Travels in the Vaucluse

Fontaine-de-Vaucluse

This is probably the last batch of photos that I will have a chance to post. We are in our last week and already feel the pinch...beginning to do the minor repairs and adjustments to the apartment that we do every year before we leave. These phots are from the trip we just took to visit our friends Habib and Ruth in the Vaucluse. We left early in the morning, making a detour to stop for have a picnic lunch in Fontaine-de-Vaucluse, one of Provence's lovelier villages and home to the poet Petrarch in the 14th century.

our picnic spot in the little park behind the musee Petrarch

Petrarch himself, in stone, encircled by ancient plane trees that look old enough to have provided him with shade while composing his sonnets

the church in Fontaine-de-Vaucluse

Shade is at a premium. Our temperatures for the past few days have soared into the mid-90s

To each his own comfort

The next day, with our friends, we visited the Gorges de Nesque

Robert and Habib at the belvedere

Ruth photographing

The view of valley as we approached Sault

Market day at Sault

A funny little fountain, you give it a pump then wait and wait and finally the water arrives

Toulouse, Part III

In the center of the old city, La Capitole, an extravagant building with a worthy Place and the inlaid cross of Occitane.

Misfortune for some of the French illustres.

Almost every city in France has a Blvd. Jean Jaures, and here he is, having had a happier ending than the poor Duc de Montmorency

Eglise St. Etienne

The magnificent organ is perched 7 metres up.

Toulouse, Part II

Here are some more photos from our trip to Toulouse...this is the old city center, on the Garonne river.

The St. Sernin basilica

Bemberg Foundation (with its astounding collection of Bonnard paintings)