Out and About - Around Sablet

Tuesday 23 September, Wednesday 24 September

We are enjoying the house here in Sablet so much - lots of room, very comfortable beds and every  convenience of home.  Our house owners are very thoughtful.   The temperatures have dropped a little from the high twenties so it is very pleasant for daytime activities and cool at night for sleeping - still nice and sunny!
On Tuesday morning we again followed the suggestion from the guide sheet  left in the house and drove a short distance to the town of Vaison-la-Romaine to have a look at what is one of the biggest markets in the region.   Vaison is also a town that is famous for its large Ancient Roman site, its Roman bridge which crosses the Ouveze River and its medieval quarter.   We were fortunate to find a street side park a short walk from the beginning of the market which stretches out over a number of streets and squares in the middle of the "new" town.  The very hilly medieval quarter is on the opposite bank of the river.

Medieval Quarter of Vaison-la-Romaine

 As we had been warned, Vaison was crowded with tourists and locals and it was shoulder to shoulder past the market stalls (around 450 of them apparently).  Lots and lots to looks at and more variety than the smaller markets.  After our browsing and a little bit of shopping we found a pleasant restaurant in the main square and ordered three course menu  - antipasto, steak and dessert - which was pretty good.   The market packed up in the middle of the day and we decided to drive north to the Drome department which is in the region of Rhone-Alpes - and marks the beginning of the great mountain chain of the Alps.

Making paella - Vaison-la-Romaine market

 We certainly would like to return to Vaison and visit the historic parts of the town before the week ends.  Markets are fun, but when so crowded they are a bit exhausting.
We took a route through the large town of Nyons, crossed the Eygues River and then drove through some rolling vine covered hills which eventually gave onto steep slopes of the garrigue.   In the distance, to the east we could see higher and more rugged peaks.
Our destination in the Drome was the Plus Beaux village of Le Poet-Laval, built in the 12th century as a fortified outpost for pilgrims and crusaders heading for the Holy Land.  Later the village became a Protestant stronghold and there is a small museum dedicated to this period in its history.  Le Poet-Laval today must be little different to the way it was in the Middle Ages and from the approach road it looks very ancient.

Le Poet-Laval

 There are no roads in the village, only cobble stone lanes and lots of steps up and down the hillside and there is little evidence of modern life.

Lovely lane - Le Poet-Laval

  From the top of the village there are lovely views to the valley below and to the distant hills.

Le Poet-Laval - view from the top of the village

The overwhelming feeling here is one of tranquility and peace - although the calm clear weather today no doubt enhances this aura.  I can imagine that in the depths of winter with a gale howling up the valley that the village may not feel so benign.

Ruined building given an artistic touch, Le Poet-Laval

Our homeward journey was via a different route, through Valreas and as we descended the hills to Sablet we were treated to a spectacular view of Mt Ventoux and Les Dentelles standing out clearly in the evening light.

Wednesday morning and we were greeted by grey skies which made us a bit slow to get going. We have becoe so accustomed to sunny weather that the evidence of last nights showers was a bit of a surprise.

Seguret is barely visible in the morning drizzle - from my bedroom window

First visit this morning was to the Plus Beaux village of Seguret, just five minutes away in the car and in plain view from my bedroom window. The village is tucked into the side of a steep hill and looks westward over the Rhone Valley.  there have been people dwelling here since pre-historic times, but the current village is medieval.  The centre is completely given over to pedestrians - steep cobbled lanes and many stairs.  As we walked through the village light rain began to fall and of course the views out over the countryside were rather gloomy and somewhat limited.   Seguret is very quaint and well-maintained with a couple of artist's galleries and several restaurant.  We decided on an early unch and sat under a pretty shelter beside an ancient fountain.  Lunch was a treat - a savoury clafoutis and very good coffee.  I have only ever come across dessert clafoutis (usually cherry) so this was a new experience and very tasty too.

Lunch location - Seguret 

Wth the rain seemingly set in we drove home for a while and then set off for Vaison-la-Romaine, just 10 kilometres away.  Today the town was quieter and we explored the south bank of the town, the medieval quarter - very beautiful old stone houses, some quite grand, on narrow streets which lead up to a rather crumbling chateau.

Medieval Quarter, Vaison-la-Romine

We stopped by at the gallery of a celebrated local artist, Leon Zanella, whose works are very striking, and also viewed an exposition of wood sculptures in the church.

Work by Leon Zanella - very cheerful on a gloomy day!

  It was umbrella time all the way and Gerri was feeling the effects of too many cobblestones, so we called it a day and returned to Sablet without visiting the extensive Roman ruins that lie on the northern side of the town.  This week there are flowers placed around Vaison in memory of the 37 residents who lost their lives in a huge flood on 22 September, 1992.  It is hard to imagine the current creek-like river as a raging torrent.

The Roman bridge at Vaison

So, our first totally wet day and the rain continued into the evening - just drizzle really and due to clear in the morning.

I loved this street sign in Vaison