Hello friends, and happy Friday!!

So..I know what you’re thinking (or were thinking when you read my last post)..that the decision to include ‘Part One’ in the title was wildly ambitious. As we all know, ‘part one’ generally implies that one or more additional parts will follow. And considering my recent lack of regular posts, you probably either rolled your eyes or had a quick chuckle thinking ‘I’m not holding my breath’.

But here I am with a part two! And less than a week later, I might add!  And I suspect you’re now thinking  ‘two posts in one week, did she get laid off or something?’. Nope. Just keeping you on your toes.

What if I told you that I’ve even reserved photos of a few places for a part three? You’re probably either hysterically laughing at the idea, or think I’ve taken the joke too far. You never know. Dare to dream, friends. Dare to dream.

Anyways. A few days into our trip to Provence, on Sunday morning, we set off to explore the villages of the Luberon valley. This charming. picturesque, tranquil region has so many beautiful villages to offer! I had a nightmare of a time trying to narrow down the choices!

Long story short, we got too late of a start to make the Sunday market at L’Isle sur la Sorgue, and had to come up with a plan B. We ended up visiting Lourmarin (wonderful atmosphere!), Roussillon (beautiful, but quite touristic), and Gordes (stunning scenery on the way in, but otherwise underwhelming).

One of my favorite pastimes while in France (in addition to the cafe lounging mentioned in prior posts) is just wandering around the old villages. I know this doesn’t sound like a real ‘pastime’.. but I could do it for hours. Days even!

Now, I’m well aware of the fact that spending a week on vacation somewhere doesn’t always give you an accurate perspective of the day-to-day, but there seems to be a noticeable difference in the quality of life.

I think the below photo exemplifies this perfectly. Driving through Bonnieux, we stopped to take in some stunning views of the valley and happened to capture this delightful family having Sunday lunch! It struck me as such a joyous occasion! We could hear lots of voila’s and bon appetit’s as we creepily looked on. What a wonderful way to spend Sunday afternoon!

I also really appreciate the fact that people make an effort to beautify their surroundings!

From an outdoor seating area..

To what I believe may be a tool shed? I mean, do you see this type of thing outside of France? This is a serious question, by the way. I’m not sure if this charm is specific to France or just old medieval villages of Europe..

We spent some time contemplating how many of these rattan (I think?) cafe chairs exist in the country of France. At least as many as there are people, in my opinion.

If I’m being honest, I don’t remember which villages many of these pictures were taken in. It’s just one charming town after another, and they start to look somewhat similar (although I don’t think I could ever get sick of them!).

The one exception to this would be Roussillon. The warm tones of the ochre this town is known for contrast beautifully with shutters painted in the sun-drenched pastel blues and greens typical of Provence.

And views like these certainly don’t hurt.

I only wish we had more than a week in the region! I suppose there’s always next time. And for those of you considering a trip to the region, we had the pleasure of staying at the absolutely beautiful Domaine & Cie. Hands down, this was my absolute favorite place I’ve ever stayed…like something out of a Procencal dream (complete with shutters!!!). Located a few minutes outside of Aix-en-Provence, the location felt remote although easily connected to the autoroute.

Well, friends..I hope you’ve enjoyed these little tidbits from our trip! And wishing you a bon week-end!

— Lusine