48 hours in Provence.
If she were a friend, **Provence** would be one of those that, despite not having seen her for a while, welcomes you cheerful, talkative and calm, a quality that only great hostesses can boast of. She is used to the hustle and bustle, but she doesn't bother and even makes herself pleasant.
When you leave her behind, she is also one of those who stays saying goodbye with a smile, and you, somewhat affected, remain stunned looking at her from afar, already thinking about seeing her again...
The ochres of Roussillon.
FIRST DAY
3:00 p.m. We arrive in the region of provence from the Marseille airport . It must be said that the best way to get around here is to rent a car, everything is close by but there are so many corners that it is necessary not to miss any of them.
In Provence there are two things you cannot ignore: if you go between June and August, lavender fields are a must and, throughout the year, the ocher colors of Roussillon . We start with the last.
This geological virtuosity is a true wonder of orange, ochre, yellow and reddish colors. The beauty of these deposits is the result of the combination of work between man and nature.
To admire it you can opt for different visits, the first is in the Roussillon village , where you can walk through its quarries, also in its old town where all its facades are a rainbow of ochres, difficult to forget.
If you want to know more you can go to the old ocher treatment factory in Okhra (Conservatoire et Pigments Appliqués); or, the ocher mines, Mines de Bruoux, in throats.
5:00 p.m. In June, July and early August, its biggest attraction are the extensive lavender fields . An authentic purple spectacle that you can discover in the region of Vaucluse , one of the main producers of lavender. By the way, most of it is used to make essential oils and is cultivated from 600 meters of altitude on the slopes of Mont Ventoux.
There's a lot lavender farms, but the recommendation is to approach sault, the lavender town and, from there, make the visit that you most want. For example, in its organic distillery you can visit the fields, learn how to make soap; or you can visit Catherine Liardet's Jardin des Lavanda where she grows a great variety.
Lavender in the Vaucluse region.
8:00 p.m. Despite the fact that more and more restaurants adapt to all kinds of schedules, in provence dinner is early so we have to get down to work. as we are in Roussillon we choose ** La Treille **, a small restaurant in the heart of the village where the local cuisine is a prize after a long day.
The night takes on a special grace in its outdoor garden and ends in The House of Ochers , a small hotel in the town, recently restored, and in which to continue appreciating the ocher colors of Roussillon. It has an excellent swimming pool and breakfast, so it only remains to enjoy them.
SECOND DAY
10:00 a.m. The day in Provence spreads, but for it to spread even more, you have to wake up early, well asleep and calm, because here you don't live in any other way. We're going to land of vineyards , who also know a lot about this in the region.
The main strain of rhone valley it is the grenache , who arrived from Spain in the fifteenth century, and who finds in the South of France ideal conditions for cultivation.
There are different activities related to the vineyard but we opted to visit **the Aureto winery** in Goult , with magnificent views of the entire Luberon natural park . Its 36 hectares, 28 of which are vineyards, surround Coquille Village , a family estate from the 11th century.
3:00 p.m. Since 2017, the wine production in Aureto is completely sustainable, as is the treatment of the water they use. A tasting with a small lunch is one of the most wonderful things you can do in Provence, follow the instructions of the meter Aurélie Julien and you will not fail. Without a doubt, add to the tasting some cheese makes the experience unforgettable for the palate.
If what you need is to relax even more, you can make a little getaway to one of the best spa in Provence , Coquillade Village , a five star in throats . It's about a luxurious 1,500m2 spa with an indoor pool, Turkish baths, steam baths and a rest room in its gardens. You don't need to stay at the hotel to enjoy it.
L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue.
4:00 p.m. The next stop on this route is L'Isle sur la Sorgue , undoubtedly one of the most picturesque and beautiful places in Provence. This city traced by the arms of the sorgue river it's like a little venice where water is the main source of wealth.
From the 18th century until now, it has been the one that has promoted the city's local industry, especially silk, textiles, oils, dairy products... It is pleasant to walk through its cobbled streets with its low houses with colored windows and its small Craft shops. In fact, L'Isle sur la Sorgue It is the third most important European city for antique dealers, behind Paris and London, as it currently has more than 300 antique dealers.
Logically, it is full of galleries and shops to relic seekers , in addition to its well-known markets almost every day of the week.
6:00 p.m. We visited one of its main novelties, the new Brun de Vian Tiran museum. Is manufacture of noble fibers It is one of the symbols of L'Isle sur la Sorgue, with 200 years of history, and a tradition of know-how that has been passed down from generation to generation.
Pierre and Jean Louis Brun, father and son, are responsible for this important museum in the city, in which they show all the work they do with the raw materials that they later turn into cozy home blankets , rugs, scarves, etc. The importance of their work lies in the fact that they themselves search for fibers all over the world, helping to conserve some of the rarest species on the planet.
so they work with Virgin wool from the Arles and the Alps, also from Australia, New Zealand; merino wool in Argentina, South Africa, etc. In addition to wool, they also work with natural mohair , alpacas, cashmere from iran and Mongolia, yak…
5:00 p.m. This city is full of art! The Foundation Villa Datris is an essential stop in L'Isle sur la Sorgue if you like contemporary art . The building that guards it is typical Provençal from the 19th century, so it is worth visiting, as well as its quiet interior garden.
Le Domaine de Palerme.
THIRD DAY
10:00 a.m. There is little left to leave Provence but there is still the best. The first stop of the day, and perhaps the favorite of the entire trip, is Le Domaine de Palerme , a beautiful bed & breakfast in L'Isle sur la Sorgue.
He lived here for some time during the 1950s Nobel Prize for Literature, Albert Camus , and it is not surprising that he chose this mansion with more than 200 years of history, since it is a true oasis of peace.
Karin and Eric restored it in 2013 and, right now, it is in addition to a hotel, a place to hold events, weddings, etc. Its magnificent swimming pool is ideal to stop the world for a couple of days, the garden with a hanging hammock, wonderful to enjoy reading, and its terrace is perfect to enjoy a outdoor picnic . Did you know that picnicking is an art in Provence? We ordered a basket at Pastisserie Jouvaud, consisting of two puff pastry tarts, one with vegetables and the other with candied fruit.
The city of the Popes, Avignon.
1:00 p.m. The next stop is at the city of popes, Avignon . In the sixteenth century the history of the Vaucluse region, Provence-Côte d'Azur-Alps , takes an unexpected turn as the papal court is installed here. seven potatoes they will reign for a century, revolutionizing the physiognomy of the city.
Avigno is mainly concentrated inside the walls, where the majestic Palace of the Popes , a fortress with the remains of a 12th-century bridge over the Rhône . The bridge is split in half, but the picture in the distance is less attractive. Incidentally, a set classified as UNESCO World Heritage , which highlights the importance of Avignon in the Christian era.
Who would have said in 1300, when its construction began, that today it would house the The most important festival in the city ? The month of July is one of the busiest for Avignon as they celebrate jazz concerts , classical music, theater…
It is worth taking a walk around the Palace of the Popes and tour its historic center, which is completely pedestrianized. And reach the gardens behind and contemplate the views of the river, the park Rocher des Doms and its gardens.
3:00 p.m. One of the most beautiful streets Avignon it is Rue de la Bonneterie with small concept stores, modern vintage stores and restaurants on the river. An unforgettable ride!
Another way to get to know the city is to go to Les Halles, the market and lung of life of Avignon . It's funny how you can learn so much about a region in a market.
Sit down to eat at Cuisine Cent'Halles , opened in 2017 by the American chef Jon Chiri , his hand in the kitchen is essential. Another option for wine lovers is Le Carré du Palais , which in addition to being a restaurant is a winery and wine school. It is very pleasant to watch the sunset on its terrace with views of the Palace of the Popes.
If you want to stay one more night and continue discovering more corners of Provence, the recommendation is Avignon Grand Hotel at the foot of the city walls.
The Palace of the Popes in Avignon.