We stayed in our pied-a-terre in Saint-Remy again for a few days. Great airbnb hosts and a convenient spot next to a fantastic boulanger for morning croissants. Where Saint-Remy-de-Provence ends in the east, Eygalieres begins. The hilltop village has just over 1,000 people, with a large shrine to the Virgin Mary atop a 12th-century chapel.
Mary, atop the Sainte-Sixte chapel in Eygalieres
Mary withstands the wind and rain in her lofty position.
The town, of course, has a mistral bell. Very important today with the strong mistral winds blowing through.
The mountains, Les Alpilles, tower in the background.
We passed through the “suburbs” and found some interesting sights. Things have changed in just a couple weeks since our last visit.
Before and after. No buds on the trees in early April. Luscious green foliage now.
In fact, the trees are starting to form the magnificent green tunnel that characterizes so many smaller roads in France.
Just above these waterfalls, this canal splits into two. The other leg is the canal we walked along near the Van Gogh museum in Saint-Remy.
Note the bright green moss under the falls.
While we’re waiting for the lavender to bloom, we’re seeing lots of flowers in the same hues. The lavender-colored wisteria was lovely. Now it’s already passing its peak. Today we have lilacs! Just like the ones in Rochester, New York, the Flower City. Almost time for Rochester’s Lilac Festival.
The mistral winds today are blowing all the beautiful scent from the blooms.
We have found lavender irises too.
Along the roadside, growing wild, or so it seems.
No wonder Van Gogh was inspired by their beauty and irregularity.
We have also found les taureaux, the bulls, in the wild, or actually at a farm.
Massive horns on a not-so-big body. This one looks so peaceful.
We wondered if these were bulls being bred for la corrida, the bullfight. They seem rather docile.
There are so many! And they don’t seem angry at all. Could they be females? Les Tauresses?
Speaking of bulls…pit bull…Brad Pitt, it’s reported that Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have purchased a farmhouse here. No sign of them so far.
Finger Lakes to Lavender Fields 