Lanvender, and Aix en Provence

Trip Start Jun 03, 2008
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Trip End Oct 14, 2008


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Flag of France  , Provence,
Sunday, June 15, 2008

If paradis exists on earth, for a brief slice of time it is in Aix, on a sunny afternoon, weekend of June. Open air Cafes spread 5 tables deep along the promenade. Rock bands rock along side old lady crooning old fashioned melodies. Fashionablly dressed citizens crowd the streets to shop, walk their tiny dogs, and sip coffee.For me Paris is kind of daunting with its huge diversity, its sometimes high high brow atitude. Not so with Aix. Aix has her share of churches and fountains, beautifully dressed women, Hermes boutique, jewel like pastry displayed in shop window, but it's all packed in a few blocks of 15min walking distance, and easier to comprehend. The Paris of the South truly.

Such a Saturday morning is just what I need after a morning visiting the lavender fields around Gordes. Gordes is one of the most famous hilltop villages in Provence, and justifiably so with many tall, handsome stone houses packed tight. But I was there by 7 AM, the only time local bus available, and it was early, and windy, and cold. On top of that none of the English speaking souls in village were awake yet, the early rising baker understood me enough to sell me 2 cookies (I asked for one by raising index finger, in France that counts as 2), but couldn't show me the way to the nearby abbey that cultivates lavender. I ate the cookies. Then a 20 min of napping on a sun-facing slab of stone like some human lizard finally fired up my brain  again. A passing by gardner gestured enough for me to draw a quick map, and later a quick chat with a visting Chinese couple turned into a free ride and a morning spent together chasing lavender-there is only a short window between blossoming of the flowers and harvesting, so luck and a car helps. By the time I left Gordes, wind had died down, sky was bright blue, and hordes of tourists were showing up to admire the day, they had no idea!  
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