Over the weekend I was talking with a friend who will be visiting us this summer and whose daughter may be settling in Forcalquier, so I promised I would get some of my photos up.Forcalquier is in the Haute Provence (once its capital, in fact, during the middle ages), a thriving town popular with publishers, booksellers, graphic designers, typographers, bookbinders, illuminators, calligraphers, etchers, papermakers.We were there on a Monday when Forcalquier's enormous market is spread out through the town's streets.
On market days this melodramatic sculpture ends up plunked in the middle of everyday commerce
Elaborate wrought iron balconies are characteristic and lovely
The town is built on a steep slope, climbing to what was once the fortified site of a citadel, destroyed in the 16th century, and now occupied by a small, octagonal chapel crowned with stone angel musicians. There are also the carillon bells, played in concert every Sunday during the summer months.
360 panoramic view on top
In Forcalquier, also, the Couvent des Cordeliers which was built in the 13th century by the Franciscans (named cordeliers because of their rope belts). We could wander around the outside grounds but because of renovations (conceiveable ongoing since 1963...this is France after all) could not visit the interior.
very old, very pollarded trees
In Provence, exceptional unfortunately means rain, and for the past few days we have had our share of thunderstorms and downpours, not that it kept Robert off the road with his favorite means of transportation.
But of course there were the "usual" days. We spent last Sunday picnicing by the Ste-Victoire, then drove into Aix for coffee.
Le cours Mirabeau
Aix is quiet on sundays
Back to Rians, the quiet bonheur of Place St-Laurent
We aren't the only ones up on the terrasse watching the swallows at day's end
Back on the street where we live, with our very own "private" parking space. We did our spring cleaning, unpacked and headed to the terrace with our bottle of white wine and a dish of olives...to watch the evening swallow show over the village.
Most of the village cats are pretty skittish, hugging the perimeters, but this guy just sat and posed
Impressive bracing (they've been working on it for years), but all the old buildings are preserved
View of the Tour d'horloge from the back, on the way to the post office
Over the weekend I was talking with a friend who will be visiting us this summer and whose daughter may be settling in Forcalquier, so I promised I would get some of my photos up.
On market days this melodramatic sculpture ends up plunked in the middle of everyday commerce
Elaborate wrought iron balconies are characteristic and lovely
The town is built on a steep slope, climbing to what was once the fortified site of a citadel, destroyed in the 16th century, and now occupied by a small, octagonal chapel crowned with stone angel musicians. There are also the carillon bells, played in concert every Sunday during the summer months.
360 panoramic view on top
very old, very pollarded trees
