Posted by admin | Posted in vacation | Posted on 27-05-2008
Tags: france, provence, tourisme, travel, villages
We have discovered a special part of Provence, in the South of France, near the foothills of the French Alps. This area lies within the region roughly bounded by the villages of Gigondas, Grignan, Nyons and Buis de Baronnies. The region is in the northeastern part of Provence and includes parts of the districts of Drome and Vaucluse.
It is a beautiful part of Southern France, with a wide variety of things to do and see. Views take in rich lavender fields, grapevines, and the soft gray of the olive groves. Nyons, one of the best of the larger villages in Provence, is the gateway to the French Alps. Nyons has a very lively market every Thursday throughout the year, as well as many restaurants and old stone architecture dating back to times of Roman influence.
There are too many wineries to count in the area, however the wines from the villages of Gigondas and Vinsobres are rated as among the best in the region. Apart from wine there are many other delicacies to sample, Nyons is the olive capital of France and a visit to la Nyonsaise is a must to taste the olives, oils and other wonderful produce. La Vinsobraise (at the beginning of the road to Vinsobres) houses all the Vinsobres wines which have one of the best reputations for red wine in France. Nyons also has it’s own lavender distillery with a shop next door to purchase all those lovely lavender products.
Vaison la Romaine also lies in this region (with a fantastic market every Tuesday) and is a must to visit with its well preserved ancient section of the village and recently discovered Roman ruins that are well preserved, as well as a Roman ampitheatre, which is currently being restored. The ancient Castle of the Counts of Toulouse is well worth the climb, as well as the ancient old village on the hill over the old bridge.
Grignan with it’s superb castle, which was the centre of power for the region until the French Revolution, is 20 minutes to the west of Nyons. Chateau Grignan is a beautiful Chateau with a perched village at the base. You can see it for miles as you pass through Valreas. Lots of lovely boutiques and artisan shops for that special gift will be found here. The Chateau is well worth a tour if you have time, as well as the church. Lunch at one of the many cafes and restaurants at the base of the castle is a lovely way to pass away the afternoon.
North and east from Nyons are the scenic gorges and then the beginning of the stunning French Alps with great skiing in winter, hiking in summer and breathtaking scenery.
An hours drive to the southwest of Nyons is Avignon, well known as the home of the Catholic Church for the reign of six Popes from 1377 onwards, and also the Pont St Benezet – from the song ‘Sur le pont d’Avignon’. The bridge only goes half way across the Rhone – the rest having been swept away by floods a couple of hundred years ago. The Palais des Papes offers an important insight into the influence on southern France of the relocation of the Catholic Church from Rome to Avignon.
Marseilles and the Cote d’Azur are about and hour and a half drive south from Nyons on the Motorway.
In Summer the markets in the region can get very busy, so it is a good idea to get there before 10 as they close at 12. A selection of the best markets in the region:
Tuesday- Vaison la Romaine – a wonderful selection of food, crafts, clothing and plants. Good in winter too!
Thursday- Nyons – our favorite market. Lots of everything and lovely cafes to have lunch at. Wander down to the old bridge through old town.
Friday- Carpentras – plenty of variety.
Saturday-
- St Cecile de la Vigne – A small but lovely provencal market – well worth a visit!
- Uzes – Lots of food stalls with local specialities. Worth combining with a trip to the Pont du Gard.
Sunday-
- Isle-sur-la-Sorgue – The largest antique market outside Paris plus all the usual food and craft stalls. Well worth a half day visit.
- Carpentras – Flea market – you’ll never know what you will find here!
This is only a taste of the wonderful things we have found in this part of Provence and we strongly recommend a visit. Access to this part of Provence is easiest via the TGV stations at Avignon or Montelimar which are about 2 hours and 30 minutes travelling on the main line south from Paris or Charles De Gaulle airport. Lyon, which has the third largest airport in France, is 56 minutes by TGV north of Montelimar.
Graeme and Karen Hubbert and several other Australian friends have “discovered” this wonderful region and now split their time between Australia and the South of France. Vacation rentals are available at houses owned by this group of Australians in the beautiful perched villages of Vinsobres, 8 kms west of Nyons, http://www.houseinfrance.net.au and Sablet, 10 minutes southwest of Vaison la Romaine. http://www.houseinprovence.net
BEZIERS France, Village St Nazaire Cathedral & Madeleine Cathare Massacres & Orb River x-robotica.ca
|
|
Acrylic Fridge Magnet Thaulow Frits A Village Street In France
$2.99 Brand new item despatched quickly from our warehouse.... |
|
|
Attack on an Iroquois village from 'Voyages de la France Occidentale, dite Canada' by Samuel de Champlain (1567-1635) (engraving) (b/w photo) by French School - Mug - Standard Size
$14.50 This mug is created using the finest dye sublimation techniques and creates a stunning dishwasher safe finish. Great as a gift, or for promotional items. Each of our mugs come individually boxed for protection in transit.... |
|
|
France - CRUCEY-VILLAGES Mug
$10.99 This is a brand new custom made coffee mug imprinted using the latest sublimation technology. This process embeds the image permanently and gives it a smooth surface with a crisp and vivid image. Design is imprinted on a standard 11 oz white mug and it is dishwasher safe.... |
|
|
Natalie Dessay - French Opera Arias
$5.83 Französische Opernarien / Airs D'Operas Francais (CD Album) by Natalie Dessay, Choeur "Les Elements", Orchestre National, du Capitole de Toulouse, Michel Plasson - 12 tracks : 1. Massenet : Manon - Air du Cours la Reine : Suis-je gentille ainsi ? (2.52), 2. Gavotte : Obéissons quand leur voix appelle (2.59), 3. Fabliau : Rire toujours ? Vous vous trompez... (3.55), 4. Thomas : Mignon - Polonaise... |
|
|
Chansons et Danceries: French Renaissance Wind Music
$8.88 No Description Available.Genre: Classical MusicMedia Format: Compact DiskRating: Release Date: 15-OCT-1996... |
|
|
Au Cabaret Sauvage
$1.12 All products are BRAND NEW and factory sealed. Fast shipping and 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed.... |
|
|
Point N Paint As Seen On TV Painting System Kit
$6.50 No tape! Just point and paint! Paint an entire room in less than an hour! Point 'n Paint saves you a fortune on professional painters. Get perfect results with this sleek, innovative design that masters corners and molding. No need for tape to get those perfect lines as you glide around fixtures and curves. Two ergonomically shaped pads puts the control in your hands to paint an entire room in les... |
|
|
Village Des Alpes - 72H x 48W - Peel and Stick Wall Decal by Wallmonkeys
$107.99 WallMonkeys wall graphics are printed on the highest quality re-positionable, self-adhesive fabric paper. Each order is printed in-house and on-demand. WallMonkeys uses premium materials & state-of-the-art production technologies. Our white fabric material is superior to vinyl decals. You can literally see and feel the difference. Our wall graphics apply in minutes and won't damage your paint or l... |
|
|
In the Alps La Plagne - 36H x 36W - Peel and Stick Wall Decal by Wallmonkeys
$51.99 WallMonkeys wall graphics are printed on the highest quality re-positionable, self-adhesive fabric paper. Each order is printed in-house and on-demand. WallMonkeys uses premium materials & state-of-the-art production technologies. Our white fabric material is superior to vinyl decals. You can literally see and feel the difference. Our wall graphics apply in minutes and won't damage your paint or l... |
|
|
Chocolat (Miramax Collector's Series)
$5.81 Our Seller Notes and Fine Print Department:...DVD...in very good shape....1995..about 122 minutes each...Close Captioned...In color..PG Rated...Comes with booklet.... |
