Dave Hilbert's
SoftSeatTravel
SoftSeatTravel
The walled towns continued their building stages
into the 12 Th and 14 Th Centuries while many
rulers came and went including the Popes who
resided at Avignon from 1309 to 1376 and built
impressive castles. In recent years, these towns
have been home and motif to Cezanne, Van Gogh,
and Picasso.
into the 12 Th and 14 Th Centuries while many
rulers came and went including the Popes who
resided at Avignon from 1309 to 1376 and built
impressive castles. In recent years, these towns
have been home and motif to Cezanne, Van Gogh,
and Picasso.
| Renting A House In Provence |
While biking and hiking in the hills of Provence we
met the people of Provence, farmers mostly who
work the land and cherish their traditions. Our
village had a June Camargue bull spectacle with
the guardians on their white horses galloping
through the streets. Many of the villages hold
festivals throughout the year that include ancient
music, dance, horsemanship, and bull fighting.
When we rented a house for the month of
June in Provence in the southern region of
France we wanted to do some hiking and
biking along with our culinary vacation.
Provence, an agricultural area of
Southern France, covers Montelimar in
the north to the Mediterranean, from Nice
in the southeast to the Saintes Maries de
la Mere on the Rhone River Delta. Roman
ruins, Medieval walled cities,
Renaissance art and architecture in
fabled towns like Roman-built Arles and
Aix-en-Provence, along with Solon de
Provence, home of Nostradamus, and St.
Remy, haunt of the Impressionist painters
added to the allure. The walled cities of
Provence ooze history ; Roman
aqueducts, coliseum-like arenas, Roman
theatres, and Gothic and Renaissance
castles are everywhere.
June in Provence in the southern region of
France we wanted to do some hiking and
biking along with our culinary vacation.
Provence, an agricultural area of
Southern France, covers Montelimar in
the north to the Mediterranean, from Nice
in the southeast to the Saintes Maries de
la Mere on the Rhone River Delta. Roman
ruins, Medieval walled cities,
Renaissance art and architecture in
fabled towns like Roman-built Arles and
Aix-en-Provence, along with Solon de
Provence, home of Nostradamus, and St.
Remy, haunt of the Impressionist painters
added to the allure. The walled cities of
Provence ooze history ; Roman
aqueducts, coliseum-like arenas, Roman
theatres, and Gothic and Renaissance
castles are everywhere.
We wanted a culinary vacation in this region rich in
history, an area largely overlooked by international
tourist except those that tour coastal Provence
while visiting Cannes, Nice, and St Tropez: the
Cote d' Azur to French speakers, the French
Riviera in English.
Celebrity chefs like Julia Child put Provence on the
American cooking vacation circuit with her
cookbooks and her praise for the bouillabaisse of
Marseille (30 to 60 Euros a plate in Marseille's Old
Port restaurants), and the simple fare of the region
based on fresh produce and olive oil. Low fat
cooking and recipies based on fresh vegetables
appealed to us, we wanted to learn to cook
Provence style.
history, an area largely overlooked by international
tourist except those that tour coastal Provence
while visiting Cannes, Nice, and St Tropez: the
Cote d' Azur to French speakers, the French
Riviera in English.
Celebrity chefs like Julia Child put Provence on the
American cooking vacation circuit with her
cookbooks and her praise for the bouillabaisse of
Marseille (30 to 60 Euros a plate in Marseille's Old
Port restaurants), and the simple fare of the region
based on fresh produce and olive oil. Low fat
cooking and recipies based on fresh vegetables
appealed to us, we wanted to learn to cook
Provence style.
| Renting In Provence |
Vacation South of France
Tradition
The hills and valleys of Provence were inhabited as
far back as Neolithic times and still have rock tombs
of early settlers. Later, nomadic shepherds built
corbel vaulted beehive-like structures of stone called
bories with an estimated 3000 still standing around
Gordes and Saignon.
Germanic Celtic tribes and Italian Ligurians inhabited
Provence before the Greek (600 BC) and later
Roman settlers (100 BC) built permanent dwellings
of stone.
From the first century BC to the third century AD the
Romans built an extensive road system throughout
Provence, the best example perhaps, the first
century Julian Bridge on the road between Gordes
and Lacoste that, until recently, carried automobile
traffic over the Coulon River, a feeder of the
Durance River.
far back as Neolithic times and still have rock tombs
of early settlers. Later, nomadic shepherds built
corbel vaulted beehive-like structures of stone called
bories with an estimated 3000 still standing around
Gordes and Saignon.
Germanic Celtic tribes and Italian Ligurians inhabited
Provence before the Greek (600 BC) and later
Roman settlers (100 BC) built permanent dwellings
of stone.
From the first century BC to the third century AD the
Romans built an extensive road system throughout
Provence, the best example perhaps, the first
century Julian Bridge on the road between Gordes
and Lacoste that, until recently, carried automobile
traffic over the Coulon River, a feeder of the
Durance River.
History
A nice surprise was the hiking, biking, and
climbing opportunities. Even with the dollar
discounted around 30 percent, Provence still can
be a value when you rent a house or vacation
rental apartment.
May and June, and in September and October,
the months when the European travelers are back
to work and not on their six-week July/August
vacations is the best time to visit the storybook
villages full of ancient stone buildings with tile
roofs and narrow cobble streets open only to
pedestrians. Lavender fields of rich purple
become ripe in June and July lending a colorful
backdrop to the 12Th Century chapels crowning
the hilltops in the Medieval walled villages.
Farming of rice in the south and wheat and
lavender in the north along with raising of sheep
and the practice of viticulture and olive production
are the primary industries in largely rural
Provence.
climbing opportunities. Even with the dollar
discounted around 30 percent, Provence still can
be a value when you rent a house or vacation
rental apartment.
May and June, and in September and October,
the months when the European travelers are back
to work and not on their six-week July/August
vacations is the best time to visit the storybook
villages full of ancient stone buildings with tile
roofs and narrow cobble streets open only to
pedestrians. Lavender fields of rich purple
become ripe in June and July lending a colorful
backdrop to the 12Th Century chapels crowning
the hilltops in the Medieval walled villages.
Farming of rice in the south and wheat and
lavender in the north along with raising of sheep
and the practice of viticulture and olive production
are the primary industries in largely rural
Provence.
Hiking Biking Kayaking
We had many choices of rental houses but we
needed a full kitchen to practice Provence
cooking. Many landlords cater to the hobby cook
and provide a full kitchen including the spices.
We settled in for a brief period of living the village
life, shopping for the daily provisions, and cooking
with the locally grown produce. We also home
base in our centrally located village and made day
trips by rental car to surrounding hill towns.
The olive groves and vineyards provide great
hiking, biking, horseback riding, with the rivers
and Alpiles providing kayaking, and cliff climbing.
Renting a house, even if it just for a week or two,
is a good and economical way to enjoy all that
Provence has to offer.
needed a full kitchen to practice Provence
cooking. Many landlords cater to the hobby cook
and provide a full kitchen including the spices.
We settled in for a brief period of living the village
life, shopping for the daily provisions, and cooking
with the locally grown produce. We also home
base in our centrally located village and made day
trips by rental car to surrounding hill towns.
The olive groves and vineyards provide great
hiking, biking, horseback riding, with the rivers
and Alpiles providing kayaking, and cliff climbing.
Renting a house, even if it just for a week or two,
is a good and economical way to enjoy all that
Provence has to offer.
| Renting a House |
Rental houses and rental villas can accommodate
several families or just two people. When your
search begins on the web, start first with the
number of people in your group.
several families or just two people. When your
search begins on the web, start first with the
number of people in your group.
| Vacation Rentals: How Many People |
The regions of Provence are called departments
and include Hautes Alpes, Alpes de Haute
Provence, Alpes Maritimes, Bouches du Rhone,
Var, Vaucluse, and the Drome Provencale.
Start a search with either the region you desire or
the price range you seek. Some villages are
more expensive than others but the area is well
served by good roads so that you can base in
one place and reach many villages and walled
cities in an hours drive.
Provence Rental Houses and Apartments
Transportation will be of crucial importance. Will
you have a rental car? (30-60 USD per day and
plentiful in the major cities and TVG stations) If
not, lodging in one of the larger towns or cities
would be a better option unless you want the
solitude and isolation of a country villa or retreat.
Provence Rental Cars
Transportation: Local buses make trips between
major cities stopping at towns and villages along
the way. Schedule.
France: Exchange Rates ; prices for rentals could
list in Euros or the British Pound.
and include Hautes Alpes, Alpes de Haute
Provence, Alpes Maritimes, Bouches du Rhone,
Var, Vaucluse, and the Drome Provencale.
Start a search with either the region you desire or
the price range you seek. Some villages are
more expensive than others but the area is well
served by good roads so that you can base in
one place and reach many villages and walled
cities in an hours drive.
Provence Rental Houses and Apartments
Transportation will be of crucial importance. Will
you have a rental car? (30-60 USD per day and
plentiful in the major cities and TVG stations) If
not, lodging in one of the larger towns or cities
would be a better option unless you want the
solitude and isolation of a country villa or retreat.
Provence Rental Cars
Transportation: Local buses make trips between
major cities stopping at towns and villages along
the way. Schedule.
France: Exchange Rates ; prices for rentals could
list in Euros or the British Pound.
Rental in What Region
Medieval Castles
After reading English writer Peter Mayle's "A Year In
Provence," a book that prompted a herd of
Europeans to fan out in the countryside of the
Luberon and Vaucluse looking for distressed
cottages and old farms to buy as fix-up vacation
homes and rentals, we started our search for a
vacation rental. The countryside of Provence has
changed little in five hundred years. No massive
development, no malls, and just a few high-speed
roads. The one major innovation, the high-speed
TVG train; with top speeds of 180 MPH put Avignon
two and a half hours from Paris.
Provence," a book that prompted a herd of
Europeans to fan out in the countryside of the
Luberon and Vaucluse looking for distressed
cottages and old farms to buy as fix-up vacation
homes and rentals, we started our search for a
vacation rental. The countryside of Provence has
changed little in five hundred years. No massive
development, no malls, and just a few high-speed
roads. The one major innovation, the high-speed
TVG train; with top speeds of 180 MPH put Avignon
two and a half hours from Paris.
A Year In Provence
A Villa or Vacation rental
at the foot of a walled city
could accommodate up
to 15 or more and give
good access to
recreation, culture,
shopping
at the foot of a walled city
could accommodate up
to 15 or more and give
good access to
recreation, culture,
shopping
Saignon on the hilltop
overlooking Apt is
postcard perfect and
near enough to the larger
city to offer transportation
overlooking Apt is
postcard perfect and
near enough to the larger
city to offer transportation
Arles was a roman city in
the first century
the first century
A limited menu family run
mom and pop style
restaurant in the Village of
Apt, La Manade on Rue
Rene Cassin should not be
missed
mom and pop style
restaurant in the Village of
Apt, La Manade on Rue
Rene Cassin should not be
missed
Avignon
Plane Trees
(Sycamore)
(Sycamore)
Non-lethal bull fighting
Markets in Arles
Season: High, Mid, Low
High: July August
Mid: April, May June, September, October,and
School Vacations
Low: November,December, January, February,
March
High: July August
Mid: April, May June, September, October,and
School Vacations
Low: November,December, January, February,
March
Text and Photos David Hilbert
The Palace of the Popes in Avignon
The Roman Arena in Arles
still hosts bull fights
still hosts bull fights
The Roman Theatre in Arles
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| Culinary Vacation in Provence |
| Culinary Vacation |
| Renting a House or Vacation Rental In Provence for Hiking, Biking, and the Culinary Vacation |
Each village has its
market day
market day
Provence Cooking
In Provence cherries, apricots, and melons ripen in June making it a great time for a culinary
vacation or a hiking and biking vacation where Provence cooking of the many healthy French
food recipes will be part of the vacation. We try to find a vacation rental, a vacation Gite, or a
villa with a full kitchen that includes a gas stove, an oven and a food chopper, grinder, or a
processor so that we can use the local fresh produce and spices to do some healthy French
cooking.
Chicken recipes using herbs de Provence and Provence recipes using Provence lamb smothered
in thyme and savory and cooked over a bed of Rosemary will do it for the few meat recipes.
Provence vegetable recipes will include tomato, zucchini, and eggplant. We end with simple
Provence dessert recipes, fresh fruit and Provence goat cheese and a glass of Cotes du Rhone.
vacation or a hiking and biking vacation where Provence cooking of the many healthy French
food recipes will be part of the vacation. We try to find a vacation rental, a vacation Gite, or a
villa with a full kitchen that includes a gas stove, an oven and a food chopper, grinder, or a
processor so that we can use the local fresh produce and spices to do some healthy French
cooking.
Chicken recipes using herbs de Provence and Provence recipes using Provence lamb smothered
in thyme and savory and cooked over a bed of Rosemary will do it for the few meat recipes.
Provence vegetable recipes will include tomato, zucchini, and eggplant. We end with simple
Provence dessert recipes, fresh fruit and Provence goat cheese and a glass of Cotes du Rhone.
SoftSeatTravel
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Non lethal bull fighting,
a Provence tradition
a Provence tradition
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