Must See in the Luberon: Mathieu Lustrerie

Ever since I visited them roughly two years ago, I've been wanting to blog about Mathieu Lustrerie, a one-of-a-kind lighting atelier in Gargas, in the heart of the Luberon. They design and create the most elegant, distinctive, remarkable lighting...and repair chandeliers for royal palaces, prestigious hotels, spectacular private residences and clients such as the Louvre, the Elysée Palace and Versailles. The showroom is open to the public; they also have a lighting museum with rotating exhibits and pieces dating to the 15th century. While the on-site workshop is not open to the public, you can watch the meticulous goings-on through large windows. And it's all located in a re-purposed 19th-century ochre processing facility with many original architectural elements intact. This place is so special! But for one reason or another, I just haven't been able to get the story done. And then last week, I saw that another blogger, Deborah MacNeill, had done an exquisite story about it, calling owner Regis Mathieu "possibly the world’s premier creator, collector and restorer of magnificent chandeliers and lighting artworks" and illustrating her piece with gorgeous, original photos. So I reached out to her and asked if, rather than write my own story, I could just share hers with you...and she replied immediately mais oui! 

A Canadian commercial and editorial photographer, Deborah first came to Provence with her husband Arnold in January 2013 "in search of sun and inspiration"--both of which they found in abundance in the Luberon. That November, the couple bought an 18th-century mas in the small hamlet of Saint Véran, just outside Goult. Originally named Villa Goult, they re-christened it "Mas Belle Source" for the freshwater springs on the property which have fed their fountain for more than three centuries. 

"As our dream of Provence has taken shape," Deborah tells me, "we've had such pleasure improving the property, gardens and décor with antiques and ideas we find in the treasure troves of Provence–its lively fairs, brocante markets and ubiquitous vide greniers." Today the couple splits their time between Vancouver, B.C. and Provence. They typically spend spring, fall and winter in the Luberon...and welcome guest rentals at Mas Belle Source from June to September. Read more about the house here and see all the rental info here.

Deborah's blog, Provence by Design, was launched in 2013 and celebrates her passion for beautiful homes, talented artists, gardens, food and the Provencal lifestyle. Her latest project is a book inspired by creative women in Provence titled Les Lubertines; she expects to finish it this summer. As one would expect, the blog and the book are both heavily illustrated with Deborah's luscious photography. 

“I've always sought to use photography as narrative--to tell a story," she says. "It's a joyful way to explore the world. As an anonymous sage once said: 'To write about it (or photograph it) is to live life twice.' We have something wonderful and completely out of our predictable lives happen to us every day in Provence that contributes to my work. Living here has rekindled and continuously inspires our creative souls. We are bewitched!"

To see Deborah's story about Mathieu Lustrerie, click here.  

To inquire about renting Mas Belle Source, click here. 

You can follow Deborah on Instagram here and then subscribe to--or follow--her blog with the links that follow every post. 

To contact her directly: deborahmacn@gmail.com. 

Photos: (1) Regis Mathieu and (2) his chandelier called A Cube, made of rock crystal and amethyst, produced in a limited edition of 8. These two photos courtesy of Mathieu Lustrerie; all other photos courtesy of Deborah MacNeill. (3) The workshop produces “the art of light in all its facets" for royal palaces, prestigious hotels and spectacular private residences...like yours! (4) Fitting polished fins together on a chandelier for a Russian client. (5, 6) In the museum, a chinoiserie cabinet and glittering antique chandeliers. (7) This sculptural "astrolabe" lamp made of black rock crystal was one of my favorites when I visited. (8) In the workshop. (9) The intricate task of wiring. (10) Deborah photographed in the museum. (11) A lamp designed to resemble a sea urchin. (12-14) At Deborah's home Mas Belle Source, the main entry, the dining room and the en suite bedroom called "La Rose."  (15) Deborah at home in Provence.

The Insiders' Guide to the 2017 Festival d'Aix

The 2017 Festival d'Aix takes place July 3 to 22.  Can't wait? The program called "Aix en Juin" offers free or low-priced musical and cultural festivities throughout the month of June...a prelude to the main event. The guest post below--by my favorite opera aficionado in Aix--gives you all the info about both. 

Archevêché, where the opera season opens and closes

The Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra, photographed at home at the Bolshoi, by Damir Yusupov. They'll play Eugene Onegin in Aix in July.

Stravinski's "Le Rossignol" from 2010, with beautiful staging by Robert Lepage (they flooded the orchestra pit).

"Pelléas and Mélisande," staged by Katie Mitchell in 2016

A free Parade[s] concert on the Cours Mirabeau. 

"Written on Skin" made its world première in Aix in 2012.

A Master Class Concert 

"The Abduction from the Seraglio," staged in 2015.

"Iolanta," staged by Peter Sellars in 2015

Concert on the Cours Mirabeau in June 2015, as part of  

the program called Parade[s].

Opera lover Anne-Marie Simons left her native Holland after college, headed to Paris for a year of intensive French and then to Brussels to work for the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom) where she was offered an opportunity to work in the United States. There she spent the next 32 years, working as a translator, language teacher, journalist, sports writer covering Formula One races, and director of corporate communications. She retired in Europe and has been living in Aix-en-Provence since 1998 with her Argentine husband Oscar Rodriguez-Rozic, who left a career in international development banking to become an expert on Provençal cooking. As Oscar took over the kitchen, Anne-Marie began to record her experiences and impressions of France − its attractions, its quirks, its quality of life – which resulted in her delightful 2011 book Taking Root in Provence.  In her blog Provence Today, she reports on political and current events in and around France. Having attended the Festival d'Aix for many years, Anne-Marie knows all the ins and outs. So I asked her to give us the scoop on this year’s festival (July 3 to 22)…and this is what she sent. 

True opera lovers seem to have one thing in common: they won't let money or distance keep them from seeing their favorite singers or conductors. This may mean planning their summer vacations around some of the opera festivals in Europe, such as Bayreuth, Verona, Salzburg, Glyndebourne or Aix-en-Provence.

Wagnerians put up with a waiting list of five to ten years for the chance to get a seat in Wagner's very own Festspielhaus in Bayreuth, where they'll happily sit through five-hour afternoon performances, in formal dress, and have beer and sausages during intermission. Glyndebourne, an English country house in Sussex, is more relaxed and allows for picnic dinners on the lawns. And then there is Aix, perhaps most accessible of all, with three different venues in town. Unfortunately, the lovely Domaine du Grand St. Jean in nearby Rognes, where some of the smaller operas have been performed in a bucolic setting, closed last year for extensive renovations and is not expected to reopen until 2019. 

Founded in 1948 as an all-Mozart event, the Festival d'Aix still presents one Mozart opera every year but has long since widened its scope and today covers opera from its earliest beginnings (Monteverdi) to the present. (For the history of the festival, click here.)  It also has established an Académie Européenne de Musique, where young musicians get a chance to work with great teachers in Master Classes for Voice, String Instruments, Piano, Composition, etc. and perform before a live audience in evening concerts. The participation of these Academy students, winners of an international competition, adds an element of youthful enthusiasm to this opera festival. 

One of the most attractive aspects of the Aix festival is the rich menu of daily musical offerings throughout the city, with opera, concerts, Master Classes, conferences, interviews, and, at the end of the day, performances by the Academy singers or instrumentalists in the intimate setting of city squares and courtyards. 

As always, this year's festival program in Aix  (July 3 to 22) will feature five operas, including one commissioned work, performed in three different theaters:

Don Giovanni by Mozart 

Carmen by Georges Bizet

The Rake's Progress by Igor Stravinsky

Erismena by Francesco Cavalli

Pinocchio (commissioned) by Philippe Boesmans

Also, an orchestral version of Eugene Onegin by Tchaikovsky.

The “Preludes,” educational introductions to each opera, are held at the respective venues, one hour before the opera begins.

In addition, ‘’Aix en Juin,” a lead-in to the operas in July, offers a program of free or low-priced musical and cultural festivities throughout June, culminating in ‘’Parade[s],”  a major free concert on the Cours Mirabeau, this year with the Orchestre de Paris and six soloists and a choir who will perform extracts from Carmen.

Master classes, as well as concerts and recitals by the Académie students, will start on June 23 and run until July 20. The disciplines may vary from year to year but always include voice, chamber music and contemporary creations. The final details (teachers, venues for Academy performances, date of live televised opera in a public park, etc.) will be announced later on this month. All these events (more than 60 in total) are open to the public with a €15 Pass (€5 for a single event).

Tête-à-tête” with the artists of the Festival is held every day at 6pm in the presbytery courtyard on the Place de l’Archevêché.

So much for the programming. Now, let's take a peek behind the scenes.

Bernard Foccroulle, present Director of the Aix Opera Festival, will be leaving us at the end of the 2017 season, after ten years at the helm. A renowned organist, he wants to return to performing, teaching and composing organ music in his native Belgium. He will be succeeded by Pierre Audi, currently Director of the Dutch National Opera in Amsterdam.

Foccroulle is credited with bringing the Aix Opera Festival into the 21st century, and it was under his leadership that in 2014 the Aix festival was named Best Opera Festival in the World at the International Opera Awards in London. He has rejuvenated the repertoire, favoring new creations, and brought opera to a wider public by introducing pedagogic programs in local schools and inviting students to some rehearsals.

His choices of "modernity" have not always been felicitous, however. In 2015, for instance, Austrian director Martin Kusej chose to politicize Mozart's lighthearted "Abduction from the Seraglio" by turning the 18th-century love-conquers-all story into an ISIS kidnapping of Konstanze, not by a love-struck pasha Selim who holds her captive in his palace, but by a bunch of black-clad, turbaned, machine-gun-toting jihadists who hold her in a tent in the Sahara and end up killing her in a simulated beheading on stage. When a shocked Foccroulle saw the rehearsal in Aix he told Kusej this was unacceptable and pleaded for a rewrite, but Kusej refused and claimed artistic license, granting no more than a final scene with a heap of bloody clothes on stage rather than a simulated beheading. The production was panned by critics (excepting the singers) and roundly booed by the audience.

Another misfortune befell Foccroulle when in 2014 he was faced with a strike by theatre temps (les intermittents du spectacle) who threatened to close down the festival in protest against the government's announced cutbacks. These temps work only when called upon but have year-round salaries covered by unemployment insurance. As always in France, public opinion was with the strikers and accommodations were found to keep the Festival open. As British mezzo soprano Sarah Connelly wrote in Limelight magazine, it was disheartening to be greeted by angry shouting and pot-banging by demonstrators who delayed the start of Haendel's Ariodante (in which she sings the title role), forced her and some colleagues to stay in their dressing rooms,  finally allowed her back on stage only to interrupt the performance two more times… and then to find her wallet stolen from her dressing room afterwards. She called the episode a frightening experience but says she "will try to remember the beautiful moments as well."

And so will we, because not only have we enjoyed some of the best summer opera anywhere here in Aix, but we feel confident that the new agreement reached between the government and theatre unions will hold. So whatever your plans are for the summer holidays, you can be reasonably sure that the cultural festivals will not be disturbed!

Tickets to the 2017 festival are now on sale online, by phone and at the box office (located at the Palais de l'Archevêché).  Priced from €30 to €270 they sell briskly, especially the less expensive ones. The website is now in English and very easy to navigate.

Until June 12 the box office will be open Tuesday thru Friday; after June 12 it’s open daily. And if all else fails, try your luck on the day of the performance when the box office sells same-day tickets at half price (usually the more expensive ones). Or go directly to the performance venue in hopes of finding people selling their tickets.

The €15 Pass can be purchased at any time, even just before the Master Classes or the Academy concerts, which you can attend on a space-available basis (expect long lines). Ever since the creation of the Académie Européenne in 1998, the Master Classes have been extremely popular since they provide a unique opportunity for a wide public to see established musicians teaching the finer points of their art to music school grads who are just beginning their professional careers as singers, instrumentalists and composers. It's the up close and personal observation of a master at work as he/she fine-tunes the technique and interpretation of a young artist. 

In reflecting on the many attractions of world-class opera on my doorstep, so to speak, I do not only remember my favorite music or singer, but some of the great artists who have conducted master classes. Imagine seeing star violinist Isaac Stern teaching a class, or Pierre Boulez (composition and percussion), or meeting Pina Bausch and Tina Brown, masters of modern dance, and Patrice Chéreau, film maker and stage director -- all gone now. Their art will live on in those they taught and new stars will rise, because, as Nietzsche said: "Without music, life would be a mistake."

For all the info: festival-aix.com. For more in-depth info about the festival, the artists and performances, along with day-by-day schedule, the press kit (in French) is here.

Postcard from the Edge: A Guest Post

The approach to the Calanque de Sormiou, where chef Andy Floyd and his family had a great afternoon at the restaurant Le Chateau. His guest post about it appears below. Click any of the photos to enlarge.

On the Edge: Sormiou is one of the lesser known calanques, considered something of a locals' secret.

After a somewhat tense 4 kilometer drive down a narrow, winding road...you'll arrive wanting wine quickly. Note, the parking lot is filled mostly with small cars.

The cove and beach that beckon you before and after lunch. Andy says the kids didn't want to leave.

Chef Andy and his wife Lucy both had fish soup followed by grilled dorade. The kids ate shrimp and pasta. The meal was excellent...and expensive.

The entrance to a private little cabanon, off the beach.

On the way home, Marseille (and civilization) loom in the distance.

The Floyd Family's Excellent Provence Adventure included this photo opp in the hills facing Les Baux de Provence. Clockwise: Lucy, Paris, Andy, Sophia and Soleil.

A note from Julie: Every now and then I ask foodie friends in France...or just back from France...to write about one restaurant in Provence they love. When my chef pal Andy Floyd mentioned he had just been to the Le Château de Sormiou, I was all over it--I've wanted to go there for years.  As the GM of KitchenTable Cooking School and the Academic Director of the Professional Culinary Arts Program at Colorado Culinary Academy (Denver), Andy has been teaching budding chefs for more than 20 years.  For 10 of them, he directed professional programs at Culinary School of the Rockies (Boulder) and took groups of students for month-long trips to cook and to stage in some Provence’s finest restaurants. As a result, he remains intimately connected to the food world in the South of France. After a few years away, Andy recently returned for vacation with his wife Lucy and their three kids. And here's his report about their day at the Le Château...not just a restaurant but a true adventure...

No trip to Provence would be complete without a visit to the Calanques between Marseille and Cassis. The white limestone cliffs and inlets that begin in the heart of Marseille and follow the coast to the picturesque port town of Cassis are the summer playground of the Marseillais.

Over the years, I'd visited Cassis many times with my culinary students.  A bouillabaisse in the port followed by a boat trip to the awesome Calanque d'En-Vau is de rigueur for anyone visiting the area. But I'd often heard of another very special Calanque, a well-guarded secret of the locals called the Calanque de Sormiou and I was determined to explore this little gem on my recent family trip. But--understatement here--it's not easy to get to. If you want to avoid the hour-long hike in, your only choice is to rent one of the tiny seaside bungalows or to make reservations at the Le Château Sormiou, the little restaurant with a “to die for” view of the Sormiou Calanque and a fresh-out-of-the-water seafood menu. It's open from the first weekend in April to the last weekend in September and has been serving customers since 1948.

If you plan to go by car, make sure you reserve way ahead, as you're vying for access to this amazing spot with quite few others. When you call Le Château for reservations they'll ask for your car’s license plate number; this is mandatory or “le gardien” won't let you through the gate that takes you up and over the limestone mountain into the tight, steep descent into the Calanque.  If you don’t know your rental car’s license plate number when you make the reservation, just explain that you'll provide it closer to your arrival date. (Need I point out that good command of the French language, as well as being able to decipher the subtleties of the Marseillais patois, are a pre-requisite to making your reservation?). Once you've booked your table, you've overcome the major obstacle to getting to this little gem. Well, one of them at least.

I've been to Marseille many times and though I can easily find my way to the main landmarks, I could never have navigated my way to the entrance of this Calanque without a GPS. I felt like I was in a scene from the The French Connection as I exited from a major highway onto an elevated single lane that led me into a construction area and then into an eight-lane boulevard. Then finally, after many disorienting directional changes, I began to see signs for the Calanque de Sormiou. Much relief! We began to leave the bustle of the city into a forested area and then finally the GPS said we had reached our destination...even though we were still 4 km from the entrance. 

Once we arrived at the gate, the gardien looked from our car to his clipboard and back. No match, he proclaimed. We weren't on the list! 

Actually, we had planned to come with a friend in her car and when that plan fell through, I called to make the change....but I guess the gardien didn’t get the updated license number.  We managed to convince him that we were legit restaurant customers with a reservation and eventually he relented and lifted the gate. 

Now we started to question what kind of drive we were about to have, if such a careful selection process was required...and then a few clicks in we began to understand. But we really got the picture once we arrived at the top of Calanque and began to make our way down a one-lane road with pot holes and certain-death drop offs.  We prayed that no vehicles would be coming in the other direction and I surveyed the options ahead for any slight widening of the road. We made it down to the parking area (4€ charge) in a state of high stress and in desperate need of a glass or two of rosé.  We gathered our beach bags and gear and headed to the restaurant. 

We sat outside on the covered terrace with a gorgeous view of the sea and the Calanque.  Within minutes the empty terrace filled with clients.  It's very important to note this is a strictly cash restaurant and there are no ATMs or electricity or running water for that matter. Be prepared! We ordered up a bottle of rosé which came in a cute little plastic bag filled with ice. Lucy and I both settled in on soupe de poisson and a grilled whole dorade with vegetables and potatoes. The kids chose shrimp and pasta but there were a few meat dishes offered as well.  If you call ahead, you can order bouillabaisse, the local specialty, priced at 45€ per person, minimum two people. The food was excellent and unquestionably fresh though clearly priced with the captive audience in mind. Our lunch for five, with one bottle of wine, came to around 250€.  We changed in their restroom and after giving them a big wad of cash, headed to the beach.  Pleasantly, it was a real beach with sand (not rocky, like many coastal beaches here), and the water was perfect.  This day was without a doubt the highlight of our trip and the kids really didn't want to leave.   

The drive back up the Calanque was little less stressful though a lot busier and we did have to negotiate cars coming down at the same time. As we crested the top of the entrance to the Calanque we were presented with a stunning view of downtown Marseille and reluctantly we drove toward it, tucking away the experience of the special gem we had just uncovered. And yes, we would absolutely do it again!

Le Château Sormiou

lechateausormiou.fr

Tel: +33 (0) 4 91 25 08 69

GPS: 226 Chemin de Sormiou, 13009 Marseille

Open seven days, first weekend in April to last weekend in Sept.

Lunch served 12 to 3; dinner 7:30 to 9:30.

Reservations required, no email, no credit cards.

All photos by Andy Floyd. To reach him: chandy80027@gmail.com.

Updated August 2018: Parking has gone up to €5 and rather than being open for lunch and dinner every day, the restaurant is now closed for Sunday dinner. All menu options are now on the restaurant's website. 

Cycling in the Shadow of Mont Ventoux

John Helmkampf and Gerry Patterson, co-owners of 44|5 Cycling Tours in Nîmes, have 25 years of experience biking southern France’s roads between them. John, an American, moved to Nîmes in the Languedoc in 2006; he and his wife, Marie-Laure, have 2 children. Gerry, born and raised in Canada, came in 2008; he and his wife Shoko also live in Nîmes. John and Gerry joined forces in 2010. Today they offer a variety of cycling experiences, from guided half-day to week-long tours throughout Provence and the Languedoc. They actively participate in regional races and are often called on to support clients from around the world who want to climb the famous 1,912 meter (6,273 ft) Mont Ventoux.  For those of you who love to bike on your own, I asked them to share one of their very-favorite rides...and they sent this 55 km (30 mile) loop that starts and finishes in Bédoin. Feel free to contact John and Gerry for more details on this ride or to receive a route map. And to find out why the company is called 44|5 Cycling Tours, click here!

We often start our rides with clients in Bédoin, a small town of about 3,000 people, as it’s here that so much Provence cycling history has been made. Bédoin sits at the foot of Mont Ventoux, the much-feared Tour de France climb, which literally starts in the center of town.  Also known as the Giant of Provence, Ventoux has played host to the Tour de France 15 times since 1951, when it was first included in the race. For cyclists of all types, it’s a mythical mountain whose captivating powers compel them to climb the summit road at least once in their lifetime.

We’re not here to climb Mont Ventoux (not today at least), but we'll have the tempting pleasure of viewing its impressive forested flanks and rocky summit throughout our ride.

If we’re lucky enough to be riding on Monday, we might first visit Bédoin’s vibrant Provençal market, one of the largest in the region, showcasing a broad array of artisanal products. Otherwise, we park our car in one of the designated lots and ride to the top of the main road, where a round-about indicates our first turn to the left towards Malaucène, in a northwesterly direction.

The next 13 km of road leading to Malaucène prove to be one of the smoothest, most scenic and exhilarating stretches in the area.  Our legs and bodies will warm slowly as we pedal the gentle slopes outside Bédoin, and continue upward through pine stands and “garrigues,” the mix of rocks, shrubs and small plants that's emblematic of Provençal landscapes.

                       

A bit further on, we’ll be rewarded with stunning views of the expanding valley floor, and off in the distance the looming footprints of the Vaucluse, Luberon and Alpilles massifs.  The real fun begins when we see the sign for the “Col de la Madeleine,” not to be confused with its 1,993 meter namesake in the Alps. It’s here that we begin to sweep down for several kms, braking only to enjoy the cherry orchards and vineyards lining the road on our way into Malaucène.

If it’s Wednesday, then it’s market day in Malaucène.  We could buy a few snacks here if needed, but with a good rhythm underway, we’re likely just to continue toward our next destination, the village of Beaumes-de-Venise.  Following the main road out the north side of Malaucène (D938) we take a right at the round-about just in front of the gas station, and then an immediate left (D90) following the signs to Beaumes.

For the next 23 km or so, we'll experience some of the most varied and magnificent countryside in the south of France.  But you’ll have to work for it, because this is the most demanding section of the ride, with larger hills and steep sections followed by winding descents where braking is obligatory.  At the top of our first climb, we’re rewarded with a birds-eye view of the jagged limestone outcroppings known as the Dentelles de Montmirail, so close it feels like we can almost reach out and touch them.  It’s here, on the hillsides and in folds of the Dentelles, that a handful of confidential wineries produce some of the finest AOC Ventoux and AOC Beaumes-de-Venise wines.

Twisting down into a beautiful small gorge, and then heading slightly back up, we arrive at the hilltop village of Suzette, where you might return to enjoy a fantastic meal on the patio of Les Coquelicots, overlooking the vineyards.  At the village’s only intersection, we head left toward Le Barroux (sign-posted) and immediately plunge down a hidden valley road that will leave you breathless.  Just outside of Le Barroux, we’ll take a sharp right (D90a) toward La Roque-Alric.  This very “petit” village has no more than 100 inhabitants, but offers postcard-perfect scenes...so we usually stop for some pictures and to admire its small church built into the side of the rock itself.

There’s only one road leaving La Roque-Alric, and it’s 7 km of pure cycling delight, almost all downhill to our next destination, Beaumes-de-Venise.  Arriving in Beaumes’ village center, you’ll feel like you just returned to civilization after having cycled through the Dentelles’ backcountry roads.  An espresso stop may be in order, knowing that the hardest part of our journey is over and that we’ve already ridden two-thirds of today’s route.

Looking back up at the homes perched on Beaume’s rocky hillside, it’s not surprising to learn that these same ridges and grottoes sheltered the local Gaul population (think France’s famous comic book character “Asterix”) for hundreds of years before the Romans conquered the region at the end of 2^nd century BC.  In more modern times, Beaumes has made its vinous name as one of 16 Côtes-du-Rhônes “Cru” wines, and is perhaps best known as one of only two appellations in the Rhône valley allowed to produce “vin doux naturel” or sweet wine.  This, along with a handful of higher-end restaurants, provide ample reason to come back and experience Beaumes’ gustatory pleasures at a later time.

For the remaining portion of the ride back to Bédoin, we’ll be cycling on flat to gently rolling roads, allowing us to sit up a bit and take in some more spectacular scenery.  Departing Beaumes on the main road heading east (D21) we’re riding through the agricultural heartland of the area.  Vineyards, yes, and lots of them, but also groves of olive, fig, cherry, apricot and apple trees. It’s no wonder that the summer weekend markets that dot the area are chock full of succulent produce.

Rolling through Saint-Hippolyte and onward to the villages of Caromb and Saint-Pierre-de-Vassols, we’re constantly reminded of why cyclists around the world make the pilgrimage to this site: Mont Ventoux.  Its imposing shoulders stretch out for kilometres to either side, and if we didn’t know better, we might be fooled into thinking that its limestone scree summit was capped in snow.  So what is man’s fascination with climbing mountains, and in particular Ventoux?  To answer that age-old question, you’ll have to go all the way back to the Italian poet Petrarch, who is said to have been the first to climb Ventoux in 1336, and based a famous work on his experience.

Finally, back on the main road leading into Bédoin from the south, we catch a glimpse of the monument to all who have cycled up Ventoux in the past, and feel rather relieved that we've opted to take up that challenge another day! Pulling into the village center once again, we’re greeted by the noon-time animation of children heading home from school, artisans and shop-workers breaking for coffee, and tourists browsing up and down the main thoroughfare.  While our cycling adventure has ended for the day, we agree that a restorative lunch is in order, and head off to one of the many excellent restaurants Bédoin has to offer.

Photos: (1) A Private Peleton: Gerry and friends tackle the roads near Bédoin. (2) The main Bédoin round-about; photo by Véronique Panier.  (3) No Ventoux for us today, thank you...but we'll be back. (4, 5) Sausages and ceramics in the Bedoin market on Monday; Photos by Michael Green. (6) Smooth roads and garrigues.  (7) The pretty village of Caromb. (8) The Dentelles de Montmirail. (9) When you hit Beaumes-de-Venise, you'll have ridden two-thirds of the route. Espresso is in order!  (10) After the Etape du Tour in 2012: John's in the center, Gerry's on the right. The guys made it into the prestigious "Top 10% of Finishers" in this grueling "sportive" which allows amateurs to ride a full mountain stage of the Tour de France before the pros do it. Some 10,000 people ride the Etape du Tour annually.

My Friend the Rock Star

In 2010, my Canadian friend Carolyne Kauser-Abbott (top photo) convinced her husband Andrew (and Labrador Jade) that a few months in France would be fun...and they stayed for more than a year. They currently split their time between Canmore in the Canadian Rockies, Southern California and Eygalieres in Provence. At home or on the road, Carolyne writes the food and travel blog Ginger and Nutmeg, creates travel apps under the brand Edible Heritage and does social media consulting. I think of Carolyne and Andrew as extreme travelers: their idea of good fun runs along the lines of biking 100 kilometers to poke around a new village...or flying the ridges of the Alpilles Mountains in a glider...or driving a couple hours to meet a top French cowboy who raises bucking bulls. When Carolyne told me about their latest escapade--climbing the Via Ferrata in Cavaillon—I was completely intrigued...and I asked her to share the info. This is what she sent.

Waiting for the bike technician to check the brakes on my velo, I was thumbing through the random pile of ad flyers promoting local restaurants. One pamphlet caught my eye:  a new Via Ferrata in Cavaillon. This was something I really had to try but it took more than a year to convince my husband to “harness up.”

Via Ferrata (iron road) is an Italian term. The phrase was used to describe alpine military routes created during World War I in the Dolomite Mountains of Northern Italy. Wooden ladder rungs and heavy ropes were installed to fixed points along rocky ledges. These rustic vertical corridors provided somewhat sheltered approaches to the summits for the troops.  

Post-war, the appeal of the Via Ferrata as an adventure activity for non-alpinists became apparent, offering approachable routes to breathtaking European mountaintops. In the 1930s, the Italian Alpine Club began converting makeshift army equipment into more permanent installations (the whole story is here).  

Currently there are more than 1,000 Via Ferratas in Europe including 200-plus in France alone. Two French websites with lots of additional info are here and here. Adventure seekers will be pleased to know that there are several Via Ferratas in Provence.

The “iron road” in Cavaillon opened in June, 2013, about 40 meters up on the cliffs of the 180-meter Saint-Jacques’ Hill overlooking the city. It’s the only Via Ferrata in a European city that’s accessible on foot from downtown. More than 20,000 people have ‘’done’’ it  since the official opening.

There are two loops: the shorter Via Natura that takes about two hours to complete and the four-hour Via Souterrata. On both routes, you’ll be treated to an expansive view of the Durance Valley. Up close, you will enjoy seasonal fauna that sprouts from seemingly impossible perches.

The Cavaillon Via Ferrata is open all year and there is no charge to use it.  However, it’s highly recommended that novices engage one of the certified guides listed on the Cavaillon website here for their first time on the circuit. We chose David Malbos of Vertical Session.

We left our car in the parking lot at the top of the hill on Chemin de l'Hermitage and David welcomed us with a broad smile,  then introduced us to the rest of the group; we were eight in total for this adventure.  David is not only fully certified and clearly passionate about his job--he was one of the early visionaries for the Via Ferrata in Cavaillon. He was involved in all the stages, from the initial proposal in 2011 through environmental studies, design, installation testing and now guiding.  So, I felt that we were in good hands.

After a brief run-through on proper equipment usage, we were ready to start our tour. David did warn us that there is no easing into this Via Ferrata…and he was right! After passing through a spring-loaded gate, you clip onto the first metal wire, descend a few rebar rungs and you’re crossing your first canyon on a single strand of cable.  Despite the fact that the risk of tumbling is nearly impossible, it’s difficult to convince your brain otherwise. 

Our group completed the Via Souterrata in roughly four hours with David’s coaching. I was never afraid of falling as you’re anchored at all times. However, the via ferrata was more physical than I had expected: there’s one notable climbing section, a few suspended crossings and even two short tunnels. Had I checked the website beforehand I would have realized that the Via Souterra loop was ranked TD --très difficile--so although you do not require any rock climbing experience a base level of physical fitness and some time spent in hiking boots will make for a more enjoyable tour. 

All in all, it was a terrific afternoon on the rocks overlooking Cavaillon.  Have a look at this video clip to give you a feeling for the adventure.

When you hire a guide, they’ll provide a helmet and Via Ferrata kit, which includes the harness and necessary clips. In addition, you should wear lightweight hiking shoes, and carry a backpack with water, sunscreen, gloves, an extra layer and a snack.

For more info, the Tourist Office in Cavaillon can be reached on +33 (0)4 90 71 32 01 or via their website here. 

Photos: Social Climbers! Carolyne...the view...the warning...Carolyne's husband Andrew Abbott...guide David Malbos...another climber...and four folks hanging on by a thread on the Cavaillon Via Ferrata. All photos by Ginger and Nutmeg except final shot, which is by Sam Bie.