We also picked up our Eurolease car from Marseille airport - a brand new Peugeot. Now with GPS, Kay graciously resigned as navigator (relieved!). Driving on the right and managing all the roundabouts was interesting, to say the least. (Going around again is easier than taking the wrong exit.) Toll roads were also a new experience!
A couple of trips into the countryside before the wedding increased our driving experience. This region is very cultivated with vineyards and crops. We just missed seeing the sunflowers at their best and the lavender before harvest.
Gordes, a village perched on a hillside.
(Below) Cistercian Abbey Notre Dame Senanque, remote & simple, founded in 1148. The fireplace, in the only heated room, can hold a whole tree trunk.
Village de Bories, Gallic huts occupied from the Bronze age until 1700s.
Our first view of Aix-en-Provence. Beyond the fountain the street opened out to a humming area of stalls, restaurants & people.
We drove up narrow streets here looking for a place to park.
One of Huguette's 2 pet tortoises.
The wedding day arrived fine & hot. The ceremony was in the Rognac Town Hall followed by the reception at a hotel restaurant in the countryside, where many of us stayed overnight.
Pre-reception time.
A balmy outdoor evening with delicious food served over several hours, as is the French custom.
One of Huguette's 2 pet tortoises.
The wedding day arrived fine & hot. The ceremony was in the Rognac Town Hall followed by the reception at a hotel restaurant in the countryside, where many of us stayed overnight.
The happy couple.
Pre-reception time.
A balmy outdoor evening with delicious food served over several hours, as is the French custom.
The final task was the filling the champagne glasses & passing around the last course. (For this photo a better camera was needed!)
The evening was full of good conversation, entertaining speeches (translated), music & dancing. Cat's brother devised a competition between the French & Kiwis, which included a quizz, singing each others national anthems & doing traditional dances. The Kiwi male can-can (performed by all ages) beat the French haka hands down!
Brunch the next morning (after a small amount of sleep) ended the celebrations. We farewelled our friends & headed for Vence, near Nice, for an overnight stay on our way to Italy.
The walled old town in Vence - lots of alleys to explore.
Our small hotel in the nearby town square.
Crepes at an outdoor cafe - a simple, delicious meal.
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Nearby Cagnes sur Mer, a chance to dip our feet into the warm Mediterranean on the Cote d'Azur. There were plenty of topless sunbathers (Mike said he didn't notice!) but surprisingly no sand, only stones, on the beach.
No, this is not a ship - just a decadent hotel.
The evening was full of good conversation, entertaining speeches (translated), music & dancing. Cat's brother devised a competition between the French & Kiwis, which included a quizz, singing each others national anthems & doing traditional dances. The Kiwi male can-can (performed by all ages) beat the French haka hands down!
Brunch the next morning (after a small amount of sleep) ended the celebrations. We farewelled our friends & headed for Vence, near Nice, for an overnight stay on our way to Italy.
The walled old town in Vence - lots of alleys to explore.
Our small hotel in the nearby town square.
Crepes at an outdoor cafe - a simple, delicious meal.
.jpg)
Nearby Cagnes sur Mer, a chance to dip our feet into the warm Mediterranean on the Cote d'Azur. There were plenty of topless sunbathers (Mike said he didn't notice!) but surprisingly no sand, only stones, on the beach.
No, this is not a ship - just a decadent hotel.
