Our lavender photo shooting started the night before, when George tried to explain the owners, in French, why we would like to keys to the main gates, so we can go out with our car at 5 am, to take photos. I don't know how successful that conversation was, but we found the gates opened in the morning, to our delight. And the lavender did not disappoint us. The perfume, all around us. The sublime light of the summer sunrise. The stillness and the emptiness of the fields. Everything was "photo-perfect".
Our tip: If you plan to photograph the lavender fields, we recommend you to wake up early and try to catch the sunrise. Usually, the fields become quite crowded at around 8 am and it will be very difficult to find the best spot.
With one of the main goals achieved, we have continued our road-trip through the beautiful hills and valleys of Provence. We have explored the art galleries in Saint Paul de Vence. We had lunch in one of the most peaceful villages in Provence - Villecroze. We took a boat and spent some time on the turquoise waters in Gorges du Verdon. We had lavender ice cream in the charming Lourmarin and wandered around the orange hills around Roussillon. And last, but not least, we spent the afternoons at two of the most iconic villages in the region: Gordes and Les Baux-de-Provence.
Our tip: For another iconic photo location, stop at Abbaye Notre-Dame de Sénanque, preferably at the beginning of July, when the lavender is in bloom.
The region is very famous for its wine, so a visit to a local winery is a must. The choice is vast and with some small research, you can find a great place. We stopped at Chateau du Seuil, where we had the whole domain for our self to explore.
After a short visit in Aix-en-Provence, we continued our trip South, to the village that points the start of Cote d'Azur - Cassis. A beautiful, charming village, with a colorful promenade along the sea. And a good place for George to try one of his favorite desserts, Tarte Tatin. We spent the night in Saint-Mandrier-sur-Mer, in our favorite accommodation on the whole trip. We had a small summer house for ourselves and we shared a big terrace with our host, who was celebrating her birthday with family and friends. In order not to feel excluded, they offered us food and a bottle of house rose that we have enjoyed with the best view of the whole trip.
Our tip: If you are ever in the region, we recommend you to check the place that we have mentioned before.
