Sunday 14th September Avignon to Greoux les Bains

Sunday 14th\

 After leaving the lanes of Avignon behind our first stop was at L’ Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, a town that is encircled by a river, it was market day so we had a good wander through the stalls, along with fruit and vegetables, clothing, linen, and food. We were to buy our lunch here to eat at our next stop. It is also known for its antique stalls, but unfortunately didn’t see those until driving away. No room on the minibus for an armoire or two.




Couldn’t resist the tomatoes! there were also some puppeteers busking.





There are small canals and quite a few waterwheels still working in the town, quite a few tourists but also lots of locals out and about.



Something cute on the window sill


A lovely glass display outside an antiques store


Our next stop was Gordes, a very picturesque town, from afar.


And within, apparently it was a ghost town until the film started using it for location, and now it has been totally renovated and is perhaps an ideal of a typical Provençal village in the Luberon area. There was a display of cat photographs on the buildings.







Lunch was had sitting on some steps we found in the shade. The country side was looked over, then we found somewhere to have a drink in the shade. the Aussies, Constance and me.




From here we went to Notre-Dame de Senanque Abbey. A working Cistercian monastery, Founded in the twelfth century, It is quite famous for its lavender and honey products. It used to have about 30 monks, but is now down to 5.it is set in a remote valley, i believe you can go on retreat there





If this was taken in summer those would be rows of purple lavender. We had a guided tour through the monastery, dormitory with masons marks on the blocks.




The above shows the daily timetable of the monks, We visited the chapel, under renovation, it has some lovely stained glass that is only about 30 years old.


The cloisters, and garden



A quick stop off at a Roman bridge, in Bonnieux, was used up until about 30 years ago. topped by some of my tour mates and an iron railing of later years.



Our destination for that evening was Greoux-les-Bains, where we had our final meal together at the hotel, then was serenaded by Lisl from the Hawkes Bay on the grand Piano, singing in English, Te Reo, Welsh, finishing off with Sur Le Pont Avignon along with Constance. It was a lot of fun.

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