Doesn’t listening to jazz under the stars in a ruined chateau sound great? Well, that’s what we did last week and it was all wonderful until the band started playing. Thirty seconds into their first song I knew I didn’t want to be there. I just don’t like new, edgie, pushing the envelope music. I want a melody, I don’t want to work at what in the world is going on. I couldn’t wait until it was over. I’m not into modern art either or symphonies that make me tired just listening to them.

The Chateau in la Tour d’Aigues always looks great lit up.

Hard to beat arches lit in gold against a navy blue sky.

We had a really good meal in St Paul. We had wanted to eat at 4-star restaurant but just couldn’t get in so we just found a place which served meals under some trees. It was a hot day so really nice to sit in the shade.

We had rose wine with a little tapenade on toast. So good.

This was my meal-pork loin with polenta formed into these great shapes. It was so delicious.

My dessert with fresh cherries. You can see Maurice’s in the background.

My friend, Mary’s, dessert.

I finished it all, of course.

Maurice finished his too. I don’t remember the name of the restaurant. I can tell you that it was right next to the fountain that you see when you enter the village. I recommend it. Nice, fresh food.

If you pass Valensole, deep in lavender country, and continue on up into the mountains, you reach a breathtakingly beautiful village called Moustier Sainte Marie. The famous faience pottery is made and sold here and there are many shops selling it. The village is divided into two halves with a narrow rocky canyon in the middle. The view of this mini-gorge, with small waterfalls down inside and medieval houses above, is beautiful. It almost feels like an Alpine village with the high cliffs over head. As we were driving there we entered a very heavy rain which thankfully stopped shortly after we arrived.

Some of the large amount of faience pottery for sale.

A look at the gorge roaring below.

It’s hard to show the scale of the village with the gorge.

A church tower against the clearing sky. This was the last photo I took before my camera battery ran out-a rooky mistake. There is a church high up the hill above the village where we climbed and, suspended between two cliffs, is a gold star put there by a knight when he survived the crusades. It’s really a great place and well worth the drive.

One of the most visited villages in the Cote d’Azur is St Paul de Vence. You can see why when you enter through an ancient gate and climb the cobbled streets.

Just one of the many narrow streets found there.

A very much used fountain. I took a lot of photos of people using it. I don’t think the people bathing in it knew that people were letting there dogs drink out of it too, and I saw someone put a little dog in it to cool off.

One of many shops there.

There are many galleries selling art and this sculpture surprised me out on a terrace.

Another link to Chagall. He is buried in a small cemetery in the village.

They have a brocante every August in Cucuron. It’s a pleasure to go there as it is set up under huge trees around the rectangle basin. There seems to be less offered each year. I don’t know if EBay has hit France or not but I know it has hurt antique dealers in the States. We were looking for a specific piece of furniture but had no luck. There will be another brocante in la Tour d’Aigues in two weeks and we will see what we can find there.

Look-the whole corner of a bathroom for sale. I kind of liked it but don’t know where it could be put.

The color of this caught my eye. I think it must be for drinks.

This is too fancy for my house but I always like them.

Pretty Murano champagne glasses for sale. You can see the basin in the background.

A chandelier hanging from a tree.

I don’t know why I noticed this but the knot on the tree to the very right looks just like the breast of the lady in this painting.

If you are a follower of the Tour de France bike race you have probably seen Mont Ventoux, although they didn’t ride there this year. We were in the area and my husband, a follower of bike races and a biker himself wanted to see it.

After driving through lavender fields and then through green forests you end up at the top with absolutely no vegetation and it feels like you are on the moon.

This radio tower is at the top with a few souviner shops.

The elevation.

Maurice at the top dreaming of doing the bike ride himself. He just may do it. We saw a whole lot of bikers and a few joggers too. Me? I will meet Maurice where he stops in the car.