#7 My Travel Journal - Discovering Provence
Searching for shade, water, wine and cheese (and not necessarily in that order)
I was under the impression that all dogs could swim. It turns out, however, that isn’t the case and we seem to have a dog who is an anomaly when it comes to dealing with matters of water. As we ventured onto the shores of the lake, the water sizzling against the heat of our bodies, poor Jasper didn’t seem to know what to do, his gangly legs making hard work of the paddle, resulting in less glide more lob-sided drag. Sean came to his rescue, holding his rigid body afloat above the surface of the water whilst his legs remained in a half-swim motion, his face displaying a look as if to say “what on earth are you humans making me do now?” I often wonder if he ever realises what’s going on? I’m sure when we brought him home that cold February day in 2019 to a place he imagined would be his forever home, he never thought he would become the most well-travelled lurcher from Yorkshire. But here we are, all swimming together in Lake Sainte-Croix.
The lake has been one of many stops to find water whilst in Provence, where the temperature has been slowing rising to a peak of 41 degrees celsius. From lakes to streams to swimming pools, the heatwave has had us crying out for those refreshing dips. I’m almost wishing to be back in the mountains in the colder winds which comes with the altitude. Almost. Parking in the shade has also become a priority, alongside late night cold showers before bed. We’ve been aiming to drive in the middle of the day to take full advantage of the air conditioning, viewing en route the exquisite cream-stoned cottages with immaculate driveways lined with Tuscan-inspired conifers, alongside lush vineyards and the brown remains of the end-of-season lavender fields.
Makes note to self to return when the lavender is in full bloom.
When we haven’t been searching for shade and water, we’ve been on the lookout for an ice cold glass of local rosé which, as you can imagine, isn’t too hard to come by. At one end of the magnificent Gorges du Verdon1 sits the town of Castellane and it was here that we spent a balmy evening perched outside one of the many restaurants, drinking wine, watching the world, and many bronzed tourists, go by. A couple of days later we came across the town of Lourmarin, where we stopped for a lunch of charcuterie - my favourite kind of meal! - washed down with the palest and most perfect glass of rosé. And it just so happened to be our third wedding anniversary and I couldn’t have imagined a better way to celebrate.
This is our first time visiting Provence and I can definitely see the attraction: good food, good wine, summer sunshine, hiking, water activities, cute towns to meander and explore. And as with every place on this trip, we know we are only scratching the surface meaning my ‘places to return to’ list is ever-growing. I think of all that we have seen and all that we have done since we left the UK a mere three weeks ago and I realise quickly how grateful I am for this life of ours. This has led to a shift in my mindset of late, something which I can’t quite find the words to articulate right now. I hope that one day soon I can but all I know right now is that life is good.
If you’ve missed any of my travel journals so far, I would love for you to check them out by clicking here, but before you do, here’s a sneak peak of what we’ve been up to!
#6 My Travel Journal - The wrath of mother nature
It goes without saying that our chosen method of travel results in added exposure to the elements. We no longer have a cosy camper to retire in when the weather decides to have a bad day. The weather instead has to be endured with our sensitive souls learning to grow accustomed to everything that is thrown at them. We replaced the space and the comfort …
#5 My Travel Journal - Chamonix stole my heart
“This is good, this spot right here,” I said, feeling immediate relief as I undid the strap from across my chest, setting my bag down behind me. I fumbled in the side pocket for Jasper’s bowl and watched as he licked into the emptiness, too eager to wait for the water to appear. After nearly 5km of a…
A gorgeous and delicious read, Lyndsay! What fabulous adventures!
Sounds like the perfect combination Lyndsay! Although can't say I wasn't distracted by the fact that Jasper doesn't know how to swim. I too thought all dogs just knew. Maybe it's a lurcher thing?