Mountain Splendour

Tuesday, 30 July

We awoke this morning to a cloudless blue sky and the peaks of the mountains sharply defined in the crisp air.  The forecast for our destination, the Cirque de Gavarnie, was for cool temperatures so we packed the car with jeans and sweaters, but being optimistic we wore our shorts.  
Although only 37 km away the drive takes an hour - a windy, windy road up through the river valleys to the south of Argeles-Gazost.  The climb is gradual rather than steep but through the gorges there are sometimes sheer drops to the river far below.  The road is good and wide - the area is a mecca for skiers in the winter and also the site of a number of small hydro-electric stations.  The EDF is a major presence in these parts.

Today's destination - the Cirque de Gavarnie

 
Again we saw evidence of the recent floods and just before Luz-St-Sauveur half the road had tumbled into the river causing a bit of a traffic build up.  There are repair crews busy at work on the roads and in the villages.  The town of Luz-St-Sauveur is a nice ski resort kind of place and the turn off point for the Col de Tourmalet of Tour de France fame.  Today there were plenty of cyclists to dodge but fortunately they all headed for the Col and not for Gavarnie. The other really pretty village on the road to Gavarnie is Gedre where we ordered fresh salad baguettes to take for lunch at some point along our hike.
 Finally we reached Gavarnie village  (1350 metres)with tantalising glimpses of the snowy mountains before us.  We were shown to a discreet car park (don't want to spoil the view) in a little valley and decided that shorts would be the thing in the calm sunny weather - ideal temperature for hiking.
In order to reach the trail to the Cirque it is necessary to run the gauntlet of a dozen or more souvenir shops and a good variety of restaurants in the village which consists of one street.  The towering cliffs of the Cirque came well into view as we progressed through the village.  The trail was busy but not overcrowded and the scenery is so spectacular that the awareness of people is diminished.


Leaving Gavarnie village - Jess on the trail

 Once through the village we walked on a wide gravel path beside the Gave de Gavarnie River with the massive cliffs of the cirque in full view before us. There is still a lot of snow up there. High hills rise up from the river on either side, but along the valley are some green fields covered with wildflowers and further on grassy meadows with fir trees.

River, meadow, forest and mountain - gorgeous!

  The trail crosses the river and then climbs up through the deciduous forest. At the top of the climb there are wonderful views of the river valley which leads to another quite steep climb and finally to the base of the cirque. 

Getting closer to the Cirque de Gavarnie

All the way along the trail there are cascades of water rushing down from the snowfields and then there is the Grande Cascade, a 423 metre high waterfall (highest in Europe) that flows off the cirque.
 

Grande Cascade of the Cirque

 The peaks that form the cirque rise to over 3000 metres and the 4 km long trail ascends some 200 metres - not a difficult trail.  There are donkeys and horses for hire and many people were riding the trail.  We ate our lunch under a tree on one of the riverside meadows.  So tranquil and  beautiful.

People and horses dwarfed by the Cirque

Having seen so much spectacular mountain scenery this year it is hard to choose a favourite spot but the Cirque de Gavarnie certainly ranks very highly and the beautiful weather of course enhances the experience.  I am only sorry that time will not permit us to hike many more of the trails in this part of the Pyrenees.  It is truly lovely.  It takes a good hour each way on the trail and we were glad of a sit down and have a coffee back at Gavarnie village. 

Goodbye Cirque de Gavarnie

 
   This week there are theatre shows at the Cirque each night which attract big crowds.  Certainly the car park was very full when we left and I guess many people planned to stay on.  The prospect of driving down in the darkness was not appealing so we decided against staying for the show which was to start at 9 pm. For us it was back down the mountain roads to Argeles with a brief stop at Luz-St-Sauveur on the way home.
 

Luz-St-Sauveur

 Today was another highlight day and one which will be long remembered.  To cap off the day, after dinner Maree and I took the 5 minute drive to Saint Savin, a village just up the hill from our house and recommended by our host Genevieve.  What a delightful place.

Saint Savin

 It is a lovely village of very old stone houses and an ancient church and abbey - 1080 was the date of inauguration.  There are great views from the village - farmhouses, fields, rivers, mountains - all looking lovely with the evening light casting a wonderful glow.

View from Saint Savin

  We strolled around the village, admiring the gardens and the local cats and enjoying the tranquillity.  Finally we drove up to the 11th century chapel above the village - sadly it was not open but the views were quite splendid. What a fabulous day! I think Argeles-Gazost is my perfect place in France.

Chapel above Saint Savin

!

Lourdes

Monday 29 July

Last night there were fireworks in the valley - nice to look at but the strange thing was the noise.  Each sound echoes all around us - bouncing off the mountains I guess - so that the noise is very prolonged and loud.  Later, around midnight there was a thunderstorm and again, the sound of the thunder echoed all around us.  Woke up to a lovely fresh morning and the car looking substantially cleaner than yesterday after the rain.  Another nice lazy morning in our granddad house although Maree and Mel did venture into town to do a couple of errands.  It is sunny and breezy - and the washing is flapping merrily on the line today.  Forecast  - 25 degrees.
After lunch we delivered Jess to the white water rafting depot and drove to Lourdes which is about 10 kilometres back up the valley.  We were a bit hesitant about going to Lourdes having heard some not so good reports about the town, but hey, we are here and why not give it a go.
Our first impression of Lourdes was not really great - it is a dreary looking town, a bit shabby really.  However we persevered and found ourselves down by the river and in the thick of the pilgrim area which looked a bit more interesting.  The town did not appear to be very busy and we were able to park close to the main attraction, the sanctuaries of St Bernadette Soubirous, the young girl who had visions of the Virgin Mary in a nearby cave in 1858.

Sanctuary of Notre Dame de Lourdes

Firstly the river. The Gave de Pau River runs through the middle of Lourdes and in June this year it flooded badly.   Because of an unusually cold spring the thaw didn't occur gradually but happened all at once when the hot weather came in mid-June.  Many towns on this river and on other rivers in the area suffered damage and many of the sites of the sanctuaries of Our Lady of Lourdes were inundated  with flood waters,  Even today the river was still raging, although not at the June levels, and there are signs of damage everywhere.  The Voie Verte cycle path from Lourdes to Gavarnie is impassable in places as it follows the river up the valley and was also damaged.

Flood damaged bridge  and temporary bridge at Lourdes

 The church with its crypt and several chapels is located a short walk along the river from the centre of town.  It is very pretty, in pale grey stone and from the upper levels there are great views back towards the town and its imposing chateau on a hilltop.

View from the Sanctuary to Lourdes town and chateau

 We had a look inside at the crypt where there are relics of Bernadette, and in the chapels.  One had a mass being conducted in English - we had seen several pilgrim groups in t-shirts with the names of English cities on them.  Everywhere there are people, young and old, dressed in blue and white who are assisting the sick and disabled around the precinct of the sanctuaries - many are in wheelchairs.  Apparently the Vatican has recognised a large number of miracles that have occurred here, mostly in connection with healing of the sick.  On the opposite side of the river there are several infirmaries and the visitors to this place seem to come from many different countries.  It is obviously a very special place to many people.  In France, only Paris has more hotels than Lourdes so the number of pilgrims and those seeking miracles here each year must be huge (5 million apparently).

River and Sanctuary, Lourdes

There is a narrow main street directly in front of the gardens that lead to the sanctuary and we took a walk past all the souvenir shops, selling mostly religious items.  They seemed to be doing a roaring trade.  Our mission was to find a café and we were in luck - great ice cream and very good cappuccino (unusual for France).  Verdict for Lourdes.  It is what it is but seems something of a strange place.  The most striking thing about the town where the happy smiling faces of the dozens of "helpers" who are of course all volunteers. 
As we drove out of Lourdes and back up the valley we could see further signs of the flood damage.  Back in Argeles it was a visit to Carrefour for fuel (cheap here) and a few tasty items and then we collected Jess, safely returned from her rafting trip.   The rafting was a success and heaps of fun.  Jess reported that the river is icy cold and fortunately the rafters all wore wet suits.
Dinner was a feast of supermarket treats - crusty baguette, freshly baked and still warm, goat's cheese with fig confiture, full of flavour tomatoes, lovely ham and a generous helping of brie and St Nectaire, all washed down with a cold Picpoul de Pinet wine from the Languedoc region (Caroline - remember that great Picpoul wine in Noosa?).  The finishing touch, a 3 fruits glazed tart - yum.
After our feast Jess went for a bike ride and Maree and I went for a walk, across the Gave d'Azun River and into the countryside. 

Gave d'Azun River near our house in Argeles-Gazost

 We passed barns and fields and little hamlets and wondered if the chickens knew it was 9 o'clock a night - shouldn't they be in bed?  Everywhere there are water channels with swiftly following cascades that start their journeys in the mountains.  The fields are full of wildflowers - it must be a paradise for honey bees.  Such a lovely place for an evening stroll and we discovered a way to loop around over another bridge and make a circuit back to the house. I love the long evenings and daylight saving.

Country walk

Back to the Mountains

 

 

Saturday 27 July and Sunday 28 July
Saturday
As days go it is probably fair to say that Saturday was necessary but not hugely enjoyable.  Via Michelin told me that it would be a six and a half hour journey to Argeles-Gazost in the Pyrenees and that was allowing for a bit of off-motorway sightseeing through Mirepoix and St Lizier. Well flexibility is a good thing - we left Cassis at 8.30 am and arrived in Argeles-Gazost at 6 pm. without deviating from the autoroute!   Note 1:  do not be silly enough to drive the AutoRoute du Soleil during the summer vacation - especially on a Saturday!  Note 2:  Stay away from all autoroutes that pass by Nimes!  We spent a few jolly hours in les grandes bouchons (traffic jams that is) and even when we escaped to the service areas for a bite to eat the crowds were a bit overwhelming. I think the majority of the 83million people who visit France each year plus at least half of the French population (63million) were on their way to Spain for the summer hols.  The rest were returning from Spain on the Narbonne - Toulouse autoroute. 

The very non-scenic AutoRoute du Soleil - near Montpelier

We had to ditch our plans for sightseeing and stick to the peages in order to make it to Argeles in time to meet our hosts.  Fortunately after Toulouse the road was a) not busy and b) a really good road - it eventually goes through to Spain on the Atlantic Coast.  As we approached Argeles we could see some really high mountain peaks in the hazy and cloudy conditions and even had a spot of rain.  True to form however we drove into Argeles in the sunshine. 
Did I mention that TomTom quit on us this morning?  We had to drive all the way relying on signage and some previous experience - not really a problem.  The only hiccup was finding our house in Argeles which is a bit of a maze of narrow streets.  We were very happy to drive into the driveway of a typical village house and to be greeted by Genevieve and Alain who are charming and very friendly.  The house was "granddad's house" and I think the furnishings remain from his time.  It is very quaint but ever so comfy and in a lovely part of the town - on the flat! 

Maree and Mel outside our Argeles-Gazost house

 
Maree is delighted to hear that there is an elevator from our part of town to the centre ville so no hill climbing.  Every town should have one! We can hear a busy mountain stream flowing nearby and we have a large garden. All the living is upstairs and there is a balcony with pleasant views towards the mountains.  Rushed off  Carrefour for supplies, a new TomTom (indispensable) and then  cooked dinner (yummy Toulouse sausages for the first time this trip and seal of approval from Jess) before crashing into bed.

Sunday

Nice to be a bit lazy this morning after our journey yesterday - only the sounds of the birds and the river.  We are in a residential part of the town - local traffic only so it is very peaceful.   Late in the morning we strolled into the centre but didn't find the elevator so it was a steep climb.  Argeles has a busy and surprisingly large centre with shops, restaurants and hotels.  It is very pretty - lots of trees and bright flowers and wonderful views up and down the valley. 

Argeles-Gazost

Being Sunday the town was largely closed apart from the restaurants  which appeared to be filling up nicely.  We had some good things in our frig after our supermarket trip so took ourselves home for lunch on the balcony.  It is cooler here today( around 25 degrees) and mostly blue skies.

Argeles-Gazost - Centre Ville

Mel had discovered that there is an animal park largely devoted to animals from the Pyrenees in Argeles.  We thought it could be interesting - maybe a few deer and some mountain goats - and we would give it a go.  Well, were we in for a surprise. Parc Animalier des Pyrenees is absolutely world class -a stunning place that ascends a steep hill behind the town.  Today we saw many of the animals that live in the mountains and learnt about their habitats, their way of life and how important they are  to the delicate alpine environment.  The animals live in semi-freedom in the park and there are also displays of typical flora, a fascinating mushroom exhibit  and many birds from tiny finches to mighty vultures.  We spent three hours wandering through the park and enjoying the animals and their antics.  There is a little video clip on the park's website which gives some idea of how beautiful this place is.  Here is the link:
http://www.parc-animalier-pyrenees.com/video

While all the animals were special Jess and I had our absolute favourite - the cheeky, funny little cartoon characters, the marmots. We were thrilled to be able to go into the enclosure and feed them.  They are totally fearless and climb all over whoever has some food for them.  When their little tummies are full they flop down on the rocks.  Soooooo cute!

I'll take this one home please!

 We  also spent ages watching the brown bear family -mum, dad and two cubs.  Awesome animals.

Hey, throw me an apple too!

Very handsome Monsieur Lynx

  Loved the otters too - they are so happy fooling about in the water.  Then there were the red squirrels, the cats including a beautiful lynx and the miniature goats and so many more!

Red squirrel cutie pie

The park also has an impressive display of stuffed animals from all around the world.  Besides being a place to see the animals, the park is very involved in protecting the endangered species of the Pyrenees, particularly the bears and wolves. So glad we have had the opportunity to visit this wonderful facility.

Jess wants a baby mini goat as well as a marmot

After dinner this evening Jess and Mel went cycling around the town which is very quiet on a Sunday evening.  Maree and I had a pleasant walk, admiring some of the attractive houses and gardens -a great variety of trees and flowering shrubs seem to thrive here and the roses are magnificent.  So the end of a lovely day.  We are liking Argeles-Gazost very much.

Evening bicycle tour of Argeles

A Day in Marseille

Friday, 26 July

Another beautiful day in Cassis although the sea looks a little choppy today.  We tended to a few chores at home and then drove to Marseille via a road that ascends to the Col de Gineste at 327 metres and crosses the Plateau de Carpiagne before descending rapidly into Marseille.  The road is excellent and wide - guess why - yes a military facility up on the plateau where they drive tanks around according to the sign we passed.  The landscape is very rocky and the vegetation low and sparse.  This road was part of Stage 5 of this year's Tour de France and it will be closed for a triathlon event this coming Sunday.  Today there were some racing cyclists on the road - perhaps they were practising for Sunday's event. Driving on these roads one gets a very good idea of just how dangerous some of these climbs and descents are for speeding cyclists. It is only a matter of 20 km to Marseille by this route and the view over the city on the descent is stunning - nowhere to stop and take a photo though.



Jess did manage this shot of our descent into Marseille from the car window

Once into Marseille we didn't really know where to go but followed the directions to the city centre.  This seemed to be away from the coast and not really where we wanted to be.  Fortunately Jess spotted a sign to the Vieux Port so we took this road and were rewarded with a lovely drive along the rocky shoreline and right into the busy, bustling harbour. We were able to find a car park easily and set about on a walk around the port which is quite large.

Vieux Port, Marseille

  At first we passed a lot of ships' chandlers and dodgy looking bars, holding our noses because of the stench of sewer pipes.  Surprisingly in this area we came across a nice new immaculate Maccas and made use of the very clean facilities there.  Jess was sure that the other side of the port would be much nicer and she was right.  Extending away from the water were some interesting shopping streets and along the street facing the water were plenty of restaurants that looked very inviting.  Many of them are seafood restaurants - boulliabaise, moules, sardines, and every other kind of fishy thing imaginable. 

  

Back street of Vieux Port

When lunch time arrived we settled for a place offering a wide variety of dishes as well as snacks.  My club sandwich and salad was delicious and my cappucino was the first real one I have had this trip!  The local wines offered at the restaurants always seem to be excellent. When the maître d' found out we were from Australia he dragged some poor bloke out of the kitchen and introduced him as "our Mel Gibson" - there was a sort of resemblance I guess!  A few street entertainers were working their way along the pavement in front of the restaurant - some better than others - and all had their hats out for contributions after the show - the accordion players were by far the best!  Maree nearly fell off her chair when the bill came charging her Mel for a whole bottle of Mum champagne instead of just a glass.   Luckily everyone saw the funny side and the correction made.

This side is better!  Notre Dame de la Garde in the background.

 There were a lot of tourists ambling around the port area - some cruise ships in town today - and there was a bit of a market happening (lavender products and savon de Marseille mostly).  We had a stroll about in the blistering sun - it really bounces off the pale stone of the pavements.  From the port we could see the cathedral (Notre Dame de la Garde) which seems to be on the highest point of the city and the pale terracotta buildings of the old town.  Around the port crowds  were lined up for the numerous boat trips on offer - to the Ile d'If (where the Count of Monte Cristo was imprisoned), to the calanques and so on. 
It was strange not to hear any cicadas as we wandered around!  We have become so accustomed to their chorus all day.  The roof over the entrance to the Metro is mirrored much to the amusement of the crowds who like to photograph themselves in upside down mode.

Upside down Jess

This year Marseille is the European Capital of Culture so there are things happening all over the city throughout the year. Our visit to Marseille has been very superficial and I am sure there are heaps of interesting things to do and see in this vibrant city.  The coastline is really amazing with barren rocky cliffs and equally barren rocky islands (Frioul Iles) close to the shore. Certainly a place worthy of further exploration!

The pastel colours of Marseille

We decided to head back to Cassis before the peak hour traffic (1.6 million people in the Greater Marseille area so lots of cars!),  this time taking the two kilometre plus long tunnel under the city and the motorway that loops around Aubagne.  Home to a cool drink and a rest as we have a long day of driving tomorrow.  Weather is still looking great - aren't we lucky!

More about le pneu

Thursday, 25 July

Today was "Find a Pneu Day" and I am happy to report that although time-consuming our mission was successful.  I had the brainwave of going directly to the Peugeot dealer in Cassis so Maree and I set off bright and early.  Alas, Monsieur le Peugeot concessionaire, was closed and the notice on the door said something like "gone on holiday for a month" (business is either very good or very bad!).  Next stop was Patrick's garage - not far but the maze of streets that cover the hills of Cassis don't make for a quick trip anywhere.   Patrick was lovely, spoke not a word of English and couldn't possibly have a pneu (love that word) for us before Saturday.  However he did direct us to a tyre retailer in Aubagne which is a large town a little further inland, although the directions were a bit hazy - maybe something was lost in translation. As it turned out and once we had taken the correct motorway exit after missing it the first time, we found a  large Bob Jane type tyre place - oui, they could replace our broken pneu - but please come back après le dejeuner.  We had arrived there just on noon and the place was being locked up for the all important lunch break - until 1.30pm.  So we went home for a nice cup of tea.     The second trip to Aubagne was much quicker since we now knew the way and before long the very obliging chaps at First Stop tyres had not only fitted us with our new pneu but had thoroughly checked our other tyres and declared us fit for travel  - all en francais of course. Phew!  Fingers crossed that we don't have this problem again.

Jess at Le Port, Cassis

 Having spent much of the day on our tyre mission we decided to be tourists and take the "petit train" ride around Cassis.  The train wanders through the hilly streets, affording great views of the bay and then stops at Presqu'Ile on the edge of the Port Miou Calanque. 

"Petit Train" at Presqu'Ile

 This is a very popular spot for sunbathing on the rocks, jumping off the rocks and eating on the rocks.  Hundreds of people make the trek past our apartment each day to Presqu'Ile and Port Miou.  There is a car park nearby - fortunately our street is "sauf riverains" so we have few cars passing by -vehicles must take another route.

Rocking it - Presqu'Ile

 Today was the hottest one yet and the town was quiet - everyone was at the beach.

Everyone is at the beach - Cassis

The train returned us to town and after an ice cream we trekked back up the hill for a swim in our nice pool and a lazy evening in the garden which is sheltered from the heat of the sun.  Last day in Cassis tomorrow.  It is a wonderful seaside town, despite its accessibility difficulties - a very happy, laid-back atmosphere, spectacular scenery, heaps of outdoor activities and really good ice-cream! 

St Tropez and Le Pneu

Wednesday 26 July

Dire warnings of traffic so we were on the road early for the 2 hour drive to St Tropez.  We took the southern route which has some motorway but there is no bypass around the naval port of Toulon and even at 9 am it is not fun to negotiate.  Neither does it look to be a particularly charming city although there are signs that the centre is undergoing a substantial rejuvenation.  Anyway, beyond Toulon and past Hyeres it was slow going - single lane and busy and then the road through to Cogolin is hilly and windy.  Eventually we reached the peninsula road which leads around the Golfe de St Tropez  to the town itself which is at the end.  Although there was much congestion at Port Cogolin the final part of the journey was relatively easy and we had no difficulty securing a car park  - the car park at Le Port is gigantic and has lovely views across the gulf.  The harbour side of St Tropez was full of people - mostly gawping at the obscenely huge yachts which are moored there.  It is strange to see the people on board being served food and drinks by their crew only metres from the tourists passing by - we felt as though we were watching the monkeys at the zoo at feeding time - no I am definitely not envious!

Le Port - St Tropez

After this somewhat vulgar display of wealth (some people have no taste haha) we wandered through the back streets of St Tropez - tiny narrow streets with tall shuttered houses in shades of pink, beige and terracotta.  This part of town is charming and not nearly so crowded.

Colours of the Mediterranean - St Tropez

 Eventually we arrived at the Place des Lices where a boules competition was attracting a large crowd.  The lovely plane trees in  the square give very welcome shade.   We sat at a street café and had breakfast - OJ, coffee and mouth-wateringly light and flaky croissants.  Yum!  Checked out a few shops - either tacky or horrendously expensive and then it was back to the car and off to the beach.

Jess and Mel - St Tropez

 The famous beaches of Pampelonne are on the other side of the peninsula from St Tropez but only a short drive away.  We found a car park right at the beach and then did a double take as we looked at the view in front of us.  The sand is golden but quite coarse, the sea is sapphire blue and anchored just off shore were dozens of seriously enormous white "yachts" - not the kind with sails.  The scene was almost surreal. 

Pampelonne Beach

 Of course the beach was littered with brown bodies and there were plenty of people swimming.  We walked along the beach,( the water is divine), and checked out all the swanky beach clubs.  Anyone can reserve a beach bed at the clubs and have access to waiters, cool drinks and meals all day - it costs around 80 euros for the day.  There are also public spaces where one can sit for free and there are bars and restaurants too.  Jess was keen to be a beach bunny for a few hours so Maree, Mel and I left her to the sun and sand and drove a few kilometres to the  pretty hillside town of Ramatuelle which has great views over the vineyards and forests and out to Pampelonne Bay.

View from Ramatuelle to Pampelonne Bay

  We found a nice restaurant with great views, ate lunch there and then strolled through the medieval town centre before returning to the beach to collect Jess who had enjoyed her afternoon by the sea but didn't come across Brigitte Bardot or Johnny Depp.  Behind high walls along the beaches are beautiful gardens and villas - we saw a few advertised in the real estate window - you need about 12 million euros for a  decent pad here.  Excessive traffic and crowds are free!  (I shouldn't be so cynical).

Ramatuelle

 It was not too bad getting away from the St Trop area around 4 pm but I was not keen on driving through Toulon again and chose an alternate route - over some mountainous terrain behind Port Grimaud to the A8 autoroute - the main road to Nice and Italy.  We had only just hit the autoroute when poufffff!  There went a tyre. Le pneu etait kaput!  Luckily we were close to a rest area and an intercom system from which we could phone for assistance from the highway patrol. Half an hour later a nice man with a tow truck arrived - could speak some English which was useful - and without further ado he loaded our car onto the back of his truck with Jess and me inside.  Maree and Mel got to ride in the cab with him. 


View from a tow truck - A8 near Brignoles

We sailed along the autoroute for about 20 km - birdseye view of the countryside - and finally arrived in a largish town called Brignoles.  In no time at all ( but needing some specialised tools) the mechanics had the spare on and the office girl had extracted 148 euros from me (glad to pay it!).  Luckily it was a full size wheel as we still had an hour to drive.  We got home safely and phoned our landlord for some advice on purchasing a new tyre before we leave Cassis on Saturday.  So we have the name and address of Patrick who is a local garage owner - we will call on him tomorrow.  Happy to polish off a bottle of our Burgundy chardonnay tonight and happy not to have the problems of the BMW owner whose totally demolished car arrived at the highway patrol garage while we were there.  Will be even happier when I have a new spare pneu.

A day trip from Cassis

Tuesday 23 July

While it is tempting to lie by the pool or wander into town for an ice cream or a meal at one of the many restaurants, we decided to have a bit of a look around the area beyond Cassis. It is a bit of a mission to reach Cassis - the motorway is a few hundred metres above the town and the road down to sea level is pretty precarious, not to mention the maze of one way streets in the town itself.  It seems a bit of an effort to venture far but I guess the locals are accustomed to the mountain-goat terrain around here.
 On Tuesday morning we left Cassis and drove on the road which loops behind the mountains of Cap Canaille to La Ciotat, the next town along the coast.   Our destination was the hilltop town of Le Castellet which is surrounded by vineyards and is at the centre of the Bandol wine region.  This is a seriously pretty town with stunning views across the valleys. 

View from Le Castellet

For once we only had gentle uphill slopes through the cobblestone streets to the lovely church at the highest point.  Lots of rather nice shops here - mostly local artisans selling their wares. Up on the hill there was a cool breeze which was much appreciated on this 32 degree sunny day. 



Jess and oleanders - entrance to Le Castellet

Following the mantra that a busy restaurant is probably a good one, we had lunch at a place advertising Breton style galettes.  We sat under the trees and the waitress had trouble hearing because of the racket from the cicadas.  There was one on a tree trunk beside our table - they are surprisingly small for such a big noise! 

More window art - Le Castellet

After a nice lunch and a sample of the local wine we set off through the vineyards for Sanary-sur-Mer on the coast about 13 km away.

Driving through the Bandol area vineyards

  The beaches we passed were totally packed and car parking spaces were very scarce.  Fortunately  there is a gigantic carpark at Sanary and we didn't even have to pay.  I must say that even where we have had to pay for parking around France it has been very reasonable - 2 or 3 euros only.  And the carpark was only a short, flat walk into the centre of town.

Cute boats at Sanary-sur-Mer

We walked along the seafront at Sanary, a larger place than Cassis but charming in a different kind of way.  There is a long beach, a very large marina and the usual waterfront restaurants.  Lots of people arriving in town in the late afternoon.

Sanary-sur-Mer

 Our last excursion for the day was to drive the 15 km long Route des Cretes  (mountain ridge road)between La Ciotat and Cassis. The road rises up to 400 metres in a series of twists and turns and provides 360 degree views of Provence and the sea.  It is pretty scary in that there are very few barriers at the edge of the road and it is rather narrow in places.  We stopped a few times at lookout points and decided that the views were worth the scary drive.

La Ciotat from the Route des Cretes

  Cap Canaille is a huge red coloured cliff that plunges 400 metres into the sea - quite spectacular.  The low sun in the west at this time of day - around 7 pm - meant that the views to Cassis and the Calanques were very hazy.  Looking the other way we could see the coast and the inland peaks very clearly.  The descent into Cassis is very steep - don't cycle from west to east is my recommendation!  Yes we did see a number of cyclists along the way.


High above Cassis - Route des Cretes

 Home to a planned early night but very noisy neighbours partying late into the night kind of wrecked the plans for sleeping.  Wednesday is to be an early start for St Tropez.

Road to Cassis