preserved fruits, plus meats and cheeses and croissants. We enjoy our cafe 
au lait and our delicious breakfast outside. I eat til I feel I will bust!

by one of the many waterwheels

in L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue

We head to more Luberon villages. We go to Oppede (not much there, but we 
did see the locals dressed up with their hats preparing for a wedding), Menerbes 
(lovely), Senanque (where there is an abbey set off the road with many lavender 
fields surrounding it...so quaint!), and L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue (in my opinion the 
prettiest...with a stream running through it and many ancient water wheels).

 outside a church in Menerbe

Senanque

the abbey in Senanque; soon the field in front

will be lavender in bloom

We all enjoy the small villages and we do a bit of shopping. Now it's time for 
dinner and our mouths are salivating. 

Last night's dinner guests included two couples from Holland and two couples from 
England. Tonight's guests include one couple from Holland, one couple from 
England, and two couples from Switzerland. We are enjoying our dinner

al fresco and the weather could not be better!  Dinner conversation 

is lively and Julien is always the convivial host...albeit with a very dry sense of humor. 

I made a bit of a fool of myself tonight....not incredibly surprising. I was 
asking Julien about his favorite activities when he was growing up. He said 
skiing. I asked where.  He said the French Alps. I asked how far away they are. 
He said about two hours. I looked up and pointed and asked if that was the Alps. 
He laughed very hard and most of the table laughed with him. "That's the Luberon 
(hills)!" he exclaimed. "The Alps are over there," and pointed in a different 
direction. "No wonder you get lost!" he says while snickering.