Brian and Wendy Hickey rented a car for the day and invited Elizabeth and I to join them for an excursion to St. Remy. I was elected to be the navigator (Joe, take note!!) but the assistance of the GPS system was greatly appreciated. The roads in this area are very good and the drive was relatively easy. The toll road flowed smoothly on the way out. However, on our return around 6 p.m. the toll booths (probably 8-10 in each direction) were backed up and we were stalled for probably 30 minutes. This could have been tourists or even students on the way to Aix for the new school year.
St. Remy is a lovely provencial town in the heart of lavender fields and grape vines. It is known as the birthplace of Nostradamus and the place where Van Gogh painted and spent his last years. The open air markets in the center of town attract crowds of tourists and locals alike and I loved wandering the lanes and looking at the wares. The cobblestone streets lined with small shops take you back in time. We went into a small space lined with copper distillation vessels and found that they were distilling lavender for its oil, soaps, and other products.
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| Distillation of Lavender |
| At lunch time we found a small cafe which seemed to be run by a woman and her sister. The woman stayed inside preparing the lunches. Her sister waited on tables in the plaza and carried the plates to the tables. I had the most gorgeous salad ever-----with peaches, figs, and I think....shavings of mango on the top. Feast your eyes on this one. |
| Distillation of Lavender |
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| Luncheon Salad on the Square |
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| Luncheon Salad on the Square |
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| Elizabeth, Brian & Wendy |
After lunch we went to the Saint-Paul De Mausole, the monastery of Saint-Paul where Van Gogh spent his last years. He lived only two months after leaving Saint Paul. There are reproductions of many of his paintings lining the entry walls and there is within a reproduction of the room where he lived and painted. It is a beautiful and restful site and it was humbling to be in a place where a great painter had lived and worked. Much of provence is steeped in the history and aura of different painters and you can't visit here without feeling their influence.
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| Brian Hickey & Van Gogh |
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| Saint-Paul De Mausole |
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| Reproduction of Van Gogh's room |
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| Saint-Paul de Mausole |
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