Provence - a summary

While most of our entries have been about specific places, we thought we'd reflect on impressions of simply being in Provence, as this was one of the objectives of staying in this part of the world for a couple of weeks. 

Scenic Provence

Provence is famed for its lavender fields, and rural lifestyle. Ironically the lavender is only in bloom in late June and July, but the poppies and other spring flowers were out in abundance while we were there.

A farmhouse in an olive orchard

With Pascal and Laetitia, our friends from Cape Town, having arrived in France we joined them and their extended family for a Sunday lunch at Pascal's parent's place.  Jean and Helenna have lived on a small holding for over 40 years and have developed it entirely from scratch. We were honoured to be included in their family get together.  An excerpt from one our journal's sums it up pretty well:

"It was a massive family gathering.  21 of us.  Aperitif's by the pool, then on to the lunch table laid in a clearing in the trees.  Lunch was very French and amazing (this was expected) and it was so great to just sit around the table and let the musical language wash over you.

I felt like I was at a Nouveau Movie - a French culture one.  Their faces and bodies were so animated.  Their features beautiful but unconventional.  Teasing, joking, telling stories and teaching.  Everyone was involved: grandparents down to children.  I felt totally submerged in something so familiar yet so foreign.

Lunch ran for almost three and a half hours, yet I only spoke about a hundred words - a blissful afternoon of observing and listening."

The provencians are proud of their culinary tradition and were quick to point out that their food is different - lighter often - than that of their counterparts north of Lyon.

Most of our days in France were spent slowly organising ourselves in the mornings - often there was admin from home to sort out - and then heading out before lunch to some or other destination recommended by Annie or Laetitia. We drove a fair bit, but spent time every day walking and exploring. One of the hikes that we really enjoyed was from the town of Buoux to Sivergen and back.  This was not really all that significant considering how close towns are in France - but the hike took us through beautiful forest, we got to swim in clear running streams and gaze longingly at limestone crags we wouldn't get a chance to climb - this time.

"The Tree of Knowledge" - a fig growing up an overhanging cliff face.

cool clear pools

Inviting limestone crags.

We saw the double edged burden of tourism on towns which were once self-sufficient, but now rely heavily on tourism in the summer. It is one of the major sources of income in the south, but a huge frustration as the traffic swells enormously. Their provencial lives are interrupted by stress and crowds when the summer is at its warmest…  Our friends had recommended we visit France in May and early June as, "The tourists haven't really arrived and the locals will be friendly. After mid-June however the French get fed-up with the tourists and just get stereotypically rude!"

The food in Provence is good. It is also remarkably affordable. Basic products like bread, milk, cheese, French salami (saucisson) and fruit and vegetables (in season) are comparable to South African prices (out of season products were much more expensive). Provided you purchased your food from a local grocer or supermarket you could eat for the same price as at home. Restaurants however were a lot more pricey - but then again the quality was also often excellent. We were treated mostly to meals prepared by our friends, and they were generally multi-coursed and very good!

Choosing the perfect olive is a hard job reserved for the expert!

We had opted to travel in a rental car which we picked up in Nice and returned to Marseilles. While it is relatively easy to get around on public transport, we were going to be in rural areas most of the time, so having the freedom to drive made a huge difference. We were also able to drive such amazing roads. We had borrowed a road map from Lucy's aunt which highlighted the more scenic routes which we tried to always take. The sacrifice of carrying a heavy detailed small scale map book was definitely worth it!  We loved the driving. Often Geoff felt jealous that he wasn't on a bicycle as the narrow roads were almost too small for a car, but would be perfect for cycle touring.

The towns and cities are relatively small. Instead of large sprawling cities surrounded by rural areas as we have at home, the centres are relatively compact and small towns radiate outwards at small distances. Historically the distances were set by how far the people could travel to reach their church and market, often this was no more than 10km and so it has stayed, even though a car would cover this distance in a matter of minutes. Unless you were on the highway, the rapid succession of towns resulted in very slow progress across the pages of the map book!

We came across this ruined Roman aqueduct in an olive orchard.

As towns are laid out based on their historical grid, the centre of the town is typically the municipal hall with the church and town square, and then the houses radiate out. Petrol stations and supermarkets being recent additions to the town are often only located on the very outskirts of a town. As a result there would be as many signs to the next supermarket as to the next town as they were difficult to locate! The historical layout has meant that a pedestrian lifestyle remains common for most people, and their support of the local artisans and shops, especially on market day, remains strong. We will never forget the distasteful look that Laetitia gave us after Geoff admitted having gone to purchase groceries at the nearby Lidl - a german supermarket!

Bonnieux - a typical Provencial village

Despite the utopia of provincial life that we experienced, it was also very interesting to hear the problems that the French face, and to learn how similar we are. Issues like immigration, particularly from north africa and the middle east, and social security are very topical and the French have some significant obstacles to overcome in their relatively near future, not considering the future of the Eurozone. There is little incentive to work with unemployment pay out quite high, and there are some very skewed economic incentives: medical doctors earn a pittance due to government regulation of the medical aid system, while a vet will charge what he wants.

The language barrier has been challenging. Geoff has a smattering of French, and Lucy can interpret body language really well - and charms locals easily with a smile! We have made the most of the experiences we have had - but on our return, and we really hope to return, we'd like to be able to communicate more easily. There seems to be such  wealth of knowledge, humour, literature and music to discover here that we cannot yet access.

Anyways, we have really enjoyed Provence and can recommend highly a certain hostess in La Roque-d'Antheron who will ensure you have a highly memorable Provencial experience.