Categories: Lyon Area, Provence
Discussed in this Episode
- Places: Provence and Chamonix
- Toulouse
- Port-Lauragais Rest Stop
- Tarrascon
- Beaucaire
- Carrières de Lumière
- Château des Baux de Provence
- Côtes du Rhone Wine Driving Tour
- Saintes Maries de la Mer
- Tiki in Camargue
- Vaison-la-Romaine
- Suzette
- Arles
- Bull Games in Arles
- Van Gogh Easles
- Lubéron
- Abbey de Sénanques
- Joucas
- Le Sentier des Ocres in Roussillon
- Le Pont du Gard
- Musée Haribo (Uzès)
- Annecy
- Alpine Slide
- Chamonix
- Aiguille du Midi
- Mer de Glace
- Le Brévent
- La Flégère — Foods: Tapenade
- Brandade de Morue
- Bergerac Wine
- Tartiflette
- Reblochon Cheese
- Gruyère
- Beaufort
- Tome de Savoie
- Cantal
- Merguez
Saturday July 4 (Happy Independence Day!)
- Drove from Beynac to Tarascon (500 km)
- Saw the Canal du Midi at the rest stop along the way
- Settled in to our gite
- Swam in the pool
Sunday July 5 (Very Hot Day!)
- Market day in Beaucaire, toured Beaucaire in the morning
- Swimming in the pool
- Great picnic lunch included 4 tapenades (amazing!), olives, and brandade de morue
- Toured the Carrieres de Lumieres in the afternoon
- Dinner of pork chops with Provençal veggies and Camargue rice
Monday July 6 (Very Hot Day!)
- Market day in Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, toured Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer in the morning
- Swimming in the Mediterranean Sea
- Toured the Reserve Naturelle de Camargue after lunch
- Swimming in the pool
- Dinner of pasta à la Provençal
Tuesday July 7
- Toured Vaison-la-Romaine in the morning
- Drove along the Cote du Rhone after lunch
- Toured the small village of Suzette
- Swimming in the pool
- Dinner of merguez sausages and Provençal veggies
Wednesday July 8
- Swimming in the pool in the morning
- Toured Arles after lunch
- Attended the Course Camarguaise bull games in the evening in Arles
- Dinner of steak Provençal with mashed potatoes
Thursday July 9
- Drove to Gordes and the Abbaye Notre-Dame de Senanque in the morning
- Abbaye Notre-Dame de Senanque was too crowded – no room to park – so we moved on
- Stopped at a lavender field on the side of the road en route to Joucas
- Toured Joucas, lunch at a café
- Kids played at the very nice playground in Joucas after lunch
- Hiked Le Sentier des Ocres in Roussillon
- Dinner of fish and seafood soup Provençal
- Evening walk in Tarascon
- Swimming in the pool
Friday July 10
- Toured the Pont du Gard in the morning
- Toured the Musee du Bonbon Haribo after lunch
- Swimming in the pool
- Dinner of steak Provençal with mashed potatoes
Saturday July 11
- Drove from Tarascon to Annecy (360 km)
- Settled into gite
- Evening walk through Annecy
- Dinner of pork chop from butcher with remaining Provençal accompaniments
- Ice cream
Sunday July 12
- Market day in Annecy in the morning
- Boat cruise of Lake Annecy after lunch
- Dinner of pasta with heirloom tomatoes
- Evening walk through Annecy with ice cream, playgrounds and carousel
Monday July 13
- Morning walk through Annecy
- Rode the Luge D-Ete in Semnoz
- Continued up the road (Semnoz) to Alpine views and cow pastures for incredible picnic lunch
- Evening walk through Annecy with ice cream and playgrounds
- Viewed Lake Annecy town fireworks from Annecy
Tuesday July 14 (Bastille Day)
- Market day in Annecy in the morning
- Toured the Gorges du Fier after lunch
- Swimming in the Fier river
- Diner of Tartiflette
- Fireworks in the evening
Wednesday July 15
- Drove to Chamonix in the early morning
- Toured the Aiguille du Midi
- Picnic lunch on the mountain
- Took the Montenvers train and toured the Mer de Glace after lunch
- Checked into hotel and had dinner at a restaurant
- Evening walk of Chamonix town
Thursday July 16
- Took the cable cars up to Le Brevent
- Took the Flegere cable car and the L’index chair lift up the mountain
- Picnic lunch and snowball fight on the mountain
- Rode the L’index chair lift several more times
- Drove back to our gite in Annecy
- Dinner of pork chops from the butcher and mashed potatoes
Friday July 17
- Annecy market day
- Lunch of assorted sausages from butcher
- Swimming in Lake Annecy after lunch
- Packing and preparing for return home
- Dinner of mussels and French fries
Saturday July 18
- Drive to Geneva airport and fly home to Boston via Iceland