Guest Notes for Episode 83: Trip Report Provence and Chamonix

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
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Categories: Lyon Area, Provence