An Ear in Provence

Some House Pictures of Provence

2011-08-10T12:43:00.001-07:00

Many of the houses in the south of France are made of field stone. In the first photo, we have a hilltop village house that has been modernized and updated.

The second picture is a farmhouse in a hammeau or a farming village compound.

Both of these construction techniques show a use of the indigenous building materials that make the domiciles part of the terroir.

I consider these buildings to be beautiful.

Chocolat Thermometer on a House Wall

2011-07-29T04:58:00.000-07:00

A thermometer advertising chocolat hangs on the wall of a village house in the town of Apt in the Luberon valley of Provence.

Terrace of a Gite

2011-07-19T07:35:00.000-07:00

Shown above is the terrace of a gite or a guest house in Provence near Orange, in the northern part of Provence. Click on the image for a larger view.

Beautiful Guest House

2011-06-13T04:35:00.000-07:00

Imagine spending a vacation in the South of France in this beautiful little guest house called a gite in the countryside. Provence is full of these. They can be found near vineyards, orchards, lavender farms, quaint mountain-top villages and majestic valleys.

Herbs and Spices of Provence -- Rosemary

2011-06-09T08:10:00.001-07:00

Rosemary is a spice and herb grown in Provence. It is a member of the mint family and is a woody perennial often grown as a hedge. Here a bee pollinates the rosemary flower.

Close-up of Spring Cherry Blossoms in Provence

2011-06-07T11:36:00.000-07:00

This is a closeup photograph of the cherry blossoms in the orchards of Provence.

Steeple Dominates Skyline of Saignon

2011-05-31T04:06:00.001-07:00

Like most mountain-top villages, the steeple of the Catholic church is the highest point in the village, and the church is built on the highest point. It would be a major chore to walk to church on Sunday morning.

Cat in the Window

2011-05-29T05:22:00.000-07:00

A calico cat sits in a shuttered window of rustic farmhouse near Saignon in Provence.

Springtime in Provence -- The Cherry Orchard

2011-05-22T08:28:00.000-07:00

One of the surest signs of spring in Provence is cherry blossom time. This cherry orchard is awash with the fragrant blossoms of spring and cherries.

Cherry Blossom Time In the Spring in Provence

2011-05-18T08:54:00.001-07:00

The cherry trees blossom in the spring announcing the arrival of the vernal climes and the coming season of delicious fruit from the trees of Provence.

Purple Hyacinths in Provence

2011-05-09T13:21:00.000-07:00

These purple hyacinths were growing in the Luberon valley, high in the hills near the village of Saignon. They are beautiful.

French Château in Provence

2011-05-04T11:59:00.001-07:00

A château sits regally on a hilltop near Loumarin in Provence. These lordly houses usually had an attached chapel, vineyards and various outbuildings of that denoted the wealth and agriculture potential of the owners.

Wisteria Over a Blue Doorway

2011-04-28T13:46:00.000-07:00

A wisteria vine hangs over a blue doorway on an ancient stone building in Provence. This pic was snapped near the village of Saignon in the Luberon valley.

A Borie Among the Forsythia

2011-04-23T06:47:00.000-07:00

In the background you will see a quaint stone structure. It is called a borie. They were built to house both the sheep and the shepherd in inclement weather. In the tight quarters, there is usually a very small loft where the shepherd sleeps and the animals congregate in the shelter below.

Built of fieldstone during the idle hours of watching sheep, bories dot the entire countryside of Provence in old alpine meadows.

Pool at a Heritage House

2011-03-27T08:08:00.001-07:00

Most of the better houses have pools for the hot Provencal summers. This is a gorgeous pool located at a heritage house (with a gite attched) in the northern part of Provence.

More Sunflowers

2011-03-12T07:07:00.000-08:00

This is a closer view of the sunflower field pictured below. There is nothing happier than sunflowers in the sun of Provence. I love the south of France. It was this feeling that Vincent Van Gogh captured in his paintings.

Sunflowers in Provence

2011-03-10T10:42:00.001-08:00

Provence is Vincent Van Gogh country. He painted his famous sunflowers here. Pictured above is a field of Provencal sunflowers.

Topiaries in Provence

2011-03-01T05:43:00.001-08:00

These topiaries are along the roadside near the mountain-top village of Gordes in Provence. Further along the way, there are conical evergreen topiaries. The countryside around Gordes is perhaps the most beautiful in Provence.

A Gorgeous Video of Provence

2011-02-27T10:01:00.000-08:00

This video is a four minute tour of the Luberon Valley in Provence.

Gateway to Provence

2011-02-25T08:10:00.000-08:00

The gateway to Provence is Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris.

Double Rainbow Over Bonnieux

2010-01-21T04:51:00.001-08:00

As we were walking through Bonnieux after dinner, we saw this beautiful double rainbow over the hills. It is fitting -- rainbows over Provence.

Leafy Outdoor Cafe

2010-01-19T04:58:00.001-08:00

A very large outdoor cafe sits in a leafy shaded place. It is the same location that the market is held weekly.

Shrubbery in a Stone Wall

2010-01-18T06:34:00.000-08:00

Shrubbery grows out of a stone wall surrounding an ocher house with a view.

Wild Flowers in the Grass

2010-01-17T06:09:00.000-08:00

I was just about to step into our Peugeot and I noticed that these wild flowers were growing in the grass on the lawn. They are quite tiny and this is a closeup. Once again, I iterate that flowers are part of the essence of Provence.

Spires of a Hilltop Village

2010-01-15T13:08:00.000-08:00

Spires point skyward in a hilltop village made of ocher.