Magical Light of Provence

South of France: Provence and the Calanques

 Provence, the Mediterranean coastal province in south of France, is a major goal of this trip. It has spectacular scenic beauty, in the sunny weather not unlike that of California coast, in the mountains coming down straight to the sea, in the rolling fields of vineyards and orchards, in the aquamarine seascape that reminds me of tropical beach resorts, and in the easy-going lifestyle of the locals, some of whom are the longest living people in the world.

 

 Formerly a poor region due to difficult terrain, Provence has long been a melting pot of Italian, French, Spanish, and Arabian cultures but was not in the mainstream of any; it attracted artists and intellectuals throughout the centuries to settle here away from turmoil in neighboring countries. Provence now represents a rustic, back-to-nature lifestyle harmoniously integrated with the refined pleasures of modernity.

 We settled into a comfortable country villa and were welcomed immediately by our French hosts with glasses of aperitifs. Then we met follow travelers from Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, etc. at the dinner table for a four-course dinner and plenty of wine. What a warm welcome! The immaculate grounds of the villa with luxuriant mediterranean flora was perfectly suited to indoor-outdoor living. This became our base for 3 days while we explored different parts of Provence on day trips.

 At the recommendation of our host, we took a drive to the sea via backroads, passing through vineyards, fields of wild flowers, and forested hills. The undulating rocky mesas of the countryside, the rustic undeveloped landscape with occasional ancient ruins, and the super-clear air evokes a vision of the supernatural. We wound our way to Cassis, a chic seaside resort not far from Marseille. Cassis is the launching base for boat tours to the Calanques, a series of idyllic aquamarine inlets surrounded by precipitous limestone cliffs on the Mediterranean Sea. Kayakers, boaters, hikers, and sunbathers were out enjoying the spectacular scenery under the brilliant Mediterranean Sun.