Our two week immersion in a Provencal village was finally going to come to fruition after talking about it for a few years. We hoped to use some of our French, feel part of the rhythm of a village and see if all the hype about the French way of life was true. Our first port of call on French soil however was Marseille. We decided to stay there for a night as we had previously driven straight through the city to the stadium in the Rugby World Cup in 2023 and had always regretted not spending some time seeing the Old Port. Arriving from cold London to the sunshine of the South of France was delicious and we soon found ourselves in a bustling square at lunchtime – perfect timing! A warm goats cheese salad and a glass of rosé whilst people watching is my idea of heaven and we soon found ourselves feeling very holidayish! An afternoon walk around the marina before the aperitif and we had forgotten all about London and its wonderful history, more than happy to indulge in sitting around eating and drinking instead! As we were in Marseille we sought out a traditional restaurant famous for its bouillabaisse and ordered it despite a humungous price tag. We were intrigued to find out that it is served in 2 courses, first the broth – really delicious and served with little toasts, rouille and cheese – added into the soup for interest and crunch. The 2nd course was the fish that had been cooked in the soup, served simply with potatoes (and the ever-present baguette) All in all quite a bit of theatre but nothing I would necessarily order again!

We had rented a 3 bedroom house in L’isle sur la Sorgue on the edge of the town, literally 200m from the first restaurants and a stones throw from the railway station and the bus stop – we couldn’t have asked for a more convenient location! It was big enough to invite my Mum and Sister to stay for a few days and it had a quirky personality which we loved immediately. Positioned next to one of the towns canals boasting the clearest water you’ve ever seen and with several of the local antique shops within a 2-5 minute walk we were spoilt for places to explore! There were two outdoor seating areas, one on wicker chairs underneath a verdant wisteria and the other out the front boasting a big dining table which was a perfect spot after visiting the markets and coming home laden with paella or rotisserie chicken and vegetables, ready to eat in our own garden together with some chilled wine – heaven! The kitchen was definitely my favourite room though and we started and finished the day there – with cups of tea in the morning and games of cards at night, around a big old wooden table that has probably hosted hundreds of families over the years.

L’isle sur la Sorgue is most famous for its brocante on a Sunday – the biggest outside of Paris apparently and it makes for a very atmospheric Market Day. The whole town is filled with stalls, vibrant with colour of either beautiful summer fruit and vegetables or of the local napery – beautiful tablecloths, napkins and tea towels in the gorgeous colours of Provence – blue, yellow, red and green and if I’d had a bigger suitcase I would have gone a little bit crazy buying them all as they look beautiful in our Australian light as well as in the famous light of Provence that the impressionist painters loved so much!

It is also a treasure trove for antiques enthusiasts with over 300 fascinating vintage, second-hand shops and markets to browse year-round. The lovely old antiques (or bric-a-brac to us) were all beautifully laid out ready to tempt you into parting with your Euros if you were lucky enough to have room in your suitcase! I particularly loved the old china, the Anduze pots and the eclectic paintings and lighting you could sometimes pick up for a bargain price.

Almost a week into our stay the MOTH celebrated his birthday! From an espresso at his favourite morning café to lunch at the very cute Olive and Raisin to dinner at Monsieur Tu he had a fabulous day! Olive and Raisin focuses on soups, tasting boards, tapenades and regional recipes. It’s part delicatessen, part restaurant with a laid-back atmosphere and appealing artisanal vibe. The shop is lined with jars and bottles of freshly made jam, oils, pasta, wines and confectionery. It was a great spot to sit in the sunshine and eat delicious cheese and pâté and enjoy some local wines. We tried sitting outside on the canal but had visions of one or both of us falling in! That night we dined at Monsieur Tu (or Mr T as we liked to call it!) and had the most delicious rabbit dish – we were very happy chappies!

Then it was time for the girls to join us from the UK. As Heathrow is ginormous Mum was whisked to the gate on an assistance vehicle and then again to the front of the queue in Marseille on arrival (Sandy tagging along for the ride!) so they arrived feeling relatively good despite a 4.30am start! So many major airports now demand you walk kilometres to get from A to B so this was a win win – never be afraid to utilise it folks! It was so good to see them and there was plenty of room for us all in the house so it was perfect. We spent the next few days exploring the town, the markets and sitting around outside chatting – LOTS of chatting! With wines and cheeses from the local shops on hand it was lovely to be able to come home and relax in between outings and the days passed in a blur of loveliness! We didn’t feel too sad when we said goodbye as they are coming out to Australia in October to celebrate mum’s 90th so we have plenty to look forward to….

A trip to L’isle-sur-la-Sorgue isn’t complete without a visit to the stunning Notre-Dame-des-Anges Church (Our Lady of the Angels). The Baroque architecture and huge wooden doors of this historic church hide a rich interior filled with magnificent paintings, statues, over 200 angel sculptures and a 15th-century organ, which has been listed as a historic monument. The church was originally built in the 13th century, then, following a collapse, rebuilt during the 1600s and from the outside I had no inkling of what I was to find inside – quite a surprise to say the least! It was situated in our favourite square just opposite The Cafe de France which became our “go to” cafe!

The town is also renowned for its canals and waterways which give it the nickname “Venice of Provence,” as the Sorgue River flows through the town, creating scenic riverfront streets and charming bridges.  Along the river, you can see the remaining wooden waterwheels that were once used to power the town’s textile factories. By the 19th century, there were over 60 waterwheels in operation and they were used for the town’s flourishing paper, silk, wool and dyeing industries. Today, only 17 remain – some of which still squeak and turn with the natural flow of the river. Other waterwheels are completely abandoned, frozen in time, clustered with green moss – but it’s still possible to imagine their role during the buzzing industrial era. Being surrounded by water was really very relaxing and calming and in Provence where things can get very hot and dry these canals give a sense of coolness and a real point of difference to other nearby towns.

We decided not to hire a car while we were here, preferring to be like the locals and use the buses and the trains to get ourselves around. It worked fine for close towns like Avignon and Carpentras but when we researched how to reach some of the hilltop towns it was another story. Trips that would take 30 minutes by car would take 3 hours on the bus as they wind in and out of all the towns and villages en route, making it untenable. We found a one day tour that went to 7 different locations , covering most of the places we had fancied visiting and decided to go for it! Our first stop was Fontaine de Vaucluse, not too far from us which was the source of the river Sorgue. Its fast flowing waters came from a spring very deep in ground (it has been tested down to 1010 feet but its source is still deeper -a bit of a mystery but it is one of the biggest springs in the world with 52000 gallons a second gushing out in Springtime) and became the power source for a paper mill which still exists in a limited form today. The town was also famous for hiding the French Resistance in the war, using the surrounding hilltop caves to their advantage for both shelter and spotting the enemy from afar. It’s hard now trying to imagine those days as it is a very serene and tranquil village.

Our next stop was one of the famous “perched” villages of Provence – Gordes.The medieval village stands resplendent in stone atop a clifftop with unbeatable views across the Luberon. This enchanting village has a long history spanning the Romans to the Middle Ages, and in recent years has become a retreat for artists and writers. Located dramatically on the edge of the Vaucluse plateau in the heart of Provence, Gordes is a medieval hilltop village that looks almost too beautiful to be real — a cascade of honey-coloured limestone tumbling down a rocky hillside, crowned by a Renaissance château and overlooking the vast, lavender-threaded expanse of the Luberon valley below. Sadly we were just a little early for the lavender although the fields we passed were splashed red with wild poppies which were beautiful.

Our next port of call was Rousillon. Ranked among the most beautiful villages in France, this colorful village owes everything to ochre, this natural pigment that tints every facade, every wall, and every alleyway with a palette of colors ranging from pale yellow to the deepest red. Many artists are drawn to the town for it’s unique colour palette and we enjoyed wandering through the winding cobbled streets up to the castle to see the amazing views of the surrounding countryside. Back into the van and we were off to St Remy de Provence. I had been there 30 years ago with my Mum and had very fond memories of our time there, although nothing looked overly familiar this time around! It is a beautiful town known for its rich history. It was founded over 2500 years ago and has connections to both the Greeks and Romans. The town is famous for its charming winding stone streets, vibrant markets, and as the place where Vincent Van Gogh spent time in an asylum, drawing inspiration from its stunning landscapes to produce some of his most famous paintings. We visited a truffle shop while we were here, sampling delicious morsels drizzled with honey and a jar of truffle salt made its way home with me to be enjoyed with scrambled eggs in The Meadow….yum!

Our last village was Les Baux de Provence which is a picturesque hilltop village renowned for its medieval castle, dramatic limestone cliffs and a rich cultural heritage. The stone streets are narrow and winding, the buildings impossibly cute, and the views in every direction are jaw-dropping. And looming above it all is a sprawling, ruined medieval castle that seems to grow straight out of the rock. Each of the villages we visited today had its own unique charm and each of them were carved out of the stone of the local rock, perched on top of a hill – a LOT of hard work back in the pre industrial days to create a town and testament to the perseverance of the local people.

Our final stop wasn’t a village – it was a bridge! Not any old bridge though, it was the magnificent Pont du Gard. Just a few kilometres from Nîmes and Uzès, the Pont du Gard stands as the most impressive testament to Roman engineering in France. This monumental aqueduct, built in the 1st century AD, holds the record for the highest Roman aqueduct bridge in the world at 49 metres high. It was granted UNESCO status in 1985 because of its exceptional preservation and since then the whole area has been made into a park so that no cars have used it since 2000. People now come to witness this HUGE structure up close and personal and be amazed by the fact it was constructed in the FIRST century! Those Romans were sure good at building stuff! Nowadays families come and bring picnics and people canoe down the river under its arches. A school of kids were kayaking there when we visited and it was just wonderful to hear them laughing and enjoying themselves as they passed through history!

So after a full day of exploring we headed home to our lovely little town. After all the wonderfulness we had witnessed today, we were still super happy that it was Isle sur la Sorgue that we were returning to with its friendly residents and easy to love atmosphere. In summary, our French experiment was deemed a success, we had seen firsthand that the French way of life definitely has something special to recommend it. People here make sure they take time out to spend time with friends and family; they eat together, locally and seasonally and they celebrate many public holidays, feast days and religious and agricultural festivals as they have for hundreds of years. Work, although important, is not the Be-all-and-End-all of life here although I can’t imagine a 2 hour lunch break taking off in Australia anytime soon! Thus, our stay in Provence came to an end and we bid farewell to our lovely house and caught a train to Switzerland….