Provence Region, France

Lavender is so abundant, we used it to start our fires every night in our countryside home.
A visit to Aureto Winery for some free wine tasting and amazing French food!
We stopped in the hillside town of Gordes for an amazing lunch at Terre Adelica!
We spent a day hiking nearby and exploring the French Riviera coastal town of Cassis.
Christmas markets - from crepes to macaroons to mulled wine, every ounce is incredible!
We discovered the cutest little French tea/coffee place in Avignon. Every mismatching cup & saucer found its home filled with a decadent hot drink.  Locals & visitors find a cozy corner here to relax.

December 8th is a holiday for the Catholic church here in Europe the day of the  'Immaculate Conception' of Mary.  This day also happens to be my birthday, which comes in perfect time for a three day holiday weekend.  Chris and two of our good friends here in Spain, planned a road trip to southern France to celebrate and explore together.  We rented a car and drove 4.5 hours from Barcelona to the Provence region where we stayed in a beautiful countryside home close to Avignon.

Provence is known for its lavender, wine, and on the weekend of December 8th, Christmas markets. We loved exploring the nearby towns of Apt, Gordes, Aix-en-Provence, Avignon, and the coastal town of Cassis.   Lavender is so abundant in Provence, that we used it as kindling for the fireplace in our house for the weekend.  Each town had its own Christmas market offering mulled wine, crepes, cheese, nougat (a sweet Christmas treat filled with nuts, honey, chocolate, lavender, take your pick!), handmade Christmas ornaments, and a thousand other trinkets and treats to tempt you. 

We spent a day hiking near and exploring the French Riviera town of Cassis.  Cassis claims the fjords of southern France, rocky canyons that dive into the sea. Each trail we turned down was covered with beautiful pine trees that swayed in the Mediterranean breeze, the bluest water that was still warm in the midst of December, and rocky crags to explore.

A weekend filled with fires, hiking, Christmas markets, good food, and some great friends to explore southern France with was the perfect way to celebrate!




Labels: , , , , , , , , , ,