April 11, 2019: Michelin driving tour Part 2: Malaucène & Crestet

We started our morning slowly, but it went into overdrive when Janis tried to make eggs for breakfast. NO GAS! Luckily, there was already a plan to meet with Martine at 11 am to solve other problems - like what to use for washing the floor and watering the outside pots of plants.

Martine arrived promptly, showed us where the propane tank for the stove is located (duh, we'd all seen it under the sink) and ran out to replace it for us. Back in business, we got our other questions answered and thanked Martine for taking the time to help. (Well, she is caring for the house in Astrid's absence, but still, we really appreciate her promptness and attention to detail, even when I struggle with words for things like broom and vacuum cleaner.)

We've run into such minor issues before in other houses because we are rather unusual vacationers - staying for 2 months, taking care of the house, doing laundry, doing lots of cooking. Most vacationers will stay for a few days, a week, or perhaps 2 weeks. They will likely eat most meals at restaurants and be gone for most of the day. We are rather hard on a vacation house which is why we are so particular about things like washer and dryer, American style kitchen, sufficient dishes, and use of linens, and sufficient spaces to both gather and escape each other.

Being home allows some to make a grocery run to our local supermarket. Dave and I went to the local butcher for meat, we ordered a birthday cake for Janis' birthday on Saturday, and I went to the pharmacy to inquire about something for the thrush I've acquired from using my new asthma inhaler. We'll see if this takes care of it. There's always something. Explaining to the pharmacist my symptoms of thrush is another set of vocabulary beyond my academic French. sigh. Real life is harder than classroom lessons....

Lunch at home, then off to continue the Michelin driving tour we started on Tuesday with Dan and Paulette.

The drive was spectacular - heading into the Dentelles and Mont Ventoux hills. Valleys of vineyards and their mas (farm - generally walled and built of the warm sandstone of the region). We stopped at several pull-offs for photos as we ascended to the Col de la Chaine, with its wonderful views of the Dentelles and surrounding countryside.

First stop: Malaucène.

This town sports a church that was once part of the town walls. It's obvious from the windowless rectangular building with it's metal-clad, thick wooden door, that this church was part of the city's defenses.

Église St. Michel in Malaucène was part of the city walls

Église St Michel

Interior of Romanesque church is dark with side chapels lining the sides

Dave & Lynn admiring the metal-clad, heavy wooden doors

Gate to enter the medieval city at the back of the church

Once we enter the old city, we are in a maze of twisty, narrow streets that dead-end in alleys or turn into steps.
It's easy to imagine busy streets full of people, dogs, cats and children bustling about their business. Many fountains throughout the old city provided drinking water to the residents. Outside the city walls near the church where we parked, the boulevard is lined on both sides with plane trees (sycamores) that are pruned ruthlessly in winter for many years until they provide a canopy of shade to the road.

a view of the old city roof-tops - a maze of little streets and alleys

fountain in the old city

a house I liked in the old city, on the square Notre-Dame

plane (sycamore) trees outside the city walls of Malaucène

On the road again, we travel up a one lane two-way road up to our second stop: Crestet.

This beautiful village clings to the steep sides of the hill. We parked at the Parking Obligatoire Visiteurs at the lower edge of the town, but then discovered there was a parking lot at the top of the hill next to the ruined castle. Apparently, obligatoire is actually optional, Dave says.

ruined castle at Crestet

Crestet: telephoto view from the castle to the vineyards below

Crestet: view from the top of the castle

So I was able to enjoy the views from the top while the others explored the city by walking up from the bottom.

Crestet- photos Dave and Clark took climbing up

Crestet

Crestet

fountain in Crestet

lavoir in Crestet - this is where women came to do their laundry

Crestet

We decided that this beautiful village belonged now to those for whom no expense is too much. As Janis noted: nary a stone is out of place. And the houses are large and well-maintained. That didn't affect our opinion of this charming place. Worthy a visit for the town and its views.

view from castle looking past the church tower at Crestet

poppies growing out of a crack in the stone mortar

a bit out of focus, but these trees in town were humming with large black bumblebees

Home again after a half-hour drive.

an alley of plane trees - planted by Napoleon to shade his troops as they marched, French roads frequently have such alleys of plane trees

Our usual aperos followed by dinner of stuffed zucchini and salad with a Côtes du Rhone - tasty and less than 5 Euros. (about $5 US). We capped the night with bread pudding after Janis and Clark face-timed with grandchildren Edie and Ellie and Emmett. Ellie couldn't believe it was night here. She also wanted to see the Eiffel Tower and couldn't be persuaded that Nana and PopPop weren't anywhere near the Eiffel Tower to send a photo.

Ellie - this is for you, but we aren't in Paris. Still the Eiffel Tower is cool, isn't it

Perhaps they'll be happy with the Papal Palace in Avignon. That's our destination tomorrow. Maybe we'll even see the famous bridge of Avignon - where the ladies and gentlemen dance.