Roadtripping the French Countryside

Come on, what else do you do when you have access to a convertible for the weekend in France?! Earl, a classmate of ours, decided to get a set of wheels to do some exploring. So together with Ania and me - the three of us went for a little side trip northwest through the Var Valley.

Agenda: Whatever

Detailed Plans? Nope. We just set out to see what else there was to discover - away from the French Riviera. Our only goal was to go where the wind and winding road would take us. What we found was nothing less than amazing and breathtaking. We found the extraordinary in the ordinary - timeless medieval old towns where nothing eventful was happening in the everyday lives of its people in their routine - seemingly unphased by their magnificent and historic surroundings. We also marveled at the natural landscape - how diverse it is (much like California) - a geologist’s dreamscape.

Far Down the Var

We crossed over the Var river several times by bridge, weaving in and out of the mountains through tunnels. At times, the river was just a trickling stream, and at other junctions, wider, faster flows carried recreational kayakers over its rapids, right passed, and sometimes under bridges of 13th-century villages.

After a brief stop for lunch in a smaller town, earlier along the Var, we came upon this charming commune called Entrevaux. We first noticed its Citadel towering above, overlooking the river. We HAD to stop here and check it out.

We stood on the bridge leading to two round towers, where massive chains are still anchored today on either side. They actually operated a functioning draw bridge that was raised every night until the 19th century. This stone bridge now stands in its place. We are led through the towers, serving as the town’s main entrance since 1658.

We continued on our way, climbing a little higher into the mountains, and a little closer to Chamonix. (Had we turned down a different road, it would have led us directly through the Chamonix Valley and through the Alps to Mont Blanc - the Jensen family stomping grounds of Summer 2016.)

The temperature drops by only a few degrees, but the breeze picks up and we feel the difference - finally some relief from the heat. All the while, we’re cruising with the top down and singing to French cafe music - well-known favorites like “La Vie En Rose”. Then, one slow ballad plays, with lyrics “...le soleil dit ‘Bonjour’ à Montagne...” which chimes in right on cue, as we round the corner and notice the sun highlighting the tip of a mountain peak with the french words for “...the sun says ‘hello’ to the mountain...” Such a beautiful sight, and with songs providing the perfect soundtrack, it’s a truly extra-sensory experience.

Eventually, the river opened up even wider, with a few small boats cruising by. We were mesmerized by its deep turquoise blue hue.

I had to get down to the water to feel it for myself. So I climbed down the rocks to the water’s edge, took off my shoes, and stood up to my ankles in the Var. I took the chance, and took in the moment. The landscape, the color and feel of the water, the weather, it was all so visceral, and ever-changing.

The movie “La La Land” pops in my head. The main character tells a story (in song) of her Parisian aunt “sticking her big toe in the river Seine” in winter to describe taking chances, being bold and daring to do something crazy.

Clouds were drawing in, and thunder was beginning to crack over the mountains in the distance. I grabbed a few river rocks before my ascent, and we continued on our journey to stay ahead of the weather. Now a steady, but balmy 32C.

Digne

We drive on, and suddenly notice another stark change in the scenery… these interesting rock formations stretching two kilometers long. Carved by the elements over time, we later learn that these rocks are Les Pénitents des Mées, a series of towering conglomerate sedimentary rocks named for their resemblance to hooded monks. Some reach as high as 350 feet tall. As we get closer, we realize a small town has tucked themselves right up to it, with buildings nearly built flat against the rocky surface. Yet another jaw-dropping discovery.

Finally, we arrive in Digne, the city name we’d been seeing on major signs since leaving Nice. (The whole time, we can’t help but joke that we should mispronounce the name on purpose, and tell Frédéric that we visited “Dig-Na”. He’s always making fun of Earl’s very “american” accent and mispronunciations. We bust up laughing. We tour around the town by car, but don’t get out. We are losing sunlight, and decide we want to press on to make it to Aix-en-Provence. As we leave, I chant “Au Revoir Dig-Na!” It becomes our new tagline.

Taking advantage of a few rest stops along the way, we pace ourselves for another two hour drive. But Anna and I are enjoying the ride, serving as occasional navigator and DJ! This is so much fun! After all, Earl’s doing all the driving.

We’re definitely making good use of the wheels and the weekend!

Fountain of La Rotunde, Aix-en-Provence (“City of a Thousand Fountains”)

We arrived in Aix-en-Provence around 5pm. (Aix is known for a lot of things, but two at the top of the list are fountains, and lavender.) The evening sunlight cast a beautiful glow on the buildings and the many fountains around the “Old Town” of Aix. Once we got our berrings, we met “Léopold” (a nearby cafe/hotel/ restaurant) that seemed to beckon us to come have a drink. It was a nice place to rest and chat about our journey over an aperitif and coffee. The first of what would turn out to be three total restaurant/cafe visits within the span of just a few hours. Here, it seems to be the activité du jour.

Before our entrée course at another restaurant, we wandered around the corner to the Forum des Cardeurs, where many Old Town restaurants and shops line the busy promenade. This evening, we were delighted to find a row of vendors under tents selling their wares (hats, flowers, glass art, clothing, and other crafts). I knew I couldn’t leave Provence without some lavender. So I picked up a bottle of oil from a local grower (whose products come solely from their own family lavender fields in Aix, just three kilometers away.)

As the evening turned into night, we found ourselves on the narrow side streets to follow music that caught our ears.

There, at the Fountain of Albertas, was a young man playing classical piano on his portable keyboard - Chopin, Debussy, Wagner, Mozart. He captivated an audience of at least 30 people at one point. We said we would stay for a song or two, but ended up hearing half his entire repertoire!

There was something pure and selfless in his playing - as if simply a way to share a gift and pass the time among strangers. It was so innocent and moving, a rare display of raw musical talent. Without a doubt, he could have been playing in some famous concert hall anywhere in the world. Of course we made sure to reward his efforts before continuing on.

Finally, at about 11:30 at night, we ate dinner. Yes, the restaurants, cafes, and gelato shops were not only still open, but catered to the usual Saturday night summertime crowds. In fact, we actually had to wait for a table to open up at one such “italian style” cafe.

Cheers to Another Adventure

All in all, we had an amazing journey. It was different, but quite liberating being off-routine (for once). Despite the fact that we didn't plan our return time (and got back late...actually, very early morning), we still felt rejuvenated somehow. We knew we'd seen and done something special; another "French-venture" we'd always remember.

Aix-en-Provence